Rapid Proof has been disqualified from his victory in the Mervin Muniz Handicap on March 19 at Fair Grounds after testing positive for the prohibited drug dexamethasone. The purse for the $500,000 Muniz has been re-distributed and Hal Wiggins, Rapid Proof's trainer, fined $1,000.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Roger Attfield will be looking to win the Queen's Plate for a record-equaling eighth time when he sends out Ablo for the $1 million showpiece here Sunday.

Four of Attfield's Queen's Plate winners - Norcliffe (1976), With Approval (1989), Izvestia (1990), and Alydeed (1992) - went off as favorites. A fifth, Peteski (1993), was a 4-1 second choice.

Ablo, however, will go at a price more in line with the Attfield-trained Market Control (1987) and Regal Discovery (1995), both 9-1.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Grayross Gal will try to carry her good speed around three turns for the first time in the feature race at Hastings on Friday evening. Six horses were entered in the $35,000 optional race for fillies and mares, which is run at 1 1/16 miles and goes as the sixth race.

Grayross Gal has won all three of her starts this year, but she is stepping into open company for the first time and has never gone farther than 6 1/2 furlongs in her 14-race career.

AUBURN, Wash. - Have'n a Lark will flee stakes company to head a field of eight 3-year-old fillies, each eligible to be claimed for $18,000 to $20,000, in Friday's one-mile feature at Emerald Downs.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Alberta racing celebrates its centennial with record stakes purses, another $6 million worth of improvements to the track, and a record jockey population that will greet fans on the opening day of the 72-day meet at Northlands Park on Friday. The meet extends to Oct. 29.

The 76th running of the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at 1 3/8 miles on Aug. 27 will carry a purse of $300,000, a 20 percent increase from last year and double the amount of two years ago.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As the Churchill Downs spring meet enters its stretch run, business has been solid, if not booming, with ontrack and all-sources figures showing moderate increases over the spring meet in 2004.

Through Sunday, and with 37 of 52 days complete, daily all-sources handle was averaging $11,609,729 (including Kentucky Oaks and Derby Days), up 6 percent over 2004 but down 10 percent from 2003.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - So, Southern Africa doesn't match up with Afleet Alex. Nor does he appear to relish running 1 1/2 miles. Now, with his eighth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes fading in the rear-view mirror, Southern Africa is gearing up for life after the Triple Crown.

His comeback is scheduled for a date sooner rather than later. If Southern Africa works to the satisfaction of trainer Mike Puhich on Monday or Tuesday, he will race July 2 in the Arlington Classic, the first of three graded turf stakes for 3-year-olds at this meet.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Friday's allowance feature appears to be a classic case of catch me if you can.

Leading trainer Cole Norman will send out the speedy Skin Flint, a runaway winner versus maidens last start and the apparent lone speed in the mile-and-70-yard, entry-level allowance feature. He faces seven rivals, for a $25,500 purse.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - In the last year, Charming Socialite has built a reputation as one of the best Texas-bred sprinters in training. But last weekend, he opened up a whole new world of options for himself, when he won a two-turn overnight stakes at Lone Star Park.

The race drew a nice group of Texas-breds, including multiple stakes winners Goosey Moose and Agrivating General. Because of the win, Charming Socialite is now under consideration for the $125,000 Assault Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for Texas-breds on July 9.

Defending world champion Be a Bono will try to make amends for a troubled fourth-place finish in his Vessels Maturity trial when he starts in the Grade 1 finals Friday at Los Alamitos. He will find himself up against six horses from the Paul Jones stable.

The winner of $134,800 Vessels Maturity at 400 yards will earn a berth in the Grade 1, $500,000 Champion of Champions on Dec. 10 at Los Alamitos.