Oceanport, N.J. - A record-setting summer meet at Monmouth Park came to a fitting end Sunday with three big stakes performances in front of one of the largest closing-day crowds in more than a decade.

The Jersey Shore-oval posted attendance and handle gains, thanks in large part to a record 47,127 that watched Point Given win the Haskell Invitational on August 5. The inclusion of Monmouth as a simulcast signal at Saratoga Race Course also helped balloon average daily simulcast handle to a 40.9% gain over last year.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Tranquility Lake successfully defended her title in Saturday's $150,000 Palomar Handicap at Del Mar, but the race failed to live up to expectations when top contender Paga was scratched on Saturday morning.

The absence of Paga, a multiple stakes winner, left Tranquility Lake with no opposition for the early lead. Ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, she set her own pace to the end of the backstretch (through fractions of 24.28 and 48.89 seconds), held off the challenge of Histoire Sainte on the final turn and won by a comfortable length.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Last summer, Perfect Sting used the Grade 2 Diana Stakes as an important stepping-stone to victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. But the 2001 Filly and Mare Turf is not likely to be in the cards for the two leading candidates in this year's edition of the Diana, highweight Penny's Gold and California invader Janet.

The $500,000 Diana at 1 1/8 miles on the turf highlights the final program of the 2001 Saratoga meeting. Belmont's Fall Championship Meet opens Friday.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Dr. Park was such a convincing winner of the Oceanside Stakes on July 18 that he seemed a candidate to sweep the three turf stakes for 3-year-olds at Del Mar.

But before trainer John Sadler left the winner's circle that day, he nixed the idea, saying Dr. Park would skip the La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 11 in favor of Monday's $300,000 Del Mar Derby.

Sadler stuck by his plan, and has been rewarded with a colt who's likely to be favored in a competitive running of the Grade 2 Derby.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The fall Thoroughbred racing meet at The Meadowlands has always taken place in the shadow of New York racing. This year, the track is putting up big-city purses in an attempt to emerge from that shadow.

The meet begins Labor Day with a special afternoon program. The feature is the $100,000 Bergen County Stakes, which attracted 3-year-old sprint star City Zip.

CINCINNATI - On most days at this picturesque little track by the Ohio River, Ohio-breds play a significant role.

But when the signature race at River Downs rolls around every Labor Day, Ohio-breds tend to get overlooked in favor of horses from elsewhere, most notably from neighboring Kentucky.

This year, when the $200,000 Cradle is run for the 25th time, the winner again could come from a neighboring state. But instead of Kentucky, the possible favorite for the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds, Pass Rush, was bred in Indiana.

The process of filling the void in the 3-year-old division left by Point Given's retirement begins Monday at Philadelphia Park, where Macho Uno, last year's 2-year-old champion, squares off against up-and-comer Touch Tone in the $500,000 Pennsylvania Derby.

The Grade 3 Pennsylvania Derby, run at nine furlongs on the main track, highlights a 12-race card, which also includes a trio of ungraded stakes. First post is 12:25 p.m. Eastern with the Pennsylvania Derby scheduled to go at 5:12 p.m.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Point Given, whose retirement was announced on Friday due to a tendon injury, will be paraded between races on Wednesday, the closing day of the meeting.

According to track president Joe Harper, Point Given will be presented in the paddock and on the racetrack, and a video of his career highlights, which includes wins in the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, will be shown to the crowd.

Gary Stevens, who rode Point Given, paid tribute to the nation's top 3-year-old, saying the colt will be a hard act to follow.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jerry Bailey established a new record for wins at a Saratoga meeting by a jockey when he won Saturday's sixth race aboard Listen Here, a first-time starter trained by Bill Mott. It was his 51st win, which eclipsed the old mark of 50 set by Bailey last summer.

While favored Golden Antigua was trapped along the rail, Star Queen surged to the lead in midstretch and went on to victory in the $50,000 Dade Turf Classic at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.

Ridden by James Lopez, Star Queen ($16.40) ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.56 over a soft turf course. Fast Delivery was a late-running third in a field of 11 fillies and mares.

In their last meeting, at Arlington, Golden Antigua won at 7-1, with Star Queen second as the 2-1 favorite.