Luis Garcia never had won a riding title, but his name sat atop the standings as the 41-day Colonial Downs meet was nearing a close last weekend. Garcia faced a serious dilemma: Should he ride the last two programs to protect his narrow lead, or serve as the best man at the weddings of two of his best friends?

Garcia, 21, chose to leave Colonial in New Kent, Va., for the final two days of racing last Friday and Saturday, returning to Maryland to be the best man for fellow jockeys Eric Camacho and Richard Monterrey.

His decision paid off in both ways.

The Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap is one of nine stakes that will be run during the fall meeting at Golden Gate Fields, which begins Aug. 25.

The track, which came under fire from horsemen during the spring when it cut overnight stakes purses from $50,000 to $40,000, has reinstituted $50,000 purses for overnight stakes. The nine stakes are worth a combined $625,000.

"We talked with trainers and worked closely with the Thoroughbred Owners of California and decided $50,000 was right for stakes in California," said Golden Gate general manager Robert Hartman.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It will be the talent and experience of in Wednesday's Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack Breeders' Cup for juvenile fillies as Saratoga kicks off the second half of its 138th meeting.

An experiment with twilight racing, starting with Wednesday's opening-day program, is the most noticeable change on tap for Laurel Park's eight-day mini-meet, which marks the return of live racing to Maryland after a nine-week absence.

First post time has been set at 3:30 p.m. Eastern for the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday cards during both weeks of action.

CHICAGO - There are many former racehorses turned saddle ponies, but not many with a following as large as that of Chindi, a foal of 1994 who raced into 2005, his gray coat whitening year by year as his powerful late kick ebbed. Chindi's work this summer at Arlington Park is less demanding than during his racing years.

"He doesn't have to do to much," trainer Steve Hobby said. "He takes me out to the track a couple times each day, rolls in the sand pile, and eats grass. He loves it."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Archer's Dreamer might be poised for a peak effort in Wednesday's Woodbine headliner, a 6 1/2-furlong grass allowance for fillies and mares.

Trained by Roger Attfield, Archer's Dreamer capped her 2005 campaign with a victory in Ontario-sired allowance company. She made her season debut in a first-level allowance and finished third behind See the Wind, who subsequently won a minor stakes at Fort Erie.

DEL MAR, Calif. - When finished fifth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Handicap here on July 30, the loss marked the end of a five-race winning streak and left trainer Art Sherman baffled.

The loss has given Sherman an opportunity to take Carthage's career in a different direction. Wednesday, Carthage, 6, makes his turf debut in the $85,000 Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs at Del Mar.

Carthage worked three furlongs on turf on Aug. 10 and Sherman was pleased with what he saw.

CHICAGO - Since pace does make the race, which race on Saturday at Arlington Park was more impressive: the Secretariat, in which Showing Up set a fast pace and turned in a final time of 2:00.09 for 1 1/4 miles on turf, or the Million, where The Tin Man set a dawdling early pace but blasted home his final quarter-mile in 22.71 seconds for a final 1 1/4-mile time of 2:01.35?

On the Beyer Speed Figure scale, the performances were judged similar: Showing Up was given a 107, one of the fastest turf figures in the country this year, while The Tin Man received a 105.

Despite a subpar opening week and the cancellation of the first card of the second week because of extreme heat, attendance and handle figures for the first half of the Saratoga meet compare favorably with last year.

Howsitgoin looks to remain perfect in three starts this season in a 6 1/2-furlong optional $40,000 claimer, which is the feature race at Northlands Park in Edmonton on Wednesday.

Howsitgoin will face six other fillies and mares, including Papoose Dancer, who also will be seeking her third straight win.

In her first start of the season July 12 at Northlands, Howsitgoin was entered for a $17,500 price and was claimed by trainer Joan Petrowski. In her first appearance for her new barn, Howsitgoin stepped up to the $30,000 level and won at Wednesday's distance.