FORT ERIE, Ontario - The drop in revenue at border tracks such as Fort Erie and Windsor got some attention last week in the 80-page report released by the Ontario government's industry review panel.

The report, which assessed the province's horse racing industry, cited the falling U.S. dollar and increased competition due to the proliferation of alternative gambling facilities in the region as reasons for the declines.

AUBURN, Wash. - Margo's Gift and Gallon sit atop the 3-year-old division at Emerald Downs, and trainer Blaine Wright understands that it won't be easy to knock them off. Consequently, Wright has decided two take two shots at the divisional leaders in Sunday's $50,000 Tacoma Handicap at a mile.

Wright will send out both Easy Going Cecil and Javon Carries On in the Tacoma.

"I'll have one on the lead and one coming from off the pace," said the trainer. "That should give me a chance no matter how the race unfolds."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Grade 2 King Edward was on tap here Saturday and the Grade 3 Dominion Day is coming up Tuesday, but the race of the long weekend should be Monday's My Dear Stakes.

The $150,000 My Dear, a five-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies, has attracted invaders from the barns of Wesley Ward and Todd Pletcher plus a three-pack of fillies from trainer Steve Asmussen's local shed row

Ward's contestant is My Sweet Natalie, who defeated males when she debuted in a two-furlong dash here April 20.

ELMONT, N.Y. - After a restful three weeks following his last-place finish in the Belmont Stakes, Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown is about to resume serious training in preparation for the second half of his 3-year-old season, trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said Friday.

Big Brown has done little more than jog since the Belmont, but Dutrow said the horse was likely to begin regular gallops over the weekend with a possible workout as early as Tuesday. Big Brown is being pointed to the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 3.

Mike Burgess won his first stakes race as a trainer last weekend at Louisiana Downs with Love to Tell, but she was far from his first stakes winner. Burgess rode Quarter Horses for 12 years, and during that time won his fair share of stakes, among his mounts such class runners as Strawfly Special and Gamblin on Sin.

"She's the first stakes winner I haven't sat on," said Burgess.

Trainer Steve Sherman finally gets a pace scenario to his liking when he sends out Overland in Sunday’s $50,000 Everett Nevin Stakes at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, Calif.

“He’s had a lot of bad luck in his races because there’s either been lone speed or no speed,” Sherman said. “He’s never had a good pace scenario.”

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Heatseeker, who was declared from Saturday's $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on Friday after developing swelling in an ankle, will undergo further diagnostic tests before resuming training, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

Heatseeker was found to have swelling in his left front ankle on Thursday morning. When the swelling did not immediately subside, Hollendorfer and owner William de Burgh withdrew the 5-year-old from the Gold Cup that evening.

The leading older horse in California this year, Heatseeker would have been heavily favored in the Gold Cup.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Einstein is expected to return to familiar turf Friday when he preps for the Aug. 9 Arlington Million in the $200,000 Firecracker Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Helen Pitts acknowledged that the one-mile distance of the Grade 2 Firecracker "isn't the best" for Einstein, "but I want to get a race in him and point for the big one."

EDMONTON, Alberta – Sunday’s featured seventh race, a classified allowance at 6 1/2 furlongs offering a $20,200 purse, attracted a strong field of eight including stakes winners Banjo Babe, Braetta, and Minimus, plus the stakes-placed Debie Ginsburg.

For those fillies and mares, the race provides a nice alternative to knocking heads with the likes of Tanika, She’s Italian, and R Lucinda, who were scheduled to battle it out in the Wild Rose at the same distance 24 hours earlier.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Grayross Gal could have a slight edge in a competitive field of nine fillies and mares running for a top claiming price of $15,000 in the seventh race at Hastings Sunday. You’rejustlikeme, Badgetts Star, Include the Grand, and Kokeeno also appear to be razor sharp coming into the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, which will serve as the feature race.