ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Heading into last year's Woodbine meeting, the racetrack itself was the center of attention.

Polytrack made its debut here on Aug. 30, 2006, and experienced problems as the year wore on, coming under particular fire in the closing stages of the meet.

But, after undergoing some changes in composition last spring and summer, the Polytrack finished up 2007 in good order and Woodbine has legitimate hopes that concern over the surface can become a thing of the past when this year's 167-day meeting begins on Saturday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine has not been prominent on the Breeders' Cup scene since it hosted the event in 1996, but that could change when the track stages six Win and You're In turf races during its 2008 meeting, which begins with a 10-race card Saturday.

PHOENIX – There’s little doubt White Spar is one of the top Arizona-bred sprinters on dirt. The $40,000 Arizona Stallion Stakes at Turf Paradise on Saturday gives him the opportunity to expand his domain, as he tries turf for the first time. The race for 3-year-olds sired by Arizona-based stallions is slated at about 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf, and lured a field of seven.

Gattopardo's connections have their long-range sights on the Preakness. In order to get to the second leg of the Triple Crown, which will be run May 17 at Pimlico, Gattopardo must run well in Saturday's Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct.

Gattopardo, who has been first or second in all six career starts, had his final prep for the seven-furlong Bay Shore when he worked five furlongs in 58 seconds last Saturday at Laurel Park, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:10 and change. It was the fastest of 14 workouts at the distance that morning.

Two of the leading trainers during the winter at Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park plan to have stables for the first time at Delaware Park this season.

Peter Walder, fourth in the current Gulfstream trainer standings, and David Jacobson, who finished fifth during the recently concluded inner-track meet in New York, intend to race locally based horses when Delaware launches its 136-day meet on April 19.

Walder, 39, will have about 40 horses on the grounds. Jacobson, 54, intends to have about 15 horses at Delaware while keeping the remainder of his string in New York.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Kettleoneup's late run would be best suited by a strong pace Saturday when she makes her Grade 1 debut in the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park. But it is questionable whether she will get the fractions she needs.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Good thing the racing will be far better than the weather. Opening day at Keeneland is supposed to bring rain, wind, and cold in a metaphorical opposite to the sunny days that lay ahead on the Kentucky racing circuit.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - While Todd Pletcher kept his better 3-year-olds in south Florida and Southern California this winter, it may turn out that the horse who takes him back to the Kentucky Derby was sitting chilly in New York.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Racing often is characterized by highs and lows, by slumps and resurgences. Julien Leparoux would scarcely know any of this, having experienced almost nothing but phenomenal success since embarking on his North American riding career some 2 1/2 years ago, but a subpar last few months have him feeling he may have something to prove at Keeneland.

Bitterbutsweet couldn't handle Cave Springs when they met in a turf allowance race here March 17, but she got her revenge when it counted, capturing Monday's $30,700 Scottsdale Handicap.