ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Wake at Noon, Canada's reigning Horse of Year, champion sprinter, and champion older horse, will seek his third straight main-track win at Woodbine in Saturday's $163,800 Durham Cup Handicap.

Wake at Noon made his mark as a sprinter before trainer Abraham Katryan ran him long in the July 20 Izvestia Stakes, which he won comfortably after setting slow fractions. He also led throughout the Aug. 3 Seagram Cup, another 1 1/16-mile stakes, while earning his second straight triple-digit Beyer Figure.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Mark Casse had grand plans this year for Added Edge, who was coming off a campaign in which he had been perfect in four starts and was voted Canada's champion 2-year-old.

And while not much has gone right for Added Edge in 2003, the colt will be looking to begin compensating for lost time and building some momentum when he runs in the Ontario Derby at Woodbine on Oct. 13.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Citing increased deterioration of the Fort Erie track surface as the reason, Tom Agosti, the leading trainer here, is looking to start his off-season racing earlier than usual.

Six weeks remain in the Fort Erie meet, but Agosti said he is prepared to abandon his quest for the top trainer title.

"Lately I've had a few get hurt," Agosti said. "It's got to the point where we have to protect them now. It's not right.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Overact figures to be even money to win Saturday's $50,000 Fantasy Stakes at Hastings, but the day after nominations closed on Sept. 24, she was about 10-1 to run in the race.

Nominations closed on that Wednesday, and as usual the Hastings Racing Office published the nominations Thursday. David Forster, the trainer of Overact, was surprised to see that Overact wasn't on the list of nominations.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - It's all about the racing.

To many people, October at Keeneland means a chance to savor the crisp autumn air, the ripening fall foliage, the reacquainting with old friends, the roar of a long-absent crowd, the allure of people-watching, and the wafting aroma of burgoo and popcorn.

But to tens of thousands of horseplayers throughout North America, all of those aesthetics fall dozens of lengths behind what Keeneland is really about: racing at its finest.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Once again, trainer Ken McPeek is a central figure in the Darley Alcibiades. McPeek won the Grade 2 Darley Alcibiades for fillies in 2000 with She's a Devil Due and in 2001 with Take Charge Lady, then saddled the favorite for the 2002 running, Midnight Cry, only to watch her labor home seventh.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Hall of Fame trainer Phil Johnson would love to see Volponi relax in the early stages of the Grade 2 Meadowlands Cup and make one strong run through the lane.

The only problem with that strategy: Volponi won't be the only one following that game plan.

"From what I heard, the whole field, all six horses, will be laying fourth," Johnson said.

He might not be far off the mark.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Thunder Bullet was outstanding on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita earlier this year. A repeat of that form will make him competitive in Friday's sixth race at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting.

In four starts on the hillside course from mid-January to mid-April, Thunder Bullet won three times and finished a close fourth in the Grade 3 San Simeon Handicap.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - My Lucky Strike, one of the most improved runners at Woodbine this year, will move up in class Friday, in a $100,000 optional claimer for 3-year-olds and up.

A nine-horse field was drawn for the six-furlong turf race, which also includes classy veterans Mr. Epperson, Chris's Bad Boy, and Red Sea.

My Lucky Strike was eased in his first start of the season, an April 12 allowance, but redeemed himself 13 days later, finishing third in a briskly run dash won by Spitfire Man.

ANDERSON, Ind. - The 12-horse field for Friday's Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Breeders' Cup Oaks is the largest in the race's history and may also be the deepest.

Among the entrants is Youcan'ttakeme, who invades from the Pacific Northwest and is riding a four-race win streak, and Awesome Humor and Souris, both of whom are looking to end runner-up streaks but are proven against top stakes company. The 1 1/16-mile Oaks opens Hoosier Park's biggest weekend of racing, which includes the Grade 3, $400,000 Indiana Derby on Saturday.