DEL MAR, Calif. - After Patrick Valenzuela clinched the riding title at Del Mar on Wednesday, his thoughts turned to his next major objective: finding top rides for next month's Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Arlington Park.

Valenzuela finished the 43-day Del Mar meeting with 46 wins, 12 more than runner-up Alex Solis, to wrap up his second consecutive riding title on the Southern California circuit. He also won the title at the Hollywood Park spring-summer meeting after returning last December from a 22-month suspension for substance abuse violations.

Far from the bustle of Kentucky Cup Day at Turfway, the annual seven-day meet at Kentucky Downs gets under way Saturday at the turf-only track in Franklin, Ky.

The meet starts with four Kentucky Downs races being interspersed into the 10-race Turfway card, making for a 14-race Saturday blockbuster. The first live race from Kentucky Downs will be the second of the card, with an approximate post time of 11:20 a.m. Central. The ensuing Kentucky Downs races are the fourth, sixth, and eighth.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - There's Zealous is a monster of a horse, standing close to 17 hands tall, but the signs trainer Paul McGee began picking up this summer were small and subtle.

There's Zealous wasn't digging in when it counted most in his races. He would come up to horses but not quite go past, or let others go by him in the stretch even when he still had a little something left.

FLORENCE, Ky. - Many racing states, even the good ones, dedicate at least one day a year to statebred horses. California, New York, Maryland, Illinois, and others showcase homegrown product while doling out financial rewards to local owners and breeders.

FLORENCE, Ky. - Three trips to Turfway have resulted in three stakes wins for Trip. So when the mare starts Saturday, it will be difficult for horseplayers not to brand her a horse for the course.

Moreover, Trip comes off a sharp win in her last start at Saratoga and will have the popular Pat Day aboard when she runs in the secondary feature of the Kentucky Cup program, the $200,000 Turfway Breeders' Cup Stakes. In addition, "she's trained about as good as a horse can train lately," her trainer, Shug McGaughey, said Thursday from Belmont Park.

POMONA, Calif. - Easy Grades will undergo minor throat surgery Saturday, after an entrapped epiglottis contributed to his dull fifth-place finish Sept. 6 in the El Cajon Stakes at Del Mar. Runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby in April, Easy Grades entered the El Cajon following an impressive allowance win, but jockey Mike Smith said after the race Easy Grades was "in distress with his air." Though beaten only 5 3/4 lengths, Easy Grades was noncompetitive throughout.

MUSKEGON, Mich. - Born to Dance and Sweetwater Promise, trainer James Jackson's one-two punch, will face six other 3-year-old statebred fillies in the $45,000 Michigan Oaks at 1 1/16 miles on Saturday evening.

On the undercard, Beau Classic heads a field of six in the $45,000 Patrick Wood Stakes for 2-year-old statebred colts and geldings.

Born to Dance, last year's Michigan horse of the year, was undefeated here until Sweetwater Promise stepped up and beat her in last month's Ann Arbor Stakes. Born to Dance had previously won the Plymouth and Regret stakes this meet.

ALTOONA, Iowa - Sand Ridge, a 7-year-old with 14 wins and more than $569,000 in earnings, heads a field of seven in the $40,000 Prairie Meadows Sprint here Saturday night.

The seven runners in the six-furlong sprint have combined for 50 career wins and more than $1.7 million in earnings, with Sand Ridge leading the group in both categories.

Sand Ridge is going for his third Prairie Meadows stakes score this year. He captured his second straight Bob Feller here in May and posted a nose victory in the $150,000 Iowa Sprint Handicap on July 4.

Compendium, who was disqualified from his win in the $75,000 Evangeline Downs Mile last out because of stretch interference, is the one to beat Saturday night in the $30,000 Chick Lang Jr. Memorial at Retama Park.

The one-mile handicap for 3-year-olds and upward also drew Big Numbers and the comebacking Arctic Boy.

Since his disqualification in the Evangeline Mile, a race in which he was placed second, the consistent Compendium has been working like a horse on a mission. In his final prep for the Lang, he worked four furlongs in a sharp 48.80 seconds.

Action Tonight, who has been freshened for a fall campaign, goes for his third straight stakes win Saturday in the colts and geldings division of the $100,000-estimated Friendship at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La.

The six-furlong race drew a field of six, and is restricted to 2-year-olds bred in Texas.

Action Tonight did not seem to need a break after winning stakes in his last two starts - the $122,000 Texas Stallion on June 29 and the $100,000 Middleground on July 13 - but was given one anyway in order to have him on top of his game for the remainder of 2002.