LEXINGTON, Ky. - At this time last year, trainer John T. Ward Jr. was able to look into the stalls of some of his 2-year-olds and feel good about his chances of winning the 2001 Kentucky Derby. With Holiday Thunder and Hero's Tribute, Ward had two of the most promising colts not only at Keeneland, but in North America as well.

Ward was in the right church, but the wrong pew. He won the 127th Derby in May all right - but he did it with Monarchos, who last October was still several months from winning so much as a maiden race.

ELMONT, N.Y. - It All Adds Up was developing into a useful filly for trainer John Kimmel last winter when an injury sidelined her for most of the spring and summer.

Thursday, It All Adds Up returns in a second-level allowance race that Kimmel hopes ignites a powerful fall campaign for her. The seven-furlong allowance heat is the featured race on Belmont Park's nine-race card.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The days of top-class racing at Arlington Park are fading as quickly as the late afternoon daylight as this marathon meet winds its way toward an Oct. 28 conclusion. Arlington ceded the Midwest's racing spotlight to the glamour Keeneland meet last week, and with last Saturday's Arlington Matron the track completed its graded stakes schedule.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Dan Hendricks had thought that by this time in Good Cop Bad Cop's career, the 3-year-old colt would be good enough to run in the California Cup. But Good Cop Bad Cop has done everything just a little slower than first anticipated.

Good Cop Bad Cop is still eligible for a California-bred first-condition allowance race. But he has run three strong races since returning from a 10-month layoff, and he is bred to run well on turf, which makes him one of the leading contenders in Thursday's featured seventh race at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Alfurune, a shipper from Emerald Downs, has found an inviting spot to gain his second victory in Thursday's feature race at Bay Meadows, a $32,000 starter allowance at one mile.

Alfurune has been competing in stakes in Washington and should find this a much easier field. Thursday's feature, for nonwinners of two races, is the seventh race and offers a $22,000 purse.

Alfurune, trained by Larry Ross, won his maiden against $16,000 maiden claimers in his debut May 31 at Emerald. He finished third in his second start, against $32,000 claiming company.

NEW YORK - The Mid-Atlantic Cooperative has reached an agreement with Keeneland that will immediately restore the track's signal at racetracks and simulcasting facilities throughout the eastern seaboard, racing officials said Tuesday.

The Keeneland signal was scheduled to be restored Wednesday, the officials said, the fifth racing day of Keeneland 17-day fall meet, with the signal available throughout the remainder of the meet.

Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona, Iowa, concluded its 2001 racing season Saturday, but several business issues that will impact the track's future remain unresolved

Prairie Meadows's handle declined this year, but perhaps of greater importance is that the casino's 1,500 slot machines fell short of revenue projections, due in part to a weakened economy and competition from two other local casinos, track officials said.

MIAMI - Hialeah Park chairman of the board John Brunetti Sr. said Tuesday he has cancelled his plans to open the Hialeah barn area for the 2001-2002 winter season.

GROVE CITY, Ohio - Favorite Majestic Dinner survived a stretch- long duel with Fax a Freddy and held sway for a neck victory in Monday's $100,000 Best of Ohio Endurance Championship, the richest of five races for Ohio-breds that make up the Best of Ohio series.

The influence five-time Eclipse Award winner John Franks has had on racing in Louisiana will be evident Saturday and Sunday during the fourth annual Breeders' Festival at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La. A number of horses competing in the two-day program of eight statebred stakes will be owned or bred by Franks, or will be the offspring of stallions he stands in Louisiana.