LAFAYETTE, La. - Prized Amberpro heads a field of seven fillies and mares for the $30,000 Matron Handicap at Evangeline Downs.

A change in pace tactics could help Taylor's Queen turn the tables on Highhopesemilyluck, who has won her last four, in the $40,000 Dixie Miss Stakes at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La.

The field for the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies is completed by Dancing Dreams, Cielo Girl, Ante Nettie, and Excavatress.

Taylor's Queen dueled through fast fractions last out in the $40,000 Fantasia on July 7, only to be overtaken in the late stages by Highhopesemilyluck, who put in a powerful stretch bid.

Louisiana invaders Candid Glen, Chauffe Au Rouge, and Maysville Slew will take on Retama Park favorite Kris Havingfunnow on Saturday night in the $50,000 Retama Turf Cup. The 1 1/16-mile race has drawn a full field of 12.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Dinkers Millennium cuts back to a sprint as he attempts to post back-to-back stakes victories in the $40,000 North Randall Stakes at Thistledown. A field of 11 has been entered in the six-furlong race for Ohio-bred 3-year-olds.

Dinkers Millennium, owned and bred by Robert Dinkleman, has displayed vast improvement over his 2-year-old form for trainer Joe Shuman. He has won 3 of his 4 starts this year, including the Horizon Stakes over the turf at River Downs last time out. Prior to that he was third in the nine-furlong Cleveland Gold Cup.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Seven runners were entered in the $35,000 Shakopee Stakes at Canterbury Park but the race appears to boil down to a duel between the Hugh Robertson and Richie Scherer barns as each outfit has entered two runners in the mile and 70-yard stakes.

Robertson's string at Canterbury is managed by his son, Mac, who will saddle Silver Zipper and Brocco Bry for the Shakopee. Silver Zipper appears the stronger half of the uncoupled entry following an impressive win over allowance company last month.

ALTOONA, Iowa - Miner's Prize heads a field of seven, which includes a Niall O'Callaghan-trained entry, in Saturday's $100,000 Prairie Meadows Handicap.

Miner's Prize, a 5-year-old gelded son of Miner's Mark, comes to Prairie Meadows off a fast-closing third-place finish in the Omaha Handicap at Horsemen's Park on July 21. He was beaten a length in that race by Catniro, who is also entered in Saturday's 1 1/8-mile race.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - There will be a trainers' race at the Bay Meadows Fair this year.

The reason is, the track announced Thursday that it would put up $15,000 for the Bay Meadows Trainer Challenge, beginning Saturday.

With that incentive, races filled better for Saturday's card after the scheduled $40,000 Floral Fiesta Handicap at a mile on turf was cancelled because only four 3-year-old fillies were nominated.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Vernon Invader stole the show on B.C. Cup Day as he upset heavily favored Lord Nelson by 2 3/4 lengths in the $72,267 B.C. Cup Classic.

The win was the first in a stakes for apprentice Nicola Wright and she received high praise by Vernon Invader's trainer Alex Murray. "She did exactly what we told her to do," said Murray. "It's not easy to be as patient as she was riding a good horse like Vernon Invader. He only has one move and a lot of times riders will think they have a lot of horse under them, and move too early. She timed her move perfectly."

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Karl Frayne, a trainer at Fort Erie for 20 years, died last Sunday following a heart attack.

Frayne, who was 64, had given up his vocation in June of last year after recovering from a similar attack. Justin Nixon took over his few remaining horses.

"We'll certainly miss him," said Nixon. "Karl was quiet but he always had a joke or a one-liner for everyone. When he won the trainers' title [in 1990] he was often asked how he accomplished it. His usual reply was 'I use Theo-rye-o-mine' [theory of mine]."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The last two runnings of the Grade 3 Duchess Stakes have attracted some special 3-year-old fillies from south of the border.

Last year's visitor was Gold Mover, who finished second to the ill-fated Meadow Gem but has gone on to establish herself as one of the top female sprinters on the continent and even boasts a recent decision over the seldom-beaten Xtra Heat.