TORONTO, Ontario - A fire that caused the death of 34 horses and the destruction of two barns at Woodbine last Aug. 4 was deliberately set, said William Hiscott of the Ontario Fire Marshall's office on Thursday.

"The fire has been classified as incendiary," Hiscott said at a press conference at downtown Toronto Police headquarters. "It was set by design."

Hiscott, however, declined to reveal what details of the investigation led his department to classify the fire as arson or to identify the fire's exact point of origin.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Lonnie Meche has held fond memories of Churchill Downs ever since the Cajun-born jockey, then 22, rode Blushing K.D. to win the 123rd Kentucky Oaks in 1997, making for what he still calls an "unbelievable" experience.

Last weekend, more than six years after the victory that remains the greatest of a 10-year riding career, Meche made more Churchill memories for himself. He rode Kiss the Devil to win the Mint Julep Handicap Saturday, then guided Cuvee to an easy triumph in the Kentucky Breeders' Cup Stakes two days later.

LAFAYETTE, La. - Multiple stakes winner Delray Dew heads a field of 11 fillies and mares in the $35,000 Tellike Handicap at Evangeline Downs.

Delray Dew, the highweight at 119 pounds, made her first start of the year earlier this month at Lone Star Park, where she was unplaced in an allowance race won by graded-stakes winner Bien Nicole. Rex Stokes has the mount.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Much like the last two runnings of the Hoist Her Flag, a shipper figures prominently in Saturday's $35,000 stakes for filly and mare sprinters at Canterbury Park.

Don't Countess Out, who has raced in Iowa and Kentucky in her most recent starts, appears the likely favorite after having won three of her last five starts in stakes.

Shippers have won the last two runnings of the Hoist Her Flag. Extended View, who shipped in from Chicago, won last year, and Nut N Better, who was based at Prairie Meadows, won two years ago.

ALTOONA, Iowa - Depending on your point of view, the $50,000 Prairie Mile for 3-year-olds at Prairie Meadows could be either a handicapping dream or a nightmare.

With six of the nine contestants coming off a victory, the betting should be spread among several horses. But since none of the entrants has won a stakes race around two turns, finding the winner will not be easy.

Ten Cents a Shine is probably the best Ohio-bred 3-year-old in training, but he has been running in graded stakes, including the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. In his absence, Hackendiffy and Forest Picnic have dominated Ohio-bred stakes since they began racing as 2-year-olds last year.

Hackendiffy, who has defeated Forest Picnic handily two of the three times they have met, will face his arch-rival once again in Saturday's $50,000 Green Carpet Stakes at River Downs.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Every horse deserves a mulligan, and when Tejano Honey, one of last year's best and most consistent Illinois-bred fillies, finished sixth in her first start of the year, trainer Tom Dorris gave her the benefit of the doubt.

CHICAGO - When she ran in a schooling race late this winter at Fair Grounds, the unraced filly In Secure resembled her mother, Morelia.

Morelia could run, no question, but for most of her career she knew only a couple of gears - fast and faster - and her effectiveness decreased with every stride past six furlongs.

In Secure had the same look. In that schooling race, she dashed off to a big lead, tired, and was passed in deep stretch. But that was practice.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer David Bell has been on a tear recently, winning three races here last week to bring his total to nine wins from his 44 starters at the meeting.

On Saturday, Bell would love nothing more than to keep the ball rolling with Solihull in the Plate Trial.

Solihull will be seeking his third straight win in the Plate Trial, a 1 1/8-mile race for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds that is one of the final stepping-stones to the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate here June 22.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Layne Giliforte, Fort Erie's leading trainer each of the past five years, is settling into stride for another title run.

In the past racing week, Giliforte saddled five winners from 11 starts to move within one win of the leader, John Simms. Giliforte began the year slowly, winning just five races in the first four weeks.

A 35-year-old native of Buffalo, N.Y., Giliforte said he is not concerned about winning a sixth title.