Now batting, McDynamo.

The steeplechase slugger goes for a grand slam in Saturday's $250,000 Breeders' Cup Grand National, the richest steeplechase in North America, at the Far Hills Races in Far Hills, N.J.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The way Lava Man has clobbered his competition this year there is little suspense as to which horse will be anointed the 2006 California-bred horse of the year.

Lava Man's unbeaten record in seven stakes, including five Grade 1 races, makes him the undisputed leader among statebreds this year. By far the leading older male, Lava Man has been so versatile that he will receive support for outstanding turf horse on the basis of his wins in the Khaled Stakes and Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Handicap at the Hollywood Park spring-summer meeting.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The lessons have apparently been learned. Not many owners and trainers with California-bred fillies and mares capable of running in Saturday's $150,000 California Cup Distaff are anxious to take on the heavily favored Cambiocorsa.

In recent years, the Distaff, run over about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf, has drawn an oversubscribed number of entrants and had 14 starters. This year, there are only eight entrants.

Bill Perry, a leading trainer in New England for 20 years before earning national acclaim with Grade 1 winner Formal Gold and Breeders' Cup Mile runner-up North East Bound, is retiring and won't have a string at Gulfstream Park this winter.

The 59-year-old South Carolina native adopted New England as a home, winning four training titles at Suffolk Downs and scoring in the region's most important race when Let Burn took the 1983 Massachusetts Handicap.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A change in tactics and a clever ride by jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. propelled Swingit to a 15-1 upset victory in the $125,000 Jessamine Stakes for 2-year-old turf fillies on Thursday at Keeneland.

Swingit ($32.80) had finished fourth behind Jessamine rivals Katerbug and Bavarian Belle in a first-level allowance race on Oct. 6. But Hernandez told trainer Hal Wiggins that the filly was uncomfortable racing near the lead and near the rail after starting from the inside.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Trainer Steve Henson is hoping to close out the 2006 Hastings stakes schedule in a big way. He has a strong chance to win the Fantasy Stakes on Saturday with Suva and thinks he has a big shot to win the $100,000-added Ascot Graduation with Long Journey on Sunday.

Henson has had a good year, with 11 wins and 18 seconds from 71 starts, and it could have been a lot better.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Flamethrowintexan, winner of the Longacres Mile, will try to go wire to wire from his outside post in his turf debut Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Handicap. But will turf specialist Now Victory - coming off an impressive five-length victory in the Presidio for California-breds at Golden Gate Fields - let him? Now Victory has wire-to-wire speed himself, although he won the $101,000 Joseph Grace after stalking early.

Talented 3-year-old turf runners Rock Lobster and Amigoni will renew their rivalry in Saturday's $100,000 Japan Racing Association Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Laurel Park.

In their only previous meeting, in the Grade 3 Saranac at Saratoga on Sept. 3, Rock Lobster got up to win by a neck despite having to steady and alter course.

He will be reunited with jockey Joe Rocco Jr., who rode him to victory in the Woodlawn at Pimlico in early May.

Dont Let Down will have to buck a significant trend to win the Grade 1, $426,375 Dash for Cash Futurity for Quarter Horses at Lone Star Park. No favorite has won the race in eight runnings, and Dont Let Down figures to be the favorite Saturday following a dominant trial win for the race Oct. 14.

Dont Let Down cruised to a two-length win in his trial heat, covering 400 yards in a trials-best time of 19.80 seconds. Before the trial, he had finished third by a length in the Grade 1 All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Sept. 4.

Caution: Cheering for leading trainer Danny Pish's starters during Saturday night's $40,000 No Le Hace Stakes at Retama Park might leave you tongue-tied.

"I've got the Moose running against the Goose, " said Pish.

That would be Goosey Moose, who could go favored, and Moody Goose. The horses will start as separate interests in the No Le Hace, a 7 1/2-furlong turf race that drew a field of 12. Others in the race include multiple stakes winner Charming Socialite.