First-time stakes winners will emerge from both divisions of Sunday's $40,000 Hoosier Silver Cup at Hoosier Park. The races are for 2-year-olds at six furlongs.

Trainer Joseph Davis sends out Ewell, the only winner in a field of five in the open division of the Hoosier Silver Cup. Ewell won his maiden here Sept. 4 by 4 3/4 lengths but was a well-beaten fourth in the Hillsdale Stakes on Oct. 1, when he was facing two of the best Indiana-bred 2-year-olds, Father Art and Randall. Leading rider Rodney Prescott has the mount.

Shelby Dee, a winner the one time she ran against fillies, will return to racing against her own gender in the $10,000 KTA Futurity at The Woodlands in Kansas City, Kan.

The 5 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies is restricted to the offspring of eligible stallions.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Lord Nelson is the horse to beat in the $100,000 Premier's at Hastings on Sunday, but he could be vulnerable.

The 1 3/8-mile fixture drew 11 3-year-olds and up, including British Columbia Derby winner Spaghetti Mouse and Blowin in the Wind, who will try and repeat his win in the 2004 Premier's.

Thirsty Guy's, one of two 3-year-olds in a field of nine, looks for his third stakes win in four starts in Sunday's $50,000 Bull Dog at the Big Fresno Fair.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Not all that much has gone right here this year for Mike Mareina, the private trainer for Kuehne Racing.

But Mareina could have found his ace in the hole with Golf Trip, who is a strong contender in the field of 13 Canadian-bred 2-year-olds for Sunday's $250,000 Cup and Saucer, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes at Woodbine.

"It has been a rough meet on us," acknowledged Mareina, who had saddled 5 winners from his first 51 starters at the meeting. "But I'm very pleased with where I am coming to this race."

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Fort Erie's leading rider, Chad Beckon, won't have his five-pound apprentice allowance for the next racing week here. His allowance period comes to an end Thursday.

The lost benefit will hardly be a threat to derail Beckon from his march to the title - his lead going into Saturday's action here was a comfortable 16 over runner-up Neil Poznansky, last year's champ. The score was 87 to 71.

"It's been a great year and I'm accomplishing my goal," said Beckon about his title aspirations. "I started off slowly, but now I've put my time in."

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Two Grade 1 races have evolved as probably the most important in the niche division of 3-year-old turf fillies: the American Oaks at Hollywood Park, and the at Keeneland.

Cesario, the Japanese sensation, won the July 3 American Oaks in breathtaking fashion in what clearly was the deepest race so far in the division. The $500,000 QEII, to be run Saturday at Keeneland, is missing both Cesario and the American Oaks runner-up, Melhor Ainda, but otherwise, it fits the bill.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Jim Cassidy likes having a horse to run in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. Why wouldn't he? The only time the trainer ever ran a filly in the Grade 1 race was last year, when Ticker Tape held on to win the $500,000 stakes by a half-length.

"Great to be back," said Cassidy, the New Yorker-turned-Californian who has brought Singhalese to Keeneland as a major contender in the 22nd QEII.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - T. D. Vance, making his first start since his upset win in the Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga, was in full control Thursday, leading throughout and edging clear in the $150,000 at Keeneland.

Sent away as the lukewarm favorite in a field of eight 3-year-olds, T. D. Vance, ridden by Edgar Prado, turned back mild bids from several rivals and covered the mile in 1:34.65 over a firm turf course. He returned $6.80 to win.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Whether he races on the lead or near the pace, Willow O Wisp has taken control of the 3-year-old turf division in California this year.

His versatility has resulted in three consecutive stakes wins and made Willow O Wisp a strong favorite in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Oak Tree Derby over 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita.

Regardless of how the race develops, trainer Vladimir Cerin said he is convinced that Willow O Wisp is ready.