CHICAGO - With yet another win on Sunday at Arlington, the question about Talknow is: How good is this horse?

In just eight months, Talknow has gone from a $5,000 claimer to an overnight stakes winner. In 10 starts since trainer Tom Tomillo filed one of 29 claims on Talknow last October - winning the shake and the right to purchase the horse - Talknow has won eight times. Sunday, he won the $42,000 Dr. Fager Handicap by a nose, beating Secret Romeo and Chindi, both of whom have won multiple stakes.

CHICAGO - Who says it takes money to make money? Without too much effort, an average Joe could have come up with the dough to buy Storm Witch or Playmera. Then they would be the one shooting for the winner's share of a $32,000 purse in Arlington's Wednesday feature, a second-level allowance sprint for fillies and mares.

Besides those two, six others were entered in the six-furlong race, the eighth of nine on a surprisingly rich mid-week program.

Since Patrol was switched to the turf this spring, nobody has been able to run with him either early or late.

That trend continued in Monday's $75,000 Nick Shuk Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park as Patrol cruised to a 3 1/2-length victory over four other 3-year-olds.

The only anxious moment for winning jockey Ramon Dominguez came at the start.

"He didn't break all that great," Dominguez said. "For a second I was a little concerned. But once my horse got himself together he took off with me. From then on it was just a matter of getting him to relax."

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Silver Nithi, rallying smartly from just off the pace, ended the Canadian Triple Tiara bid of Ginger Gold with a three-quarter length victory in Monday's $250,000 Bison City Stakes at Fort Erie.

Silver Nithi, who had finished second in the 1 1/8-mile Labatt Woodbine Oaks on June 8, turned the tables on Ginger Gold in the 1 1/16-race Bison City, the second leg of the series for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Will someone kindly remove the black cat hiding out in the Belmont Park racing office?

The cursed department, which has seen a number of top-quality horses miss stakes engagements because of various infirmities or other reasons, lost two more Grade 1 winners Monday when the connections of Buddha and England's Legend withdrew their horses from upcoming holiday weekend stakes races.

ELMONT, N.Y. - There are only six horses entered in Wednesday's featured eighth race at Belmont Park, but pick-six players chasing the $67,834 carryover may have a hard time throwing any of the sextet out.

Runners from several hot barns and a couple of intriguing horses from cold outfits make up the third-level allowance field contesting seven furlongs.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Matanzas Creek, who has won his last three races, and Ole Rebel, who is 3-for-4 in his career, both make their stakes debut Wednesday night in the $100,000 Alysheba Breeders' Cup at Lone Star Park.

The seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds tops a 10-race card that will begin earlier than usual at 5 p.m. Central to accommodate a fireworks display after the races. Last year, the fireworks show drew 30,462.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Holiday Runner, the unbeaten filly who would have been a solid favorite Saturday in the $100,000 Debutante Stakes, has been declared from the race because of a fever.

Mike Maker, assistant to trainer D. Wayne Lukas, said the illness is "not serious, but enough that we have to pass the race."

Holiday Runner is unbeaten in three starts, having defeated male rivals in the Three Chimneys Juvenile here in May, then fillies in the Fashion Stakes at Belmont last month. The Meadowlake filly is owned by Steve Barberino Jr.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Suances came to the United States in 2000 after winning the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat in France. It's taken more than two years, most of which was spent recuperating from injury, but Suances will finally get the opportunity to win his first U.S. Grade 1 on Saturday in the $500,000 United Nations Handicap on the turf at Monmouth.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Kentucky invader Bonus Pack overcame major traffic problems and an inquiry to post an authoritative win in the Grade 3, $219,800 Dominion Day Handicap Monday at Woodbine.

Bonus Pack stalked a moderate pace under Jesus Castanon in the 1 1/4-mile event. Lil Personalitee vied up front with Tails of the Crypt through splits of :24.18, :48.02 and 1:12.97, as Bonus Pack awaited room on the backstretch and through the far turn. Castanon angled Bonus Pack wide at the quarter pole, and they drew off in the stretch for a 5 3/4-length victory over Attest.