Given a choice, it's best to choose wisely. Shane Sellers did just that for Saturday's $115,400 Three Chimneys Juvenile at Churchill Downs. Sellers had ridden both Goes and Lunarpal to debut victories last month at Keeneland for trainer Steve Asmussen and was allowed by Asmussen to choose between the two for the Three Chimneys.

Sellers went with Lunarpal, then held on tight as he sped five furlongs in 57.98 seconds to record a five-length victory in the Three Chimneys, the traditional Derby Day stakes race for 2-year-olds.

Mitch Shirota has been running horses at Churchill Downs for 20 years and had never won a stakes race over his home track. But he couldn't have picked a more memorable afternoon to finally break the ice, sending out Shaconage to upset 3-5 favorite Etoile Montante in the $100,000 .

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Ashado always had been waiting for the right opportunity to assume the leadership of her division, having won a few notable stakes and run respectably in defeat in several key races.

Friday at Churchill Downs, Ashado became the unquestioned leader of her class. Getting a perfect trip under John Velazquez, Ashado drew clear from front-running Madcap Escapade, then held off a late run by longshot Island Sand to win the 130th running of the $572,000 Kentucky Oaks, North America's premier event for 3-year-old fillies.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - All six horses entered in the $40,000 George Royal Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong race at Hastings, are proven stakes horses. What sets Roscoe Pito, Lord Nelson, and Bold 'n Keen apart is they were all awarded local championship honors last year. On top of his 3-year-old title, Roscoe Pito was named horse of the year.

Bold 'n Keen, however, could have the edge Sunday. He was the best sprinter in the province last year and started 2004 with a solid win in a tough field of allowance horses that included multiple stakes winner Kalfaari.

CALGARY, Alberta - When an open allowance for 3-year-old males failed to fill Wednesday at Stampede Park, attracting just four entrants, and the corresponding race for fillies came up light, racing secretary Barry McGrath made the call to open up the race to both sexes.

AUBURN, Wash. - Sunland Park invader Spanish Highway shoulders high weight of 121 pounds in Sunday's six-furlong Auburn Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Under the Auburn's allowance conditions, Spanish Highway must carry the maximum weight because he won, in a dead heat, the one-mile Tempe Handicap on the Turf Paradise grass course on March 20. He concedes four pounds to all nine of his rivals.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The first time Lead Story met Sightseek, in Gulfstream Park's Rampart Handicap earlier this year, it was no contest. Sightseek was an easy winner, finishing nearly 10 lengths in front of Lead Story.

The two fillies met for a second time in Friday's $300,000 Louisville Handicap and again it was no contest. But this time it was Lead Story who came out on top by three-quarters of a lengths over Yell, with Sightseek laboring home a tired fourth as the 2-5 favorite in the Grade 2 stakes for fillies and mares.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With his pedigree and good looks, much has been expected of Congrats since he first came to the track two years ago. He has yet to reach the levels expected of him, but the benefits of patience are starting to pay off.

Congrats has reached a new peak at age 4, and there might be more to go. He returned from a five-month layoff to win a classified allowance race at Keeneland on April 3, and on Friday scored the first stakes victory of his career by bravely re-rallying to capture the $113,600 Alysheba Stakes Friday at Churchill Downs.

Kitten's Joy made a statement Friday that he just may be the best 3-year-old turf horse in North America with a dominant 2 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3, $100,000 Crown Royal American turf.

It was the fifth victory in as many starts on turf for Kitten's Joy, and his third stakes win of the year. Kitten's Joy, a son of El Prado, was making his first start since Feb. 21, but the layoff was clearly no problem.

Lydgate, who was still eligible for first-level allowance conditions, made a torrid stretch run to pass Mighty Beau in winning the $114,700 Aegon Turf Sprint under Pat Day.

Mighty Beau, the 3-1 favorite in a field of 11 older horses, had drawn clear after turning for home in the five-furlong turf race but was unable to hold off the outside bid of Lydgate, who edged clear to win by a length. Lydgate returned $17.40 after finishing in 56.56 seconds over a course rated good.