LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After Ken McPeek took an indefinite leave of absence from training horses nearly two years ago, it would have been difficult for anyone to believe that his stable would come back as strongly as it has, as quickly as it has.

McPeek won with 17 of his first 38 starters this spring at Churchill Downs, making him the leading trainer as the 52-day meet nears its midpoint this weekend.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Storm Mesa put up the year's highest Beyer Speed Figure for a 3-year-old filly on Monday, when she earned a 108 for her win in the $100,000 Cinemine Stakes at Lone Star Park. She dominated by 13 1/2 lengths in her stakes debut, and covered the seven furlongs in a sharp 1:21.56.

"It was an extremely impressive race," said Bret Calhoun, who trains Storm Mesa for Richard L. Davis.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Arravale, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred trained by Mac Benson, was Canada's Horse of the Year and champion turf female when she won 3 of 5 starts and more than $1 million in 2006.

Last year, Arravale made the same number of appearances but registered just a third-place finish in a campaign plagued by untimely setbacks and bad racing luck.

On Saturday, Arravale will be looking to regain some of her lost luster when she goes postward here in the Grade 2, $300,000 Nassau, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

Jockey Michael Ziegler won the 2,000th race of his career Sunday at Arapahoe Park, in the eighth race aboard John Three Sixteen ($5.60).

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - With the exception of Meal Penalty, who won the Arlington Classic on Saturday afternoon, there are no entirely fixed plans for any of the successful stakes runners to have competed over Memorial Day weekend at Arlington Park.

AUBURN, Wash. - Howard Belvoir describes Wasserman as a ditch-digger. "He just comes to work every day and digs," said the trainer and owner.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With easily his most serious workout since returning from Dubai, Curlin took a major step toward returning to action in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap when he drilled six furlongs Monday in 1:12.20 at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Steve Asmussen, who was on hand before leaving for Texas, said he was very satisfied with the work.

"He wasn't as smooth as he is when he's perfect, but he went really well," said Asmussen.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Church Service is a $50,000 claim who is going places. He indicated it two starts ago, when he finished second by a nose in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Handicap at Santa Anita. He reiterated it on Monday, when he got up for a nose win in the Grade 3, $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup at Lone Star Park.

"This was a big race for him," said Mike Mitchell, who trains Church Service for Robert Tjosvold. "The pace was so slow, I didn't know if he could do it."

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Before they became multiple graded stakes winners, Tiago and Zenyatta were sparring partners.

In early 2007, when Tiago was on his way to winning the Santa Anita Derby and long before Zenyatta made her first start, the pair worked in company at Hollywood Park.

“There wasn’t much separating them,” trainer John Shirreffs said.

That was about all that Shirreffs was willing to divulge about the year-old workout. Was the filly just a wee bit quicker than her male counterpart?

“I won’t say which one was in front,” Shirreffs said, laughing.

MIAMI - Finallymadeit is unquestionably better going one turn than around two. But under the right circumstances, like Monday's Memorial Day Handicap, this hard-knocking son of Concerto can carry his abundant speed a distance of ground.