They're often close, rarely win

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A filly who has knocked on the door quite a few times will meet a mare who has done much of the same when Pine Shelter and Flawless Treasure take their places in a large field of female turf specialists in the featured eighth race Wednesday at Churchill Downs.

Pine Shelter, a 4-year-old by Chester House, has finished second on three occasions under the same entry-level conditions that govern Wednesday's $50,000 allowance, scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf. The same goes for the 5-year-old Flawless Treasure: three seconds at this condition since winning for the only time in her career.

Pine Shelter, trained by Rusty Arnold, won a maiden race on the Churchill turf course slightly more than a year ago and has tended to do the best work in her 11-race career on grass. Rafael Bejarano will be aboard when she breaks from post 5.

Flawless Treasure raced 11 times through last May under the care of John Kimmel, but when she resurfaced in April at Keeneland it was with Patrick Biancone as trainer. A winner in April 2005 on the Gulfstream grass, she has failed to win again while remaining quite competitive. Julien Leparoux, the meet's leading rider, has the mount Wednesday.

Awesome Ashley will run only if the race is transferred to the main track, meaning only as many as 10 will start.

Potential threats for a minor upset include You Call That Art, Stormy West, Striking Tomisue, and Royal Dazzle.

* Tiz Wonderful, the unbeaten colt who is unraced since winning the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes here last fall, had his first workout since returning from a minor tendon injury when he breezed a very easy half-mile Monday at Churchill in 53.20 seconds.

* Trainer Carl Nafzger said that Lady Joanne, the 3-year-old filly who posted her third straight victory here last Saturday in the Grade 3 Dogwood Breeders' Cup Stakes, will make her next start in the Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes on June 30 at Belmont.

* A racing rarity occurred here Saturday when trainer John Fahey III claimed three horses from the same race. Fahey claimed Coppertude, Kid Rigo, and Glittergem from the last race, and even had to win a four-way shake to get Kid Rigo.Desormeaux weeps Stallion Stakes