HENDERSON, Ky. - The Gardenia Handicap, the signature race at Ellis Park, historically has been locally concentrated, with the occasional outsider crashing the party. A California mare, Dream of Summer, dominated the Grade 3 Gardenia Handicap last year as the favorite, and on Saturday it will be a Florida invader, Prospective Saint, who will be the highweight and probable favorite in the Gardenia.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Midnight Shadow should be a prohibitive favorite in Saturday's $125,000 Nandi Stakes, a five-furlong dash for Ontario-sired 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.

Midnight Shadow won her maiden impressively second time out, earning an 87 Beyer Speed Figure in a five-furlong Ontario-sired maiden special. She came back to take the five-furlong Shady Well Stakes on the inner track by a neck, earning an 82 Beyer under jockey Ray Sabourin.

Trainer Bob Tiller said he believes Midnight Shadow is better than what she showed in the Shady Well.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Coeur Joie, who is coming off of the best sprint of his career, should go favored over nine other older horses in the feature race at Hastings on Saturday. The $50,000 optional claiming race at 6 1/2 furlongs attracted a quality field that includes seven horses who have either won or placed in a stakes race. Also in the stellar field is Leloup, who is making his first start since winning the 2003 S. W. Randall Plate.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Zaylaway seeks her second stakes victory when she takes on seven other 2-year-old fillies in Saturday's $50,000 Princess Margaret at Northlands Park.

Zaylaway, a Kentucky-bred invader owned by Budget Stable and trained by Janet Armstrong, is 2 for 2 after winning the 6 1/2-furlong Timber Music at Hastings. Zaylaway's regular rider, Carlos Ignacio Silva, has the mount in the six-furlong Princess Margaret.

AUBURN, Wash. - Bound to Be M V P will make his first start in his home state Saturday, when he heads a talented field of five in the Emerald Downs feature, a six-furlong sprint for $40,000 optional claiming company.

One of two 3-year-olds in the field, Bound to Be M V P won all three of his starts last year, including the Ladnesian Stakes, for trainer Brian Giesbrecht at Hastings Park.

CHICAGO - In the 2005 Sea O'Erin Handicap, Fort Prado offered 5-2 odds and an appealing alternative to heavily favored Remind, and he won the race by a comfortable margin, with Remind well behind in third. On Saturday, the $150,000 Sea O'Erin comes round again, but this time it is Fort Prado who is the hunted, not the hunter, and six rivals will be playing a game of beat-the-favorite.

DEL MAR, Calif. - A pesky drizzle on Thursday morning led Del Mar officials to transfer the day's first race from the turf to the main track, a rare decision for a summertime meeting that is typically blessed with ideal weather.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - The only $100,000 stakes on the fair circuit, the Joseph T. Grace Handicap, took on added luster last year at the Sonoma County Fair when it was run on the brand-new turf course.

Last year's Grace attracted a strong field, with graded stakes winner Adreamisborn coming out on top. Saturday's edition has attracted a field of nine with solid entries from north and south.

Capitano won last year's Rolling Green at Golden Gate Fields and just won a three-way photo for second in the $200,000 Caesar Rodney at Delaware.

Lone Star Park has asked to open its Thoroughbred meet one week earlier next year, on April 5, in a request submitted to the Texas Racing Commission. The state's tracks turned in dates proposals for 2007 on Tuesday. The earliest the commission will grant dates is during a meeting in September.

Trainer Dave Donk targeted the $150,000 for Peg's Prayer immediately after she won her maiden so impressively over the Belmont turf three months ago. He never wavered from that plan even after Peg's Prayer turned in a couple of disappointing efforts as the beaten favorite against first-level allowance competition while awaiting her main goal.