ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Chris Block was not speaking Friday like a trainer whose horse just ran the best race of his career. And that's because "just" is a relative term.

It was June 29 when Apt to Be ran roughshod over six opponents in the Grade 3 Hanshin Handicap, winning by seven lengths while running a mile in an excellent 1:34.40. Apt to Be had threatened to burst forth with that kind of performance for three seasons, and finally he had reached a new level. But he has not been seen since.

MIAMI - If the events of Friday morning and afternoon are any indication, the public is in for a treat when French Village and Chatter Chatter renew acquaintances at Calder on Oct. 11 in the $400,000 My Dear Girl Stakes.

Tampa Bay Downs, buoyed by the success last season of both its marquee Festival Day and the inaugural Florida Cup Day, has released a 2003-04 stakes schedule expected to exceed $2 million in total purses - a record-setting amount for the meet. Tampa Bay Downs will open Dec. 13 and present 93 programs through May 2, 2004.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - A field of nine 3-year-olds will line up in Sunday's Grade 2, $250,000 British Columbia Derby, the most prestigious race of the Hastings season. If all nine start, the total purse will be more than $300,000, making it easily the richest race in the history of British Columbia.

The B.C. Derby has attracted horses from Ontario, California, and Alberta, but the favorite will be a British Columbia-bred. Roscoe Pito has won his last three stakes. and his dominating win in the Sept. 1 Emerald Derby stamped him as the horse to beat.

AUBURN, Wash. - Emerald Downs will inaugurate Washington Cup Day on Sunday with a 10-race program offering $440,000 in purses, making it the richest day in the track's history.

Washington-breds will be showcased in nine of Sunday's races, including seven stakes. Two starter allowance races for Washington-breds are also on the card, along with the $120,000 Joe Gottstein Futurity, which is open to all 2-year-olds eligible for the Northwest Race Series. A total of 95 horses will compete on the card.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Young Runaway, with Rickey Walcott up, will be seeking his fifth victory of the season in a $22,000 claiming race sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Northlands Park on Sunday.

Young Runaway, an 11-year-old, was claimed out of his last outing for $17,500 by trainer Joan Petrowski but returns to the level where he last won at Northlands on July 9. A stakes winner in his younger years, Young Runaway drew post 3 in the field of seven.

Trainer Don Gilkyson returns King Me to the $22,000 plateau, at which he won here Aug. 10.

AUBURN, Wash. - Trainer Bud Klokstad will be gunning for a record seventh win in Sunday's $100,000 Gottstein Futurity at 1 1/16 miles at Emerald, but he won't be employing his usual formula for success.

Klokstad's previous Gottstein winners - O. K. Yet, T. D. Passer, Time to Pass, Staff Rider, I. M. Bzy and Jumron Won - were all seasoned competitors who had announced their ability very early on.

AUBURN, Wash. - Sabertooth and Alfurune match up in Sunday's inaugural running of the $50,000 Washington Cup Classic at 1 1/16 miles, which heads seven stakes for Washington-breds on the first Washington Cup Day program.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Trainer John Snow and owner K.K. Sangara both grew up around the Hastings racetrack. Snow's father, Mel, has been a trainer since 1956, and Sangara's father, Terry, has owned horses since the early 70's.

Mel and Terry have both come close but have never won the most prestigious race at Hastings, the Grade 2 British Columbia Derby, which will be run Sunday. John and K.K. each appear to have a big chance at taking home the trophy that has eluded their parents.

POMONA, Calif. - Fairplex Park stewards have been busy at the Los Angeles County Fair meet, and no one is happy about it.

A controversial disqualification Thursday - the second questionable call in five days - resulted in cries of injustice from both horsemen and horseplayers. In Excess Success was disqualified from victory in race 3, and placed last, after stewards Will Meyers, David Samuel, and George Slender ruled the front-runner shifted inward and caused interference at the start of the "about" four-furlong race.