Lawyer Ron, winner of the Arkansas Derby, heads the list of nominees for the $250,000 St. Louis Derby, a 1 1/16-mile race at Fairmount Park on Aug. 26. Lawyer Ron is likely to start, as his trainer, Bob Holthus, hopes to use the St. Louis Derby as a stepping-stone to next month's Super Derby at Louisiana Downs, and then take a shot at the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.

Thundering Verzy ran his record to 5 for 5 over the Columbus oval when he drew off for a 3 3/4-length win in Saturday's $18,150 Amadevil Stakes for his first win of the year.

Surrounded by friends and family in a surprise gathering between races Sunday at River Downs, jockey Jeff Johnston was given a heartfelt good-bye on his last day as a professional jockey. Johnston, 36, retired at the end of Sunday's program to become the treasurer and Midwest regional manager of the Jockeys' Guild.

An upset win by Kon Krete Kid ($95) last Sunday at Saratoga helped lift handicapper Les Harris to victory in the Oaklawn Park qualifying tournament for the Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship.

Harris beat out 162 participants and won the first-place prize of $12,000. He will lead a team of three from Oaklawn in the championships in Las Vegas in January.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The type of pace Crystal Gala sets in the seventh race at Hastings Friday will go a long way in determining which of the seven fillies and mares will cross the finish line first.

If they let Crystal Gala get away on her own, there's a very good chance she'll carry her speed the whole way. On the other hand, if she's under pressure from the start then the $8,000 claimer at 1 1/16 miles becomes a wide-open contest.

AUBURN, Wash. - A full field of 12 is in prospect for Sunday's 71st running of the Grade 3, $250,000 Longacres Mile, though it is not yet certain which 12 they will be.

The uncertainty is caused by the status of Papi Chullo, who could run either in Sunday's Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar or the Mile. If he does contest the Mile, Papi Chullo, who ran third in last month's Grade 2 San Diego Handicap, will reside in the barn of trainer Frank Lucarelli and will be ridden by either Robbie Albarado or Kevin Radke at 115 pounds.

MIAMI - A three day per week live racing schedule during the height of the summer might not work for every racetrack. But the early returns on that schedule, implemented at Calder for the first time this year, seem to be favorable - and that likely means the schedule will become an annual occurrence.

The $600,000 WinStar Derby will be run March 18, 2007, about two weeks earlier than it was this year, and be part of a $500,000 bonus series. The WinStar Derby is the richest race of the Sunland Park meet, which opens Dec. 15 for 79 days of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing. The meet runs through April 29.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Five 3-year-olds get a chance to display their progress in a $40,000 starter allowance at six furlongs Friday at the Bay Meadows Fair.

Dons Champion seems the one who sets the bar. A 3-year-old gelding trained by Bill Morey Jr., he ran third in his debut in a $40,000 maiden claimer in November, then beat a straight maiden field Dec. 19 in his second start.

He didn't race again until July 30, when he finished third in a starter allowance race at Santa Rosa. He has recorded a bullet work since then.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Tap Day will be a well-rested horse going into the Grade 3, $250,000 Philip Iselin Breeders' Cup Stakes Saturday at Monmouth Park.

Tap Day made his first start of the year in March and ran eighth in the Budweiser Challenge at Tampa Bay Downs. He had more than two months off before he ran again, winning an allowance race at Belmont Park. Tap Day then got a seven-week break before Belmont's Grade 1 Suburban Handicap on July 1, when he finished a distant fifth behind Invasor.