Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Note: It was 58 years ago (Aug. 27, 1968) that I first reported for work at United Press International in Chicago, five floors above the Billy Goat Tavern. I've been writing for the company continuously ever since. Sunday will be the 45th anniversary of the first horse race I covered for UPI -- the inaugural Arlington Million.
It's a good thing it's a quiet week on the international front because the North American horse racing schedule is jam packed with goodies. There are five Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" races and three others that offer purses of $1 million or more.
One of those seven-figure purses is the $1.25 million Grade I Travers at Saratoga, the "Midsummer Derby" with Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo seeking a virtual lock on year-end honors.
Another is the $1.75 million Grade I Ladies Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs, where the advertised purses are for Kentucky-breds. Others run for reduced amounts. The third is Friday's $1 million Grade II Charles Town Classic in West Virginia.
The Travers is one of the few remaining chances for 3-year-olds to run against their peers before trying their luck with older horses.

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