EDMONTON, Alberta - With 22 years of riding experience behind him, Christopher McGregor has been a stalwart at Northlands for nearly two decades.

But at age 43, admits McGregor, "My body is not as willing to take the abuse as it used to be."

McGregor was tossed from a mount last fall when his horse wheeled coming out of the starting gate, and while he carried on, McGregor knew something wasn't right.

AUBURN, Wash. - Lady Buccaneer, a winner over $16,000 to $14,000 rivals two weeks ago, steps up to the $20,000 to $16,000 level in Friday's Emerald Downs feature, a mile test for 3-year-old fillies that has drawn a field of eight.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - The 2002 fall meeting at Bay Meadows was supposed to be the end of an era in California racing. The oldest major racetrack in the state, Bay Meadows was supposed to close when the meet ends.

The track's lease was due to expire on Dec. 31, 2002, and plans were under way to tear down the historic grandstand and the new infield stables and turn the land into a space for office buildings.

However the 50-day meeting, which begins Friday and runs through Nov. 3, almost surely will not be the final race meeting.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Edgar Prado appears on the verge of winning his first Saratoga riding title, with a seven-win advantage over perennial champion Jerry Bailey heading into the final five days of the meet. But if the battle for leading rider should come down to closing day on Monday, Prado may wind up monitoring the race from the jockeys' quarters at Philadelphia Park, where he is expected to ride Harlan's Holiday in the $500,000 Pennsylvania Derby.

DEL MAR, Calif. - War Emblem, who finished sixth in his debut against older horses in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar last Sunday, will make his next start in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Arlington Park on Oct. 26, according to trainer Bob Baffert.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Fast young horses come and go in a flash, winning short sprints early in their careers, then fading into the dustbin of racing history. Your Out is a completely different story.

Lone Star Sky, runner-up in the Aug. 14 Saratoga Special in his last start, will run Monday in the $200,000 Cradle Stakes at River Downs, after being supplemented to the race for $12,000 by owner Walter "Buddy" New.

Lone Star Sky figures to be a heavy favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Cradle, the annual highlight of the racing season at River Downs in Cincinnati. Mark Guidry will be in from New York to ride Lone Star Sky.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sweetest Thing, whose ultimate target this year was the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, is through for the season.

"She's showing some wear and tear," said her trainer, Roger Attfield, "and we decided she needed to be stopped on for a while.

"It's really too bad - we were looking forward to probably going to the Breeders' Cup, the way she was going."

Collinsville, Ill. - Trainer Bill Duncan made an astute investment for owners Rose Aldag McVey and Dan Ramey when he claimed Fortunes of Gold for $3,200 on July 27. After finishing third and earning $800 in her first race for her new owners she captured a statebred optional claiming race with a winner's share of $4,800 in last Friday's eighth race.

Trainer Devin Stortzum and rider Mike James have long been a solid team at Fairmount, and Tuesday afternoon they combined for three straight wins. The streak started in the sixth with James booting home

COLUMBUS, Neb. - Big Red fever took its toll on the Columbus races last Saturday. With the Nebraska Cornhuskers starting their season on national television Saturday evening, Columbus switched its program to the afternoon but still suffered a drop of nearly 50 percent in attendance and handle from the previous Saturday.