POMONA, Calif. - Scoonerwharf-bardog is not the most elegantly named 2-year-old in the $65,000 Gateway to Glory Stakes on Thursday at Fairplex Park, but so what?

The improving 2-year-old enters the 1 1/16-mile stakes as the best gamble in the race, and a running advertisement for a colorful Key West saloon where trainer Jeff Mullins and his wife, Amy, celebrated the February private purchase of a then-unnamed colt.

The singer started in on a tune about an old dog - the Schooner Wharf Bar dog. "That's it, that's [the colt's] name." Mullins said.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Dame Eliza has been getting closer to winning at the first allowance category, and she could turn the trick in the ninth and final race on Thursday's Woodbine card. A field of 15 fillies and mares was drawn for the one-mile grass event, which carries a purse of $69,100.

Trained by John LeBlanc Jr. for owner Chris Fung, Dame Eliza finished a close second on July 1 in her first grass outing of the year, losing to Arctic Laur, who came back to take the minor Passing Mood Stakes.

AUBURN, Wash. - A competitive field of seven older runners, each eligible to be claimed for $20,000, will contest Thursday's one-mile feature at Emerald Downs.

The field includes two confirmed front-runners in Bartus Christian and Escalante, plus Con Say One, who typically races very close to the pace in his route tries. Those three should provide at least a legitimate pace, and that is good news for Storm in Session.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine connections will have a strong rooting interest in Sunday's British Columbia Derby, a Grade 3, $300,000 race at Hastings in Vancouver, B.C.

Head Chopper, trained by Steve Owens, and Ok Nothanksforaskn, trained by Lorne Richards, are slated to be flown to Vancouver Thursday evening and should be well bet in the B.C. Derby, a 1 1/8-mile race open to all 3-year-olds.

AUBURN, Wash. - The Emerald Breeders' Cup Derby hero, Raise the Bluff, worked five furlongs in 1:01 on Sunday in preparation for his next engagement, which will come in Sunday's Grade 3, $300,000 British Columbia Derby at Hastings.

"He worked well, and he seems to have come out of it in good shape, so we're all set," said trainer Junior Coffey. "If he handles the tight turns up there, he should do fine."

MIAMI - If the weather cooperates, Saturday's Festival of the Sun Preview program will be a good one.

ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Steve Specht knows quite a bit about Cosmo Nan, but he'll know a lot more after she runs in Thursday's Golden Gate Fields feature.

A 2-year-old filly bred and owned by Specht, Cosmo Nan won her debut by three lengths at Santa Rosa in a bottom-level maiden claimer.

On Thursday, she runs in a $40,000 starter allowance while stretching out from five furlongs to six.

Cosmo Nan sat fairly close early, rallied three wide, opened a three-length advantage early in the lane, and maintained it to the wire in her July 26 debut at Santa Rosa.

POMONA, Calif. -- Scoonerwharfbardog is not the most elegantly named 2-year-old in the $65,000 Gateway to Glory Stakes on Thursday at Fairplex Park, but so what?

The improving 2-year-old enters the 1 1/16-mile stakes as the best gamble in the race, and a running advertisement for a colorful Key West saloon where trainer Jeff Mullins and his wife, Amy, celebrated the February private purchase of a then-unnamed colt.

The singer started in on a tune about an old dog -- the Schooner Wharf Bar dog. "That's it, that's [the colt's] name." Mullins said.

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Conditions permitting, Thursday's featured Graceful Darby is scheduled for the Widener turf at Belmont Park, but the overnight event for 3-year-old fillies will still be a tough race if it is switched to the main track.

AUBURN, Wash. -- A competitive field of seven older runners, each eligible to be claimed for $20,000, will contest Thursday's one-mile feature at Emerald Downs.

The field includes two confirmed front-runners in Bartus Christian and Escalante, plus Con Say One, who typically races very close to the pace in his route tries. Those three should provide at least a legitimate pace, and that is good news for Storm in Session.