NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - The Ohio Derby has produced six winners who have gone on to capture million-dollar races. The most recent is Milwaukee Brew, who won the Ohio Derby in 2000 and then won the 2002 Santa Anita Handicap.

This year, the Grade 2, $300,000 Ohio Derby has the potential to add to that list as several members of the seven-horse field appear capable of earning their way into important races later this year. Wild and Wicked and Midway Road figure to vie for favoritism in the Ohio Derby while Private City and Crowned King cannot be discounted.

EAST BOSTON, Mass. - With the Massachusetts Handicap on hiatus until 2004, the James B. Moseley Breeders' Cup Handicap has become the year's premier racing event in New England. The Moseley, with 12 highly competitive sprinters, headlines a solid card at Suffolk Downs on Saturday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Strength and Honor will carry the lowest weight in the Aristides Handicap at Churchill Downs, but that doesn't mean he's a lightweight. In fact, trainer Chuck Simon is confident Strength and Honor will run a career-best race Saturday and defeat an outstanding field that includes such proven sprinters as Beau's Town, Pass Rush, and Twilight Road.

"If he's going to run a 115 Beyer Speed Figure, like I think he could, why would I want to waste that on an allowance race?" asked Simon, the former longtime assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Cole Norman was a mere kid when he visited Churchill Downs for the first time. His late father, Gene Norman, saddled Explosive Wagon to a 15th-place finish in the 1983 Kentucky Derby, providing his son with his only indelible memory of Churchill.

"I did come back one more time, in about 1987," said Norman, "but it wasn't for much of anything."

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - In search of fair skies and firmer turf, Patrol and Statement have invaded from rain-drenched New York for the $250,000 Dallas Turf Cup at Lone Star Park on Saturday.

The 1 1/8-mile handicap drew 11 older horses and will serve as the third leg of the NTRA Summer Pick 3. The other races are the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap from Belmont and the Grade 2 Ohio Derby from Thistledown.

All three races will be televised on CBS, with the broadcast desk team to be based at Lone Star.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Don'tsellmeshort scored a sharp maiden win against California-breds May 21, an ideal performance in the second race of his career.

Ideally, trainer Dan Hendricks would now prefer to start Don'tsellmeshort in an allowance race, but such races are seldom offered for 2-year-olds in the summer in Southern California.

AUBURN, Wash. - Eight fillies and mares will contest an unexpectedly wide open renewal of the one-mile King County Handicap Saturday at Emerald Downs.

With the late defection of divisional kingpin Ema Bovary, who was declared with an abscess in her foot, favoritism is up for grabs in the $50,000 King County, and many will be tempted by the 2-for-1 deal offered by the Northwest Farms entry of Strikes No Spares and Untamed Passion.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Orchid's Son couldn't keep up with the horses in the Hong Kong Jockey Club, but he figures to be one of the favorites in the Saturday feature at Hastings Park, a $25,000 claiming sprint for older horses.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Sixthirtyjoe, Alberta's horse of the year in 2002, seeks his first victory of the year Saturday in the 48th running of the $40,000 Journal Handicap, the first stakes of the Northlands season.

Sixthirtyjoe, a 5-year-old trained by Deanne Davies, will be making his fifth start of the year when he take on six opponents at 6 1/2 furlongs. He will be ridden as usual by Real Simard, from post 5.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Three-year-old fillies will take the spotlight Saturday afternoon at Monmouth Park in a pair of stakes, the $60,000 Post Deb and the $50,000 Crank It Up.

Both were well-supported. The Post Deb attracted 10 fillies and the Crank It Up drew 11 as trainers had the option to send their horses long or short.

The Post Deb is set at one mile and 70 yards, while the Crank It Up, originally slated for five furlongs on the turf, will be run at the same distance on the main track.