Belmont

A 3-year-old Flying Continental filly from the family of graded winner Stalcreek was the early session leader Tuesday as the Barretts June 2-year-old and horses of racing age sale got under way in Pomona, Calif.

Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's June 2-year-old and racing-age sale in Timonium, Md., saw significant declines across the board Tuesday.

The one-day auction sold 68 horses for gross receipts of $707,700, a drop of 13 percent from last year's sale, which sold 57 lots for $811,100. Average price fell 27 percent, from $14,230 to $10,407, and median slid 42 percent, falling from last year's $10,000 to $5,850. Despite those declines, the buyback rate improved. Last year, 33 percent of the horses on offer went unsold, as compared to 29 percent this year.

LAS VEGAS - The 2-year-old season is under way, and that means freshman stallions - sires whose first foals are now 2 - are in the spotlight.

While some baby races are carded early in the season for precocious runners at the two-furlong distance at Santa Anita, the real 2-year-old racing season begins with well-bred Thoroughbreds at Keeneland in April. The momentum increases in May and June around the country, and the distances also increase from 4 1/2 to 5 and 5 1/2 furlongs.

Supporters of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act expect that the bill will move out of committee and be put to a vote in the House of Representatives before Congress adjourns on June 30 for the Independence Day holiday.

Brent Dolan, press secretary for Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky, would not put a time frame on a possible vote but said, "Voting schedules can and do change, but our intent is to get this to the floor during this session of Congress and to work to get this bill passed."

LEXINGTON, Ky. - With a dramatic finish in the middle of the track to win the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs, Seek Gold delivered on the long pent-up promise of his breeding and apparent ability. A son of Belmont winner Touch Gold and the Alydar mare Aly's Adita, Seek Gold had placed in graded stakes the last two seasons without winning one. Now he is a Grade 1 winner.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Owner Sidney Craig has a lot of fond memories of Paseana, the Hall of Fame mare who died at age 18 on June 21 at Haras San Ignacio de Loyola in Argentina.

Craig bought Paseana privately in 1991 from her native Argentina, where she was already a Grade 1 winner.

Yvonne Schwabe saved the life of her mare Shebandowana not once but twice, and spent a small fortune in the process.

Now the mare is repaying her owner big-time, as her son Wanna Runner, owned now by American Mike Pegram, will head to the gate for Sunday's Queen's Plate as the heavy favorite.

"I am excited and nervous," said Schwabe, 45, who operates her family's Persley Den Farms in Acton, Ontario. "It's amazing to have a legitimate horse in the Queen's Plate."

Legitimate indeed, since Wanna Runner is essentially the boss of the Plate on Beyer Speed Figures.

Since November, Cambiocorsa has won seven consecutive races, all on turf, including four stakes. The popularity of her bloodlines will be tested when her 2-year-old full brother sells at Tuesday's Barretts summer sale in Pomona, Calif.

Consigned by Mary Knight, agent for Keith Card, the 2-year-old gray colt, named California Flag, is by Avenue of Flags out of Ultrafleet, by Afleet. The colt is also a half-brother to Shadow Raider, a gelding who has earned more than $260,000 and placed in two stakes.

Four New York state sires have passed the $1 million mark in progeny earnings as the 2006 racing season nears the halfway mark.

They are Tomorrows Cat at Empire Stud, A. P Jet at Sugar Maple Farm, Chief Seattle at Empire Stud, and Catienus at Highcliff Farm.

Tomorrows Cat, who like Catienus is a son of Storm Cat, received a boost when his son West Virginia earned $81,072 with his third-place finish in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Through Wednesday, he was the leader at $1,091,540.