ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A Bit O'Gold, who switched his focus to turf this summer, has long been considered the top local hopeful for Sunday's Grade 1, $2 million Canadian International here at Woodbine.

But a serious change in plans has quietly been brewing, and on Monday morning trainer Catherine Day Phillips said she was pre-entering A Bit O'Gold in the Breeders' Cup Classic, to be run Oct. 29 at Belmont Park.

A stablemate, Jambalaya, will take over as the barn's representative in the Canadian International, a 1 1/2-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and upward.

ALBANY, Calif. - Golden Gate Fields hopes to build on momentum created at its spring mini-meet when it opens a 46-day fall meeting Wednesday.

Last spring, Golden Gate Fields started strong during its 28-day meet, creating a stakes race for Lost in the Fog, who responded by setting a track record before a large and enthusiastic crowd. It was just the jump start that was needed, and the track used that momentum for a successful meeting.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Judging by the company he has been keeping, Top Authority should be tough in Wednesday's Woodbine feature, a 1 1/16-mile allowance for 2-year-olds.

Top Authority, a California-bred colt owned by Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, won his career debut in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special on June 12. Nearly six weeks later, he ran third in the six-furlong Colin Stakes behind Edenwold, who has since won two other stakes and is the leader of Woodbine's male 2-year-old division.

EDMONTON, Alberta - The Vancouver-based connections of Notis Otis probably won't be eager to ship to Alberta again soon.

Notis Otis was scratched out of last Saturday's $50,000 Western Canada Handicap here at Northlands Park, bringing back memories of last spring when he was felled by a virus in the President's Handicap at Stampede Park. That illness put Notis Otis out of action for three months and cost him shots at the three derbies in Alberta and British Columbia.

Northern Lady broke on top, shook off her stablemate Detailed in upper stretch, and moved to a 5 1/4-length win in the fillies division of the $40,000 Hoosier Silver Cup for 2-year-olds at Hoosier Park.

The race offered only win and exacta betting after the field was reduced to three betting interests. The entry of Northern Lady and Detailed paid $2.60.

In the open division of Hoosier Silver Cup, Ewell made up seven lengths in the final furlong for a half-length win over Medieval Dreams. Rodney Prescott rode Ewell, who paid $3.20 in the five-horse field.

Trickle of Gold extended her winning streak to four races by wiring four other 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 3, $150,000 Safely Kept Breeders' Cup at Laurel.

Ridden by Jeremy Rose for trainer Mike Gorham, Trickle of Gold ($4.80) defeated Maddalena, the even-money favorite, by three lengths after covering six furlongs in 1:10.45.

Trickle of Gold's task was made a little easier when two other confirmed front-runners, Slew Motion and Ebony Star, were scratched.

Reigning Michigan horse of the year Rockem Sockem staked his claim on a repeat title with a 13-length win in the older male division of the Michigan Sire Stakes at Great Lakes Downs. Terry Houghton rode Rockem Sockem for trainer Bob Gorham. Gorham also trained both juvenile winners, Easy Ellie and Weatherstorm.

Mary Doser won three of the six Fire Stakes winners. Each of the six races in the series carried a purse of approximately $140,000.

ALBANY, Calif. - For a rider, there's nothing better than having a good stakes horse. Unless it's having two or three.

Russell Baze had four winners at Bay Meadows on Sunday to finish the 33-day meeting with 56 victories. He earned his 34th career championship at Bay Meadows despite missing three days with bruises suffered in a spill.

He also had three winners Saturday, including a victory in the Bay Meadows Juvenile Stakes aboard Cause to Believe.

Baze, of course, is sitting pretty with the mount on likely Breeders' Cup Sprint favorite Lost in the Fog.

CHICAGO - Kenny McCarthy hasn't even watched a replay of Saturday's Hawthorne Derby. The race turned out well enough in the end, so why revisit the controversy?

McCarthy, a Churchill Downs-based assistant to trainer Bill Mott, saddled the 1-5 favorite, Gun Salute, in the race. Gun Salute won, but only by a neck, and only after Cosmic Kris drew alongside him in deep stretch. And the final order of finish remained in doubt for several more minutes, as stewards - somewhat belatedly - announced an inquiry into the stretch run.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Maidens were in the majority in Sunday's $253,200 here at Woodbine, with eight of the 13 Canadian-bred 2-year-olds looking for their first win.

One got it - Pyramid Park, who registered a convincing victory under Slade Callaghan at 53-1. But perhaps even more surprisingly, there was only one winner to crack the top seven, French Beret, who ran third.

Michael Doyle, who trains Pyramid Park, also sent out Thunder Bowl, who ran fourth.