ALTOONA, Iowa - Rarely do two of the nation's leading trainers square off at Prairie Meadows, but that is what will happen in Friday's $250,000 Iowa Derby, when Bob Baffert sends out Danthebluegrassman against the Steve Asmussen-trained Easyfromthegitgo.

The Iowa Derby card also includes the $125,000 Saylorville Stakes for fillies at six furlongs.

Danthebluegrassman was Baffert's leading Kentucky Derby hopeful as late as early April, but he finished last of eight in the Santa Anita Derby and then was a late scratch from the Kentucky Derby.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Crousille makes her U.S. debut in Friday's $100,000 Flawlessly Stakes at Hollywood Park after a promising series of races earlier this year in France.

"If she runs the race she can, she'll kill them," new trainer Ian Jory said. Stakes placed earlier this year, Crousille has only a maiden win to her credit. When she was purchased by Derek Fisher, Jory wanted to start Crousille in Saturday's $500,000 American Oaks, but did not receive an invitation when the first batch was handed around, he said.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Cheap Talk, one of several talented 3-year-olds trained by Bob Tiller, will be a formidable opponent in Friday's eighth race at Woodbine, a $62,500 allowance/ optional claimer for 3-year-olds.

Cheap Talk, a New York-bred gelding, was a fast-closing second to the front-running Sir Fleet when he debuted in a five-furlong maiden dash on April 7. He graduated by three lengths as the favorite two weeks later, in a six-furlong maiden special weight affair.

EDMONTON, Alberta - There were three stakes run at Northlands last weekend, including the first of the meet for 3-year-olds. But the most interesting race came on Friday night when Viva Ruckus pulled an upset in a strong field in the $40,000 Wild Rose for older fillies and mares. It was her fifth win of the year.

In a field that included 2001 local champion 3-year-old filly Little Lolitta and Hastings Park import Grooms Derby, the 7-year-old Viva Ruckus showed she still has lots in the tank, beating Slewability and earning $25,200.

AUBURN, Wash. - An evenly matched field of seven older routers will test the skills of handicappers in Friday's featured eighth race at Emerald Downs, a 1 1/16-mile event for horses eligible to be claimed for $25,000 or $20,000.

If it isn't easy to say which horse is the one to beat, it can at least be surmised that Handsome Will Do is the one to catch. Handsome Will Do, a 4-year-old son of Slewdledo from the barn of Dave Forster, has established a clear early lead in eight of his last 10 races and faces minimal pace opposition on Friday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - While many 3-year-olds make names for themselves on the Triple Crown trail, there are far more who miss out on that opportunity. A lack of talent is the most common limiting factor, but there are also horses whose chances to shine are preempted for other reasons.

Keeneland Race Course released its fall stakes schedule Wednesday, and, as usual, the meet is front-loaded with prep races for the World Thoroughbred Championships.

Six graded races, all designed as final preps for the Oct. 26 Breeders' Cup races at Arlington Park, will be run during the opening three-day weekend of the fall meet at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. The 17-day meet runs Oct. 4-26.

In a move that would give Sam Houston Race Park in Houston less overlap with slots-rich Delta Downs in Vinton, La., Sam Houston has asked the Texas Racing Commission for an 83-date meet next year that would run from Aug. 1 to Dec. 27.

Sam Houston has run from November to March the past several years. Eliminating racing in January, February, and March of next year would minimize conflict with Delta Downs, which will race 80 nights from Nov. 7, 2002, to March 23, 2003.

Delta Downs is located about two hours east of Sam Houston.

ELMONT, N.Y. - It was not so much the fast pace in the Metropolitan Handicap that was the undoing of Affirmed Success and Left Bank, it was that they were part of it. Thursday, when New York's top two older sprinters meet in the $150,000 Tom Fool Handicap, their connections would like to see their charges playing the role of stalkers and may the fastest finisher win.

The Grade 2 Tom Fool is the co-feature along with the $250,000, Grade 2 New York Handicap on a 10-race July Fourth holiday card at Belmont Park. Fans will receive a 12-pack cooler bag with paid admission.

Churchill Downs Inc. and its six tracks had not reached an agreement as of Tuesday afternoon to take bets on the three Breeders' Cup future bets this weekend, officials for both sides said.

Time is winding down for the sides to sign a simulcasting contract. Betting is scheduled to open at 1 p.m. Eastern on Thursday and continue through 7 p.m. Sunday.

Officials for both sides said they ultimately expected to reach an agreement, but they declined to comment on the sticking points in the negotiations.