ARCADIA, Calif. - Royal Highlander's career is behind schedule. A maiden winner at 2 in England, he has made only two subsequent starts, including a win in a turf sprint at Hollywood Park last December.

On Wednesday, the 4-year-old Royal Highlander returns in a $46,000 allowance race/optional claimer over about 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita's hillside turf course. Facing six others, Royal Highlander may be favored despite his lengthy hiatus.

"He's got a lot of ability," trainer Jenine Sahadi. "I'm glad to have him back at the races."

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Six 3-year-old fillies with limited turf experience will contest the featured seventh race at Bay Meadows on Wednesday, which will be run at one mile on grass.

The only entrant with a turf victory to her credit is Lady Cara, who defeated $25,000 maiden claimers on grass. That said, the main contention in Wednesday's headliner should come from the two outside fillies, Miss Blue Bayou and Pheiffer. Miss Blue Bayou already has five wins this year and is in top form.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Since winning the Del Mar Derby in 1999, Val Royal has made two starts, those coming after layoffs of 18 months, and then seven months. Now, trainer Julio Canani will try to bring Val Royal back in just 20 days, for the Breeders' Cup Mile on Oct. 27 at Belmont Park.

Val Royal proved he belonged in that race with his dazzling two-length victory in Sunday's Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile. Canani on Monday said Val Royal came out of the race "super," and since owner David Milch is game to supplement Val Royal to the Breeders' Cup, he will be pointed for that race.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Officer, who kept his perfect record intact with a dominant victory in Saturday's Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, will do the bulk of his training for the Breeders' Cup in Southern California, trainer Bob Baffert said.

Officer was scheduled to ship back to California on Tuesday and will train at Santa Anita before flying back to New York on Oct. 23 for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, which will be run here on Oct. 27.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - If you haven't already, it's time to start taking trainer Tom Tomillo seriously at Arlington. Tomillo, who typically has front-loaded his Chicago success at the beginning of the racing season here, is having a strong Arlington meet for the second year in a row. Through mid-card Monday, Tomillo ranked third in the trainer standings here with 24 wins, just 10 behind leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The main-track speed bias that many handicappers have come to expect at the Keeneland fall meet never reared its head opening weekend.

For every wire-to-wire winner such as Siphonic or Miss Linda, there was at least one pace-stalking or deep-closing winner such as Mountain Melody or Bet On Sunshine.

From 20 races on the dirt, nine were won by speed horses (first or second at all calls); five by stalkers; and six by closers from mid-pack or beyond.

Better yet, no major injuries or breakdowns resulted during the 27 combined races on dirt and turf.

Skipjack ($10.60) closed up the rail to win the $34,000 Norman Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths over favorite Wow at Remington Park. It was another three-quarters of a length back to Prideov Fappiano in third.

ANDERSON, Ind. - J D's Diamond ($3.60) picked up his first career stakes win in the $42,600 William Henry Harrison Stakes at Hoosier Park.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored A Fleets Dancer ($5) closed five-wide with a powerful kick to polish off his four accomplished rivals in the $160,950 Durham Cup Handicap at Woodbine.

A Fleets Dancer overhauled Kiss a Native nearing the eighth pole, and then drew off for a five-length victory. Kiss A Native was a neck ahead of 3-year-old Win City, who finished a clear third in his first try against older runners.

War General scored his second straight stakes victory with a gate-to-wire six-length victory in the $50,000 Prairie Meadows Freshman Stakes on the closing night of the 44-day mixed meeting. Cindy Noll rode favored War General for trainer Larry Hunt Sr.