POMONA, Calif. - Large fields have characterized the first three days of the Los Angeles County Fair race meet, but the starting gate will be half-empty at Fairplex Park on Sunday when only five fillies and mares race 1 1/16 miles in the $50,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes.

CHICAGO - What is going on here?

Arlington has carded overnight stakes races in the $50,000 range all meet. Suddenly, they are attracting fields worthy of much higher-level races. A day after the $45,000 Smart Deb was to go with a surprisingly strong group, Sunday's Golden Pheasant, for older horses at a mile on turf, brings out an even more powerful lineup.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - California-based trainer Neil Drysdale certainly is no stranger to the Atto Mile, as he has been represented in the past six editions of the Grade 1 turf race.

But Drysdale, who won the Atto Mile with Labeeb in 1998 and watched Hawksley Hill finish first only to be disqualified and placed fourth the following season, will be adding a wrinkle to his visit this year, running both Touch of the Blues and Sarafan here Sunday.

"The race just comes at a very good time," Drysdale said. "And, Woodbine has a very good turf course."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - When trainer Graham Motion comes to Woodbine, he usually makes some waves.

Motion won the Grade 3 Royal North Handicap here in 2000 and 2001 with Confessional and also captured the 2001 Seagram Cup Stakes with Trajectory, like Confessional a ship-in from Delaware. He will saddle Commendation in one of Sunday's supporting features on Atto Mile Day, the $285,500 Summer Stakes, a one-mile turf event for 2-year-olds.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sunday's $279,250 Canadian Handicap, a Grade 2 race for fillies and mares over 1 1/8 miles on turf, has attracted an interesting lineup, including American invaders Volga and Lady of the Future, and the English filly Hold to Ransom.

But they will have to get past Diadella, a Kentucky-bred 6-year-old who has done the majority of her racing here at Woodbine for Stronach Stable and trainer Malcolm Pierce.

Diadella won the 2001 edition of the Canadian and was second, beaten a nose last year by the Christophe Clement-trained shipper Calista.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Since the inaugural Sales Stakes for 3-year-olds were exclusively for Alberta-breds, the results should be useful indicators for the Alberta Oaks and the Beaufort Stakes on Fall Classic Day next Saturday.

That is especially the case for the Oaks, where filly Sales Stakes winner A Shaky Start is expected to dominate.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Two of the premier events on the Hastings schedule will be run Sunday. Both the Jack Diamond Futurity for males and Sadie Diamond Futurity for fillies drew full fields, but they look completely different from a handicapping perspective.

Silent Bet looks like a solid favorite in the Sadie Diamond Futurity, and the Jack Diamond Futurity is wide open. Both races are worth an estimated $100,000 and will be run over 6 1/2 furlongs.

AUBURN, Wash. - Blue Moon Special will return to Emerald Downs on Sunday, when she takes on five other older fillies and mares, each eligible to be claimed for $50,000 to $40,000, in the six-furlong feature.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Firth of Lorne, a group stakes-placed Irish-bred filly, tops the field for Sunday's Bay Meadows feature, a $50,000 optional claiming race at one mile on turf.

A 4-year-old filly, Firth of Lorne finished third in a Group 3 stakes race and second in a Group 1 race as a 3-year-old.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Fancy Bru will probably never escape the shadow of his illustrious half-brother Fancy As, but on Sunday he will be heavily favored to win the $36,000 J.W. Sifton Stakes for Manitoba-bred 3-year-olds.

Fancy Bru, a gelding by Buie, drops in class to face eight rivals going 1 1/8 miles after finishing second to top 3-year-old Northern Affair in the open Harry Jeffrey Stakes here Aug. 24.

That race was also 1 1/8 miles, and Fancy Bru already manhandled most of Sunday's rivals in the one-mile Manitoba Stakes earlier this year.