The Breeders’ Cup extravaganza is less than a week away. The world (racing) press is beginning to arrive in New Jersey. The first official function is on Tuesday when, during a breakfast, post positions will be drawn for all the BC races. Once the fields are announced, the Monmouth Park oddsmaker will give his morning line. The morning line is a projection of odds for a possible winner.

The Daily Racing Form has come out with a special Breeders’ Cup edition. It contains past performance lines for all the pre-entered horses. There are fascinating stories. I got my copy on Friday.

Woodbine Racecourse in Toronto, Canada hosts three Graded events on Sunday. The $2 million Canadian International is the feature. It is a grass race over 2,400 metres for three year-olds and up. There is a field of 12.

Ouijano, winner of a Group I race in Germany last time out, is the lukewarm 3-1 morning line choice. The German runner has post-12 and will be ridden by Andrasch Starke. Sky Conqueror was third last year and takes his chances this year and leaves from post-four. Darwin Banach, Sky Conqueror’s trainer, has expressed confidence. “We ran into problems in 2006. We have a big chance with a good trip.”

Garrett Gomez will be aboard Sunriver who represents the United States. Olivier Peslier will ride Irish Wells, winner of a Deauville graded event. John Murtagh is the rider for Oracle West. Mick Kinane will handle Honolulu. Ryan Moore rides the favoured Ask for Sir Michael Stoute. Ask came back after a four-month layoff to win Ascot’s Cumberland Lodge (Group III) in September over 2,400 metres. Ask has recovered from an infection and is in fine fettle, according to his connections. Ryan Moore, the 2006 English Champion, has missed time because of injuries this year. In an interview at Newmarket on September 22, I heard Bruce Raymond say that Ryan Moore is the next Lester Piggott.

Woodbine’s co-feature on Sunday is the Grade I $1,000,000 EP Taylor Stakes over 2,000 metres for fillies and mares. Mrs Lindsay, winner of the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp, is fancied. John Murtagh has the call. Canada’s best hope is Sealy Hill whose trainer, Mark Casse has expressed optimism. “Some of the world’s best fillies are here. She is very good. We will see if she fits.”

The main race in the supporting card is the Grade II $500,000 Nearctic over 1,200 metres.

As of October 17, 2007, Jorge Ricardo has 9,891 winners. America’s Russell Baze has 9,871 winners.

Seb Sanders has pulled clear of Jamie Spencer in the British champion jockey race. Sanders, end of Friday, led Spencer 158-152.

Olivier Peslier won the first race at Chantilly racecourse on Thursday with a horse called ‘Moonlanding’. That gave Peslier 2,000 wins on French soil. The 34 year-old Olivier Peslier became only the fifth French jockey to reach that landmark. Peslier rode two more winners on Thursday to get to 2002. He had a double at Saint Cloud on Friday. Peslier rides at Newmarket on Saturday and at Woodbine on Sunday. I called Peslier about 6 PM Paris time on Friday, and congratulated him. The ever-polite Peslier thanked me. He talked about Doctor Dino, his Newmarket mount on Saturday. “It is hard but I have a chance.” He said that he will not be at Monmouth Park and he has commitments in Japan where he will ride the rest of the year. He expressed the hope I would be able to go to Tokyo for the Japan Cup in the last week of November.

John Murtagh has received a suspension from the Irish stewards. He will not have to worry about it until November 3, well past the BC race dates.

Frankie Dettori was given a seven-day ban by the Newmarket stewards. Dettori was riding Blue Ksar on Friday in the Group II Darley Stakes. Stablemate Windsor Knot won the race. Blue Ksar, in futile chase of the winner, was beaten three parts of a length and was caught in the waning yards for second. It became three parts of a length and a short head for third place. The stewards, showing their disapproval, charged that Dettori had dropped his hands and that contributed to Blue Ksar failing to get second. The ban will begin October 30 and run until November 5.

Red Rocks will again be ridden by Dettori in the BC Turf. Discreet Cat, a Godolphin runner, will be partnered by Garrett Gomez. Ibn Khaldun may go to Monmouth Park and if he does, will have Dettori’s services. If Ibn Khaldun goes in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on October 27, the rider will be Kerrin McEvoy.

Talking about Kerrin McEvoy, he rode the Luca Cumani-trained Purple Moon to a sixth place finish in the Caulfield Cup (Caulfield racecourse) on Saturday. The race was won by Master O’Reilly, ridden by Vlad Duric. The winning trainer was Danny O’Brien who also saddled the second place finisher, Duoro Valley. Trainer O’Brien confirmed that his pair will go in the Melbourne Cup.

At Keeneland on Friday, Bel Air Beauty, Mark Guidry up, was victorious in the Grade III $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes. Twelve sophomore fillies ran in the 1700-metre race. The winning margin was two and one half lengths and the time was 1 44.39. Bel Air Beauty returned $18.40.

I was at Maywood Park, a harness track in Chicago on Friday for an evening card. There were more questions about Holding Court. People here are following Holding Court’s progress. Sooner than later, I believe I will have good news to report.