INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Epic Power already conquered the two leading races for California-bred milers in the last eight months - the 2006 California Cup Mile and the Khaled Stakes in April.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Leonnatus Anteas was walking the shed row here at Woodbine on Thursday morning after returning from the University of Guelph's veterinary clinic the previous afternoon.

Canada's champion 2-year-old when undefeated in three starts, Leonnatus Anteas had been entered in last Sunday's Queen's Plate but developed in an infection in a pastern which wound up requiring aggressive treatment with antibiotics.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Clearly, 125 pounds wasn't enough to slow down a local freight train named Monashee in the Strawberry Morn Stakes at Hastings this past Sunday.

Spotting 12 pounds to the second-place finisher, Starlite Strike, Monashee just toyed with the four horses she faced, cruising to an easy 5 1/2-length win.

The public certainly didn't think the 125 pounds would be a deterrent, sending her off at odds that resulted in a $2.20 win payoff.

According to her jockey, Dave Wilson, it was more like a public workout than a race.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A couple of interesting new faces have popped up in trainer Malcolm Pierce's barn at Woodbine and could make their presence felt on the local scene.

Sterwins, the runner-up in last year's Queen's Plate, and Saoirse Cat, who is a stakes-placed winner of four races, both shipped in from Florida this month.

Previously trained by Todd Pletcher, Sterwins won his first two allowance conditions but has not raced since finishing third in a restricted stakes at Aqueduct in December.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A potentially difficult situation is just over the horizon for Kentucky racing.

Pursuant to an agreement made last fall when Churchill Downs Inc. sold Ellis Park to Louisville businessman Ron Geary, live racing at the tracks will overlap for five straight days next week, as Churchill closes its spring meet and Ellis opens its summer meet.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Love Handles and Cat Hop did nothing more, one imagines, than spend last Saturday afternoon chilling in their respective stalls on the Arlington backstretch. Yet even as they poked at their hay bales and dozed, the stock of these two fillies was on the rise.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Allen Jerkens will be cast in his familiar role as David when he sends out Political Force in Saturday's Grade 1 Suburban Handicap. But in a bit of a departure from the norm, the role of Goliath will be played by his son, Jimmy Jerkens.

With the career-ending injury to Invasor, Corinthian, trained by the younger Jerkens, will be the horse to beat in Saturday's $400,000 Suburban at Belmont Park. Allen Jerkens won the Suburban three times, his first coming in 1962 when Beau Purple upset the mighty Kelso before 52,154 at Aqueduct.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - When Diane King rode the winner of the seventh race at Thistledown last Monday, it was her first victory since September 2003. But then again, for a 57-year-old grandmother, that isn't so bad.

King's fellow jockeys were so excited after she won they doused her with water, just as they would an apprentice winning her first race.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Miki Bleu Eyes seeks his third straight victory at his favorite one-mile distance as he steps up to face six rival $22,000 claimers at Northlands Park on Friday.

Miki Blue Eyes, a 9-year-old gelding, came alive at the Stampede Park meet for trainer Dale Saunders when stretched out to a mile, winning for $13,000 and $17,500 under well-timed moves by returning rider Quincy Welch. This race lacks early foot save for Viscount Victor G, and Welch will likely have Miki Bleu Eyes positioned closer to the lead.

Snowy Alibi, who swept the two major futurities for Quarter Horses last year at Sam Houston Race Park, will help open the new meet Friday night when he starts in a trial race for the Grade 3 Texas Derby Challenge. The 35-date Quarter Horse season will run through Sept. 8.

Friday night's card also features trials for the Grade 3 Texas Distance Challenge and the Grade 3 Texas Distaff Challenge. The finales are set for July 14, when six stakes will be run, led by the Grade 1, $100,000 Texas Challenge Championship at 440 yards.