Indy Wind provided further proof that he's extremely fond of Monmouth Park when he returned from a 2 1/2-month layoff to capture Saturday's $70,000 Frisk Me Now Stakes for the second straight year.

A three-time stakes winner in New Jersey last year, including the Skip Away at Monmouth and the Alysheba at the Meadowlands, the 6-year-old Indy Wind ($9) was only the third choice in a field of seven older horses at 7-2. He made that price seem generous by cruising to a 7 1/2-length victory under Stewart Elliott.

ELMONT, N.Y. - We'll be back.

That was the proclamation of the Japanese connections who were forced to scratch Casino Drive from Saturday's Belmont Stakes due to a stone bruise in his left hind foot that was first noticed Friday morning. Casino Drive is by Mineshaft out of the dam Better Than Honour, making him a half-brother to Belmont Stakes winners Jazil (2006) and Rags to Riches (2007).

Casino Drive, who had won both of his starts, including the Grade 2 Peter Pan here on May 10, was the second choice on the Belmont morning line behind Big Brown.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Rene Douglas hadn't experienced such a thrill on Belmont Stakes Day since he notched arguably the greatest victory of his career 12 years ago aboard Editor's Note in the Belmont.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The conditions of the $300,000 Charles Whittingham Handicap at Hollywood Park on Saturday were an ideal fit for Artiste Royal, and gave the 7-year-old his second Grade 1 win in the last year.

Artiste Royal ($8.40) outfinished Monzante and a game pacesetter in Lava Man to win the Whittingham by a neck. The victory was Artiste Royal's first of 2008, and first since the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Turf Championship at Santa Anita last fall. The Whittingham and the Hirsch are run over 1 1/4 miles on turf.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Dancing Forever dove to the rail with a bold rally in the stretch and then won a head bob from 3-1 favorite Out of Control to take Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Indian Blessing was the champion of the division last year, but a changing of the guard was signaled when Proud Spell dealt her the first defeat of her career in March at Fair Grounds.

A further evolution was in evidence Saturday at Belmont Park when Zaftig, ridden by John Velazquez, glided past Indian Blessing with surprising ease to post a 4 1/2-length triumph in the 78th running of the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin was assigned 128 pounds for next Saturday’s Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs, an impost that left Curlin’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, talking about possibly skipping the race.

“It might eliminate us from running,” Asmussen said. “They” – meaning Churchill Downs – “may have outsmarted themselves again.”

ELMONT, N.Y. - J Be K solidified his status as the East's top-ranked 3-year-old sprinter with an emphatic score over eight rivals in the 23rd running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Woody Stephens at Belmont.

J Be K broke alertly, took a short lead outside True Quality through fractions of 22.29 and 44.89 seconds, and unleashed a burst of speed to draw clear into midstretch after six furlongs in 1:08.78.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Soft ground and a softer pace was Ventura's undoing in last month's Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs when she finished third.

Saturday at Belmont Park, Ventura got firm ground and a solid early pace and she capitalized on both to record a three-quarter-length victory in the Grade 1, $400,000 Just a Game Stakes. Lady of Venice, the 2-1 favorite, chased Ventura home and finished second, three-quarters of a length in front off 44-1 shot Forever Together.

ELMONT, N.Y. – When Dance Gal Dance scratched from the Grade 1 Acorn, it looked as though Indian Blessing was a cinch as the lone speed.

But proving yet again there are no sure things in racing, Zaftig went right past Indian Blessing in upper stretch and romped to a 4 1/2-length victory over last year’s 2-year-old filly champion. Indian Blessing finished second by 17 1/4 lengths over Game Face. It was 13 3/4 lengths back to Golden Doc A.