ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - When the Secretariat Stakes on Arlington Million Day was coming up with a short field, the names of several out-of-the-mainstream 3-year-old turf horses were tossed around as possible last-minute additions to the race. Among them was Arbuckle Bandit, who, in the first turf race of his career, had finished third by a half-length in the Grade 3 Arlington Classic.

But Arbuckle Bandit's human connections took a Secretariat pass, a move that in hindsight seems prudent.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After two weeks on the job, Robert Evans is still getting acclimated in one of the most powerful positions in the racing industry: president and chief executive officer at Churchill Downs Inc.

Evans began working Aug. 14, replacing Tom Meeker, the 22-year leader of Churchill. Evans said he has spent most of his time "primarily listening" while trying to "get a sense of what the priorities are and how people think about things."

AUBURN, Wash. - Yearling sales are notoriously unpredictable, but the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association's annual summer sale, which is slated for Tuesday,

Sept. 5, certainly appears to have a great deal going for it.

Yearling sales have been strong across the nation this year, with increases in average sale prices registered in New York, Florida, and Kentucky. The local market also figures to be strong, as purses at Emerald Downs are at record levels. And the 215 yearlings cataloged for this year's sale, at least on paper, are especially attractive.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - One of the rewards of winning the $50,000 Richmond Derby Trial is a berth in the Grade 3, $250,000 British Columbia Derby. The rest of the derby field is determined by money won this year. With only $15,244 in earnings, the only realistic chance Bound to Be M V P has to get into the derby is to win the 1 1/16-mile Trial, which will be run next Sunday.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - It's tough to separate what appears to be a well-matched field of 2-year-old colts and geldings in the $50,000 New Westminster Stakes at Hastings Sunday. The 6 1/2-furlong feature drew 10 horses, and not only is it difficult to predict the winner, it's hard to say who will be the favorite.

ALBANY, Calif. - Not that he needs any, but Stone Rain has two big advantages over his four rivals in Sunday's Golden Gate Fields feature: pace and recency.

The feature, which goes as the day's first race and kicks off a $50,000 guaranteed pick four, is a six-furlong allowance sprint. Four of the five runners are stakes winners and the fifth is stakes-placed.

Two of the runners, Yougottawanna and Argentine import Mi Rey, have spent more than a year on the sidelines. Stellar Magic returns from a seven-month layoff. Even Real Temptation has not run in almost seven weeks.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - With the Labor Day weekend coming next week, the time draws near for one of the most interesting and anticipated races of the Louisiana Downs meet, the $100,000 Prelude Stakes.

Run on Friday, the 1 1/16-mile Prelude has more at stake for 3-year-olds than merely the purse money, which has doubled from last year. The winner also automatically receives an all-fees-paid berth in the Super Derby here on Sept. 23.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - The Max and Quick Witted, the two-three finishers in the Aug. 7 Manitoba Derby, meet again in Sunday's $40,000 Harry Jeffery here at Assiniboia Downs. The Harry Jeffrey, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds, attracted a field of five.

Trained by Bert Blake, The Max finished second in the Manitoba Derby, beaten a head by Canterbury Park shipper Lord Kipling. A son of Point Given, The Max was a length better than Quick Witted in the derby and two lengths better the only other time they met, in the Derby Trial Stakes.

The Grade 3, $1 million Delta Jackpot is back from a one-year hiatus brought on by Hurricane Rita. The Jackpot, which will be run on Dec. 1 at Delta Downs, is the richest Thoroughbred race in Louisiana.

In all, 39 stakes worth a record $4,075,000 are scheduled for the 88-date Delta Downs meet that opens Nov. 1. and continues through March 31, 2007.

Leading trainer Jon Arnett appears to have the upper hand in Sunday's Colorado Breeders Oaks at Arapahoe as he sends out Oliver the Moon in the mile and 70-yard race. The $25,000-added feature attracted a field of eight, including Skip's Bet, the lone stakes winner in the lineup.