SAN MATEO, Calif. - Bay Meadows planned to run two stakes Sunday, the Time to Leave Stakes and the Autumn Leaves Handicap.

Only the Autumn Leaves, a $60,000-added race for fillies and mares, will be run.

Only five 2-year-old fillies entered the one-mile Time to Leave, and one was on the vet's list, forcing a postponement of the race. Bay Meadows officials hope to run it next Sunday.

The Autumn Leaves was in a similar position when originally scheduled on Sept. 7. It did not draw enough entries, but racing secretary Greg Brent brought it back Sunday, and it filled.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Three-year-old fillies Elana d'Amour, Sweet Monarch, and Grace for You, the first three finishers in the Grade 3 B.C. Breeders' Cup Oaks Sept. 7, appear to have the edge over nine other fillies and mares in Sunday's $175,000 Grade 3 Ballerina Breeders' Cup at Hastings. Full Scream Ahead looks like the best of the rest in the 12-horse field, which includes nine stakes winners.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Keeneland Race Course opened its 17-day fall meet Friday with strong and swirling action, not to mention some pretty decent horse racing.

Two Grade 2 races were run on the nine-race opener, with Owsley winning as the 4-1 third choice in the WinStar Galaxy Stakes, and Westerly Breeze posting a 15-1 upset in the Walmac International Alcibiades Stakes.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Forget about tomorrow, says Bobby Frankel. What if, for example, something terrible occurs - like drawing the 14-hole in the Breeders' Cup Mile?

"Something like that happens, you don't have much chance," said Frankel.

So Frankel is living for today with his grass star, Beat Hollow, who on Sunday will attempt to use the $600,000 Shadwell Keeneland Turf Mile as a springboard to the Oct. 26 BC Mile.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Composure has a long way to go before equaling the achievements of other Bob Baffert-trained 2-year-old fillies, but comparisons already have begun.

Composure, said Baffert, "has always been one of my favorites. She reminds me of Silverbulletday. She still has to prove herself, and the Oak Leaf will be a proving ground."

ARCADIA, Calif. - Not all horses starting in major stakes this weekend have the Breeders' Cup at Arlington Park on Oct. 26 as an autumn goal.

In Sunday's $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship at Oak Tree at Santa Anita, Sarafan, who is not nominated to the Breeders' Cup, is using the race as a prep to the Japan Cup in late November.

For The Tin Man, however, the Hirsch could be a springboard to the $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf. The Tin Man is the likely second betting choice.

ARCADIA, Calif. - A proposed insurance program that would significantly reduce the costs that many trainers pay for workers' compensation insurance was presented to horsemen at Santa Anita on Friday.

According to a document circulated at Friday's meeting, a proposal from the American International Group has base rates of $31.28 per $100 of payroll and $73.28 per jockey mount. The rates are subject to discounts or increases depending on an individual trainer's experience.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The $250,000 Forest Hills Handicap lost its star when Squirtle Squirt wasn't entered in the Grade 2 stakes on Sunday.

On Friday, a deal was signed to sell Squirtle Squirt to Japanese interests. Pending the results of blood tests, Squirtle Squirt, last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and champion sprinter, will be sent to Japan on Oct. 26.

Avanzado is the likely favorite among eight males entered in the six-furlong Forest Hills. Avanzado and Say Florida Sandy carry 116 pounds as the co-highweights.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Tyler Baze, the winner of the 2000 Eclipse Award for top apprentice, will ride in New York for the first time on Sunday in the $250,000 Forest Hills Handicap.

Baze, who is based in Southern California, rides Avanzado, the likely favorite in the Grade 2 Forest Hills.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Michael Barkowski has enjoyed playing the horses most of his life. But it wasn't until two years ago that he decided to become an owner.

Beginning with this week's racing, Barkowski is in a tie for second place among Fort Erie owners with 21 wins.

"I thought it would be cheaper to just own one," said Barkowski, 53, who is retired from the insurance business.

"With slots coming in and purses increasing you could make money. I was going to do it as a hobby - two or three horses, and golf."