VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Mighty Cahill finally lived up to the promise he showed when he won a maiden special weight race by 11 lengths in his debut as a 2-year-old last September. Under a heady ride by apprentice Mario Gutierrez, Mighty Cahill came from slightly off the pace to win the Burnaby Breeders' Cup by a widening 4 3/4 lengths last Saturday and stamped himself as a serious contender for the Grade 2, $250,000 B.C. Derby Sept. 24.

A near-capacity field of 13 Ohio-bred fillies were entered for Saturday's $100,000 Queen City Oaks, and with no standout in the division, the 1 1/8-mile Oaks is shaping up to be an excellent betting race.

Tommeyesgold, Money Card, and Luvaprivate, who have all won stakes this year, are among the likely favorites. Another expected to garner support is Cryptoquip, the only Oaks entrant not based in Ohio, who will ship in from Churchill Downs. His trainer, Tom Proctor, won with his only other starter this meet.

Delta Downs officials have set Friday, Dec. 1, as the date for the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Jackpot for 2-year-olds. The race was not run last year because of the damage Hurricane Rita caused to the Vinton, La., facility last September.

Delta is scheduled to open an 88-date Thoroughbred meet on Nov. 1, to run through March 31.

Young trainer Brandon Marks continues to have a successful meeting at Evangeline Downs and is ranked fifth in the trainer standings with 16 wins from 88 starts. Marks, 25, is a native of nearby Beaux Bridge, La., and has been training for about four years. This has been his breakout season, however, due to two of the region's top performers.

Bettors who felt trainer Steve Manly would have a good night last Friday might have been as happy as Manley was when the evening's 10-race card was completed. Manley won with 4 of his 6 starters, with 3 starting at 9-2 or better. A $2 win bet on all Manley starters would have returned $55.60, or a return on investment of $9.27 for every $2 wagered.

Leading rider Rafael Hernandez had an even bigger night, winning five races, including the seventh aboard Lady Umeant ($20.20) for Manley.

Weatherstorm, last year's Michigan champion 2-year-old, won his third straight race in the $50,000 Spartan Stakes Tuesday at Great Lakes Downs. Trained by Robert Gorham and owned by his sister Marion Gorham, Weatherstorm drew off late for a 2 1/4-length win over Prince Nick. Shoot with Pride, also trained by Gorham, was third.

Earlier in the meet, Weatherstorm accounted for the $50,000 Lansing Stakes and an allowance race. Terry Houghton, the runaway leader in the rider standings at the meet, was aboard the Island Storm gelding for all three wins.

Add the hot barn of Kelly Von Hemel to the list of trainers coming back to a rejuvenated Remington Park. He was the second-leading trainer at the recent Thoroughbred meet at Prairie Meadows and is bringing a 20-horse stable to Oklahoma City for the meet, which opens Aug. 4.

"We're looking forward to coming down there," he said. "It's been at least seven, eight years."

OMAHA, Neb. - Horsemen's Park rolls into the second day of its summer racing festival with Up 'n Blumin defending her title in the $27,500-added Falls Amiss Handicap on Friday.

The four-day festival meeting comprises mostly claiming races this year, with a minimum purse of $15,000 ranging up to $25,000 for $10,000 claimers. The races are written for horses who have raced in the state during the current year, and the meet gives horsemen a chance to participate for the biggest purses of the season.

HENDERSON, Ky. - Those familiar Ellis Park hallmarks - oppressive heat and humidity and a lush soybean crop in the spacious infield - apparently never went anywhere, but most everything else regarding opening day of the 2006 summer meet carried a new twist.

The Wednesday opening of the 36-day meet, conducted in 90-plus degree temperatures and with a heat index exceeding 100, was the first racing card at Ellis since a November tornado led to millions of dollars in repairs and renovations.

Stronach Stable has appealed the stewards' decision to disqualify Malakoff from first place in Sunday's $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie.

Brian Lynch, who trains Malakoff, and jockey Todd Kabel submitted separate appeals of the decision to the Ontario Racing Commission stewards at Woodbine on Wednesday morning.

Lynch, acting for the Stronach organization, was appealing the disqualification itself, while Kabel was appealing a three-day suspension given him by the Fort Erie stewards, which would have begun this Saturday.