OCEANPORT, N.J. - Exchanging Fire, a dominant winner of consecutive overnight stakes, faces her biggest challenge Sunday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Monmouth Park.

Claimed by Kenwood Racing for $50,000 in March at Gulfstream, Exchanging Fire posted front-running victories here in the Without Feathers and Serena's Song stakes. The filly is in the best form of her career, as indicated by Beyer Speed Figures of 99 and 95 in those efforts.

Kenwood chairman Robb Levinsky believes Exchanging Fire is ready for her graded debut.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - It would have taken something like the late supplemental entry of John Henry into the Arlington Million for the importance of Wednesday's International Festival of Racing post position draw to equal the pomp surrounding the event, but the Beverly D. draw did hatch at least a little intrigue.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - A heavy rainstorm that pummeled Saratoga Race Course on Tuesday night and early Wednesday left the track sloppy for training on Wednesday morning. The inside of the main track was protected by orange cones, known as dogs, and most trainers opted to either gallop or even merely jog their runners. It was a dreary morning.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Apprentice jockey Rocco Bowen gave a flawless ride on Shacane to pull off a stunning upset in the $107,100 B.C. Cup Classic at Hastings on Monday.

According to Shacane's trainer, Shauna Ferguson, it really helped that Bowen spent a lot of time looking at races Shacane ran when he was the top 3-year-old at Hastings in 2002.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Graham Motion was sitting in the grandstand at Belmont Park watching the field come into the stretch of the Manhattan Handicap when a New York fan sitting behind him yelled out "Look at that Better Talk Now, he's finished!"

Moments later, Better Talk Now knifed his way through the field and got up to win the Grade 1 Manhattan by a head over English Channel. As Motion began his walk to the winner's circle, he turned to the fan and, in his low-key manner, said, "What did you say about Better Talk Now?"

BOSSIER CITY, La. - The complexion of turf racing has changed dramatically of late at Louisiana Downs, and Friday's trio of events on the grass should provide some interesting, and perhaps surprising, outcomes as a result.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The Tin Man story sports a great narrative line. Seriously injured at 2, eased back to health by a wily veteran trainer. Top-class winner of four Grade 1 grass races, a victory in the 2006 Arlington Million at age 8. One problem here - The Tin Man doesn't seem capable of acting out that final shot where he rides off into the sunset.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - For the second straight year, trainer Barclay Tagg has a top-class 3-year-old who performed well on dirt but may have his future on grass. His newest model is Nobiz Like Shobiz, who captured the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes on Monday at Saratoga in his turf debut. As with last year's model, Showing Up, Tagg said Nobiz Like Shobiz may point for the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Hollywood Park as his main, late year objective.

FERNDALE, Calif. - Humboldt County Fair racing secretary Ella Robinson has a pleasant problem on her hands as the 111th race meeting at the tiny track opens Thursday. The barn area is so overfilled that portable stalls have had to be brought in for the 10-day meet that runs through Aug. 19.

"It looks very promising," she said. "We have some new trainers coming up, and the usual suspects have more than they usually bring."

Defending training champion Karen Haverty will have a full barn. Haverty had 6 wins, 8 seconds, and 9 thirds from 37 starters last year.

AUBURN, Wash. - The list of 27 nominees for the Aug. 19 running of the Grade 3 Longacres Mile was released on Monday, and there is no question it is a star-studded roster. There are seven graded stakes winners on the list, including Grade 1 winner Buzzards Bay and True Metropolitan, Canada's top handicap horse of 2006.