ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - First-level allowance races for early-summer 2-year-olds are these days called stakes races, and so it is that seven horses were entered in Sunday's Honest Pleasure Stakes at Arlington Park.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Royal Regalia had been entered in Saturday's Sussex, at Delaware Park, and trainer Justin Nixon had been ready to hit the road for the gelding's first start of the season.

But in the meantime Nixon had entered Royal Regalia in a money allowance here Thursday, and when that 1 1/16-mile turf race filled, the trip became unnecessary.

"I was glad to be able to race him here, and not have a 12-hour ship," said Nixon, who trains the 7-year-old gelding for Stronach Stable.

AUBURN, Wash. - While the $100,000 Mt. Rainier Breeders' Cup Handicap has the featured slot in Sunday's inaugural Longacres Mile Preview Day card at Emerald Downs, the only participant who has actually won the Grade 3 Longacres Mile will prep for this year's renewal in Sunday's $40,000 Governor's Handicap.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Trainer John Simms is sitting comfortably for the upcoming $30,000 Cup Races to be run through Sept. 5. The eight-race series starts Aug. 7 with the six-furlong Don Valliere Memorial for colts and geldings.

The series ends with the 1 1/16-mile turf doubleheader of the Puss n Boots for colts and geldings and the Centre Stage Anne for fillies and mares on Sept. 5. The Cup Races are restricted to runners that have started twice at the current meet. Half of the races are for fillies and mares, the other half for males.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Ola Docura seeks her third consecutive win and second stakes win this year in Sunday's $40,000 Winnipeg Sun Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles at Assiniboia Downs.

Two starts ago, Ola Docura overtook Ericka's Lass late to win the Canada Day, her first stakes victory. In her last start, an allowance prep for the Winnipeg Sun, Ola Docura attended a slow pace before drawing off to win by 3 1/2 lengths.

MIAMI - Final Prophecy, who seems to be either very good or very bad, will need to be at his best to get back on a winning track in Sunday's $40,000 The Vid Stakes at Calder. The overnight stakes is carded at a mile on the turf.

Horseplayers face a dilemma in analyzing Sunday's $35,000 Saratoga Sizzle overnight handicap at Ellis Park. Should they merely bet the best mare, or rather, the one most likely to be at her best under the race conditions?

Tamweel, who finished a close fourth behind Ashado in the Breeders' Cup Distaff last fall, is unquestionably the best horse. But whether she is better than Singit and Speedy Sonata, a pair of skilled turf sprinters, after a six-month layoff and going 5 1/2 furlongs on grass is in question.

BOSSIER CITY, LA. - The barn of national training leader Steve Asmussen has been conspicuously quiet here the first half of the season but you certainly wouldn't know that looking at Sunday's Southern Beau Stakes. Asmussen's entry of Here Tiger and Willtosucceed will rule as the heavy favorite in the 5 1/2-furlong race for Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds.

Each half of the Asmussen entry comes in off an impressive maiden score. The two victories represent a full 25 percent of the barn's win total here just past the halfway point of the meeting.

Pedigree may be more important than past performance in Sunday's $60,000 Chenery Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-olds at Colonial Downs.

Although the race drew 14 entries, including an uncoupled pair of colts from Todd Pletcher's stable, only four of the horses have previously raced on grass.

Of those who have tried the turf, one of Pletcher's horses, Black Snake, and Country Cousin, who ran one-two in a one-mile maiden race at Colonial four weeks ago, look the most appealing.

The winners of Delaware Park's two biggest races could show up soon at Saratoga.

Island Sand, who ended a winless drought that lasted more than a year when she captured the $1 million Delaware Handicap on July 17, is pointing toward the Grade 1, $400,000 Personal Ensign on Aug. 26.

R. Lady Joy, the 17-1 upset winner of the $500,000 Delaware Oaks on July 16, is under consideration for the Grade 1 Alabama on Aug. 20. Trainer Kirk Ziadie said he is also taking a long look at the Monmouth Park Breeders' Cup Oaks, a Grade 3 race worth $200,000, on Aug. 14.