SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - He's ready.

That's what trainer Nick Zito said after Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone drilled six furlongs Saturday morning in 1:13.96 over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for next Saturday's $1 million Travers Stakes.

The Travers will be Birdstone's first start since upending the Triple Crown bid of Smarty Jones in the Belmont on June 5. Saturday marked his fifth published work since the Belmont, though Zito said there was another work in early July that was not recorded.

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - If there is one sure thing on Illinois Day, it's that Lou O'Brien's stable will be well represented.

"It's the best all-around card that we have," said O'Brien, the leading owner at Fairmount Park. "Illinois Day is a fun day."

Fun, always, but Fairmount racing director Bobby Pace nonetheless laments the comparatively thin fields in this year's undercard stakes.

"I wish the fields were bigger, but a lot of races are real competitive," said Pace. "I don't think there will be too many overwhelming favorites."

DEL MAR, Calif. - In his second day back to the track after winning the Best Pal, Roman Ruler, the undefeated leader of the California 2-year-old male division, was causing problems for Bob Baffert's stable.

At the end of a gallop at Del Mar on Saturday, Roman Ruler flipped over, fell on his right side, and briefly pinned exercise rider Dana Barnes. Barnes complained of pain in her rib cage and was scheduled to undergo X-rays late Saturday morning, according to her husband, Jimmy Barnes, Baffert's top assistant.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Ema Bovary, northern California's top racehorse, is through for the year.

Trainer Larry Ross had planned to run her in next Sunday's

Grade 1 Ballerina, a seven-furlong race at Saratoga, but canceled those plans Friday.

"Plans have changed," Ross said. "Up to this week, we were going to go, but maybe the last two works were too much for her. She's just a little bit dull. She left a little grain in her feed bucket Wednesday, and her blood work's a little off.

FARMINGTON, N.Y. - Caribbean Cruiser was on cruise control Saturday, as the 2-year-old colt lived up to his billing and short odds to easily win the $112,000 Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes.

Caribbean Cruiser ($2.40) covered six furlongs in 1:10.86 in the Aspirant, the featured race on a card that included two other stakes for New York-breds.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At the eighth pole of Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 , as Afleet Alex was getting out from jockey Jeremy Rose's left-handed whip and Devils Disciple was pulling clear of Flamenco, even the staunchest supporters of Afleet Alex had a hard time keeping the faith.

That included Rose himself and trainer Tim Ritchey.

"I didn't think he could make that kind of surge in that short a period of time to still win the race," Ritchey said.

MIAMI - Teak Totem, making only her second start in a year, got away with a slow pace and made her seven rivals pay when she drew off to a surprisingly easy three-length victory in the $100,000 Aspidistra Handicap at Calder.

Ever since Foufa's Warrior finished far back in last year's Preakness Stakes, he has been almost exclusively a turf runner. But when the $75,000 Find Handicap at Pimlico was switched from the grass to the main track, Foufa's Warrior didn't seem to mind going back to the dirt.

Under Steve Hamilton, Foufa's Warrior ($8.40) outfought 2-5 favorite Cherokee's Boy by a neck, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.11.

A disqualification for interference in the stretch enabled favored Country Be Gold ($5) to get the victory in the $54,100 Gate Dancer Stakes at Delaware Park.

Donald's Pride, ridden by Anthony Mawing, bore out under Mawing's left-handed whipping inside the eighth pole and carried out Country Be Gold, who ran in the smaller stakes rather than the Grade 3 Philip Iselin Handicap at Monmouth Park.

Donald's Pride crossed the finish line a length in front, but jockey Roberto Alvarado Jr. objected and the stewards changed the order of finish by dropping Donald's Pride to second.

Ole Rebel ($8), under an extremely patient ride by Corey Lanerie, slipped through along the inside in midstretch to capture the Folklore Handicap at Louisiana Downs.