Once the temperature starts cranking up in the Phoenix area to signal the onset of summer, residents look north to the high country for comfort. It's the same in the racing industry.

After the long main meet at Turf Paradise, the racing scene shifts north to Yavapai Downs, which opens its fourth meet Saturday. For years the northern Arizona racing scene meant the half-mile oval at Prescott. That plant became outdated, though, so Yavapai was built in Prescott Valley, a few miles south of the old track, with a mile oval and modern facility.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - There were three stakes races held over the Victoria Day weekend, and while most in attendance weren't surprised by the dominating performances of Lord Nelson in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sprint and Regal Red in the Supernaturel, the 6 1/4-length romp by Mark of Diablo ($17.50) in the City of Vancouver Stakes on Monday caught many by surprise.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Pocketfullofpesos fits into a different category than her rivals in the $100,000 Valid Expectations Stakes at Lone Star Park on Monday - she's a working mom.

Pocketfullofpesos was bred to Skimming this spring, and has since thrived for the Valid Expectations.

"Like a woman when she's pregnant, she just seems to glow," said Mike Mitchell, who trains Pocketfullofpesos. "She looks like a million dollars."

BOSSIER CITY, La. - There is not likely to be a more evenly matched field in a sprint stakes in the region all summer than the one assembled for Saturday's King's Court at Louisiana Downs. Four of the six are coming off sharp allowance or high-priced optional claiming wins while the remaining two faced graded company in their last start.

The six-furlong King's Court carries a $50,000 purse and will be the 11th event of a 12-race program that launches the extended holiday weekend.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - The most impressive race of the four-week-old Fort Erie season occurred in Monday's feature when High Blitz won off by five lengths in an optional claimer at six furlongs.

High Blitz, owned by Stronach Stables, was timed in 1:10.45 on a track labeled good. Nine days earlier, on May 15, multiple stakes winner Rare Friends, a Canadian champion at 2, had trounced Fort Erie's 2003 horse of the meet, Ashagio, by six lengths in an almost identical time, 1:10.50.

ALTOONA, Iowa - Dusty Spike and the rapidly improving Perfect Ride head a field of 10, which includes numerous stakes winners, in Saturday's first running of the $50,000 Jim Rasmussen Memorial at Prairie Meadows.

Dusty Spike returns to the dirt Saturday after a failed try over the turf against allowance company two weeks ago at Lone Star Park. In his last main-track start, Dusty Spike finished a closing second, beaten three-quarters of a length in the $100,000 Bossleman Gus Fonner Handicap at Fonner Park April 24.

Outrageous Queen, the winner of the Tomboy Stakes for fillies two weeks ago, seeks to join Misty Breeze as the only female winners of the $45,000 Green Carpet Stakes at River Downs in Cincinnati. The Green Carpet, for Ohio-bred 3-year-olds, is at 1 1/16 miles on turf. Misty Breeze won it in 1999.

Heavy rains have pelted the area this week, and though the forecast calls for dry weather this weekend, the Green Carpet might be moved to the main track. Outrageous Queen is proven on both surfaces, but she has yet to run against colts.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - A well-matched seven fillies and mares will run in the $40,000 Hoist Her Flag Stakes at Canterbury Park.

Prime Step might be favored in the six-furlong sprint after stringing together a five-win campaign at Canterbury Park last year. But each of Prime Step's victories was earned in races in which she was an odds-on favorite. In two starts against stakes company, Prime Step was unplaced, including her most recent outing, when she finished eighth in the Cactus Flower at Turf Paradise. David Van Winkle trains Prime Step, and Derek Bell will ride her.

CARENCRO, La. - Fillies and mares take center stage in the $40,000 Tellike Handicap. The six-furlong race drew a field of seven, headed by highweight Kylers Midge at 119 pounds.

MUSKEGON, Mich. - Rockem Sockem, the hottest runner at last year's Great Lakes Downs meet, faces six Michigan-bred 3-year-old colts and geldings in theLansing Stakes. The $40,000 Lansing will be run at six furlongs.