LEXINGTON, Ky. - The select market for Thoroughbreds has been hot since last year's Saratoga yearling sale, and officials at Fasig-Tipton are hoping buyers' desire for racing stock will warm the market up even more in Miami on Feb. 24. That's when the auction house will hold its annual select 2-year-old sale in the Calder Race Course paddock.

It has been nearly 20 years since Kattegat's Pride ended her storied racing career in Maryland. One of the finest Maryland-bred mares to appear in the 1980's, Kattegat's Pride (North Sea-Pilgrim's Pride, by First Landing) won or placed in 18 stakes, earning $511,812.

Her career was a life-altering experience for Harford County, Md., residents Steve and Sue Quick, who came up with her in their first attempt at breeding a race horse.

"We thought, 'This is an easy job. All you have to do is pick the right mating,' " said Sue Quick.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Nearly two years of hype was justified when the California-bred Bear Fan won the $200,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel on Feb. 14.

Since a four-length win in a maiden race at Hollywood Park in April 2002, Bear Fan, 5, has displayed the potential to become a graded-stakes winner.

The Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie was her third attempt in such a stakes and has given trainer-breeder Wesley Ward a reason to point for the $250,000 Humana Distaff Handicap, a Grade 1 over seven furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 1.

The recently published Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association's annual statistical review for 2003 shows it was a reasonably good year for the state. Florida-breds won 314 stakes races, 62 of them graded. The previous year, the homebreds won 312 stakes with 51 of them graded. Overall earnings for Florida-breds, however, declined more than 3 percent, from $187 million to $180 million.

Marylou Whitney went looking for the empire's old bloodlines soon after her husband, C.V. Whitney, died in 1992. Her goal was to restore the famed Whitney stable to prominence. But she had no idea she would find its new cornerstone so close to home.

Summer Squall, winner of the 1990 Preakness Stakes and sire of the 1999 Horse of the Year, Charismatic, as well as champion Storm Song, has retired from stud duty because of fertility problems. Lane's End farm, where Summer Squall had stood, announced the retirement on Wednesday.

Summer Squall, a 17-year-old Storm Bird horse, is a son of the great Lane's End matron Weekend Surprise (Secretariat), making him a half-brother to top general sire A. P. Indy.

Heat Haze, a finalist for outstanding turf female of 2003, has been retired and will be bred to Empire Maker this year, trainer Bobby Frankel said.

Heat Haze won her last start, the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park in November. She finished third in Eclipse Award turf female voting to Islington, the winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf last October. Heat Haze finished fourth in that race.

Owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms, Heat Haze won 7 of 14 starts and $1,183,696.

LAS VEGAS - The 3-year-olds were out in force last weekend, especially at Gulfstream Park, where nine of the 12 races on Saturday showcased 3-year-olds, including the Fountain of Youth and Hutcheson stakes. Some observations on the chances of these horses for the Kentucky Derby:

A Good and Tough filly from Robert Scanlon's consignment fired off an eighth-mile work in 9.80 seconds on Sunday, the fastest time at the first under-tack preview for Fasig-Tipton's select 2-year-old sale at Calder.

The auction, set for Feb. 24 at 11 a.m., will have its final under-tack show on Feb. 22.

The Good and Tough filly will sell as Hip No. 95 and is out of the Fair Skies mare Two Foxie. Bred in Maryland, she last sold for $60,000 at that state's Eastern fall yearling sale at Timonium. Trainer Billy Badgett signed the ticket there.

The Big Apple Triple, a series of races for New York-bred 3-year-olds, received a big boost last week when it was announced that New York City Off Track Betting Corporation and the majority of regional OTBs in New York State will sponsor the three-race series, which was renamed OTB's Big Apple Triple.

The $35,000 in OTB sponsorship money will cover the insurance costs of offering a $250,000 bonus for the owner of a horse who can sweep the series and promotional considerations at the three participating tracks.