LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Rare is the Churchill Downs stakes race with as many as three horses who ran in the Kentucky Derby. But a mere allowance race with three former Derby horses? That's the truly extraordinary scenario awaiting Churchill horseplayers Monday.

Three of the six entrants in the ninth race, a $66,000 classified allowance, once chased Derby glory. Their Monday encounter will carry only a fraction of the significance, but, at least for two of them, the race nonetheless figures critically in how the balance of their careers unfold.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Le Cinquieme Essai will try to stretch his speed to 1 1/8 miles on the grass Monday at Woodbine in the $300,000 King Edward Breeders' Cup Stakes.

Le Cinquieme Essai, Canada's champion 3-year-old in 2002, had a productive four-race campaign last year, capped by a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Atto Mile.

Trainer Paul Nielsen said he gave Le Cinquieme Essai some time off after the Sept. 18 Atto because of a high suspensory problem.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - are two of the fastest female turf sprinters in California. Monday, they will face off on the front end of a $60,000 allowance race at five furlongs at Hollywood Park.

The 2005 course record of 55.62 seconds may be in jeopardy.

Both Simply Because and Starkay enter Monday's race in excellent form. Simply Because led throughout an allowance race on May 28, drawing off to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Starkay led for every jump but the last of the Great Lady M Stakes on June 3.

AUBURN, Wash. - Norm's Nephew is poised to take over leadership of the handicap division at Emerald Downs with a victory over six rivals in Monday's $40,000 Independence Day Handicap at 1 1/16 miles.

Norm's Nephew, a 4-year-old son of Jazzing Around from the barn of trainer Jimmy Orr, was named Emerald's top 3-year-old after winning 4 out of 7 starts at the 2005 meeting. He has raced twice this season, finishing third to Spanish Highway and Flamethrowintexan in the 6 1/2-furlong FSN Handicap and second to R. Associate in the Emerald Handicap at a mile.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Monashee will be a short-priced favorite when she faces three other fillies and mares in the $50,000 Senate Appointee Handicap at Hastings Sunday. Her main threat in the 1 1/16-mile feature, which goes as the second race, appears to be Emerald Downs invader Kissntheboysgoodby.

Trained by Tracy McCarthy, Monashee is coming off a win in the Strawberry Morn Stakes

on June 10. According to McCarthy, Monashee wasn't trained very hard going into the Strawberry Morn and she figures to take a substantial step forward in her second straight route.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Two years later than expected, Dance in the Mood, the Japanese star, became a major stakes winner at Hollywood Park on Saturday.

A troubled second in the 2004 American Oaks, Dance in the Mood gained revenge in the $750,000 , running a nearly flawless race to win her first stakes in the United States.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Lava Man, the top older horse in California, appears to have run off most of his competition.

Saturday, Lava Man will attempt to defend his title in the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park, a race that may have only five starters.

The fourth of July holiday will be celebrated a bit early at Mountaineer Race Track, where three stakes worth $75,000 apiece will be held on Monday night's 10-race program.

They are a pair of one-mile turf races - the Firecracker for fillies and mares, and the Independence Day for older males - plus the 5 1/2-furlong Mountain State on the main track.

Eight 2-year-old fillies, all searching for their first black type, are set to go in Monday's $50,000 Prairie Gold Lassie at Prairie Meadows.

The Gold Lassie is the beneficiary of Prairie Meadows having run six six-figure stakes here on Friday and Saturday, as trainers Steve Asmussen and Todd Pletcher both have horses entered in the five-furlong Lassie.

Cowgirls Don't Cry makes her first start since April 28, when she rallied from eight lengths back after a quarter-mile to score a 1 1/4-length victory over maiden special weight company going 4 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland.

On his quest to break the all-time earnings record set by Minnesota-bred Blair's Cove, Wally's Choice returns home to face 10 rivals in the $40,000 Blair's Cove Stakes at Canterbury Park, a 1 1/16-mile turf event restricted to statebreds.