ELMONT, N.Y. - The Godolphin-owned Afrashad, whose fourth-place finish in the A.G. Vanderbilt Breeders' Cup was one of the very few disappointments for the Maktoum family during the summer, drops to a $49,000 allowance/optional claiming sprint and looms the one to catch and beat in Thursday's eighth race at Belmont Park.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The durable 10-year-old Frank's Selection won his first race in three years when he beat $62,500 optional claiming opposition Aug. 18. He will try to double up at the same level in Wednesday's Woodbine feature at seven furlongs on the grass.

ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Greg Gilchrist was frustrated last week when the Alameda, a stakes in which he hoped to run his talented 2-year-old colt Vicarino, was canceled.

Gilchrist was not overly optimistic that his multiple stakes-winning filly Victorina would get to run this Saturday, but early indications are that the $50,000 Noe Valley Stakes, for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, will attract enough entrants.

POMONA, Calif. - It took a big ticket and a lot of luck for one Fairplex Park horseplayer to bag the $202,064.40 pick six on the first Sunday of the Los Angeles County Fair meet.

Bill Lyons, 41, does not mess around when it comes to the pick six.

"I usually spend quite a bit," the effervescent handicapper admitted.

Lyons, a horse owner and bettor who lives in San Mateo and manages commercial real estate, played one pick ticket that cost $6,048 and covered much unexpected chaos.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Vanderlin checked in from England late last summer and was an upset winner of the Play the King, the seven-furlong turf race that is the major prep for the Woodbine Mile.

Vanderlin stayed here for the Woodbine Mile and subsequently ran fourth behind runaway winner Leroidesanimaux. Vanderlin's connections have taken a different approach this time around and shipped him here a week ahead of Sunday's Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile for 3-year-olds and upward. As of Monday, 13 horses were considered probable for the race.

Prairie Meadows ended its 36-day 2006 mixed meeting Saturday with mixed results. There were solid gains in all-sources average daily handle but declines in average daily ontrack handle from the comparable 48-day mixed meeting last year.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Concerns over the condition of both turf courses at Belmont Park prompted New York Racing Association officials to move three of Sunday's five scheduled grass races to the dirt and will limit the number of turf races carded for the immediate future.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Tony Reinstedler on Monday clarified his postrace comments in the aftermath of the Turfway Park Fall Championship, tempering his ambitions for the victorious Gouldings Green.

"I know I said I'd point him to the Breeders' Cup Classic, but I meant the Kentucky Cup Classic," the highlight of the Sept. 30 Kentucky Cup series at Turfway in Florence, Ky. "That's not to say I wouldn't take a long, hard look at the Breeders' Cup if we were to win the Kentucky Cup. I would, although obviously that'd be up to the boss."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Hide and Chic was overlooked at 48-1 when she won the Royal North, a six-furlong turf race for fillies and mares at Woodbine on Aug. 7. Owned by the Live Oak Plantation of Charlotte Weber, she was making her local debut and her first start for trainer Malcolm Pierce and jockey David Clark in the Royal North, which also happened to be her first race in more than seven months.

POMONA, Calif. - Stella's Posada was a sacrificial pacesetter last month at Del Mar, where he set swift fractions before finishing last as a 42-1 longshot in a Grade 2.

Wednesday at Fairplex Park, Stella's Posada figures to carry his speed all the way to the wire as the favorite in the $65,000 Beau Brummel Stakes for 2-year-olds.

A field of 10 entered the 6 1/2-furlong Beau Brummel, though one key entrant will scratch. Trainer Doug O'Neill said Diamond Dave, who would have been favored, would be turned out with an unspecified injury.