NEW ORLEANS - Even though Curlin's connections have announced that they would race their champion in Dubai rather than in New Orleans, and even though the top-class horse Showing Up will not ship from Florida, as had been hoped, the six stakes races Saturday at Fair Grounds came out sparkling when fields were drawn Monday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Barrier Reef was not among the 448 3-year-olds nominated to this year's Triple Crown series. As of the Jan. 19 nomination deadline, his connections felt Barrier Reef hadn't done enough to stamp himself as a candidate for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, or Belmont Stakes.

"I just didn't think he was going to be up to those standards,'' said Tom Albertrani, who trains Barrier Reef for Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stable.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trainer Greg Gilchrist said his hand didn't shake at all when the $400,000 agreement slip to purchase Sky Mystic was signed at Calder last February.

That's because owner David Heerensperger signed the slip.

"My hand shakes when I sign one for $150,000," said Gilchrist.

Heerensperger said his hand was shaking even though he also made a $375,000 purchase of Indyanne at the same sale.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin was hard pressed to find any excuse for Daaher's disappointing performance immediately after Saturday's Grade 1 Donn Handicap, and two days later still had no conclusive explanation for the colt's seventh-place finish as the 4-5 favorite.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The rain stopped, and the Caterpillars came out on Monday at Santa Anita. On a cold but gloriously clear morning, heavy equipment was being used to dry out the track and make the entire circumference level on the first day of what Santa Anita management is hoping will be the final push toward fixing its Cushion Track surface.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Last summer it looked as if Bay Meadows would close down at the end of 2007 and the property would be turned into condominiums and office buildings. But when the California Horse Racing Board said it would allow Bay Meadows to run a 2008 meeting without having to spend millions to convert its dirt track into a synthetic surface, the track decided to race for one more meeting.

That meeting begins Wednesday.

Beulah Park canceled racing Monday when the track was deemed unsafe by the riding colony after unseasonably warm temperatures thawed the frozen surface, making it uneven. Racing was scheduled to resume Tuesday.

HALLANDLAE BEACH, Fla. - Green Girl overcame an eventful post parade and troubled trip to seemingly end her racing career on a winning note with a half-length victory over La Dolce Vita in Sunday's $100,000 Suwannee River Handicap at Gulfstream Park. But any celebrating may have to wait as Mark Hennig, the trainer of La Dolce Vita, indicated to track officials immediately after the race that he planned to file a protest against the winner for allegedly failing to carry her assigned weight of 118 pounds for an extended period prior to the start of the Grade 3 event.

ARCADIA, Calif.-Santa Anita canceled racing on Sunday after the Cushion Track synthetic surface failed to drain properly following overnight rain. It was unclear on Sunday morning when racing would resume later in the week.

Santa Anita intended to start a four-day renovation of the main track after the conclusion of racing on Sunday afternoon, but there is a chance the project could be postponed until Monday, depending on how much rain falls on Sunday, track president Ron Charles said.

Santa Anita canceled its Sunday card after heavy rain fell in the Arcadia, Calif., area. Santa Anita has had to cancel seven previous cards this meet because its Cushion Track has not drained properly following rain.

Racing had already been canceled on Monday-Thursday to accommodate repair of the main track.