ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Archeress should be the boss in a field of six in Friday's Woodbine feature, a first-level allowance for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.

Archeress has made three starts. In her debut in early September, she finished second to a sharp Perigee Girl, who won the restricted Victorian Queen Stakes in her next outing.

Archeress won by two lengths in a six-furlong Ontario-sired maiden special Sept. 21. She capped her 2-year-old campaign by finishing a close fifth in the six-furlong Victorian Queen.

AUBURN, Wash. - Emerald Downs will begin a season-long celebration of its 10th anniversary on Friday, when it presents the first of 91 live racing programs at the 2006 meeting.

The meet stretches through Oct. 1, with racing on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through May. Thursday racing will be added to the schedule in June. First post is 6 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

CALGARY, Alberta - Friday evening is ladies night here at Stampede Park with six races for fillies and mares on the nine-race program. All nine races go at six furlongs.

Nashwaak Dancer is expected to attract plenty of attention in the fourth race, a $25,000 claimer which drew a field of six. Nashwaak Dancer has yet to prove her staying power, but was very impressive in her seasonal bow at four furlongs against similar company and is the one to catch as she breaks from post 3 under Ron Blinston.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Though Jimmy Jerkens has won with 9 of the last 24 horses he has saddled, the recent victories that got away have kept him up at night.

In the last six weeks, Jerkens has endured the frustration of having Corinthian disqualified from first place in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth - and subsequently injured and off the Triple Crown trail - Sir Greeley getting beaten a neck in the Grade 1 Carter, and Artie Schiller losting by a nose in the Grade 2 Maker's Mark Mile.

"It's been a tough couple of weeks," Jerkens said.

ARCADIA, Calif. - An upset by 46-1 Feel Ridge in Wednesday's sixth race has led to a pick six carryover for $127,708 on Thursday at Santa Anita.

Thursday's pick six covers the third through eighth races on a program that begins at 1 p.m.

Here is a glance at the early changes.

Adolfo Rodriguez has been named to ride Noriska Number One, the longest shot in a field of seven on the morning line. The race is a sprint for 3-year-old fillies; Fletchers Cove is expected to go favored.

The centerpiece of Pimlico's Spring Festival of Racing program on Saturday will be conspicuous by its absence.

The Jim McKay Breeders' Cup Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds and up, had to be canceled when only four horses were entered on Wednesday.

As a result, the feature among four stakes on the first Saturday of Pimlico's meet becomes the $125,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds. The 1 1/8-mile race, which occasionally produces a starter or two for next month's Preakness, drew a field of 11.

Large purse increases should lead to a strong 45-day Thoroughbred meeting beginning Friday evening at Prairie Meadows. The Thoroughbred season runs through July 4 and will be followed by a mixed meet from July 13 through Sept. 9.

Under a new contract with the Iowa Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, the Prairie Meadows Thoroughbred meet purses are to be increased by approximately 35 percent from 2005 levels, with $250,000 per day scheduled to be given out.

The Choose Six makes its New Jersey debut Friday night at The Meadowlands harness meet. The wager replaces the pick six and will be launched with guaranteed $25,000 minimum pools on Friday and Saturday.

The is a flexible variation on the pick six in that the bettor selects the six races that will make up the bet. Initially, the wager will be available only at The Meadowlands and to simulcast players at Monmouth Park and Freehold Raceway. The Choose Six will be part of Monmouth's betting menu when its meet begins May 13.

STICKNEY, Ill. - When you are thinking your graded stakes race might get just five horses, six begins to seem okay. And six is how many were entered Tuesday for Saturday's National Jockey Club Handicap here at Hawthorne. It's not a huge field, but local racing officials may be satisfied with it, given the prospect of something smaller.

The Grade 3, $250,000 shares top billing Saturday with the Grade 3, $250,000 Sixty Sails Handicap, both races at 1 1/8 miles on dirt. The Sixty Sails, which drew eight horses, is restricted to females.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Yes He's a Pistol, an improving horse who turned in a career effort last out at Santa Anita, is being pointed for the Grade 3, $300,000 Texas Mile at Lone Star Park on April 29, said his trainer, Doug O'Neill.

Yes He's a Pistol won the $109,450 Santana Mile Handicap by a length over stakes winner Dixie Meister in his last start March 12. He covered the distance in 1:35.41 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 102.