ARCADIA, Calif. - Genre had a rather rude introduction to American racing at Hollywood Park last fall.

He finished second in the Real Quiet Stakes on the main track, but was promoted to first after Bob and John was controversially disqualified for causing interference in early stretch. The decision did not sit well with the faithful fans gathered on that Saturday afternoon; they responded with hearty boos when the decision was announced.

Genre was then tried in a Triple Crown prep, but finished only fourth behind Bob and John in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes here on Feb. 4.

STICKNEY, Ill. - The way things are shaping up, this could be a fun summer for trainer Chris Block. Just don't expect him to strut around the backstretch shouting about it. In fact, Wednesday morning at Hawthorne, while Block was scooping feed and throwing it in his horses' tubs, Block was heard to say, "Things aren't ever easy for very long in this business."

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The Arkansas Derby has been a long time coming for Dan Peitz. The trainer of Steppenwolfer, Peitz said more ground is what the long-striding colt is bred to love, and Steppenwolfer will get to run farther than he ever has before on Saturday in the Grade 2, $1 million at Oaklawn Park.

"For me, I've been waiting two months to get to this race," said Peitz. "That's what I said two months ago, I can't get to a mile and an eighth fast enough."

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - It has been said that patience is a virtue, but when it comes to the situation at Hastings regarding slot machines, which were approved by the Vancouver City Council in 2004, patience is a necessity.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Live racing returns to Hastings this Friday, and while optimism for the future of racing in the province is still high, the slot machines approved by the Vancouver City Council in 2004 still have not arrived.

CALGARY, Alberta - Wet conditions continue to disrupt training schedules here at Stampede Park, and the result has been short fields and anxious trainers looking to get another workout for their runners.

One trainer who is not flustered by the early-season turmoil is Don Gilkyson, who is in his 50th year of training on this circuit. Gilkyson has scaled down his operation a bit from the mid-1990's, when he had a powerhouse stable led by three-time Alberta champion older horse Arctic Laur, who retired as the leading money winner among Alberta-breds.

ALBANY, Calif. - Two-year-olds get their first chance to race in northern California on Friday at Golden Gate Fields when one filly will take on six male rivals in a four-furlong maiden race.

Trainer Jeff Bonde, who sent out the one-two finishers in the first maiden race of the year last year, sends out the likely favorite in the filly, Sharoana, a $25,000 purchase last September. She wound up her works with a 34.80 three-furlong gate drill that was the second-best of 29 workouts last Friday.

R.D. Williams reached the 4,000-win milestone last Friday and quickly sped on by as he continued in quest of his 10th leading rider title at Fonner Park.

Williams recorded his third four-win day of the year on Saturday and has taken a commanding 42-25 lead over Larren Delorme in the jockey standings.

Williams could easily have his own section in the track's press guide. He has won four or more races on a Fonner Park race card 25 times and swept both halves of the daily double 14 times in his 30-year career.

These are heady times at Evangeline Downs. Not only are things great at home with burgeoning fields and correspondingly lucrative handle figures, but horses and outfits that chose to spend the winter and early spring at the track have made a real impact when they have shipped to the region's major racing centers.

Chin High, a maiden winner for trainer Neil Pessin at Evangeline on March 15 in his second local start, made the biggest noise last week when he showed up in the Grade 3, $150,000 Transylvania Stakes on opening day at Keeneland last Friday.

Sandra Schleiffers has been on the cutting edge for some time. Back on April 12, 1969, Schleiffers became one of the nation's first female jockeys when she rode her first winner at Turf Paradise. The then 22-year-old would ride for another seven years, and become the first female jockey admitted to the Jockeys' Guild, this after first being a member of the Sisters of St. Francis in Clinton, Iowa.