LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Keeneland tradition that began 20 years ago this month when the Queen of England visited this bucolic track will be renewed Saturday, albeit without the queen. Nonetheless, an ample supply of racing royalty should give fans plenty to gawk at when the $500,000 matches some of the best 3-year-old turf fillies from North America and beyond.

ARCADIA, Calif. - There is a simple explanation why the $150,000 California Cup Matron is positioned so early (race 3) on the California Cup card. It's because the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares shapes up as a mismatch. Might as well get it out of the way before the gambling gets serious.

Saturday at Santa Anita, towers over five rivals in the Matron, the least-appealing wagering contest on an otherwise competitive card. The problem is Yearly Report's main foes - stakes winners Summer Wind Dancer, Royally Chosen, and Dream of Summer - are flawed.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Green Team scored a mild surprise when he captured last year's California Cup Sprint, but he should rule the favorite Saturday in this year's version of the $150,000, six-furlong race at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting.

The Sprint is one of the day's highlights. It attracted a full field of 12, and if Green Team does not run his absolute best, there are several eager contenders who could claim this race.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The post position draw for Saturday's $175,000 California Cup Mile at Santa Anita did not help A to the Z. The 4-year-old A to the Z is stuck on the outside in an outstanding field of 11.

The post may seem bad, but the tactics of the race could work in favor of A to the Z.

A closer, may be in a strong position if top contenders Black Bart, Lennyfromalibu, and Stage Player take their customary positions at the front and set a quick pace. By the time the field reaches the stretch, A to the Z could be ideally placed.

ARCADIA, Calif. - With his eyes on prospects for Del Mar, Sid Craig called trainer Bill Spawr in July and asked him to inspect and possibly claim a 4-year-old filly running at Hollywood Park.

Spawr claimed that day for $80,000. Two weeks later, she finished second in the Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The progression of Top Money this summer at Del Mar was fun to watch. He broke slowly in his debut and then lugged in down the stretch, but still had enough raw talent to beat maiden claimers. He again broke a step slowly, and again tried to lug in, while beating a starter-allowance field in his second start.

By the end of the meet, though, he had become far more professional. In the I'm Smokin Stakes on Sept. 6, Top Money broke sharper and ran straighter than he ever had. The result was a three-length victory and a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 91.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Lady Truffles finished second in her debut at 5 1/2 furlongs, after which jockey Tyler Baze said, "Wait until she goes two turns." In her next start, also at 5 1/2, Lady Truffles finished second. "Wait until she goes two turns," Baze repeated.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The unbeaten Ata Olympio will face his most difficult test in Saturday's $50,000 California Cup Starter Sprint Handicap at Santa Anita, one of two races for claimers on the 10-race program.

The Starter Sprint Handicap, a six-furlong main-track race, is the second race; the $50,000 Starter Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on turf is the fifth race. The Starter Handicap drew a field of 10 and is wide open.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Might the third time be the charm for Shalini in the $100,000 California Cup Distance Handicap? She was an unlucky, narrow loser of the race in 2002, then did not fire her best shot last year. That loss began a six-race losing streak that Shalini brings into Saturday's first race at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting.

ARCADIA, Calif. - This year will be remembered as the season of fillies and mares among California-breds.

Whether it was Moscow Burning winning the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay Handicap at Belmont Park in June, Bear Fan scoring three wins in graded stakes for sprinters from February to June, Summer Wind Dancer's major stakes wins in California and Delaware, or the successful national raids by 3-year-old fillies such as House of Fortune and Yearly Report, it was the girls who carried the banner for statebreds.