SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jockey Richard Migliore is prepared to give up the mount on Ohio Derby winner and Preakness runner-up Magic Weisner in Sunday's $1 million Haskell Invitational to ride Iron Deputy in the $500,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on the same day.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Trainer John Salzman has decided to pass Friday's $100,000 Honorable Miss Handicap with Xtra Heat in lieu of Laurel's $125,000 Straight Deal Handicap the following weekend. It is also extremely doubtful Xtra Heat , 2001's champion 3-year-old filly, will run in the $250,000 Ballerina Handicap here on Aug. 25.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - For any other trainer, Nunatall's hard-fought head victory over Guana in Monday's $115,000 Lake George Handicap at Saratoga would have been a heart stopper. But after Bobby Frankel sweated out tight photos to win Saturday's Test and Diana here Saturday, his filly Nunatall's first career stakes triumph was a relative laugher.

"At least this one I knew I won," quipped Frankel, who trains Nunatall for owner Edmund A. Gann.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The top two finishers in both Grade 1 grass stakes this past weekend at Del Mar all could be headed to Arlington Park for their next starts on Aug. 17, though those going to the Arlington Million are more likely than those eligible for the Beverly D.

Sarafan and Beat Hollow, who finished one-two in Sunday's Eddie Read Handicap, are both being pointed to the Arlington Million. Affluent and Golden Apples, who finished one-two in Saturday's John C. Mabee/Ramona Handicap for fillies and mares, could run in the Beverly D., though their status is less certain.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - A familiar face was missing at the running of the Ernest Finley Handicap at the Sonoma County Fair on Saturday.

Multiple stakes winner Today a Star, a 10-year-old gelding with $285,460 in career earnings, suffered a career-ending injury as he pulled up following his final work for the Finley.

Today a Star, third in his final start, the six-furlong Sam J. Whiting Handicap at Pleasanton on June 29, had finished third in the Ernest Finley last year.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Between them, trainers Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas have won nine of the last 19 runnings of the Del Mar Futurity. When it comes to 2-year-olds at Del Mar, first Lukas, and now Baffert, have been the kings.

So it is completely understandable why trainer Jean-Pierre Dupuis said Monday morning he felt a little intimidated going up against runners from both Baffert and Lukas in Wednesday's $125,000 Graduation Stakes at Del Mar, but Dupuis has a promising runner in his own right in Expression, who could pull a mild upset in the 5 1/2-furlong race.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Tim Hills has become quite the traveler this summer.

Hills, the runaway leader in the Monmouth trainer standings with 21 wins, has not only been making waves in New Jersey but around the country, and even in Canada.

CHICAGO - Owner and trainer Louie Roussel thrives on winning races. Roussel might win with five horses in a row, but if the sixth one loses he is disappointed.

Don't mistake this for greed, smallness, or a lack of appreciation. Roussel's a generous man, quick to credit his rivals. He just loves to win, to get things right.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Before last Friday's $40,000 Edmonton Juvenile at Northlands Park, trainer Greg Tracy suggested Taiaslew should have no trouble navigating a distance of six furlongs for the first time in his young career.

Tracy's comments were right on the mark as Taiaslew ($2.90), a Washington-bred 2-year-old, easily handled the field for his first stakes win and the winner's share of $25,200.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Heyahohowdy, a rousing recent winner of the Passing Mood Stakes on turf, will go back to the main track in Wednesday's Eternal Search Stakes at Woodbine.

The 1 1/16-mile event has lured just four other Ontario-sired 3-year-old-fillies, who will split purse a $127,135.

Heyahohowdy, making her third start in a month, could almost be viewed as a throwback to the days when the durable Eternal Search ran. Voted the champion older filly or mare in Canada in 1982-83, Eternal Search won 18 of 44 starts and banked $642,177 for owner Mel Lawson.