Horses returned to the Monmouth Park backstretch Monday morning, the first being Foreverness, trained by Greg Sacco. The 99-day Monmouth meet is scheduled to run from May 9 to Sept. 28.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A decision by trainer Graham Motion to go straight to the Kentucky Derby with Adriano has made things a bit easier for those trying to make the Derby by coming in the back door Saturday in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes.

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Last season, Daniel Centeno rewrote the Tampa Bay Downs record books when he booted home 125 winners. This season, with the addition of several veteran riders and some talented newcomers to the local riding colony, many observers felt there was little chance Centeno would threaten his own mark and that he would have a battle on his hands just to repeat as leading rider.

Wrong.

Verdana Bold, a 22-1 outsider ridden by Emile Ramsammy, overtook the 3-5 favorite, Authenicat, in deep stretch to capture the $160,400 Star Shoot Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine.

Verdana Bold awaited room behind the leaders on the turn in the six-furlong dash, as Forestry's Magic led through a half-mile in 45.44 seconds. Authenicat had a wide stalking trip, and she took control nearing the eighth pole, but Verdana Bold wore her down and won by a length in 1:10.59 on Polytrack. Wonderful Luck finished third in the six-horse field.

Steve Sigler's Winning Move Stable and trainer Gary Contessa swept the pair of New York Stallion Stakes run Sunday at Aqueduct.

In the $100,000 Times Square for 3-year-old colts and geldings, Fort Drum overcame an adventurous trip to win by a half-length over longshot Express to Thewest. Thirty minutes earlier, Like a Rose won a thrilling three-way finish to nose out Study Abroad in the $100,000 Park Avenue for 3-year-old fillies. Both races were restricted to progeny of New York-based stallions.

Lightmyfirebaby was promoted from second to first in the $112,700 Las Cienegas Handicap at Santa Anita after the first-place finisher, Bahama Mama, was disqualified for causing interference in the Grade 3 race.

Bahama Mama, who led from the start on the hillside turf course, drifted to her outside when the field crossed over the dirt onto the main turf course, affecting Lightmyfirebaby and Super Freaky, who were racing to her outside.

Mr. Nightlinger registered a 21-1 upset Sunday in the Grade 3, $125,000 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland, leading virtually all the way and turning back favored Smart Enough by 1 3/4 lengths in the 5 1/2-furlong turf race.

With Jamie Theriot riding for trainer Bret Calhoun, Mr. Nightlinger returned $45.80 after finishing in 1:03.84 over a good course. A 4-year-old Indian Charlie colt, Mr. Nightlinger is now a winner in 5 of 14 career starts. He is owned by Martin Racing Stable and Carl R. Moore Management.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. -When Queen of Protocol ($18.40) upset odds-on favorite Pastel Gal in Sunday's ninth race at Aqueduct, that assured a two-card pick-six carryover of $205,953 heading into Wednesday.

Queen of Protocol was one of three double-digit winners in a sequence that had only one winning favorite. There were 50 consolation tickets (5 of 6), which returned $1,014 each.

The pick-six sequence on Wednesday is on races 4 thru 9 and includes three turf races. The weather forecast calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 60s, so conditions should be fast and firm.

ARCADIA, Calif.-There is a pick six carryover of $176,150 at Santa Anita on Monday after a series of longshots scored wins on Sunday.

Monday's pick six covers the third through eighth races on a program that begins at 1 p.m. Pacific.

The pick six races start with a starter allowance on the hillside turf course that has 11 starters, the second largest field in the pick six.

The next four races, the fourth through seventh races, are allowance races or optional claiming races. The fourth race, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, is led by Crown of Ddiamonds.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Tiz West made the successful transition from maiden race winner to stakes winner in Saturday's $109,900 La Puente Stakes at Santa Anita, remaining unbeaten on turf after two starts.

Making his fifth career start, and first against winners, Tiz West ($9.60) ran a mile on turf in 1:34.38, holding off a late run from Afleet Ruler to win the race for 3-year-olds by three-quarters of a length. Ez Dreamer finished third in the field of eight.