Young trainer Brandon Marks continues to have a successful meeting at Evangeline Downs and is ranked fifth in the trainer standings with 16 wins from 88 starts. Marks, 25, is a native of nearby Beaux Bridge, La., and has been training for about four years. This has been his breakout season, however, due to two of the region's top performers.

Bettors who felt trainer Steve Manly would have a good night last Friday might have been as happy as Manley was when the evening's 10-race card was completed. Manley won with 4 of his 6 starters, with 3 starting at 9-2 or better. A $2 win bet on all Manley starters would have returned $55.60, or a return on investment of $9.27 for every $2 wagered.

Leading rider Rafael Hernandez had an even bigger night, winning five races, including the seventh aboard Lady Umeant ($20.20) for Manley.

Weatherstorm, last year's Michigan champion 2-year-old, won his third straight race in the $50,000 Spartan Stakes Tuesday at Great Lakes Downs. Trained by Robert Gorham and owned by his sister Marion Gorham, Weatherstorm drew off late for a 2 1/4-length win over Prince Nick. Shoot with Pride, also trained by Gorham, was third.

Earlier in the meet, Weatherstorm accounted for the $50,000 Lansing Stakes and an allowance race. Terry Houghton, the runaway leader in the rider standings at the meet, was aboard the Island Storm gelding for all three wins.

Add the hot barn of Kelly Von Hemel to the list of trainers coming back to a rejuvenated Remington Park. He was the second-leading trainer at the recent Thoroughbred meet at Prairie Meadows and is bringing a 20-horse stable to Oklahoma City for the meet, which opens Aug. 4.

"We're looking forward to coming down there," he said. "It's been at least seven, eight years."

OMAHA, Neb. - Horsemen's Park rolls into the second day of its summer racing festival with Up 'n Blumin defending her title in the $27,500-added Falls Amiss Handicap on Friday.

The four-day festival meeting comprises mostly claiming races this year, with a minimum purse of $15,000 ranging up to $25,000 for $10,000 claimers. The races are written for horses who have raced in the state during the current year, and the meet gives horsemen a chance to participate for the biggest purses of the season.

HENDERSON, Ky. - Those familiar Ellis Park hallmarks - oppressive heat and humidity and a lush soybean crop in the spacious infield - apparently never went anywhere, but most everything else regarding opening day of the 2006 summer meet carried a new twist.

The Wednesday opening of the 36-day meet, conducted in 90-plus degree temperatures and with a heat index exceeding 100, was the first racing card at Ellis since a November tornado led to millions of dollars in repairs and renovations.

Stronach Stable has appealed the stewards' decision to disqualify Malakoff from first place in Sunday's $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie.

Brian Lynch, who trains Malakoff, and jockey Todd Kabel submitted separate appeals of the decision to the Ontario Racing Commission stewards at Woodbine on Wednesday morning.

Lynch, acting for the Stronach organization, was appealing the disqualification itself, while Kabel was appealing a three-day suspension given him by the Fort Erie stewards, which would have begun this Saturday.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Jockeys and horses in this region have been faring well during the current heat wave, which saw the temperature hit 107 degrees Tuesday at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, about 10 minutes from Lone Star Park.

Trainers employ different tactics to help horses cope with the stress of racing in extreme temperatures. High on the list is keeping a horse hydrated through the use of electrolytes, said Ralph Irwin, who sent out Nuttyboom to win the feature here last Friday.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Costa Rising, already a stakes winner on the grass against older company this season, should rule a prohibitive favorite in Friday's $75,000 A.L. Erwin Stakes at Louisiana Downs. He will square off against seven other Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds if the race remains on the grass. Cut Off Time has been entered for the main track only.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Arlington Park has hosted a so-called Million Preview Day since 2001, though the first Million Preview seasons included the Round Table Stakes, which wasn't a preview for any race on the Arlington Million card. Two years ago, the American Derby, the local prep for the Grade 1 Secretariat, took the Round Table's place, but in reality, many of even the best horses in the Million Preview stakes weren't going to be anywhere near the Grade 1's here in early July.