ARCADIA, Calif. - Toby Turrell sat in a vacant Santa Anita grandstand on Friday morning, holding a stopwatch in one hand and his binoculars and a tape recorder in the other.

As horses went through their workouts, Turrell, a private clocker and tip-sheet author, watched their every move, interrupting a conversation to offer commentary that he would later use in his analysis.

Between workouts, Turrell made a prediction - Apache Wings, whom Turrell co-owns, would have a multi-length lead in early stretch of Sunday's $300,000 Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Keeneland celebrated opening day of the fall meet Friday with a nostalgic theme. All kinds of attire and decorative styles from the 1930's abounded, lending a distinct feeling that the era of Seabiscuit had returned, but perhaps a more pressing issue was whether any of the racehorses in action could remotely emulate the prowess of that legendary superstar.

EDMONTON, Alberta - A Ray of Magic, Alberta's champion older mare a year ago, on Sunday will have perhaps her last opportunity to end a season-long drought here at Northlands Park.

A Ray of Magic will meet six rivals in a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares who have not won two races this year other than maiden or claiming.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Sparklin Kat and Bullseye Bill, stakes winners at 2, look to get untracked in Sunday's Hastings feature, a $35,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds going 6 1/2 furlongs. Sparklin Kat is one of four fillies in the six-horse field.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Sunday's $60,000-added Courtship Stakes at Bay Meadows will serve as important guidepost for the trainers of the six 2-year-old fillies entered in the six-furlong race.

The lightly raced fillies who have run in Washington and northern and Southern California will begin the sorting-out process that will determine their future direction.

Bianconi Baby, a 10-length winner in her Sept. 14 debut at Emerald Downs, is one of the contenders, but, obviously, has questions to answer for trainer Terry Gillihan.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The injury hex has struck jockey Joe Bravo for a third straight year.

Bravo suffered a fractured vertebra in the ninth race Thursday night at The Meadowlands when his mount, Tactical de Naskra, apparently clipped heels and stumbled to the turf.

The impact of the fall knocked Bravo unconscious.

"He woke up in the hospital and had no idea what happened," said Bravo's agent, Danny Mellul.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Saarland started his 4-year-old season on a positive note back on April 11 at Aqueduct by winning an allowance race. But since then he has lost five consecutive starts. Saarland's connections will try to get him back in the winner's circle in a Sunday allowance race at Belmont Park.

Seven older males entered the 1 1/8-mile dirt race.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Grade 1 winners Harmony Lodge and House Party are standouts in Sunday's Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park.

Six fillies and mares were entered in the $150,000 Gallant Bloom, a 6 1/2-furlong dirt race, which also drew Slews Final Answer, Alchemilla, Belle Artistic, and Literary Light.

ARCADIA, Calif. - A half-length win by Siphonizer in the Del Mar Futurity last month has made him more of a target than a horse to fear in Sunday's $250,000 Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita.

In the seven-furlong Futurity, Siphonizer was tested through the stretch and held off stablemate Minister Eric to win by a half-length.

A start in the Norfolk will offer clues as to whether Siphonizer was doing just enough to win at Del Mar and whether he can be as effective at 1 1/16 miles.

ARCADIA, Calif. - One prep race and three weeks separate Special Ring from a start in the $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Oct. 25.

The prep race comes in Sunday's $300,000 Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile. Then, the waiting game begins for Prestonwood Farm and trainer Julio Canani.

"It's up to him," Canani said. "I don't worry about the Oak Tree Mile."

Widely considered the top American hope for the BC Mile, Special Ring will be a heavy favorite in Sunday's Grade 2 race on turf, but there is no shortage of challengers.