OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Bruce Levine said he didn’t mind paying twice as much as he had to in order to obtain Union Victory. Given the elevated purses in New York these days, it becomes a lot easier to make a quicker and more lucrative return on one’s investment.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Mizdirection won her first graded stakes in Monday’s $100,000 Monrovia Stakes, giving sports talk show host Jim Rome his first graded stakes win as an owner and leaving trainer Mike Puype optimistic that the filly can show further improvement.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Nicole H came out of her victory in Sunday’s $75,000 Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct  in good order, according to trainer Mike Hushion, and will be pointed to the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap, a seven-furlong race expected to be run on Feb. 18 at Laurel Park. Laurel has not yet officially announced its 2012 stakes schedule.

Nicole H had to work harder than expected to win the Interborough by a neck over Winning Image. She appeared to pull herself up after making the lead.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As evidenced by the fact that three of his Grade 1 winners spent part of their campaign running over Aqueduct’s inner track, Sheikh Mohammed isn’t bashful about leaving a good horse in New York for the winter.

Among the prospects Sheikh Mohammed and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin left to run in New York this winter are Alpha and Captivating Lass, who will attempt to kick off their respective 3-year-old campaigns with stakes victories this weekend at Aqueduct.

Christmas had come the weekend before, but there was Carolling going on this past Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Trainer Josie Carroll won a route allowance race with the 2-year-old filly Summer Applause to open the card, while the David Carroll-trained Capetown Devil captured the a similar race for 2-year-olds later that afternoon.

Quietly, Wild About Marie has become one of the better female turf sprinters in the Midwest, and her proven form in short grass races makes her something of a standout in one of the higher-class races on the Wednesday program at Fair Grounds. But the 3-year-olds in a first-level optional $50,000 claiming race on turf, the nominal feature on the card, look far more difficult to read.

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr. came to life last Thursday when she rode four winners on the 10-race program. Homeister Jr., who gave birth to her first child, daughter Victoria Rose, four months ago, now has 10 winners through Saturday’s program.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – It’s Me Mom put a huge exclamation point on an already successful 2011 campaign in last Saturday’s Minaret Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs when she simply ran her competition into the ground for a half-mile, then pulled away like a runaway freight train to post an 8 1/4-length victory in the six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares.

Rapid Redux's attempt to win his 22nd consecutive race highlights Wednesday's opening-day card at Laurel Park.

Trainer David Wells and owner Robert Cole had a scare when Rapid Redux suffered a cut near his right front foot several days ago, casting doubt whether the horse would make the trip from his base at Penn National Race Course to run in Wednesday's sixth race, but Cole confirmed Rapid Redux for the one-mile starter allowance on Wednesday morning. He is listed as the track's 3-5 morning-line favorite in a field of eight.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Garrett Gomez turned 40 on Sunday. He didn’t ride like an old guy.

Gomez celebrated in ideal fashion, sweeping the two stakes at Santa Anita. Gomez won the minor Kalookan Queen Handicap with Rumor and guided Bauble Queen to a dramatic victory in the $150,000 Robert Frankel Stakes for turf females.

Bauble Queen ($8.80) closed from fifth in the field of six to win the Grade 2 Frankel Stakes by a half-length over pacesetter Turning Top.