Woodbine has applied to the Ontario Racing Commission to conduct racing on three Thursdays in August that were not part of its original dates request for 2007.

The Thursdays are Aug. 9, 16, and 23. The other Thursdays during the month fall in the weeks preceding holiday Monday cards at Woodbine and will remain dark.

Steve Mitchell, senior vice president and chief financial officer for the Woodbine Entertainment Group, said the application has the full support of both track management and the local division of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.

Curlin was among the first group of horses to ship out from Churchill Downs for the Saratoga meet when he made the trip Thursday with many of the other top horses that had been based in Kentucky since early April with Steve Asmussen's powerhouse stable.

Curlin, winner of the Preakness and most recently a close second to Rags to Riches in the June 9 Belmont Stakes, has been in steady training at Churchill. He is expected to continue virtually interrupted at Saratoga while being pointed to the Aug. 5 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. Saratoga starts July 25.

Smitty's Sunshine will be shooting for her seventh consecutive win in her next start, and it could come at Calder Race Course, said her trainer, Morris Nicks.

Based at Louisiana Downs, the filly was flown to Miami earlier this month and won the $100,000 Distaff Turf Sprint July 7 during the Summit of Speed at Calder. The next option for her is the $250,000 Distaff Turf Sprint Championship at five furlongs at Calder on Aug. 11.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - By the time Euroglide reaches the starting gate for Wednesday's $100,000 Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar, trainer Peter Eurton and the partnership that owns the 3-year-old gelding will know whether they have a chance.

If Euroglide keeps his composure in the post parade and warm-up prior to the one-mile turf race, Eurton feels the gelding can be competitive. If Euroglide is nervous before the start, Eurton is pessimistic about his chances.

AUBURN, Wash. - Smarty Deb, who will contest Sunday's six-furlong Angie C. Stakes for juvenile fillies, doesn't have to look far for a role model. Just down the shed row in trainer Doris Harwood's barn stands her 3-year-old half-sister, Shampoo.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Trainer Steve Asmussen has a pack of Posses in training, and said on Friday that one of the freshman stallion's stakes winners is heading to Lone Star Park. Possetothemax, who in his last start captured the $50,000 Prairie Meadows Gold Juvenile, is being pointed for the $70,000 Middleground Breeders' Cup here July 29.

MIAMI - Trainer Manny Azpurua said he always had high hopes for his 2-year-old filly Yonagucci.

But even he admits she's exceeded his expectations after posting a pair of one-sided victories to open her career, including a convincing triumph in last Saturday's J J'sdream Stakes.

Yonagucci is owned by Roger Urbina, who purchased the daughter of Yonaguska for a bargain $15,000 at the Ocala Breeders' August 2006 sale.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Jockey Ruzaan Choksey is starting to feel comfortable riding at Hastings and it shouldn't be long before he wins his first race here.

Choksey, 31, had done all of his riding in his home country of India, and because of the differences in the type of racing that takes place there, it has taken him a while to adjust to riding in North America. He arrived here just a few weeks ago and has ridden only nine races.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A Toronto Cup just wouldn't seem to be a Toronto Cup without the participation of Sam-Son Farm, Mark Frostad, and Todd Kabel.

And Saturday's running of the Toronto Cup will not disappoint on that count as Kabel and Windward Islands, who is trained by Frostad, will fly the Sam-Son colors in the 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Mike Quong isn't winning a lot here at Fort Erie, but when he does win he is lighting up the tote board.

Quong rode two winners on Tuesday, Numerous Lady ($19.20) and Apogee Moon ($45.40).

That makes 10 wins for the meet from 141 starters, and places Quong eighth in the jockey standings. More interestingly, nine of his 10 winners have paid double digits, and a flat $2 win bet on his 141 starters, a $282 proposition, would have yielded $363.60, for a $2.58 return on investment per $2 wagered.