ALBANY, Calif. - Victorina may have opened new vistas with her three-quarter-length victory over Unspoken Word in Sunday's Marina Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.

It was her first win around two turns - not that she had run poorly before at a mile or longer. She was third in the Grade 3 Dogwood, a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs, in 2006, losing by a length and a head. She was second to Secret Scheme in the 1 1/16-mile Noe Valley, beaten three lengths, and then ran second to Bai and Bai by three-quarters of a length in the 1 1/16-mile Muir Woods here in 2006 and 2007.

STICKNEY, Ill. - If Unreal Rocket can reach back into the past and retrieve the early speed she used to show, she has a chance to wire the field in the featured fourth race on Wednesday at Hawthorne. If she cannot - who knows what will happen in this third-level sprint allowance race also open to $40,000 claimers.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Santa Anita will cut overnight purses for its upcoming winter-spring meeting by approximately 7 to 10 percent, according to director of racing Mike Harlow.

The cuts, which have not been finalized pending discussions with the Thoroughbred Owners of California, are a reflection of a poor economy and a year-long decline in parimutuel handle on many major circuits, Harlow said.

"The same numbers are happening at all meets," Harlow said. "People are coming to the track with less money. The numbers don't lie."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Saturday's Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes looked like a showdown between Spice Route and Seaside Retreat, the second- and fourth-place finishers in the Grade 1 Canadian International. But it was the little-known German runner Lauro who sprung a 9-1 upset in the 1 3/8-mile event, under an astute ride from Tyler Pizarro.

There was no confirmed front-runner in the five-horse field, and Lauro inherited the lead and never looked back, scoring by a half-length over Seaside Retreat, while carrying 116 pounds.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As good a fall meet as Mike Maker and Ken McPeek enjoyed at Keeneland, it looks like Churchill Downs will be even better for both.

Maker won his first Keeneland training title with nine winners, beating McPeek by one. And when Churchill opened its 26-day fall meet Sunday, both men came out with guns blazing: McPeek sent out four winners on the 11-race card, while Maker countered with three.

"I've won three races in a day multiple times," McPeek said. "But this was the first time for four. We're having a lot of fun."

All-sources wagering was down more than 17 percent from corresponding 2007 dates at the 17-day fall meet that ended Saturday at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. Total wagering was more than $115.6 million, down substantially from the nearly $140 million wagered last fall.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Trainer Rob Gilker capped off a big weekend with a win by Tommy Danzigger in the $107,674 Ascot Graduation for 2-year-old colts and geldings at Hastings on Sunday.

Gilker also won the $108,134 Fantasy Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on Saturday with Fashionable Affair. The 1 1/16-mile Ascot and Fantasy are the only middle-distance stakes races for 2-year-olds at Hastings.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Jockey Frank Fuentes won his fourth straight $100,000 stakes race at Hastings, taking the $108,134 Fantasy Stakes aboard Fashionable Affair on Saturday.

Fuentes’s streak began with the Jack Diamond Futurity on Oct. 5. His next two wins in races worth $100,000 or more were in the Grade 3 Ballerina and Grade 3 Premiers.

Favored Victorina ($5) scored her first victory around two turns, rallying strongly to win the $51,950 Marina Stakes at one mile Sunday at Golden Gate Fields.

A multiple stakes winner, Victorina was content to sit in a perfect midpack stalking position behind Unspoken Word. She moved three wide on the second turn and put her head in front in the lane, continuing strongly under a vigorous ride by William Antongeorgi to defeat the game Unspoken Word by three-quarters of a length in 1:37.32. Vanguarda was third another length back.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Magna Graduate flaunted his class when overhauling Greeley's Conquest inside the eighth pole and powering away to a 2 1/4-length triumph Sunday in the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap, the opening-day highlight at the 26-day Churchill Downs fall meet.