The undefeated 2-year-old Leading Spirit and the return of All American Futurity winner DM Shicago headline a strong pair of stakes for Quarter Horses on Sunday's program at Ruidoso Downs.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - The red-hot Miss Marvic returns to Assiniboia Downs in search of her first stakes win in Sunday's $40,000 La Verendrye for older fillies and mares at six furlongs.

After two losses to begin her career here in 2003, Miss Marvic won her maiden in her 2004 seasonal bow at Stampede Park before returning to Assiniboia Downs and winning 4 of 7 last summer, including three in a row during the later stages of the season.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - For All We Know, one of trainer John Ward's strong contingent of 3-year-old fillies stabled at Arlington Park, was to have shipped two weeks ago to New York for a prep race followed by a start in the June 25 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park. But Ward called an audible, fearing the effects of a long van trip in hot weather, and kept For All We Know at Arlington, where she cruised to an easy five-length win in a second-level allowance race on Thursday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Reade Baker will be holding a very strong hand Sunday when he sends out five of the 10 Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies in the $500,000 Labatt Woodbine Oaks.

The 50th running of the 1 1/8-mile event heads a quality card that includes two other stakes, the $136,125 Victoria Park and the $111,000 Alywow.

The Oaks is the first leg of the Canadian triple tiara. It will be followed by the July 4 Labatt Bison City Stakes at Fort Erie and the Wonder Where Stakes here July 31. There is no longer a bonus for sweeping the series.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sunday's $136,125 Victoria Park Stakes is the last stakes opportunity on dirt for local 3-year-olds to prep for the June 26 Queen's Plate. Canadian-breds Ablo, Walela, and Stephen's Gift are the only Plate eligibles in the Victoria Park, which is the supporting feature on Labatt Woodbine Oaks Day.

Ablo won the 1 1/8-mile Coronation Futurity at 2 and will negotiate that distance in the Victoria Park. In his most recent outing, he finished fifth going 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 3 Marine Stakes.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Bob Harvey readily admits that no racing thrill is likely to top that which he experienced with Numerous Times, winner of the $1 million Atto Mile at Woodbine in 2001.

"Numerous Times will always be number one," said Harvey. "What I went through with him . . ."

Harvey, as a principal in Committee Stable, owner of Numerous Times, watched the horse overcome numerous obstacles en route to his Atto Mile triumph, which was his sixth career start without a defeat. He was trained by Sid Attard.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Despite having no stalls at Fort Erie and saddling only five horses at the six-week-old meet, trainer Justin Nixon is in a tie for seventh-place in the standings.

Nixon has sent out four winners and one second-place finisher from five starters here and has pushed his main client, Stronach Stable, to the top of the owner standings. Three of the wins were for Stronach and the other for Nixon's dad, Frederick.

Final Assault finally put it all together at Monmouth Park last summer, wiring both first- and second-level allowance fields before just failing to last as the favorite in an optional claiming race prior to hitting the sidelines for a well-deserved rest. Sunday, Final Assault attempts to get back to her winning ways at Monmouth in the $60,000 Spruce Fir Handicap for fillies and mares at a mile and 70 yards.

By the looks of recent drills, topped off by a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.20 in the slop last Saturday, she's ready to roll. Stewart Elliott gets the call.

The likely absence of heavy favorite Sensibly Chic has turned Sunday's $50,000 Skipat Stakes into a wide-open event.

The six-furlong Skipat, for fillies and mares, serves as the closing day feature at Pimlico. Racing on the Maryland-Virginia circuit shifts to Colonial Downs on Friday.

is cross-entered in Sunday's Grade 2, $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont. Maryland-based rainer Tim Tullock said Friday afternoon that he's leaning strongly toward the New York race.

Based on his performance in last Sunday's Nick Shuk Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park, the 3-year-old Mighty Mecke will be pointed to one of several graded stakes in early July.

According to trainer Steve Klesaris, he is considering the Grade 3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows on July 1, the Grade 2 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on July 2, and the Grade 2 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park on July 4 for Mighty Mecke's next start. Klesaris is also taking a look at the Grade 3 Leonard Richards Stakes at Delaware on July 17.