Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly She Be Wild makes her 2010 debut in a loaded field, as she goes postward this afternoon in the Grade II Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream.

The daughter of Offlee Wild has won four of five starts, with her only defeat a second in the Grade I Alcibiades. Last time out, she won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies under jockey Julien Leparoux (himself now an Eclipse winner), who will be back aboard today. A Wayne Catalano trainee, She Be Wild is making her first start on conventional dirt and breaks from post 6 in a full field of 13 for the seven furlong event.

The multiple-Grade I -placed Bickersons returns from California, where she won the Moccasin Stakes at Hollywood in late 2009. Joe Bravo will be aboard as they break from far outside, in post 12.

Ailalea won the Grade III Tempted at Aqueduct last time out and the undefeated Richiegirlgonewild won the six furlong, Grade III Old Hat Stakes here last time out. The presence of Richiegirlgonewild, who hasn't yet been beyond six furlongs, ensures a fast pace, and a filly like Ailalea could benefit. Edgar Prado is aboard the daughter of Pulpit for Todd Pletcher.

A nine furlong allowance on the Forward Gal undercard includes a couple of interesting 3-year-olds who will be trying to step up into the Fountain of Youth Stakes in late February.

Bill Mott sends out Drosselmeyer, a son of Distorted Humor and the Grade I winner Golden Ballet. The colt broke his maiden last November at Churchill Downs when stretched out to a mile around two turns. Kent Desormeaux was aboard and will be back up today. Pulsion was second in the Norfolk to eventual 2-year-old champion Lookin at Lucky. He finished off the board with a troubled trip in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and runs back for the first time today. Leparoux will be aboard for trainer Patrick Biancone.

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Evita Argentina makes her 4-year-old debut in the Grade I, seven furlong Santa Monica at Santa Anita. The filly defeated males in the San Vicinte last spring, knocked off older females in the A Gleam at Hollywood over the summer, and capped off her year with a last-to-first win in the Grade I La Brea here in late December. Regular rider Joel Rosario is aboard the daughter of Candy Ride, as she breaks from the three under co-highweight of 120 pounds.

Free Flying Soul was third in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint; she followed that performance up with wins in the ungraded Winter Stakes and Kalookan Queen Handicap. Mike Smith is aboard this contender, who breaks from the six.

Proviso, a solid competitor overseas, crossed the wire first but was disqualified in the Spinster last fall, then was fourth in the Ladies' Classic; she returns from that freshening and breaks from the seven under Rafael Bejerano. Diamondrella, a two-time Grade I winner in 2009, drew the rail under Garrett Gomez. Gabby's Golden Gal won the Acorn last June, but returned from a five-month layoff to finish off the board here in the La Brea. She drew the outside post, 11, under Martin Garcia.

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In modern American racing, where speed on the dirt is prized above anything and horses with those qualities often head to the breeding shed early, that veteran main-track marathoner is the rarest of creatures. The best on the New York circuit meet again in this afternoon’s Coyote Lakes Stakes at Aqueduct, a 1 5/8 mile affair.

Tiger’s Rock and Nite Light, Todd Pletcher stablemates who ran 1-2 in the Gallant Fox over this same trip on New Year’s Eve, headline the field. Tiger’s Rock was relatively inexperienced when he upset that race by four lengths; he has three wins, all at 12 furlongs or more, from just six starts. He gets David Cohen aboard and leaves from the outside post in the field of seven.

Nite Light, a son of champion mare Lite Light, drew the rail under leading rider Ramon Dominguez and could control the pace from there. He kept good company last year, finishing second to the gritty Awesome Gem in the Grade II Hawthorne Gold Cup; he won the Greenwood Cup Stakes and the Turfway Park Fall Championship, both at 12 furlongs. Nite Light was a beaten favorite in the Gallant Fox, but was rounding back into form after a cross-country trip to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Giant Chieftan was third in the Gallant Fox after running ride throughout. He leaves from the three under Channing Hill. The 7-year-old New York bred mare Borrowing Base meets males again. She won the Power Lunch Stakes at 1 ¾ miles two races back, defeating multiple stakeswinner Atoned. Fellow entrant Jane’s Kid was third in that race. Precursor won the Proud Truth here in October.

Rachel Alexandra returned to the worktab this morning at the Fair Grounds, breezing a half mile in 52 seconds flat.

The newly crowned Horse of the Year's time ranked 53rd of 58 works at that distance. But considering that it was her first work in over four months and that her fitness gallops were interrupted by poor weather in New Orleans, the time isn't cause for concern - yet.

Assistant trainer Scott Blasi was pleased with how she went.

"I even asked for a touch slower but for her that's just physically impossible," he said. "[Exercise rider Dom Terry] did a good job. He had to trick her into going that slow but right now that's what’s best for her. ... It was a perfect work. We’re not out to impress anybody at this point."

Blasi said the filly would now settle into a pattern of weekly works. No starting point for her 2010 campaign has been determined yet.

In the headline event of the annual Sunshine Millions program, the popular California-bred Bold Chieftain prevailed in a thrilling stretch drive to take the $500,000 Classic.

The 7-year-old campaigner wove through traffic under Russell Baze and found a narrow gap in the stretch, splitting horses late to prevail by a neck over Palladio.

"This ranks right up there with any race I've ever won, anywhere," Baze said. "We were in some pretty tight straights there turning for home. I didn't know if I was going to get through or not, but a hole presented itself coming to the three-sixteenths and we got through but then I had to check up and we clipped heels. Even though we got through, I had [Unusual Smoke] laying on me and it's hard for a horse to move when he's got horses laying on him like that, but he did it."

Palladio, a Florida-bred 8-year-old, held off 50-1 shot Unusual Smoke for the place. Favored The Usual QT had a six-race win streak, all on the turf, snapped as he switched to Pro-Ride. The colt appeared to handle the surface well early, tugging his way into a stalking second behind early leader Enriched, but he faded badly down the stretch to be last.

Also at Santa Anita, Quisisana rallied four wide for the lead and held on by a nose over a hard-charging Dubai Majesty to score her first stakes win in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Dubai Majesty was second in this event for the second year in a row. In the Filly and Mare Turf, favored Tight Precision won under a patient ride from Joel Rosario.

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The highlight of the Gulfstream Park portion of the card was the Sprint, which featured a blazingly fast and exciting duel between This Ones for Phil and Pashito the Che. The two hooked up out of the gate and blitzed through early fractions of 21.46 and 43.23. They were open lengths ahead of the field through five furlongs in 55.31 and came down to the wire nose to nose, with This Ones for Phil prevailing by the slimmest of margins in 1:08.81.

"When I saw [Pashito the Che] on the lead, I knew he was the horse to beat so I got right after him," jockey Johnny Velazquez said. "At the three-sixteenth’s pole I got head-to-head with him, and from then on it was both of those horses. They fought every step of the way, all the way home, and it was just the luck of bob to me, I guess. When you get to ride horses like this, and they run the way those two did, it’s very exciting."

In his first start off the claim for trainer Marty Wolfson, Jet Propulsion dictated the pace and earned a frontrunning win in the Turf under newly-minted Eclipse winner Julien Leparoux. Jet Propulsion's uncoupled stablemate Pickapocket made up some ground late for the place. Earlier, Sweet Repent made it two straight stakes wins by cruising to a daylight win in the Distaff.

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Aqueduct cancelled due to extreme cold after just three races - but one of the ones they did get in was the 70th running of the Correction Handicap. Hold That Prospect led from start to finish to earn her first stakes win in a 7 1/2 length romp under Jorge Chavez.

Heaven's Voice stumbled at the start but closed from far back to nose out Fascinatin' Rhythm for second.

State-bred showcase days often offer contentious, intriguing fields and a fun chance to feature fan favorites. The Sunshine Millions, one of the more innovative of these showcases, is no exception. The brainchild of Frank Stronach, the program consists of six races (two were cut this year to save the purses of the others) limited to horses bred in Florida or California. Three races are run at Santa Anita, the other three at Gulfstream Park, with the locales trading races each year. The eighth annual rendition of the event is this afternoon.

The highlight of the program will be the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic, to be run at Santa Anita this year. A standout on class is The Usual QT, who puts a six-race win streak on the line while switching from turf to the Pro-Ride main track. Three of those victories came in stakes, including the Grade I Hollywood Derby. The Usual QT, making his 4-year-old debut, leaves from post seven in an expected field of 10 under Victor Espinoza.
The colt's chief competition could come from the popular California campaigner Bold Chieftain, who breaks from the nine under Russell Baze. The 7-year-old, who has earned over $1.1 million lifetime, ended his 2009 campaign with wins in the Governors Handicap, California Cup Classic and San Quentin Handicap.

Also on the Santa Anita portion of the card:
Filly and Mare Sprint: Last year's 1-2 finishers in this event, High Resolve and Dubai Majesty, return for a rematch. Both could be compromised by the draw in a full field for the six furlong event; High Resolve drew the 11 under Baze and Dubai Majesty breaks from 10 under Jamie Theriot.
Filly and Mare Turf: Pretty Unusual wheels back after upsetting the Grade II El Encino on Jan. 17. She was the second graded winner in as many days for Chantal Sutherland, who will be back aboard today.

On the Gulfstream portion of the card:
Sprint: This figures to be a blazingly fast affair between This Ones For Phil and Pashito the Che. This Ones For Phil won the now-defunct Sunshine Millions Dash last year and competed successfully in graded company in the spring; he returned from a five-month break to win an optional event at Laurel last time out. Johnny Velazquez will be aboard for trainer Rick Dutrow, and they leave from the six. Pashito the Che breaks from the four under Eibar Coa and adds blinkers for the first time. He won the Gallant Bob and Jack Dudley Sprint last fall and was second in the Gravesend at Aqueduct last time out. An upset threat is Accredit, who won the Grade II Churchill Downs Stakes last year and gets the services of Eclipse champion jockey Julien Leparoux.
Distaff: Sweet Repent came on late to nip Amazing by a nose in the Grade III Stage Door Betty at Calder last time out. Both return for a rematch today - and Sweet Repent gets an extra sixteenth of a mile to rally into.
Turf: Duke of Mischief, who spent some time on the major 3-year-old circuit last year, won the Grade III Fort Lauderdale here last time out and figures in this spot. He breaks from the three under Coa. Soldier's Dancer, who has battled minor injuries throughout his career and continually returns to compete at the stakes level, was second in this race last year. He won the PTHA Presidents Cup and the Bonnie Heath Turf Cup leading into this and drew post 8 under Manuel Cruz.
Former claimer Jet Propulsion gets the services of Leparoux. The 7-year-old is 44-12-10-3 lifetime, including several graded placings, and has earned nearly $400,000.

Meanwhile, at Aqueduct, a small but contentious field of five fillies and mares goes six furlongs in the listed Correction Handicap. Hold That Prospect, a 2-1 shot on the morning line, breaks from the five under Jorge Chavez and has the speed to control the race from the outset. She is 11-for-25 lifetime and sports a mark of 6-4-1-0 since trainer Gary Gullo claimed her last March; she also has an affinity for Aqueduct, winning an optional claimer and a starter handicap here in the fall.
Fascinatin’ Rhythm kept solid company in 2009; she finished third in the Grade II Fritchie at Laurel behind Royale Michele and Seventh Street, who went on to win the Grade I Go For Wand at Saratoga. The Laurel-based mare breaks from the three under Rosie Napravnik, who has enjoyed a solid winter in New York.
Fascinatin’ Rhythm and fellow Correction entrant Heaven’s Voice were 2-3 in the Squan Song at Laurel last out. Heaven’s Voice picks up the services of leading rider Ramon Dominguez and leaves from the two. What Time It Is, on the rail, won twice and was third in a handicap in five starts last year, but is making her first start since June 6. Rounding out the field is the Brazilian-bred Bright Halo, the 2007 champion 2-year-old filly in Uruguay. She has seven wins from nine lifetime starts, but missed the board in her first start in this country.

All thoroughbreds officially turned a year older on Jan. 1, but four years ago today, on Jan. 29, 2006, the filly who would become Rachel Alexandra entered the world.

Local fans wishing to celebrate the filly's birthday - and recent crowning as Horse of the Year - can do so while supporting a good cause this Sunday, as ThoroFan, with support from Anthony Brindisi, has organized a birthday party that's also a fundraiser for Old Friends at Cabin Creek.

The party will be held at the Union Grille at the Saratoga Hilton from 12 to 5 p.m.; there will be food (reservations are required), artist Frankie Flores will be on hand to create a portrait of the filly and vendors will sell merchandise. The highlight of the event? At about 3 p.m., those in attendance will call trainer Steve Asmussen's barn at the Fair Grounds to sing "Happy Birthday" to Rachel.

Fifty percent of the tab will go to Cabin Creek and will be used to build run-in sheds for the horses.

For more information or for reservations, contact the Union Grille at 682-2600 or ThoroFan's Bambii Rae at 695-3605.

It appears as though the synthetic surface debate is all but over on the NYRA circuit:
http://saratogian.com/articles/2010/01/29/news/doc4b6246b027d3c639213605.txt

Horses can break down running on any surface, of course, but synthetic tracks are believed to reduce fatal injuries. However, some horsemen and fans don't approve of them because they may cause other injuries or change the style of a race.

Saratoga, which has standard dirt and turf tracks, had one of the lowest breakdown rates in the country last year, losing just five horses (and only three in the afternoon during racing).

Meanwhile, in an encouraging move, state officials are looking at legislation that would help direct some revenue from racing and video gaming to programs that focus on thoroughbred retirement:
http://saratogian.com/articles/2010/01/29/news/doc4b62466f6d6e5355516559.txt

Fans who want to discuss these or any other issues can participate in a live web chat tonight with NYRA Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Hal Handel.

Fans can log on at www.nyra.com/livechat beginning at 8 p.m.; no pre-registration is necessary.

Aqueduct returned to racing today but a New York favorite did not. Richie Migliore, who suffered a mild concussion in a spill on Jan. 23, hasn't been given clearance to ride yet but hopes to return next week.

Migliore visited a neurologist on Wednesday who didn't give him clearance to ride this weekend. The jockey, who said he's feeling fine, hopes to return to riding next Wednesday, but according to his doctor, a Feb. 6 comeback is more likely.

Going into this weekend, Migliore ranked 10th among riders at the inner-track meet with eight wins.

Jockey Justin Vitek died early this morning in Houston after a battle with acute myelogenous leukemia, a form of blood cancer. He was 36.

Vitek, a native of Wallace, Texas, began his riding career at 1993 at Sunland Park in New Mexico. During his career, the well-traveled rider spend time on the circuits in Southern California, Washington, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. He rode 763 winners from 8,205 mounts; horses he rode combined to earn over $9.88 million. Vitek’s biggest win came in the Grade II Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs, which he won in 2000 aboard Miss Pickums.

Vitek was diagnosed with his illness in February 2008. He underwent multiple chemotherapy and stem cell treatments and returned to ride a handful of races at Turfway Park last year before relapsing. He is survived by his mother, Kelly, and his 6-year-old daughter, Bree. Services will be held in his hometown and a memorial service is being planned at Turfway.

Vitek’s story of returning to ride against all odds is an example of how much those who work in this industry love what they do. Our condolences go out to his family and friends on this sad loss.

A pair of impressive maiden winners on Aqueduct's inner track in January will look to jump up into stakes company next time out in hopes of finding themselves on the Derby trail.

The speedy Eightyfiveinafifty heads the list of nominations for the Feb. 6 Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct. The mile and a sixteenth race leads into the Grade III Gotham Stakes on March 6 before New York's major Derby prep, the Wood Memorial on April 3.

The son of Forest Camp blitzed his way to a 17 1/4 length maiden win on Jan. 9, stopping the clock in 1:10.85 for six furlongs while under wraps late. His ability to go a distance is in question - he hasn't been around two turns yet - but trainer Gary Contessa is attempting to address that issue in the mornings. On Wednesday, he sent Eightyfiveinafifty out for a seven furlong breeze around two turns; he covered the distance in 1:27 and galloped out the mile in 1:40.20.

Eightyfiveinafifty has made just two starts. He began his career at Saratoga last summer, where he was third in his debut behind eventual Hopeful winner Dublin.

Meanwhile, Tempted to Tapit, who broke his maiden on Jan. 18, arrived in Florida on Wednesday and is headed for the Grade III Sam Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 13.

Trainer Steve Klesaris put blinkers on the gelding last time out and it worked, as the son of 2004 Wood Memorial winner Tapit reeled off brisk opening fractions before pulling away late to win the mile maiden event by 11 1/4.

Tempted to Tapit has the win and two seconds at Philadelphia Park in four starts. at Philadelphia in December, he finished second as Laus Deo broke his maiden; that colt went on to win the Count Fleet at Aqueduct in early January.

In his column in today's edition of the Saratogian, Mike Veitch took a closer look at Winslow Homer, winner of the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park yesterday.

Make sure to check it out here:

http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2010/01/24/sports/doc4b5bce5a3bc41065760159.txt

Notes on Saturday's full slate of stakes from coast-to-coast are coming to you a day late courtesy of Blogger's downtime.

Winslow Homer made his stakes debut a winning one with a professional effort in the Grade III Holy Bull Stakes for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park.

The gray son of Unbridled’s Song, who broke his maiden at Saratoga last summer, stalked the pace through hotly contested fractions down the backside. He split horses turning for home and edged away from favored Jackson Bend late to win by three-fourths of a length, stopping the clock in 1:35.97 for the mile.

"There is always a little concern when you are up on the inside covered up, especially with a young horse like him, but I was hoping that somewhere along the line things would open up because I felt like I had a lot of horse," said NYRA leading rider Ramon Dominguez, who was aboard the colt. "When the hole barely opened up, he squeezed through horses, and did it very professionally. When he made the lead, he started to come back to me so I had to encourage him a little to keep going, but he’s a professional and he’s just improving tremendously with each race."

Tony Dutrow, who trains Winslow Homer for Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms, said the colt would be pointed toward the Fountain of Youth on Feb. 20.

Jackson Bend, making his first start for trainer Nick Zito, had a five-race win streak snapped.

"My horse ran his race," jockey Jeremy Rose said. "I had him positioned right where I wanted him, but when the winner split horses and made his move, he had a little more left. But my horse is a good horse. He ran well."

William’s Kitten, who was near the back of the pack early, rallied to be third, just over three lengths back.

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Meanwhile, the well-traveled Ron the Greek ran down favored Maximus Ruler in deep stretch to take the Grade III Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds.

The colt broke from the far outside in the field of 10 and trailed early as Maximus Ruler set a hot pace from the rail while pressured by longshot Depaul. Ron the Greek still had eight to beat as the field entered the stretch but rallied on the far outside to get the win under James Graham. Maximus Ruler repelled a challenge from Cool Bullet before yielding late to the winner; Letsgetitonmom was third, a half-length behind.

Tom Amoss trains Ron the Greek, who was running on his fourth different track with his fourth different rider in as many starts; he broke his maiden at Hoosier Park in October, won an allowance at Delta Downs in November and was fourth in the Springboard Mile at Remington in December.

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Returning to stakes company at the scene of his biggest wins, Friesan Fire had things all his own way in winning the Louisiana Handicap earlier in the day at the Fair Grounds.

Taking the lead out of the gate, he reeled off moderate fractions and held off General Quarters, winner of last year’s Blue Grass, to win by nearly two under Shaun Bridgemohan.

Friesan Fire won the Lecomte, Risen Star and Louisiana Derby last year to stamp himself as the Kentucky Derby favorite; he finished last, then came out of the Preakness with an injury. He was third in his first start back against allowance company on Dec. 3; trainer Steve Asmussen took the blinkers off for that performance, but they were back on Saturday.

General Quarters, who was also injured in the Preakness and is working his way back from a similar layoff, ran a solid race in defeat, rallying mildly into a soft pace and finishing 7 ½ lengths ahead of third-place Good and Lucky.

Also on the Fair Grounds card, the 3-year-old filly Jody Slew took the Tiffany Lass Stakes, Cash Refund won the Gaudin Memorial, El Caballo returned from a nearly seven-month layoff to take the Colonel E.R. Bradley Stakes and Annihilation won the Leggio Stakes.

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Wall Street Wonder captured the 102nd running of the Paumonok Stakes Saturday at Aqueduct.

Under Channing Hill, the son of City Place outsprinted odds-on favorite Driven By Success through fractions of :22.72 and :45.44 down the backside and opened up under mild urging down the stretch, winning by eight and stopping the clock in 1:09.40 for six furlongs. John Terranova trains.

The Aqueduct card was marred by the fatal breakdown of Honest Wildcat in the first race. Jockey Richie Migliore was removed from the track on a stretcher complaining of blurred vision; X-rays came back negative and he was found to have suffered a mild concussion. He plans to visit a neurologist this week. Migliore will be off his mounts Sunday but won't miss much riding if he gets clearance by the weekend; following today's card Aqueduct is dark until Friday.

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Kinsale King won the Grade II Palos Verdes Handicap at Santa Anita as Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Dancing in Silks finished third in his 2010 debut.

Kinsale King dueled with Eaton’s Gift early, stuck his head in front turning for

home and held off a stubborn Ventana for the win. It was the third straight win for Kinsale King, who is now headed for the Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Dancing in Silks sat behind the duel, swung wide turning for home, and rallied mildly for the show.

Santa Anita ran an incident-free program in its first day of racing after poor weather in California forced the cancellation of three cards last week.

The Florida path to the Kentucky Derby gets underway this afternoon with the running of the Grade III Holy Bull Stakes, as nine colts go a mile.

Headlining the field is the intriguing prospect Jackson Bend. The colt has won five straight races, at up to a mile and a sixteenth, and swept a set of ungraded events in the Florida Stallion Stakes. In doing so, he defeated highly regarded New York stakeswinner D'Funnybone and the speedy Thank U Philippe, who he meets again today. Following his win in the In Reality Stakes, Jackson Bend was purchased by Robert LaPenta and transferred to Nick Zito; the colt makes his first start for the New York-based trainer today and breaks from the nine under Jeremy Rose, who also rides him for the first time.

Grade I winner Homeboykris drew post 2 under Edgar Prado. The son of Roman Ruler upset a well-regarded field to take the Champagne at Belmont. However, he was a distant fifth in the Remsen last time out behind Buddy's Saint.

Several other starters haven't broken through in a stakes yet but have shown promise. Todd Pletcher sends out Aikenite under regular rider Johnny Velazquez; the colt was third in the Hopeful at Saratoga, second in the Breeders' Futurity and a troubled fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He breaks from the eight. Piscitelli drew the four under Kent Desormeaux; the colt set the pace in the Juvenile and finished fourth, beaten less than a length by winner Vale of York. Winslow Homer broke his maiden at Saratoga, then won an allowance by more than a dozen lengths in Philadelphia. He gets NYRA leading rider Ramon Dominguez and breaks from post 6.

Thank U Philippe, who was also second to Buddy's Saint in the Nashua, is expected to set the pace; he gets blinkers on and leaves from the rail under Eddie Castro. Litigation Risk (Alan Garcia, post 3), William's Kitten (Julien Leparoux, post 5) and Wild Lime (Jose Lezcano, post 7) complete the field.

The Florida route to the Derby, which continues with the Fountain of Youth Feb. 20 and the Florida Derby March 20, has been a successful one in recent years, sending Barbaro in 2006 and Big Brown in 2008 to Derby victory.

Meanwhile in Louisiana, a big field of 11 will face off in the Grade III, $100,000 Lecomte at the Fair Grounds. The Louisiana series continues with the Risen Star on Feb. 20 and the Louisiana Derby March 27.

The morning-line favorite for the LeComte is Citrus Kid, who won the Dover Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth and finished third in the Remsen behind Buddy's Saint. He breaks from the five under Miguel Mena.

Maximus Ruler breaks from the rail under Francisco Torres. The colt has shown promise, finishing a troubled third in his debut before scoring in a mile allowance at Churchill Downs.

Turf Melody (Jose Valdivia, post 2) is the only three-time winner in the field, including the Springboard Mile Stakes. Worldly (Robby Albarado, post 3) is a full brother to the multiple stakeswinner Suave; he finished third in the Kentucky Jockey Club behind Super Saver last fall.

Not all the stakes action today is for 3-year-olds, however. Earlier at the Fair Grounds, two horses who were on the Derby trail last year meet in the Louisiana Handicap. Friesan Fire and General Quarters are each making the first start of their 4-year-old campaigns and just the second start off injuries both suffered in the Preakness. Friesan Fire, who won the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby last spring, was third in an allowance optional claiming event in his comeback Dec. 3. General Quarters, who won the Blue Grass last April, was second under similar conditions on Dec. 26.

Elsewhere, Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Dancing in Silks will make his 2010 debut in the Grade II Palos Verdes Handicap at Santa Anita. The California track is resuming racing today after storms that forced the cancellation of three cards this week.

Rachel Alexandra, who was named Horse of the Year over Zenyatta on Monday night, has settled into a routine of jogging one mile then galloping one mile around the Fair Grounds oval most mornings.

The now 4-year-old, who hasn't started since becoming the first female to win the Woodward on Sept. 5, is still on track to turn in her first timed work around Feb. 1 as she prepares for her highly anticipated season.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said a campaign of six or seven races is likely for his star - including, he hopes, several tilts against Zenyatta, who she hasn't met on the track yet. With owner Jess Jackson unwilling to run over a synthetic surface (such as Del Mar) a return to New York this summer seems likely for Rachel Alexandra. The filly's ultimate goal, of course, is the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs.

Meanwhile, stablemate Hot Dixie Chick, who was third in the voting for champion 2-year-old filly, returned to the worktab on Thursday morning but still has a way to go.

The filly breezed a half in :52 flat, leading Asmussen to say she's "highly unlikely" to make her 3-year-old debut in the Silverbulletday on Feb. 20.

Hot Dixie Chick, who is owned by Jackson's wife Barbara Banke, won two stakes at Saratoga last summer, the Schuylerville on opening day and the Grade I Spinaway on closing weekend. She hasn't started since.

The progress of horses in Asmussen's string has been hampered by poor weather, as the Fair Grounds was plagued by rain throughout December and the track was also frozen several days.

Travers winner Summer Bird, who this week was named Eclipse champion 3-year-old male, is still on the mend at Oaklawn Park.

The chestnut colt fractured a leg while training for the Japan Cup Dirt in late November. He was flown back to California for surgery, which he came through with flying colors, and then shipped to trainer Tim Ice's barn to recover.

"He’s coming along … I’m optimistic,” Ice said. "He’s walking 20 minutes a day now and will increase to 30 minutes a day on Monday. At the Eclipse Awards, I talked to [Dr. Wayne McIlwraith], who did his surgery. He looked at his X-rays and we’re keeping it month-to-month now. On March 1, we’ll know more about when he’ll go back to the track."

Ice and owners Drs. K.K. and Vilasini Jayaraman traveled to Beverly Hills for the Eclipse Awards ceremony on Monday night. Summer Bird, who became the first horse since Hall of Famer Easy Goer in 1989 to sweep the Belmont, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup in the same season, was named champion with 225 first-place votes ( Derby winner Mine That Bird was second with four votes). Summer Bird also finished third in the Arkansas Derby, second to Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell and finished his season with a credible fourth behind Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

"It was exciting and I enjoyed every minute of the evening,” Ice said of the ceremony. "We were pretty confident we would win, but you just never know how the voting will go."

At this time last year, Summer Bird was an unraced maiden and Ice, who was in his first year of training on his own, was a relative unknown. There are big plans for both this year. Should Summer Bird continue to heal well and regain his earlier form, his ultimate goal will be the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. He's expected to spend the summer and fall in New York again, as Ice, who enjoyed his experience at Saratoga last year, plans to move the bulk of his stable to the NYRA circuit this year.

The trainer has 27 horses in training for his longtime supporters the Jayaramans; among these is Indy Squall, a 3-year-old half brother to Summer Bird, expected to make his first start at the Oaklawn meet. Ice's success has also attracted some new clients. One is Marylou Whitney, owner of Belmont-Travers winner Birdstone, the sire of Summer Bird and Mine That Bird. Last fall, she sent Ice a pair of horses to work with.