Sierra Olson, like many 14-year-old girls, loves horses. She has a room filled with horse posters, horse show ribbons, horse figurines, horses on her bed linen, and even an old saddle.

She also has Evans Syndrome, an autoimmune disease in which the body makes antibodies that destroy the red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells. Symptoms can include weakness and fatigue, and a susceptibility to bleeding or infections.

But Olson’s disease that has not robbed her of her passion for horses or desire to become a veterinarian.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – There are nine horses in Thursday’s $55,600 optional claiming feature at Gulfstream Park, and handicappers can make a case for almost each and every one winning the 6 1/2-furlong dash, including the second-, third-, and fourth-place finishers from a similar race run here earlier this winter.

Penn National has added a couple of new twists to its World Series of Handicapping.

The contest, which began in 1977, will allow players to make their selections from any Thoroughbred track simulcast at Penn National from noon Eastern until the fourth live race of Penn National’s live program. Contestants can play at Penn National or one of its offtrack wagering facilities in Reading, Lancaster, Chambersburg, or York, Pa.

Arguably the best sprinter and best router at Golden Gate Fields made their comebacks Sunday, with Goggles McCoy and Bold Chieftain running one-two in a strong six-furlong allowance sprint.

Goggles McCoy, who made his 4-year-old debut, grabbed the lead out of the gate under Aaron Gryder and was never seriously challenged in defeating Bold Chieftain by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:09.70. Goggles McCoy is 3 for 3 at Golden Gate Fields, while Bold Chieftain had his seventh exacta finish in eight Golden Gate starts.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Game On Dude, the upset winner of the controversial Santa Anita Handicap on March 5, will miss a scheduled start in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 26 because of a foot abcess, his trainer, Bob Baffert, said Tuesday morning.

Game On Dude was scheduled to depart for Dubai on Tuesday with the rest of the American-based contingent for the World Cup card.

Though plans for Monmouth Park’s 2011 Thoroughbred meet remain unsettled, the New Jersey track will distribute $4.95 million in purses for non-overnight stakes races this year, according to the track.

The richest purse will be offered in the $1 million Haskell Invitational, a Grade 1 race for 3-year-olds that has long been the centerpiece of the track’s summer meet. The Haskell is scheduled as part of an eight-stakes card on July 31 that will also feature two other graded stakes, the Grade 3 Oceanport and the Grade 3 Matchmaker, both on the turf.

The non-profit Oak Tree Racing Association will receive $500,000 this year from the parent company of Santa Anita Park for the right to run Oak Tree's stakes races during a fall meet, according Oak Tree's top official.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Inside or outside, from on the pace or off, wet track or dry, trainer Rudy Rodriguez looks to have it all covered in Wednesday’s featured second-level allowance race at Aqueduct.

Rodriguez, who has won 8 races from 17 starters over the inner track since March 2, sends out the uncoupled entry of Bwana Babe and Lady Durlyn in the mile-and-70-yard race, and both five-time winners are more than capable of winning.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – If nothing else, James Hooper plans to do his due diligence when deciding where next to run his streaking New York-bred gelding Inherit the Gold.

Delightful Mary took a step toward more important engagements when rallying Monday to win the filly division of the $100,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Championship in Ocala, Fla. The race was one of four on the Day of Champions card, which has been held annually since 1990 for horses sold at OBS. All races are betless exhibitions for 3-year-olds, and all are run over a one-mile Safetrack synthetic surface.