PLEASANTON, Calif. - Trainer Donna Elordi wasn't sure how lucky she was last year when she won a 16-way shake to acquire Royal Kleven for $20,000.

"I never win a two-way shake," she said at the time.

Royal Kleven's success since that April 17, 2005, race has proven that Elordi was quite fortunate that day. She has run 13 times since with 3 wins and 4 seconds. She has earned $169,693 and has become stakes-placed.

She'll try to add to that bankroll in Friday's Alameda County Fair feature, a $32,000 starter allowance for fillies and mares at six furlongs.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Albarino and Raggidy Rowe meet for the third time this season in Friday's featured seventh race, a 7 1/2-furlong allowance prep for the Aug. 7 Wheat City Stakes here at Assiniboia Downs.

Albarino caught Raggidy Rowe at the wire the first time they met on June 2. Raggidy Rowe was able to turn the tables on Albarino in the Free Press Stakes, when he received a ground-saving trip from jockey Keveh Nichols while Albarino was caught six wide on the turn.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The conversion of Woodbine's Standardbred track to a Thoroughbred surface is under way, in the hope that racing will resume as scheduled on Saturday.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - All live, simulcast, and account wagering in New Jersey ceased Wednesday as the state's budget crisis continued for a fifth day and jeopardized Monmouth Park's premier turf race, the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes on Saturday.

The shutdown is taking a heavy toll on the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which owns and operates Monmouth and the Meadowlands.

The Meadowlands canceled its Wednesday night harness card, the second straight program lost due to the shutdown of state government.

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. There is a pick-six carryover of $81,707 entering Friday's card.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Churchill Downs withheld payment on three consecutive pick three wagers Tuesday after the track's tote system was unable to process the payoffs, Churchill officials said. The problem came when several horses were scratched from a pick three race that was transferred from the turf to the main track.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Two races into his career, E Z Warrior is showing the diversity of an older horse.

The 2-year-old led throughout a maiden race on June 18. Tuesday, he rallied from fifth to win his stakes debut in the $100,000 at Hollywood Park.

Ridden by David Flores, E Z Warrior ran six furlongs in 1:09.96, scoring by 2 3-4 lengths over Great Hunter. Tom Rickey, a 15-1 outsider, finished third in the field of nine.

Winning trainer Bob Baffert said he considered scratching E Z Warrior when the colt drew the rail.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Graham Motion hopes New Jersey's budget crisis does not force cancellation of Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park.

All season, the trainer has been pointing defending winner Better Talk Now toward the race.

"I've heard of 100 ways to lose a race, but this is ridiculous," Motion said. "Since the beginning of the year it has been our plan to run on Saturday. That would make it even more disappointing if we don't get to run."

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Kelly Breen, bidding for a second straight training title at Monmouth Park, has developed a solid trio of unbeaten 2-year-old fillies this season: Desire to Excel, Eternal Grace, and Heckuva Good Time.

Desire to Excel is the most advanced with victories in two starts, including the $109,500 Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park on July 2 as the longest shot in the field at 24-1.

The price was very tempting.

"The betting window was calling me," Breen said.

He resisted, succumbing to a moment of doubt.

Shippers have dominated the filly-and-mare stakes in New York this summer, a trend that could very well continue in Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 Prioress Stakes at Belmont Park.

Six of the nine 3-year-old fillies entered in the six-furlong Prioress are coming in from out of town for the country's only Grade 1 six-furlong race restricted to 3-year-old fillies.