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.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Numerous Times, winner of the Grade 1 Atto Mile at last September and Canada's champion turf horse of 2001, is through for the season.

"He has a chip in his left front ankle," said Bob Harvey, a principal of The Committee Stable, which owns Numerous Times.

Numerous Times was to undergo surgery Wednesday and have three or four months off before returning to light training.

"He'll be fine," said Harvey, who expects Numerous Times to be back at the races next spring.

Talk about a no-lose situation.

Trainer Sanna Neilson was in an enviable position at the Eclipse Awards ceremony in Miami last February. She was the trainer of all three finalists - Lord Zada, Pompeyo, and Praise the Prince - for top steeplechase horse of 2001.

There weren't any anxious moments that night for Neilson, who said the ultimate winner, Pompeyo, was the most deserving horse. But it was an emotional time because Pompeyo, a multiple stakes winner, was euthanized a month before the Eclipse ceremony over complications from a leg injury.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Favored De Goddaughter ($4), a wire-to-wire winner in her previous start, sat behind Rosanda and Pheiffer early before taking command in the stretch to win the $43,140 Luther Burbank Handicap on Sunday at the Sonoma County Fair.

De Goddaughter won the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old and up fillies and mares by one length over fast-closing Miss Terasita in 1:43.49.

DEL MAR, Calif. - All the luck that Bobby Frankel had at Saratoga on Saturday ran out on Sunday at Del Mar, when his turf star Beat Hollow encountered a traffic-filled trip when falling to his nemesis Sarafan in Del Mar's $400,000 .

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jerry Bailey celebrated Jerry Bailey Bobble Head Doll Day in grand fashion Sunday, guiding Dancethruthedawn to an authoritative 3 3-4-length victory in the $250,000, Grade 1 before an announced crowd of 50,441 at Saratoga.

Transcendental got up in the final jump to get second by a nose over Too Scarlet. Miss Linda, Forest Secrets, Atelier and With Ability completed the order of finish.