AUBURN, Wash. - Mt. Vista heads a field of eight in Friday's Emerald Downs feature, a $7,500 claiming race at 1 1/16 miles.

Rodeo's Castle, who has developed into one of the best sprinters in the region since winning his maiden for a claiming price of $7,500 last October, vanned out of his Louisiana Downs base Tuesday for Canterbury Park, where he will race in the Claiming Crown, said his owner, Byron House III.

AUBURN, Wash. - Trainer Tim McCanna couldn't have asked for a better result in last Sunday's $60,000 Kent Handicap for 3-year-old fillies, as his entry of Gins Majesty and Queenledo ran first and second at Emerald Downs.

All the same, McCanna had mixed emotions about seeing Queenledo lose for the first time in four starts this year.

"It was a weird feeling watching them come down the lane," he said. "I was yelling for Queenledo because she was behind. I guess I was hoping for a dead heat. I'm glad Gins Majesty won it, but I hated to see Queenledo get beat."

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The lightly raced Tell No One should get rolling a little sooner than last time in Thursday's featured $39,000 allowance race for fillies and mares on the turf at Monmouth Park.

Tell No One closed from ninth to fifth last time out at Monmouth and lost by only 1 1/4 lengths.

Joe Bravo will likely see that that does not happen again as he replaces Richard Monterrey for trainer Michael Matz. Bravo, the track's leading rider, is also the best grass rider on the circuit.

ELMONT, N.Y. - After a month's respite following his dominant Belmont Stakes victory, Afleet Alex returned to work Sunday morning, breezing five furlongs in 1:00.93 over Belmont Park's main track.

Regular rider Jeremy Rose was aboard Afleet Alex, whose time was the 13th fastest of 40 timed works over the main track, which was rated fast. Belmont Park clockers caught Afleet Alex in fractions of 13.42 seconds, 25.75, 37.73, and 49.44, meaning he got his last eighth in 11:59 seconds. Clockers timed Afleet Alex galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.58 and seven-eighths in 1:29.33.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - When Lava Man walked into the starting gate at 6-1 for Saturday's $750,000 , co-owner Jason Wood shrugged and thought to himself that the gelding just cannot earn any respect.

About two minutes later, opinions quickly changed.

Lava Man won the Gold Cup by a record 8 3/4 lengths, the widest winning margin in the 66-year history of the race. Lava Man was always close to the front, stalking the pacesetter, Congrats, to the top of the stretch before drawing off.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Cozy Guy, the winner of the $250,000 last October, is fighting for his life because of a liver ailment, according to his trainer, Dan Hendricks.

Cozy Guy was sent to the San Luis Rey Equine Clinic for treatment in early July, but the situation has remained grave, Hendricks said.

"Something has attacked the liver," Hendricks said. "We're trying to do everything we can. They've been giving him lots of fluids and antibiotics."

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - At some point in their careers, the eight fillies and mares entered in Wednesday's seventh race at Hollywood Park have either won, placed, or started in stakes.

For many, a start in a $55,000 optional claimer over 1 1/16 miles on turf is designed to get them back to that level, perhaps as quickly as the Del Mar meeting that begins July 20.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Carl Lizza's Flying Zee Stables is running away with the Belmont Park owner's title, with 17 wins from 87 starters. But while Flying Zee's wins are more than double any other owner's, Flying Zee trails Frank Stronach by about $25,000 in purse money won.

There's a simple way to tell summer has hit full stride in Kentucky: Thoroughbred action has moved two hours west from Churchill Downs to Ellis Park, where the living is easier and the racing takes on a different look.

A 41-day meet begins Wednesday at Ellis in Henderson, Ky., and will continue through its traditional conclusion on Labor Day, Sept. 5. The highlight of the meet will come Aug. 20, when the newly reconfigured Big Four Stakes Saturday, featuring the Grade 3 Gardenia Stakes, will be held for the first time.