FERNDALE, Calif. - Trainer Tim Bellasis has fond memories of his first trip here in 1992, when he sent out a maiden named Miss Gumdrop to capture the Les Mademoiselle Stakes.

Bellasis has returned in search of his second Humboldt Fair stakes victory with the ultra-consistent Miss Misbehavin' for Saturday's $7,500 Charlie Palmer Handicap.

Named for the California racing official who served for 20 years as racing secretary at the Humboldt County Fair, the 6 1/2-furlong Charlie Palmer attracted six fillies and mares.

In the first soft spot Xtra Heat has found in several months, she towers over a field of four hugely overmatched fillies and mares in Saturday's $125,000 Straight Deal Breeders' Cup Handicap at Laurel Park.

Xtra Heat's rivals, Folly Dollar, Skip the Print, Winter Leaf, and Outstanding Info, all appear to be running for second money in the seven-furlong Straight Deal, an ungraded race.

HENDERSON, Ky. - The hottest trainer through the first half of the Ellis meet was Steve Flint, who won with seven of his first 12 starters.

Flint will try to improve on that percentage Saturday when he runs Interest Only against more seasoned fillies and mares, including defending champion Miss Seffens, in the supporting feature, the $125,000 Ellis Park Breeders' Cup Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It's a Giggle continued his drive for an Eclipse Award by jumping smartly en route to a 1 1/2-length victory in Thursday's $79,950 at Saratoga.

It's a Giggle had an ideal trip under jockey Gus Brown, who took over for the recently injured Blythe Miller. It's a Giggle sat third during the early going of the 2 1/16-mile race, moved to challenge for the lead midway through the race, took over with authority with a half-mile to go, and safely held off Tres Touche for the victory. Indispensable was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - I'm All Yours was last year's champion New York-bred turf horse, in part because of a victory in the West Point Handicap at Saratoga. In search of another statebred title, I'm All Yours seeks a repeat victory in the $75,000-added West Point, the feature race on Friday's card at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It looks like a game of copycat. With Anticipation and Denon just ran one-two in the United Nations Handicap at Monmouth Park on July 6. They came back and worked July 25 at Saratoga, with Denon going five furlongs, With Anticipation six. And on Wednesday morning at Saratoga, the two turf stars headed over at the same time to the main track, where, just after the renovation break, Denon worked a half-mile, With Anticipation five furlongs.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Mind for Gold was always going to start at Del Mar this weekend. If a $61,000 allowance race for fillies and mares on Friday had not filled, owners Frank and Sharon Alesia and trainer Peter Eurton were willing to put Mind for Gold in Sunday's $300,000 Clement Hirsch Handicap.

When the one-mile allowance race filled, they had found their race, and avoided a start against division leader Azeri on Sunday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - With Queen's Plate winner T J's Lucky Moon and Prince of Wales winner Le Cinquieme Essai both on the sidelines, Saturday's $500,000 Breeders' Stakes will provide an opportunity for a new runner to leave a winning impression on the Canadian Triple Crown trail.

The Breeders', the 1 1/2-mile turf race for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds that is the final leg of the Canadian Triple, has attracted a field of 10, headed by the Sam-Son Farm entry of Portcullis and Mountain Beacon.

EDMONTON, Alberta - The story of Friday's $40,000 Madamoiselle for older fillies and mares at Northlands Park is as much about who isn't in the race as it is about who is.

After a lengthy layoff, it had been expected that Alberta's 2001 champion older mare, Northern Neechitoo, would make her seasonal debut in the Madamoiselle.

But when entries were taken Monday, Northern Neechitoo was not among the seven entrants for the 1 1/16 mile feature.

AUBURN, Wash. - Whiskey Til Dawn has found a likely spot to score in Friday's featured race at Emerald Downs, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies eligible to be claimed for $32,000 or $25,000.