While on the racetrack, New York-bred Fourstar Brother lived in the shadow of his more successful full brothers Fourstardave and Fourstars Allstar, a pair of New York-breds whose combined earnings topped $3.2 million.

Long retired, Fourstardave, 16, and Fourstars Allstar, 13, are ranked second and third, respectively, on the all-time list of New York-bed money earners.

Fourstardave, a gelding, competed in a charity race in Ocala, Fla., this spring, and Fourstars Allstar is a Coolmore Stud sire in Ireland.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The mare reproductive loss syndrome that recently struck central Kentucky's broodmares, causing at least 1,200 early fetal or near-term abortions, appears to have abated. But researchers' work hasn't slowed.

While University of Kentucky researchers survey farms, a federal laboratory in Utah is preparing to conduct tests on fetal tissue and mares' blood samples.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The mare reproductive loss syndrome in Kentucky has had its first effect on an auction. The Fasig-Tipton Company confirmed Thursday that it will not hold its Stallion Access auction of selected stallion seasons and shares in August this year, because of uncertainty surrounding the effects of the syndrome.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - After Grey Memo's come-from-behind win in the Ack Ack Stakes at Hollywood Park on Wednesday, trainer Warren Stute mentioned to owner Pat Thompson that he would get a videotape to commemorate the race.

Thompson jokingly told him not to bother. "You'll see him at the break and see him at the finish," she said.

For Thompson and Stute, watching Grey Memo's dramatic finish in person was enough. Last of eight on the turn, Grey Memo rallied to win the Ack Ack Stakes by a nose, weaving through the field in the final sixteenth.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - All too often people refer to speed or stamina as if they were static quantities, like the hardness of granite. In truth, however, these qualities are more changeable, like intelligence, and are owed to a number of factors working together, such as inheritance, environment, health, and training.

Sophisticat, the daughter of Storm Cat and champion Serena's Song who sold last year for $3.4 million, won her maiden race in Ireland on Monday.

The 2-year-old filly, owned by Michael Tabor, scored a four-length victory in a maiden race at Naas in County Kildare. The race was a six-furlong turf contest.

Sophisticat is the third-highest-priced filly ever sold at Keeneland's July select yearling sale, behind Alchaasibiyeh, who sold for $3.75 million in 1984, and Born Perfect, who brought $3.6 million last year.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - For 20 weeks a year, Larry Becker travels around the country making decisions.

Becker, who lives in Sausalito, Calif., is a professional tennis umpire, spending almost half the year working major events on the men's and women's tours, such as the U.S. Open.

But another sporting decision that Becker made 10 years ago, about the same time that he retired as an attorney, has turned out to be an ace.

When Dr Greenfield runs in next Saturday's $1 million Belmont Stakes he will try to become the first European-bred runner to win the third leg of the Triple Crown since Go and Go in 1990.

Go and Go, an Irish-bred son of Be My Guest who was trained in Ireland, blasted his eight rivals, including favorite Unbridled and second choice Thirty Six Red, with his 8 1/4-length victory in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont.

The Ocala Breeders' Sales June sale of 2-year-olds in training, to be held June 19-20, lowers the curtain on the long Florida season of 2-year-old auctions. This is the first time in eight years that the OBS June sale will take two days on the calendar, as 467 are cataloged.

Maryland-breds A Lot of Mary and Sonofaqueen stand out from the crowd. If you want to find them, look in the winner's circle.

Both runners have streaked to six victories from seven starts in 2001. That number places them each second on the nation's list of top horses by wins for the first five months of the year.

Maybe not so coincidentally, both are from the barn of the nation's winningest trainer, Scott Lake, who surrounds himself with gutsy, determined runners. A Lot of Mary and Sonofaqueen have filled the bill since joining Lake's barn in 2000.