ELMONT, N.Y. - Following Sun King's heart-breaking head loss to Silver Train in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, trainer Nick Zito said he would seek an easy race before tackling Grade 1 company again in next month's Whitney Handicap at Saratoga.

Zito appears to have found what he was looking for in Friday's $65,000 Albert the Great, one of two overnight stakes on a nine-race card at Belmont Park. First post for the Friday card is 3 p.m. Eastern. There is a pick-six carryover of $81,707 entering Friday's card.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The post position draw for Saturday's $750,000 was not kind to Lava Man, who will go off as a strong favorite.

The defending champion, and the top older horse in California, Lava Man drew the rail in a field of five. His trainer, Doug O'Neill, would have preferred a post on the outside in the small field.

"He seems to run his best races outside of horses," O'Neill said.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Quest Star long ago ran himself out of stair-step allowance conditions, but, having earned more than $900,000, he will get a rare opportunity to compete in fourth-level allowance company when racing resumes Friday at Churchill Downs following a two-day break.

Trainer Neil Howard elected to exercise the $100,000 claiming option when he entered Quest Star in the Friday feature, a $66,000 1 1/16-mile turf race slotted as the 10th of 11 races.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Cedar Fever is the one to beat in the featured seventh race at Hastings on Friday, a $25,000 claiming race.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Wye Red will be looking for back-to-back victories in the one-mile optional claiming feature at Northlands Park on Friday. An Alberta-bred trained by Garry Marks, Wye Red faces four other 3-year-olds, including three with stakes experience.

Wye Red has been on the board in all four of his starts this season. After being photoed out by Friday opponent Fever on May 19, Wye Red won his next outing handily by 3 1/2 lengths.

Rickey Walcott retains the mount on Wye Red, who drew post 2.

AUBURN, Wash. - Gentle Flow will drop for action when racing resumes at Emerald Downs on Friday, as she heads a field of six fillies and mares in the six-furlong feature for $15,000 to $12,500 claimers.

A total of 83 horses were pre-entered Wednesday for the seven races comprising the July 15 Claiming Crown at Canterbury Park, the showcase of the meet at the central Minnesota racetrack. The Claiming Crown card also is home to Canterbury's most prestigious stakes race, the Lady Canterbury Breeders' Cup Handicap.

Pre-entries range from a high of 16 in the $100,000 Tiara, for females going long on turf, to a low of just six in the Jewel. Somewhat illogically, the Jewel, for 3-year-olds and up going long on dirt, is the day's richest race, with a $150,000 purse.

Prairie Meadows concluded its 45-day 2006 Thoroughbred meeting Tuesday with average daily handle from all sources on live races up less than 1 percent from 2005's comparable 47-day meeting.

The average daily handle this year on Prairie Meadows races from all sources was $546,516, compared with $542,201 last year. Ontrack handle declined 3.6 percent from last year's $77,765 daily to $74,990 in 2006. That was offset by a 1.5 percent increase in offtrack handle, from $464,436 in 2005 to $471,526 this year.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer John Ward and owner John Oxley will take the next several days to make decisions about their talented trio of 3-year-olds in the wake of their most recent performances.

In a perfect world, Strong Contender, Minister's Bid, and Dr. Pleasure would all make it to the $1 million Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 26. How they all get there will be the topic of discussion for Ward and Oxley once Oxley returns from vacation.

MIAMI - Eclipse Award winner Lost in the Fog and filly and mare sprint sensation Dubai Escapade are expected to be the marquee names on Calder's $1.96 million Summit of Speed card on July 15.

Lost in the Fog will ship to Calder from his northern California base on Saturday, accompanied by his stablemate Victorina, a 3-year-old filly who will compete in the $300,000 Azalea Breeders' Cup Stakes. Lost in the Fog will be the heavy favorite to win the Grade 2, $500,000 Smile Sprint Handicap.