VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Emerald Downs-based trainer Jim Penney knows what kind of horse it takes to win major races at Hastings. He shipped Flamethrowintexan up to win the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby in 2004 and said he thinks he has the right kind of filly in Chestnut Lady for the Grade 3, $150,000 Breeders' Cup Oaks next Saturday.

AUBURN, Wash. - At the track's inaugural 100-day meeting in 1996, trainer Bud Klokstad amassed a total of 16 wins by his 2-year-olds. That total hasn't been threatened since - or at least it hadn't been threatened until now.

ALBANY, Calif. - Calamity Girl's long-range plans include plenty of turf races, but she's plenty tough sprinting on the main track, too.

The 4-year-old Calamity Girl faces winners for the first time in Sunday's Golden Gate Fields feature, a first-level allowance sprint at six furlongs.

Calamity Girl showed steady improvement as a 3-year-old with a pair of seconds and a third. After spending 10 months on the sidelines, she defeated maidens in her comeback in a five-furlong race.

AUBURN, Wash. - Strong favorites will be the rule in most of the six stakes for Washington-breds on the undercard of Sunday's Washington Cup Day program, but there are two noteworthy exceptions.

One is the $40,000 Chinook Pass Sprint at six furlongs, which will go as the fifth race on the card. Starbird Road, Sabertooth, and Slewicide Cruise are included in the field of six, and fans figure to have a hard time deciding among those three stars.

STICKNEY, Ill. - There were some questions Friday afternoon about which parking place in Hawthorne's underground VIP garage would be reserved for Chris Emigh's SUV. Hopefully, Emigh got a prime spot. He has, after all, won the last four riding titles here at Hawthorne. But last Tuesday, Emigh took home a more coveted prize - his first Arlington Park jockey championship.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker officially opened this year's Super Derby Festival on Friday. While this weekend's festival activities consist of mostly lighter fare, such as beer tasting and the popular wiener dog races, Sunday's open allowance feature at Louisiana Downs should prove to be an excellent opening act for the good racing to come.

Nine fillies and mares, most of them stakes caliber, will race about a mile on turf.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Neil Drysdale, a regular visitor for the Woodbine Mile, was at Woodbine Friday morning to renew acquaintances with Becrux.

Based in California, Becrux checked in to Woodbine on Aug. 21 and prepped for the Woodbine Mile with a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Play the King over seven furlongs of turf here on Aug. 26.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Cold War, a winner of his last four races, will be trying for his eighth triumph of the year in Sunday's 1 1/8-mile St. Catharines Cup at Fort Erie.

Cold War, owned and trained by Vern Fernandes, is the most accomplished runner at the meet, having won 5 of 9 starts. He's also 2 for 2 at Woodbine.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Sir Officer exits a key race and is the one to beat in Sunday's $40,000 Buffalo Stakes here at Assiniboia Downs. The Buffalo, a one-mile race for Manitoba-bred 2-year-olds, drew a field of nine.

After winning his career debut on July 16, Sir Officer finished third in the six-furlong Winnipeg Futurity on Aug. 7. Nechako, the second-place finisher from the Winnipeg Futurity, won the New Westminster at Hastings in his next start while the fourth-place finisher, Country Humor, won an allowance race here last Saturday.

Past performances for Golden Gate's Sunday $50,000 guaranteed pick four will appear at the end of the full-card file for the following tracks:

Saratoga/Belmont
Del Mar/Fairplex Park
Arlington Park/Hawthorne
Calder
Ellis Park/Keeneland
Delaware Park
Louisiana Downs
Emerald Downs
Mountaineer Park

:: (Pick 4 races are 1, 2, 3, 4)