HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Allen Milligan was just a little tyke when he first showed up at Oaklawn Park back in 1969. He came to town with his father, Eddie Milligan Sr., who had taken a private training position. Fast forward 40 years, and the tyke is topping the standings.

Allen Milligan enters the race week in a three-way tie for leading trainer, along with Jorge Lara and D. Wayne Lukas. Each has won 10 races so far this meet at Oaklawn.

"My dad is really proud," said Milligan, 42. "It's very meaningful."

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Winning both halves of a split maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds during the heart of the Gulfstream Park meet is a noteworthy achievement for any trainer. But when the two horses in question, in this case Just a Coincidence and Santana Six, happen to come from the barn of two-time Kentucky Derby winner Nick Zito, the feat seems to take on a little added importance. After all, as Zito himself says, "It is that time of year."

ALBANY, Calif. - Northern California's top Kentucky Derby candidate, Chocolate Candy, who won the California Derby and El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, returned to the track for a workout Sunday, turning in an easy 47.20-second half-mile work for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

The work was the fifth-best of 37 workers at the distance, and Chocolate Candy, a Candy Ride colt, was not really asked for much.

Hollendorfer was satisfied with the work, saying, "He worked real good, nice and steady."

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The connections of Einstein are thinking big these days, as in the Big Cap, the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, on March 7.

Einstein put the finishing touches on his local preparation for the Santa Anita Handicap here Sunday morning, working five furlongs in 1:00.60 under jockey Julien Leparoux.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The connections of I Want Revenge want to find out sooner rather than later how their horse handles dirt. Toward that end, I Want Revenge will ship cross-country later this week to prepare for a start in the Grade 3, $250,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on March 7.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Garrett Gomez and trainer Todd Pletcher are spending the winter 2,500 miles apart, but their paths are starting to cross with greater frequency. Gomez, based in California, traveled to Gulfstream Park last Thursday to ride the Pletcher-trained Dunkirk to an impressive victory against allowance company, and this Saturday at Santa Anita they will combine with Take the Points, a 3-year-old whom Pletcher is sending west from south Florida for the Grade 3, $200,000 Sham Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. - A subtle but effective change of equipment may have help land Spring House the Grade 2, $150,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap on Sunday at Santa Anita.

Trainer Julio Canani said Spring House was having trouble getting his air following his previous start, the Jan. 19 San Marcos Handicap, in which he finished fourth. Canani said he first considered throat surgery, but was talked out of it by three veterinarians, who said putting a figure-8 bridle on the horse would suffice.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The time off that Georgie Boy got last year is paying dividends now. In his fourth start since returning from a seven-month vacation, Georgie Boy roared to the top of the West Coast sprint division with an easy, 2 3/4-length victory in the Grade 2, $150,000 San Carlos Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita.

What a Pear remained undefeated from four starts with her most impressive performance to date, a dominating 10 1/4-length victory in Sunday's $70,330 Busher Stakes at Aqueduct.

Receiving a ground-saving trip from Channing Hill, What a Pear bided her time in third position before launching a bid at the three-eighths pole and quickly inhaling the pacesetting My Anguilla by the quarter pole. Turning for home, it was only a matter of the margin as Hill hit What a Pear just once right-handed before taking her in hand the last 50 yards.

When Moonlit Habit rang up the tote board at $117 in the fifth race on Sunday at Santa Anita, the die was cast. By the end of the card, no one had hit the pick six, leading to a carryover of $169,419 heading into Wednesday's races.

There are eight races on Wednesday, with first post time at 1 p.m. Pacific. The pick six begins on the third race, with a post time of approximately 2 p.m.