DEL MAR, Calif. - Euchre, second in the San Diego Handicap on Aug. 4, will bypass the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 25, leaving trainer Bobby Frankel with only one starter, Milwaukee Brew, for his attempt to win the richest race of the meeting for the seventh time.

Frankel said Thursday that Euchre is tentatively scheduled to start in the $250,000 Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap over a mile on Sept. 2. A 6-year-old gelding, Euchre is winless in six starts since the 2001 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap.

MIAMI - The last time Tour of the Cat, Sweeping Smoke, and Built Up ran, their opposition included such nationally renown sprinters as Orientate, Crafty C.T., and Echo Eddie. The competition will be decidedly easier Saturday when they renew acquaintances and face six other locally based speedsters in Calder's $75,000 Groomstick Handicap.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Zone Judge has shown flashes of brilliance in his two campaigns at Woodbine for trainer Dave Dwyer.

And although Zone Judge also has disappointed on more than one occasion, Dwyer believes those days are behind him and is looking for the colt to come up aces in Saturday's Play the King.

"He's going to have to run a good race to beat these horses," said Dwyer. "I expect him to run huge; he's been training great.

"His biggest problem used to be his feet, but we seem to have it solved."

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Pierre Mailhot, who has been riding since 1984 and has been based at Fort Erie since 1985, won his first stakes race on Tuesday when he guided Branksome Hall to an upset victory here in the $60,000 Golden Horseshoe Stakes.

And even though the race is at Woodbine, Mailhot wouldn't be surprised if his second stakes score came on Saturday. He will be aboard the Fort Erie-based Frank's Selection for the $173,250 Play the King, a Grade 3 event on the turf.

No trainer has had more success in the Claiming Crown Championships than Scott Lake.

After finishing second with the only horse he entered in the inaugural Claiming Crown in 1999, Lake won three out of the six championship races in 2000 and two more last year. No other trainer has won more than one race in the three years the event was held at Canterbury Park.

Now that the Claiming Crown is coming to Lake's home base at Philadelphia Park on Aug. 31, will his stable be even more dominant this year? Lake doesn't think so.

COLUMBUS, Neb. - High Dice will tote high weight of 123 pounds when he heads a field of nine, including an entry, in Saturday's $20,000 Amadevil Handicap, believed to be the richest race ever run at Columbus.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Despite sending out a pair of fillies versus male rivals, trainer Timothy Hamm holds a strong hand in the $30,000 Loyalty Stakes. The Loyalty is for Ohio-bred 2-year-olds at six furlongs.

MUSKEGON, Mich. - Elusive Hour invades from Mountaineer Park to take on Hola C Bright and eight others in The Little Ones Stakes at Great Lakes Downs. The $45,000 Little Ones is a six-furlong event for Michigan-bred juveniles and will go as the fifth of nine races on a card that begins at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Elusive Hour was a ridden-out winner in his only start, a maiden special weight race at Mountaineer. Michael Rowland will again ride the Elusive Quality colt for trainer Charlie Williams.

ALTOONA, Iowa - Trainer Niall O'Callaghan will attempt to win a stakes with a shipper for the second straight weekend at Prairie Meadows when he sends out Bold Bluff against Iowa-bred Sharky's Review in the $50,000 Central Iowa Stakes on Saturday night.

Last Saturday, O'Callaghan sent out Woodmoon to an easy victory in the $100,000 Prairie Meadows Handicap. On paper, Bold Bluff looks more imposing than did Woodmoon as she faces six other fillies and mares in the 1 1/16-mile Central Iowa.

Sept. 7 was already designated as a special date at Delaware Park. Three stakes, all worth at least $100,000, were to be contested that afternoon as part of the Owners' Day festivities.

It may turn out to be an exceptional day at the track if trainer John Salzman follows through with his tentative plan to bring champion filly Xtra Heat to Delaware.