DEL MAR, Calif. - When trainer Laura de Seroux describes Azeri as a "dream horse," it is pointless to debate her analysis. After all, it is accurate.

Azeri soared to the head of her class this spring by winning four straight Grade 1's and resumes her march toward the Breeders' Cup Distaff when she runs Sunday at Del Mar. It is a racetrack she had not seen until this week, but Azeri offered no hesitation when she got her first look at it Thursday morning.

"She stepped on the racetrack, looked it over, and then she owned it," de Seroux said.

DEL MAR, Calif. - At a time when he is thinking of campaigning his major stakes winners closer to home, trainer Darrell Vienna has been searching the globe for his next crop of top-class runners.

On Friday, Vienna said that the multiple stakes winner Janet and the sprint star Disturbingthepeace are unlikely to travel to Arlington Park this month and may make another start at Del Mar.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Sunday's $50,000-added Mid-Peninsula Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at the Bay Meadows Fair is not usually a race that the winner of a $125,000 stakes would consider. But trainer James K. Chapman believes it's a perfect spot for Humorous Lady.

Third in her debut at Hollywood Park, Humorous Lady graduated by a neck for a $40,000 claiming price in her second start. In her last start on July 26, she won the $125,000 CTBA Stakes by a nose at Del Mar.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Orientate will go off a deserving favorite in Sunday's $200,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga, but it is the talented and untested Beau's Town that could play the spoiler in the Grade 2 sprint.

Beau's Town, a son of Beau Genius, has six wins and two seconds from eight starts, but makes his graded stakes debut in the six-furlong Vanderbilt. He is making his first start for Lynn Whiting, who took over the training of the colt in the middle of July shortly after Robert Beck bought into the horse owned primarily by David Hulkewicz.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Josie Carroll will send out a pair of promising unbeaten 2-year-old fillies, Handpainted and Buffalo Jump, in Sunday's $139,625 Ontario Debutante Stakes at Woodbine.

The six-furlong race has also lured New York invader Ella Bella, who will likely be among the favorites in the nine-horse field.

Handpainted has gotten the job done in both her races with consummate ease. A blue-blooded daughter of A.P. Indy and stakes winner Daijin, Handpainted won a key maiden special by 3 1/4 lengths when she debuted on May 18.

EDMONTON, Alberta--Rancour will resume defense of his title as the Alberta's champion older horse in Friday's $40,000 Westerner Handicap at Northlands Park, and his path will be made easier by the absence of multi-stakes winner Sixthirtyjoe.

Even though Sixthirtyjoe handily won the 1 1/16-mile Klondike, his owner-trainer-breeder Deanne Davies will avoid longer tests such as the 1 5/16-mile Westerner and the 1 3/8-mile Speed to Spare here Sept. 7.

AUBURN, Wash. - Flying Notes will accept a highweight assignment of 122 pounds when he heads a compact field of five in Sunday's $65,000 Washington Owners Breeders' Cup Handicap at Emerald Downs.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Test Drive drops into an easier spot and looks like the one to beat in Sunday's featured race, a $25,000 claiming sprint for 3-year-olds. Seven horses have been entered, including River Run and Alferrari, who are both coming off of wins and will have a large say in how the race unfolds. River Run and Alferrari are trained by Terry Jordan and will run uncoupled.

CHICAGO - Two horses defected, one expected starter sat the fence, and a surprise participant was poised to join the potential field for the 20th Arlington Million when pre-entries for the race were taken Friday.

As of Friday afternoon, nine horses had been pre-entered for the Aug. 17 Million, including Beat Hollow, who led a contingent of five North American horses. Still, the total of nine was fewer than expected. The deadline for horses to be pre-entered was midnight Friday.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Graham Motion said he has been anxious to stretch Alternate out to nine furlongs, and he will get that opportunity next Saturday when Alternate starts in the Grade 2, $250,000 Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks.