Fair Grounds opened its first day under the new management of Churchill Downs Inc. on Thursday with a bang. The crowd of 7,465 that filled the grandstand to the brim was the third-largest attendance in the eight-year-old history of the new building. The packed house created the kind of shoulder-to-shoulder buzz among fans that recalls racing's glory days. It was a far cry from last season's gloomy opening day, which drew a much smaller crowd against the backdrop of long-simmering unrest from horsemen over a suit that would force the track into bankruptcy.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Saint Liam won the Grade 2 at Churchill Downs on Friday in the unlikely role of a 6-5 favorite still seeking his first stakes win. Granted, he had been terrific in a neck defeat to Ghostzapper in his previous start, but given the 130-year history of the Clark, a venerable race for 3-year-olds and upward, it seemed highly improbable that a non-stakes winner would be so fancied.

Storm Flag Flying is heading to the breeding shed, but trainer Shug McGaughey and the Phipps family may have a replacement in Daydreaming.

Daydreaming won her second straight graded stakes, taking the lead approaching the sixteenth pole and then holding off a late run from an unlucky Bending Strings to win Friday's Grade 2, $150,000 by a nose before 5,570 at Aqueduct. It was 2 1/4 lengths back to Roar Emotion in third.

Louvain gave jockey Ramon Dominguez his first winner in California in the first division of the $75,000 at Hollywood Park on Friday. The winning mount came on Dominguez's first career ride for trainer Bobby Frankel.

Dominguez, a leading rider in the mid-Atlantic states, was making his first appearance at Hollywood Park. He is second in the nation in wins behind Rafael Bejarano.

Louvain ($6) finished a mile on turf in 1:37.19. In the second division of the Miesque Stakes, Paddy's Daisy won her third consecutive stakes.

STICKNEY, Ill. - Will Getcozywithkaylee fall victim in Sunday's fifth race to the principle of three-and-out - three improving races followed by fumbling form? And if you can answer that question, try this one: Have the fastest horses in the eighth race already lost their form?

The fifth and the eighth both are second-level sprint allowance races, but the fifth is for fillies and invites open company, while the eighth is restricted to Illinois-breds.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - El Prado Essence will try to go out a winner in Sunday's Grade 3, $162,750 Bessarabian Handicap for fillies and mares at Woodbine.

The seven-furlong stakes is the slated to be the final career start for 7-year-old El Prado Essence, who will be bred next year. According to owner-trainer Audre Cappuccitti, she was pronounced in foal early this year, but was put back into training after absorbing her foal.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The meeting may be winding down, with just two weeks remaining after Sunday's card, but Nick DeToro certainly isn't about to call it a season.

"I still have eight or nine horses left to run," said DeToro, a 77-year-old owner and trainer. "Either the races haven't been filling, or they won't use them. Everybody's running on their last few ounces of gas."

That assessment, of course, does not include Colonial Surprise, who will represent DeToro in Sunday's $162,750 Bessarabian Handicap.

ALBANY, Calif. - Golden Gate Fields was the scene of two spectacular accidents in the past week, but, fortunately, the jockeys and most of the horses came out of the spills with mostly minor injuries.

The latest jockey to be injured was Ron Warren Jr., who was hurt Thursday during morning workouts.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - While there were many exciting races during the 2004 Hastings meet that closes Sunday, the most dramatic events took place at Vancouver City Hall.

In July, Vancouver City Council voted to allow Hastings Entertainment Inc. the right to install slot machines at the track. There's still a long way to go before the slots are actually installed, but, with the green light, Hastings management, local horsemen, and breeders can begin planning for a brighter future.

There will now be 10 races on Sunday, with first post moved up to noon from 12:30 p.m. Sunday is the last card scheduled to be run on the main track. Racing moves to the inner track on Wednesday.

About a half-inch of rain fell during Wednesday's card - run over a sloppy track - and there were a few more showers overnight. It was cloudy Thursday morning and the card began with mild temperatures.