VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Last weekend, Mark Cloutier, assistant trainer to his wife, Toni, watched as Shelby Madison got pinned down on the rail in the early stages of the Grade 3 Ballerina Breeders' Cup. When the classy mare finally got loose, she made a race out of it, but in the end her early troubles were too much to overcome, and she finished third to Dancewithavixen.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - For a horse that is trying to repeat in the Canadian International, Ballingarry hasn't been getting much respect.

And perhaps that's understandable, since Ballingarry has won just 1 of 6 races since being sold right after his victory here in 2002.

Ballingarry went from here to the Breeders' Cup Turf at Arlington, where he finished seventh of eight in his first start for trainer Laura de Seroux and a California-based consortium of owners.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - It's wedding bells for Francine Villeneuve after the meet ends here in November.

But it will be business as usual for Villeneuve, the winningest woman jockey ever in Canada, when racing resumes at the Fort in April. She would like to reach the 1,000-win plateau before she puts her tack away for good.

Going into Saturday's program, Villeneuve, a 39-year-old native of Ottawa, had 751 lifetime wins and purse earnings of $11,598,459. Next on the list of winningest women jockeys is Regina Sealock, who has 622 winners. Sealock also is based at Fort Erie.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Brian Boru will try to add his name to an elite list of winning favorites in the Canadian International - which 30 years ago was won by the great Secretariat and 20 years ago by Horse of the Year All Along - when he tops a field of 11 in Sunday's 66th running of the 1 1/2-mile event.

The $1.5 million International heads an excellent 11-race card at Woodbine, which also includes three other stakes: the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor, the Grade 3 Highlander, and the $108,000 Chief Bearhart, named after the 1997 International winner.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Walzerkoenigin, a Germany-based filly who has been competitive against some of North America's top turf fillies and mares in two races this year, will be looking for her first Grade 1 victory in Sunday's $750,000 E.P. Taylor.

The E.P. Taylor, a 1 1/4-mile turf race, has attracted a field of 11 fillies and mares, five of whom raced in Europe this year.

The defections of Alamshar and Mubtaker were blows to the Canadian International, but Woodbine's autumn showpiece is still a highly competitive event, as is the accompanying E.P. Taylor Stakes.

Irish Derby and King George winner Alamshar will run instead in Saturday's Champion Stakes at Newmarket, while Arc runner-up Mubtaker is headed for either the Japan Cup or the Hong Kong Vase. In spite of their absence, the Canadian International has as many European trainees as Americans: four. In the E.P. Taylor, European invaders outnumber their American counterparts four to two.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Mulligan the Great and Forever Grand head Sunday's $161,250 Highlander Handicap, an exciting supporting feature on Canadian International Day.

The six-furlong sprint may have Sovereign Award implications for Mulligan the Great and Forever Grand, who should both end up as finalists for champion sprinter, along with Atto Mile runner-up Soaring Free.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Friday's eight-race program at Santa Anita features a pick six carryover of $302,301, but bettors will not have many horses to consider.

The pick six covers the third through eighth races, and none have full fields. Three of the races are for maidens. There were no withdrawals at scratch time on Thursday.

The third race is a maiden claimer over 6 1-2 furlongs for 2-year-olds. Dramatic Copy, Tricky Touch and I'm Awesome Again are the top contenders.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - It has been nearly six years since Pat Byrne got on an airplane and flew to California for the Breeders' Cup. To this day, the afternoon of Nov. 8, 1997, remains perhaps the greatest day in Byrne's 18-year training career. He won the Juvenile Fillies with Countess Diana, then sent out Favorite Trick to win the Juvenile, a race that helped the colt clinch Horse of the Year honors.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Nobody bothered to claim Dyna Da Wyna at Saratoga this summer, and her connections are glad. After winning a $100,000 claiming race on Aug. 29 at Saratoga, Dyna Da Wyna wheeled back three weeks later and won the DeBartolo Oaks at Louisiana Downs, substantially increasing her worth for WinStar Farm and trainer Elliott Walden.