Once, $100,000 represented a significant percentage of an entire season's stakes budget at Evangeline Downs, but in these heady times of slot machines, that much is being offered up in a pair of allowance events and a high-level claiming race on Friday night alone. A total of $290,000 in purses will be available heading into the final weekend of Evangeline's inaugural season at its new slots and racing facility.

Both average attendance and handle declined at the 2005 Fairmount Park meeting that ended Sept. 17, according to figures released by the track's auditor.

For 102 racing programs, the total daily average handle on Fairmount Park races was $279,697, down 4.2 percent from 101 days the previous year. Attendance fell 4.4 percent to 2,439 daily.

The decline in handle can be partially attributed to gambling dollars being diverted into the area's increasingly popular riverboat casinos, as well as consistently short fields and the elimination of superfecta wagering.

Michael Davila, the fifth-leading jockey at Finger Lakes with 59 victories, is listed to ride two mounts on Friday's card after being out since Sept. 5 with two fractured ribs.

Davila was injured at Saratoga when his mount, Trumpster, fell during the running of the second race on closing day.

* Jockey Jennifer Schmidt, riding for the first time since sustaining a concussion on Aug. 1, scored with her first mount when she rode Coo Cold Bird ($49.60) to victory in last Friday's third race, for $4,000 claimers.

Since there are no lights on the turf course and the sun now sets before the first race, grass racing appeared done for the year at Penn National Race Course.

Not necessarily, however.

The track has asked the State Horse Racing Commission for permission to run a special afternoon card on Breeders' Cup Day, Oct. 29, that could include several turf races, weather permitting.

Penn National's program would begin at 12:55 p.m. Eastern and races would be offered in between simulcasts of the Breeders' Cup from Belmont Park.

Owner Spencer Childers and trainer Dan Francisco will be represented by world champion Be a Bono in the Grade 1, $100,000 Go Man Go Invitational Handicap and Grade 1 winner Diller a Dollar in the Grade 3, $30,000 Sgt Pepper Feature Handicap this weekend at Los Alamitos.

The 400-yard Go Man Go is on Saturday night, and the 350-yard Sgt Pepper Feature for 3-year-olds is on Friday night.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Always First, who accompanied Atto Mile contestant King of Happiness on his trip here from California, got in a work over Woodbine's turf training course Wednesday morning.

Always First, a 4-year-old gelding owned by Sheikh Maktoum al-Maktoum and trained by Neil Drysdale, is preparing for the Grade 2, $300,000 Sky Classic here Oct. 2.

The Sky Classic, a 1 3/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up, is the major local stakes prep for the Grade 1, $2 million Canadian International at 1 1/2 miles on turf Oct. 23.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - It has been 46 years since a filly has been good enough to win the British Columbia Derby. But the connections of Monashee think she might have what it takes to beat the boys in what appears to be a wide-open renewal of the Grade 3, $250,000 British Columbia Derby on Saturday at Hastings.

AUBURN, Wash. - It was evident that trainer Bonnie Jenne was taking an edge with the 2-year-old Whosboyareyou when she ran him for a $12,500 tag in his 4 1/2-furlong debut on Sept. 2. Just how big an edge she was taking wasn't clear until he ran back on Sunday at Emerald Downs.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Courtney Bay, an unsuccessful Canadian Derby starter, heads a field of six in Friday's one-mile allowance feature for non-winners of two at Northlands Park.

A Kentucky-bred trained by Lianne Knechtel for Oxbridge Farm, Courtney Bay earned a shot at the $300,000 Canadian Derby when he was second by a neck to Forever Rascal in the Count Lathum.

Courtney Bay was prominent to the backstretch in the Canadian Derby but then faded badly to finish 11th and last.

CHICAGO - The horse that upset him last year is coming back, but that might be one of Perfect Drift's lesser concerns Saturday in the $750,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup.