SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trainer Lloyd Mason was glad to welcome Tight Circle to his barn after claiming the 3-year-old filly for $20,000 from her U.S. debut on Sept. 18. She won that race, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint, by a head after stalking the pace, and Mason wheels her back quickly Sunday at Bay Meadows in a first-level allowance sprint at six furlongs. The British-bred Tight Circle has four opponents Sunday and will meet older for the first time.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Lawyer Dave Milburn has won a lot of big cases in his career. He's also a trainer, and while he's been fairly successful, he has never won a major race. He's hoping that will change when he runs Saanichton in the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity on Sunday.

"It's pretty simple," said Milburn. "The reason I've had more success in law is because I'm a lot better lawyer than I am a trainer."

AUBURN, Wash. - Six stakes worth a total of $250,000 are on Sunday's Washington Cup Day undercard, headed by the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic.

A total of 49 Washington-breds are entered in the seven stakes.

Sharing the top purse of $50,000 with the Classic is the 1 1/16-mile Belle Roberts Stakes, with a field of six fillies and mares.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Lead On McDuff will seek his third straight victory, and fourth in five races, when he heads a field of seven $17,500 claimers sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs here at Northlands Sunday. This race, for 3-year-olds, will go as the third on a seven-race card.

The Louisiana Racing Commission on Friday took action to keep the state's racing calendar constant in the face of two hurricanes that, in less than one month, have temporarily shut down two of Louisiana's four racetracks. Hurricane Katrina struck Fair Grounds in New Orleans on Aug. 28, while Hurricane Rita crippled the stable area at Delta Downs in Vinton on Sept. 24.

Owners who brought their yearlings to Delaware two or three years ago will begin to reap the rewards of an incentive-based program Sunday when the first two stakes for "Delaware certified" Thoroughbreds are run at Delaware Park.

Nine colts and geldings and seven fillies - all of them ages 3 or 4 - will compete in a pair of $50,000 stakes at six furlongs.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Can Lenny the Lender finally get lucky in the Sky Classic?

Lenny the Lender, a 9-year-old gelding owned and trained by Richard Jukosky, has suffered very tough beats as the runner-up in the last two editions of the Grade 2 Sky Classic, a 1 3/8-mile turf handicap that will be run again here Sunday.

"He's run his best races, both years, in the Sky Classic," said Jukosky, who is based with Lenny the Lender at Fort Erie. "It would be a dream come true to see him win the race."

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Because of declining revenue from slots, the major source of the track's purses, Fort Erie will eliminate some stakes races and most allowance races next year, as well as some high-priced claimers, in order to increase the purses for low-end claiming races.

ELMONT, N.Y. - As if there wasn't enough intrigue on Saturday at Belmont Park, there will be a pick-6 carryover of $126,811 entering the card, which includes five Grade 1 stakes highlighted by the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup.

All five stakes will be part of the pick 6, which kicks off with race 6, the $500,000 Vosburgh for sprinters. The Vosburgh drew a field of 10, but there are only eight betting interests, led by the entry of Pomeroy and Lion Tamer.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Considering what remains standing in the handicap and 3-year-old divisions, Saturday's $1 million at Belmont Park should be a terrific barometer for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic.

With the exception of Saint Liam, Rock Hard Ten, and Afleet Alex, the Grade 1 Gold Cup has drawn virtually every important older male and 3-year-old still healthy enough to run. The eight Jockey Gold Cup entrants have combined to win 12 graded stakes this year, including the Hollywood Gold Cup, Pacific Classic, and Travers.