SAN MATEO, Calif. - Although she has been beaten more than a combined 30 lengths in stakes races at Fairplex in her past two starts, Midnight Velvet looms the one to beat in Thursday's Bay Meadows feature.

She and stablemate Amanda Marie have three rivals in a $40,000 starter allowance for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs.

Midnight Velvet, owned by trainer Ed Moger Jr.'s top clients, Curt and Lila Lanning, runs at Bay Meadows for the first time since she finished second here in her debut, a $25,000 maiden claimer on May 10.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Brian Boru and Phoenix Reach, who finished first and third in the Group 1 St. Leger at Doncaster on Sept. 13, will renew their rivalry Sunday in the $1.5 million Canadian International.

As of Monday, a field of 10 was in the works for the Grade 1 Canadian International, a 1 1/2-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up.

Sunday's card also includes the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes, a $750,000, 1 1/4-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

Betty's Wish won her fourth consecutive race and her first graded stakes in Monday's $110,300 Pebbles Handicap at Belmont Park.

Betty's Wish, the 4-5 favorite under John Velazquez, was a 3 3/4-length winner over Mystery Itself in the Grade 3 turf race for 3-year-old fillies. It was another length back to Andover Lady in third in the seven-horse field.

Betty's Wish, the 116-pound highweight, stalked the early leaders, Little Miss Pamela and Boom Bah Yay, before powering away from the field in the stretch.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Bay Meadows will offer a special bonus for those competing in Saturday's final round of the qualifier for the Daily Racing Form/NTRA Handicapping Championship.

Not only are $5,000 in prize money and a trip to the 2004 national championship in Las Vegas for the top four finishers on the line, but also Bay Meadows will sweeten the pot with an additional $5,000 to any contestant who beats the selections of the "Petaluma Five."

CHICAGO - The key numbers in Hawthorne's featured fourth race on Wednesday are 3, 2, 1, and 48.60.

Three is the number of starts Bet on Joe has made at Hawthorne; two is the number of his wins; one is the number of his place finish there; and 48.60 is the time of Bet On Joe's workout Oct. 6, the fastest of 50 half-mile breezes at Hawthorne that morning.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Spectacular Moon, the longest shot in the field of nine juvenile fillies, charged down the center of Belmont Park's sloppy main track to beat Feline Story by a neck to win the Grade 2, $150,000 Astarita Stakes.

After breaking inward and bumping with Cosmic Wish, Spectacular Moon dropped back to eighth, about 13 lengths out. Spectacular Moon advanced into contention along the inside and was then tipped six wide for the stretch drive. She outkicked Feline Story in the final furlong to get up in time.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Summer Mis prevailed in the closest finish in the 23-year history of the Grade 3 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes, winning by a head in a four-horse photo at Keeneland.

Don't Countess Out saved second by a nose over late-running Born to Dance. Bauhauser, the 8-5 favorite in a field of 10 fillies and mares, was a neck back in fourth.

Summer Mis ($25.80), always close to a pace contested by Bauhauser and Don't Countess Out, finished in 1:09.77 for six furlongs over a fast track. Don't Countess Out, a 7-1 shot, completed a $206.80 exacta.

Southern Tour ($7.80) made her return to dirt a success in a three-quarter-length win over Coastalota in the $35,000 New Braunfels Stakes, at six furlongs for fillies and mares. It was another two lengths back in third to Discos Pearl.

One start earlier, in an allowance at Louisiana Downs, Southern Tour made a rare start on turf and finished sixth.

ANDERSON, Ind. - Ellens Lucky Star lived up to the role of odds-on favorite with a 4 1/2-length win against nine rivals in the $38,800 Merrillville Stakes for Indiana-bred fillies and mares on Saturday night.

Ellens Lucky Star, 4, has made a strong return to the races. She started once as a 2-year-old and did not race in 2002. This year, she is 3-1-3 in seven starts.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - British Columbia Derby winner Roscoe Pito led all the way over a sloppy track to win the Grade 3, $127,190 Premier's over older horses.

The 4-5 favorite, Roscoe Pito broke sharply and quickly opened up a two-length advantage while being stalked by Futural. Roscoe Pito held off 33-1 longshot Blowin in the Wind, whose late move came up a head short. Futural finished another half-length back.