News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc. (TRC).

The Notebook is going on holiday for the next two Thursdays but will be back Sept. 14.

THE SULTAN OF SARATOGA MAY RACE ON MONDAY
Fourstardave, the 10-year-old gelding who has won one race at Saratoga for the past eight years, may try to extend his streak to nine on the closing day of the Saratoga meet Aug. 28. Trainer Leo O'Brien and owners Richard Bomze and Bernard Connaughton apparently are rethinking their original decision to retire Dave, announced after the gelding's fifth-place finish on Aug. 21. Fourstardave is 0-for-3 at Saratoga this season and has failed to finish in the money since he broke a bone in his left front ankle last year. If he does race on Monday, it will be in an allowance race.

ARLINGTON FESTIVAL FESTIVITIES SLATED
The International Festival of racing will take place Saturday and Sunday at Arlington International Racecourse, Arlington Heights, Ill., in conjunction with the track's biggest weekend of racing. The Temple Lipizzans will make an apperance on Saturday along with singers and a brass band. Saturday will also be Jockey Autograph Day, when fans can meet riders Aaron Gryder, Carlos Silva, mark Guidry, Robbie Albarado, Earlie Fires, Randy Romero and others. Sunday, the day of the $1 million Arlington Million, a tumbling group, kite flyers, sky divers and a medieval show featuring knights in armor and jousting will be featured.

SARATOGA CHILI CHAMPIONSHIP SLATED FOR SUNDAY
The fourth annual Saratoga Regional Chili Championship will take place at Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Sunday, August 27 at 12:30 p.m. in the backyard near the Big Red Spring. For a $5 donation, fans will receive their official chili tasting kits and can sample the concoctions of more than 40 'chiliheads.' The event is a sanctioned by the International Chili Society and proceeds from the cookoff will benefit the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and the New York Turf Writers' Bob Harding Scholarship Fund. Approximately $2,000 in prizes will be awarded, along with a trip to Reno, Nevada, to represent Saratoga in the World's Championship Chili Cookoff on Oct. 1 and a chance to win $25,000 grand prize.

CBS SUNDAY MORNING TO RERUN 'OPS SMILE'
On Sunday, Aug. 27, CBS' 'Sunday Morning' will rerun a feature that originally aired Feb. 26, on a colt named Ops Smile. The colt was bred, owned and named by Jim Ryan, the Maryland philanthropist who works closely with the Norfolk, Va.-based Operation Smile organization, which funds corrective facial surgery for children throughout the world. The segments was produced by Bud Lamoreaux, who won Eclipse Awards in 1991 and 1993. Check local listings for air times

MONMOUTH HOSTS CHAMPIONSHIP FOR AMATEUR WOMEN RIDERS
The Amateur Riders Club of the Americas will hold its Fegentri- Lancel Ladies World Championship on Friday, August 25 at Monmouth Park, Oceanport, N.J. The field of 10 women riders is headed by the 1992 World Champion Lady Rider, Karin Schlick of Germany. Challenging Schlick will be Americans Belinda Manchio, Chris Boniface, Vicky Battaglini, Christy Clagett and Kim Boniface, France's Cathy Lalleman, Cecilia Cervin of Sweden, Deborah Kettlewell of England and Dorte Mullertz of Denmark. The women riders will compete in the first race on the card, a $15,000 maiden claiming event on the turf. A $500 bonus, sponsored by the Daily Racing Form, will be awarded to the trainer of the winning horse.

KRONE TO WED SATURDAY
Julie Krone, Thoroughbred racing's most successful female jockey, will marry Matthew Muzikar on Saturday, Aug. 26 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The wedding will take place at Cady Hill, the home of prominent Saratoga socialite Marylou Whitney, following the day's races. More than 300 guests are expected to attend. Krone, who has ridden nearly 3,000 winners and has career earnings of almost $60 million, plans to ride on her wedding day, as well as the following day.

PRAIRIE MEADOWS MIXES SLOT MACHINES AND RACING
Prairie Meadows, Altoona, Iowa, a $51 million facility that opened March 1, 1989 and quickly experienced problems with sagging attendance and handle, is now thriving after a $24 million renovation that made way for 1,100 reel-style slot machines. The county- owned racetrack, which had more than $60 million in debt, now expects to wipe out that obligation in less than two years. The slots have been in place since April 1 and daily average win is $319 per machine. Horsemen receive a portion of the slot revenues and purses have increased more than $1 million in 1995 over the previous year.

'We really think that we can be one of the premier tracks in the Midwest in the coming years,' said Tom Timmons, vice president of parimutuel operations. 'We're already seeing an increase in the quality of the horses coming in from out-of-state due to the increased purses, and that can only get better. And with the additional monies available to Iowa-breds through the Iowa Breeders Fund, the future of the horse industry as a whole in Iowa looks very promising.'

RECORD HANDLE SET AT DEL MAR
Del Mar recorded its highest total handle when $15,506,324 was wagered Saturday, Aug. 19 at the Del Mar, Calif., racetrack. Saturday's figure surpassed the previous record of $14,870,890, set Aug. 13, 1994. Both the new and former records were set on the days of Pacific Classic race.

GRAND PRAIRIE GETS O.K. ON BONDS
Lone Star Park, the Class 1 racetrack in Grand Prairie, Texas, moved a step closer to completing the financing process needed to proceed with construction of a $91 million track after the Grand Prairie City Council unanimously approved the issuance of sales tax revenue bonds on Monday, Aug. 21. Following the approval, the resolutions to issue the bonds will be sent to the Attorney Generla for his approval. The Texas Racing Commission will meet Sept. 12 and review Lone Star's application for 1996 racing dates.

CANADIAN CHAMPION ALYWOW SET TO RETURN
Alywow, Canada's 1994 Horse of the Year, is slated to make her return to the races Saturday in the Victoriana Prep at Woodbine in Rexdale, Ontario. The four-year-old fractured a cannon bone in the Nov. 27 Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park.

TELEVISED RACES
Aug. 25 'Racehorse Digest' 2:00-2:30 a.m., ESPN
Aug. 26 'Racehorse Digest' 6:30-7:00 a.m., ESPN
Aug. 30 'Racehorse Digest' 3:30-4:00 p.m., ESPN
Aug. 31 'Racehorse Digest' 2:30-3:00 a.m., ESPN
Aug. 26 Saratoga Cup, Saratoga Racecourse 4:30-5:30 p.m., ESPN
Beverly D, Arlington International
Aug. 27 Arlington Million, Arlington International 4:30-5:30 p.m., ESPN
Hopeful Stakes, Saratoga Racecourse

RACING TO HISTORY
Aug. 24, 1968: Carrying 134 pounds, Dr. Fager set the world record for a mile in the Washington Park Handicap at Arlington Park. The time for his 10-length victory was 1:32 1-5. The previous record was 1:32 3-5, set by three-year-old Buckpasser on June 25, 1966 at Arlington Park.

Aug. 24, 1989: Jockey Larry Snyder won his 6,000th career race, aboard a filly named Speedski, in the first race at Louisiana Downs. Snyder was the sixth rider in history to accomplish that feat.

Aug. 25, 1987: Julie Krone won her 1,000th career victory, aboard Tiger Higgins in the second race at Monmouth Park.

Aug. 26, 1972: Secretariat won the Hopeful Stakes by five lengths at Saratoga Racecourse, for his second stakes win in as many tries.

Aug. 28, 1988: After riding Precisionist in the Cabrillo Handicap at Del Mar Racetrack, 33-year-old Chris McCarron became the fifth and youngest jockey to surpass $100 million in career earnings.

Aug. 29, 1987: Charlie Whittingham became the first trainer to surpass 500 stakes wins when he sent Ferdinand to victory in the Cabrillo Handicap at Del Mar Racetrack.

Aug. 29, 1993: Laffit Pincay Jr., 46, became the second rider in North American racing history to ride 8,000 winners when he rode El Toreo to victory in the seventh race at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Bill Shoemaker was the first to hit 8,000, a feat he accomplished in 1981 at age 49.

Aug. 30, 1981: Bill Shoemaker became the first jockey to win a $1 million race when he rode John Henry to a nose victory over The Bart in the inaugural Arlington Million at Arlington Park.

Aug. 31, 1955: In an East versus West showdown, Nashua, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, went wire-to-wire to defeat Swaps, ridden by Bill Shoemaker in a match race at Washington Park. Nashua's victory avenged his second-place finish, behind Swaps, in the 1955 Kentucky Derby.

Aug. 31, 1985: Angel Cordero Jr., 42, became the third rider in history -- behind Bill Shoemaker and Laffit Pincay Jr. -- to have his mounts earn $100 million, while riding at Belmont Park.

Sept. 1, 1881: The Dwyer Brothers' three-year-old Hindoo won his 19th consecutive race, a purse event at Sheepshead Bay. His winning streak was snapped six days later in the September Handicap at Sheepshead, in which he finished third.

Sept.1, 1947: With a victory by Armed in the Washington Park Handicap, Calumet Farm became the first stable to surpass $1 million in annual earnings. Calumet led all owners for 1947, with total earnings of $1,402,436.

Sept.3, 1956: Swaps ended his racing career with a victory in the Washington Park Handicap at Washington Park. He was subsequently named Horse of the Year.

Sept.3, 1956: Jockey John Longden surpassed Sir Gordon Richards's then-record number of wins when he rode Arrogate to victory in the Del Mar Handicap at Del Mar Racetrack to attain his 4,871st victory.

Sept.3, 1960: Kelso, ridden for the first time by Eddie Arcaro, won the Jerome Handicap.

WEEKEND STAKES

SATURDAY
Beverly D St., 3&up (f&m), $500,000, 1 3/16M (T), Gr. I, Arlington
Seven will go postward in the Beverly D, led by Possibly Perfect and Alpride (IRE). Possibly Perfect has only one loss this year, a second to Alpride (IRE) in the Grade I Beverly Hills Handicap, July 2. She bounced back to win the Grade I Ramona Handicap easily Aug. 5. Alpride (IRE) followed her win in the Beverly Hills with a fifth in the Ramona, beaten four lengths. Others entered are: Bold Ruritana, who was beaten a head in the Woodbine Budweiser Breeders' Cup July 23, but beat colts in the Grade III King Edward Gold Cup June 18; La Confederation (GB), making her first U.S. start; Alice Springs, winner of three straight in Florida in the spring before a good third to Sandpit (BRZ) and Celtic Arms (FR) in the Caesars International; Go Go Jack; and Fappitass.
Osunitas Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $100,000, 1 1/16M (T), Del Mar
Saratoga Cup Handicap, 3&up, $200,000, 1 1/4M, Saratoga
Seaway Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $75,000, 7F, Grade IIC, Woodbine

SUNDAY
Arlington Million, 3&up, $1,000,000, 1 1/4M (T), Grade I, Arlington
America's first $1 million race, the Arlington Million, will probably attract a strong field of 11. America's top turf specialist, Sandpit (BRZ), meets Tinners Way, winner of the last two runnings of the $1 million Pacific Classic on dirt. Tinners Way, the last son of Secretariat, has only two turf starts in the U.S., with no wins. Sandpit (BRZ) has won six times in nine starts with two seconds since arriving from Brazil, where he was the three-year-old champion in 1993. He has won his last two races, the Grade I Caesars International Handicap at Atlantic City Racecourse and the Grade II Caesars Palace Turf Championship at Hollywood Park, winning a bonus that made the two wins worth $750,000. Awad won the Grade I Early Times Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park after unleashing a furious rally. A closer who comes from far back, Awad was a disappointing second to Sentimental Moi in the Grade II Bowling Green Handicap at 1 3-8 miles and second again at 1 1-2 miles in the Grade I Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap to Kiri's Clown, who won the Grade III New Hampshire Sweepstakes at Rockingham Park, June 18, then was badly beaten twice in minor races. He followed that up with his win in the Sword Dancer, where he set the track record of 2:25 2-5 for 1 1-2 miles on turf. Johann Quatz (FR) was a surprising second in last year's Breeders' Cup Mile but hasn't done much this year, with two fifth-place finishes and a seventh in his last try at one mile. Manilaman is the local favorite, having won both of his Arlington starts. He earned his way into the Million field with a two-length score in the Grade II Arlington Handicap, Aug. 6. Lassigny, a Group 2 winner in France last year, has one win in six U.S. starts, that coming in the Grade III Bougainvillea Handicap at Hialeah April 8. Northern Spur (IRE) was never worse than third in seven French starts in 1993-94 and was third in his U.S. debut, the Grade I Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar. The Vid was a sensation in Florida earlier this year but fell flat in his last two starts, running seventh in the Caesars International to Sandpit (BRZ) and fourth in the Grade III Daryl's Joy Stakes at Saratoga. Representing Europe are French invader Kaldounevees (FR) and English hopeful Prince of Andros. Kaldounevees (FR) ships in from Germany, where he was second in the Group 1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen. Previous to that, he won the Group 3 Prix du Chemin de Fer du Nord at Chantilly, June 11. Prince of Andros chased some of the best when seventh in the Group 1 Coral- Eclipse Stakes but was second in the Group 2 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh June 10.
Del Mar Debutante, 2yo fillies, $250,000, 7F, Grade II, Del Mar
Hopeful Stakes, 2yo, $200,000, 7F, Grade I, Saratoga
Ontario Colleen H., 3yo fillies, $100,000, 1M (T), Gr. IIIC, Woodbine
Secretariat Stakes, 3yo, $400,000, 1 1/4M (T), Grade I, Arlington

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