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.

ALBANY, Calif. - The millionaire McCann's Mojave is heading to the breeding shed in 2009, trainer Steve Specht said after the 8-year-old son of Memo's dominating victory in the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap at Golden Gate Fields on Monday.

McCann's Mojave turned in an outstanding effort and couldn't have gotten a better trip in the 1o1/16-mile race as he defeated favored Desert Code by 3 1/2 lengths.

"We plan to run in a few more spots," Specht said after the race. "I'm not sure where his next start will be."

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Lookinforthesecret lived up to his 1-10 favoritism when he made all the pace and prevailed with a daylight win in the $50,000 Honor the Hero Turf Express Stakes at Canterbury Park on Memorial Day.

Jockey Daniel Centeno made his first trip to Canterbury Park to ride Lookinforthesecret for trainer Jamie Ness and guided his mount to an imposing lead in midstretch, then held by two lengths over Pimm's O'Clock. Joni's Justice rallied for third, 3 1/2 lengths farther back.