SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Even while fighting a battle to retain its franchise, the New York Racing Association enjoyed a record 2007 Saratoga season. Now, with the franchise issue behind it - save for the finalization of some documents - NYRA has a new foe to deal with entering the 140th Saratoga stand that begins Wednesday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The next start for Curlin, the 2007 Horse of the Year, has yet to be decided, but he was kept on edge early Monday morning at Saratoga with an easy half-mile workout that was the highlight of a busy morning of drills for trainer Steve Asmussen and his assistant, Scott Blasi.

Blasi, who oversees Asmussen's local horses, sent 14 horses to the Oklahoma training track for workouts, including such well-known stakes-class runners as Noonmark, Pyro, Student Council, Zanjero, and Z Fortune.

"You all showed up on a good day," Blasi said.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Southern Exchange underlined his status as the top 2-year-old on the grounds with his 3 1/4-length victory here in last Saturday’s $151,300 Colin Stakes.

But despite the winning margin success did not come easily for Southern Exchange, who ran his record to 3 for 3 and registered his second straight stakes score in the six-furlong Colin.

A horse at Lone Star Park lost his action during a turf sprint Saturday, broke through the inside rail, and fell into an infield lake, not surfacing until his body was removed later.

The horse's jockey, Bryan McNeil, broke his left arm when he was unseated in the incident.

The undefeated Peppers Pride has been assigned high weigh of 127 pounds for the $55,000 Lincoln Handicap at Ruidoso Downs on Sunday, a race in which she will attempt to win for the 17th time and eclipse North America's modern mark for consecutive victories.

Peppers Pride equaled the record of 16 shared by Cigar, Citation, Hallowed Dreams, and Mister Frisky in her last start, when she won the $75,000 Foutz Distaff Handicap at SunRay Park in Farmington, N.M., on April 26.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The easy part of the Del Mar meeting ended for Well Armed on Saturday when he led throughout the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap, his second major stakes win of the year.

The more difficult part of the season will occur on Aug. 24, when he attempts to stretch his speed over 1 1/4 miles in the $1 million Pacific Classic. The result of that race is likely to determine Well Armed's path for the fall.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Air conditioning has finally made its way to Saratoga Race Course. But if you want any of it, it'll cost ya.

The tents which house popular track haunts such as the Paddock Pavilion and At the Rail Pavilion have been upgraded and glass enclosed to allow for air conditioning. The buffet at the Paddock Pavilion costs $37 on the weekdays and $39 on the weekends, while walk-up customers to the Rail Pavilion will pay $67 on weekdays and Sunday and $72 on Saturdays.

Highlighted by the richest running of the Breeders' Cup, the stakes schedule for the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting will feature 42 races for this year's meeting from Sept. 24 to Oct. 26.

The 14 Breeders' Cup races will be worth $25.5 million, with six races for females on Oct. 24 and eight races for males on Oct. 25.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Heading into the 1 1/2-mile Greenwood Cup last Saturday at Philadelphia Park, trainer Joe Orseno was confident Phil the Power would love a three-turn race and felt he was slightly better on dirt than grass, where he has spent most of his career.

Turns out, Orseno was correct on both counts.

Gio Ponti, the winner of the Virginia Derby last Saturday, is a good possibility to run back in the Aug. 9 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park, trainer Christophe Clement said Monday.

"I need a few more days," Clement said from Belmont Park. "I would like to run him. If he bounces back quickly, I'll say yes, but if not, we'll wait for something else. We have time to wait and see."