Horse Racing News by Mike Welsch

A field of 10 older fillies and mares was drawn Wednesday for Saturday's $500,000 Diana, at least one of whom will achieve a career milestone by posting her first Grade 1 win.

There will certainly be many richer and more important races decided over the final five weeks of the 2011 Saratoga session than Monday's $150,000 Lake George Stakes.

Trainer Jimmy Toner made no excuses after More Than Real handed Winter Memories her only defeat in the 2010 Breeders' Cup. Toner is hoping he won't need any after the pair meet for the first time as 3-year-olds at Saratoga in the Lake George Stakes.

National Football League wide receiver Wes Welker may have more important things on his mind at the moment than a horse race.

Pool Play, a candidate for the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 6, has suffered what for all intents and purposes is a career-ending injury, trainer Mark Casse revealed Wednesday. Pool Play is owned by Bill Farish Jr.

A field of only five 3-year-old fillies was drawn Wednesday for Saturday's $250,000 Coaching Club American Oaks, the first of 17 Grade 1 races to be run here this summer.

Trainer Bisnath Parboo could be headed to the Breeders' Cup after his Giant Ryan rallied to a neck victory over Irrefutable in the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap, a Breeders' Cup Challenge event for the BC Sprint.

For a Grade 3 event, Friday's $300,000 Alysheba came up a pretty tough spot. Anybody who doesn't agree with that assessment need only ask trainer Chris Block, who will send out the likely favorite, two-time Grade 1 winner Giant Oak.

If Mambo Meister is going to successfully defend his title in the $125,000 Miami Mile on Saturday he's going to have to do it the hard way.

Awesome Maria was just that and then some Saturday at Gulfstream Park, destroying five rivals including reigning Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic winner Unrivaled Belle with a devastating eight-length victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Rampart Handicap.