EDMONTON, Alberta - Hail to Dawn had an easy time of it when she dismantled a field of Alberta-breds last month in the Sturgeon River, but things are going to get significantly tougher for her in Saturday's $50,000 Freedom of the City here at Northlands Park.

Golden Pursuit, who has won his last three races by a combined total of one length, again looks like the horse to beat on Saturday when he faces six rivals in the $25,000 claiming feature at Hastings in Vancouver, British Columbia.

All of Golden Pursuit's recent victories have come over the 1 1/16-mile distance of Saturday's headliner, and he is returning to the $25,000 range following a $32,000 optional claiming/first-level allowance victory on Sept. 9.

ALBANY, Calif. - The only place other than turf that trainer Steve Specht would rather run Saturday's $75,000 Fort Mason at Golden Gate Fields would be on paper. The Specht-trained Bonfante, on paper at least, looks tough in the five-furlong turf race for Cal-breds.

Bonfante is the lone stakes winner in the field, and in his past two tries at the distance in northern California, he finished second to Exceeding in the $100,000 California Sprint Championship last September and won the same race when it was rescheduled this spring.

PHOENIX - Muir Beach, horse of the meet the last two seasons here, goes after career win No. 16 in Saturday's $40,000 City of Phoenix Stakes at Turf Paradise. Lined up against her in the six-furlong event is the scary Southern California shipper True and True. There are 12 fillies and mares in the field, but on paper it looks like a two-horse race.

Level Playingfield doesn't bring the top speed figures into Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Phoenix Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, nor does he have even a fraction of the early speed of some of his 10 opponents. What he does have is an affinity for Polytrack, having won back-to-back runnings of the Marfa Stakes over the Polytrack strip at Turfway Park.

Matched against the likes of Silver Wagon, Coach Jimi Lee, Areyoutalkintome, and Spanish Chestnut in the Phoenix, a six-furlong race, Level Playingfield will need every break he can get.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Bernardini drew the rail and was installed as the 1-2 morning-line favorite for Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

Bernardini, who brings a five-race winning streak into the Gold Cup that includes authoritative victories in the Preakness, Jim Dandy and Travers, will meet only three rivals in the Gold Cup, run at 1 1/4 miles over Belmont's main track. It is the smallest Gold Cup field since Waquoit beat three horses in 1988.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The pick six at Belmont Park went unhit for a second straight card on Wednesday, creating a carryover of $167,014 heading into Thursday.

The carryover was sealed when 37-1 shot Salt and Pepper ($77) won the last race for trainer Jimmy Ferraro. None of the previous winners returned more than $13.

Five of the six races in Thursday's pick-six sequence are scheduled for the turf, including four maiden events. On Wednesday, the portable rail was moved out 24 feet on both courses.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Like a Gem finished third last time out in the Ontario Colleen, a one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies here at Woodbine.

On Saturday, Like a Gem will be back in with Essential Edge and Strike Softly, the one-two finishers from the Ontario Colleen, for a rematch in the $125,000 Carotene at 1 1/8 miles on the turf course.

Danny Vella, who trains Like a Gem for her owner and breeder, Garland Williamson, believes his filly can turn the tables on her Ontario Colleen conquerors in the Carotene.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Pure as Gold, who has emerged as a leading sprinter in California, is unlikely to start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4, even if he wins Saturday's $250,000 Ancient Title Breeders' Cup Stakes at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting, trainer Jack Carava said.

While allowing that he could change his mind should Pure as Gold win the six-furlong Ancient Title convincingly, Carava said he is concerned about the toll that a start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint could have on the 4-year-old gelding, who was claimed for $100,000 in June.

ELMONT, N.Y. - After productive summer campaigns at Monmouth Park, Indy and Kansas City Boy try their luck in New York in Friday's third-level allowance feature at

1 1/16 miles over Belmont Park's inner turf.

Richard Dutrow took over the training of Indy earlier this year and the 5-year-old son of A.P. Indy won 3 of 4 starts at Monmouth, losing the other start by a neck. Three of those four starts came on dirt. In his most recent race, Indy rallied from 13 lengths off the pace to win a second-level allowance on turf by a head.