River Downs track report

With just over a week to go before River Downs runs its leading 2-year-old stakes, the $200,000 Cradle and the $100,000 Bassinet, the makeup of each race remains very fluid.

The Cradle, to be run at 1 1/16 miles on Labor Day, has at least five possible starters, according to the track's stakes coordinator, Randy Wehrman. The top three finishers from the Aug. 13 Cradle Prep are all expected to return for the Cradle: Dawn of War, Acts Like a King, and Warrior Within.

Key West Breeze, recently second in the Colin Stakes at Woodbine, is also being considered for the Cradle by trainer Pat Byrne. Another possibility is Spotsgone, a maiden winner at Arlington last week.

Wehrman said the field for the Bassinet, at six furlongs on Sept. 3, will likely include the top three finishers from the Bassinet Prep on Aug. 14. Readyforcocktails was an odds-on winner of the prep by two lengths over High Heritage, with Terri's Charmer back in third.

* Mr. Mink, the top Indiana-bred sprinter of recent seasons, had little trouble winning an $11,500 open allowance Saturday. Mr. Mink, the 2-5 choice, won by 10 1/4 lengths, stopping the timer in 1:03.40 for 5 1/2 furlongs. It was the fastest clocking at the distance at River in several years, and was .40 of a second off the 41-year-old track record.