MIAMI - Devils Disciple gave the undefeated juvenile sensation Afleet Alex the first real test of his career before dropping a tough neck decision in Saturday's Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes. He also paid the price for his effort.

Trainer Joe Waunsch said Devils Disciple did not come out of the race well and will require surgery to remove chips from his left knee. Waunsch had been hoping to use the Hopeful as a springboard to the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in early October.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Eddie Broome hopes a little dental work will keep Punch the Odds on a straighter course in the Grade 3, $100,000 Sapling Stakes for 2-year-olds Saturday at Monmouth Park.

Punch the Odds won his only start, beating New Jersey-breds by 5 3/4 lengths Aug. 15 despite swinging wide on the turn.

"Hopefully, we won't blow the turn like the first time he ran," said Broome. "He had a little tooth problem and we think we've corrected it. We had it done a month before, but he had developed a sharp point."

Beau's Town would have been one of the top contenders in the $150,000 Arlington Breeders' Cup on Saturday, but an intestinal virus he came down with last month knocked him out of the race, said his owner, Dave Hulkewicz.

Plans for the next start for Beau's Town, a seven-time stakes winner, are not set, but Hulkewicz is looking at many options, from the Grade 3, $250,000 Phoenix Breeders' Cup at Keeneland to the $40,000 Speed Handicap at Beau's Town's home at Louisiana Downs.

All is normal for this year's Grade 1, $2 million All American Futurity, as Hall of Fame trainer Jack Brooks has two qualifiers in Quarter Horse racing's richest race, to be run on Labor Day, Sept. 6. Brooks is seeking a record-extending ninth victory in the All American.

The trainer has won the race in the 1970's, 80's, 90's, and most recently in 2000, with Eyesa Special.

"It is unbelievable," Brooks said of his All American success.

"I've been so lucky over the years to have the livestock and win it."

Feel the Roar will be favored to take the next step toward the Grade 1 echelon of the West Coast juvenile ranks in the Grade 3, $24,480 Ford California Challenge on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

Feel the Roar lived up to his 4-5 odds in his Ford trial when he drew out to a 1 3/4-length victory over La Jolla Ca, third-place finisher in the Grade 1 Kindergarten. Feel the Roar is in peak form with three straight victories, all by daylight, in the past two months.

WRS Special Shoe will be favored to get his fifth straight victory when he starts in the $71,950 Jim Bader Futurity on Saturday at Prairie Meadows.

The Jim Bader Futurity is one of two races for Iowa-bred Quarter Horses on Iowa Classic night, which also includes the $55,500 Polk County Derby. In the derby, TRS Dashin Rona is after his fourth win from as many 2004 starts. He defeated the Polk Derby's fastest qualifier, Yesesnosnmaybes, in an allowance race on July 17.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Stakes winner Alpha Saphire returns from a layoff in Friday's ninth race at Woodbine, an $80,000 optional claimer for fillies and mares.

Owned by Stronach Stable, Alpha Saphire captured the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes last year, when she was trained by Malcolm Pierce. She also placed in the 2003 Flaming Page Stakes, then was shelved for the year after running fourth as the favorite in the Carotene Stakes on Oct. 13.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It wouldn't seem probable that a horse would be making his stakes debut at age 6 in his 49th career start.

But that's exactly the scenario facing Very Professional, who is slated to run in the Grade 3, $150,000 Play the King Handicap over seven furlongs on grass here at Woodbine on Saturday.

While Very Professional has had his ups and downs through the years, he appears to have taken a new lease on life since rediscovering the turf here this summer.

Warren Wilcox trains Very Professional for owner Carlo d'Amato.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Invaders have been dominating the Northlands Park stakes scene so far this summer, so what chance is there of the home forces reversing that trend in Saturday's $250,000 Canadian Derby?

Overact, in the Sonoma, and Illusive Force, in the Westerner, were successful shippers here this summer.

The invaders for the 11-strong Canadian Derby field include Overact, a Vancouver-based filly, and Organ Grinder, a Woodbine stakes winner.

"It will be tough," said Red Smith, the meeting's leading trainer, who will send out Kat Kool for the Canadian Derby.

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan - Picture the Answer runs in Friday's $5,000 Graceful Klinchit Handicap at Marquis Downs, a 1 1/16-mile race named after her dam.

Graceful Klinchit was the winningest filly or mare in this province's Thoroughbred racing history, with 26 victories.