Strawkins, a stakes winner on four different tracks, has an excellent opportunity to gain his first Grade 1 victory in the $268,000 Rainbow Derby on Saturday at Ruidoso Downs.

Strawkins is one of five horses that four-time defending national training champion Paul Jones has in the Rainbow Derby. His other entrants are fastest-qualifier Separate Tac, Ketel Won, Rousing Encore, and Checkher a Firstdown.

The well-traveled Strawkins, winner of 9 of 12 starts, has won stakes races at Sun Downs in Washington, Whoop-Up Downs in Alberta, Canada, Los Alamitos, and Ruidoso Downs.

Diabolical and Rock Lobster, two colts who have taken far different paths since running in last fall's Laurel Futurity, will meet again in Saturday's $50,000 Stanton Stakes at Delaware Park.

The 1 1/16-mile turf race drew a field of 11 3-year-olds.

Diabolical was second, three lengths in front of fourth-place Rock Lobster but eight lengths behind future Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro in the 1 1/16-mile Laurel Futurity last November.

Turf sprint specialist Bright Gold dominated last year's Somethingroyal at 9-5 odds, and she figures to be an even shorter price when she defends her title in the $60,000, 5 1/2-furlong stakes for Virginia-bred fillies and mares at Colonial Downs.

The 6-year-old Bright Gold, trained by Mary Eppler, has won four turf sprints since the 2005 Somethingroyal, including a 1 1/2-length score as the even-money favorite in the June 25 Buckland at Colonial. She will carry 124 pounds, the same assignment as last year.

The $100,000 Queen City Oaks at River Downs is a restricted stakes, but it has the potential to satisfy the needs of both the hardcore bettor looking for a solid wagering opportunity and the racing traditionalist who simply wants to know which horse is best.

With nearly two-thirds of the meet in the books, and having seen only a sprinkling of overnight handicaps, fans at Fairmount Park are understandably hungry for some stakes action.

After one stakes was canceled last month due to a lack of entries, an appetizer of sorts will finally be served Saturday in the form of the $40,000 Bungalow Handicap for Illinois-bred fillies and mares at one mile and 70 yards. The Bungalow launches the Fairmount stakes program, which is highlighted this year by the $250,000 St. Louis Derby on Aug. 26.

Deb's Favoite Gift, second in the Larkspur Handicap to stablemate Bucky's Prayer, is the likely favorite for the $50,000 Moonbeam Handicap at Great Lakes Downs.

The Moonbeam, which drew a full field of 10 Michigan-bred fillies and mares, will be contested at one mile as the seventh race on a card that starts at 6:30 p.m. Eastern. Skydivers from the nearby Muskegon Air Fair will perform.

The undefeated filly Seekingthereinbow and the gelding Okie Time, both trained by Kelly Von Hemel, head a field of six 3-year-olds entered in the $60,000 Iowa Stallion Stakes at Prairie Meadows.

Owner Jerry Jamgotchian is taking a different route as he bids to win his second straight $40,000 Fairfield Stakes at the Solano County Fair.

Jamgotchian won last year's edition of the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies with Luck and Fame, whom he had just claimed for $32,000.

This year, he sends up Yessiremychickadee, a $19,000 Ocala purchase last year, who has won 2 of 3 starts. She won her career debut at Santa Anita on March 10, followed it up with an allowance victory at Hollywood Park, and lost by a nose in an optional claimer at Hollywood last month.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Like the swallows that return every year to the Mission at San Juan Capistrano, so, too, do race fans flock to Del Mar each year for the track's opening day. It has become a must-do on the Southern California calendar, attracting people who come for the racing, to be seen because it's the place to be, or simply to enter a hat contest.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Not many fillies win their first stakes against males the way that Sharoana did in the Everett Nevin Alameda County Futurity at Pleasanton on July 2.

Not many stables win consecutive runnings of a Del Mar stakes the way Jeff Bonde did in the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes in 2004 and 2005.