Tortuga Flats won three straight stakes races on dirt earlier in her career, but improved her turf record to 2 for 2 with an optional claiming win last weekend at Louisiana Downs and will focus this year on grass racing, trainer Ralph Irwin said.

Tortuga Flats registered her first turf win in the $52,000 Elge Raspberry last July at Louisiana Downs. Her latest victory on the grass came in an open-company optional claimer May 18, when she stalked the pace in the about one-mile turf race, then powered to a 1 3/4-length win.

AUBURN, Wash. - The wait is almost over.

Flamethrowintexan, who won last year's Grade 3 Longacres Mile en route to horse of the meeting honors at Emerald Downs, is scheduled make his first start of the year in Monday's $45,000 FSN Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Showing Up, one of the leading turf horses in North America, will be out indefinitely after developing a tear to a suspensory ligement in his left foreleg, trainer Barclay Tagg said Thursday.

Tagg said Showing Up will be out of training for a minimum of three months. He would not speculate on whether Showing Up would be able to run again this year.

"I'm not going to run him for three months," Tagg said. "I'm going to see if I can get it better. It's pretty minor right now, and if I can get it better I'd like to get it better.

The emergence of jockey Kevin Krigger early this season at Suffolk Downs has shot excitement into the local riding colony. Young riders with his credentials and skills don't usually ply their trade here, and so the burning question is, "What's he doing here?"

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Lady of Venice could be sitting on a big year for Martin Schwartz and trainer Patrick Biancone, and her season will begin to pick up steam on Monday, when she makes her second start of the year in the Grade 3, $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff at Lone Star Park.

The one-mile turf race for fillies and mares will serve her as a stepping-stone to the Grade 2, $1 million CashCall Mile Invitational Stakes at Hollywood Park on July 6.

MIAMI - Trainer Marty Wolfson will have all angles covered, both quality- and quantity-wise, when it comes to Saturday's $50,000 Sara's Success Stakes on the grass at Calder.

Wolfson, who ran off a streak of five consecutive victories over a three-day span here last weekend, has entered three members of his turf-rich barn in the 7 1/2-furlong Sara's Success. The trio consists of Silver Charades and El Bank Robber, who own the highest and second-highest last-out Beyer Speed Figures in the lineup, and the 3-year-old Snow Cone.

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Nothing like a win to help ease the pain.

Trainer Pat Mouton, who underwent surgery for a bad back on May 7, undoubtedly could be seen grimacing a bit when he was putting the saddle on Cort’s P. B. for last Saturday’s Big Earl Stakes. A little more than a minute and three seconds after the latch was sprung for the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for Louisiana-breds, Mouton was noticeably lighter on his feet. Cort’s P. B. crossed the wire almost five lengths in front, coming within .20 of the track standard, set in 1994 by Fighting K.

Arapahoe Park in Aurora, Colo., has made some key changes to its racing program for its 36-date mixed meet for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses that opens on Saturday. The season will run through Aug. 12.

Arapahoe has moved 10 of its 36 stakes races to Mondays, and is beginning its meet a few weeks earlier than usual. The new start date has resulted in a full barn area.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A second-level allowance race on a Wednesday evening here at Woodbine may not seem like such stuff as Queen's Plate dreams are made on.

But that's the path that will be followed by Mike Fox, who defeated older rivals over 1 1/16 miles and should make his next appearance in the $1 million Queen's Plate on

June 24.

"I was impressed," said Ian Black, who trains Mike Fox for D. Morgan Firestone. "They were tough enough older horses. I thought it was a good performance."

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The announcement Wednesday that Santa Anita will install a Cushion Track synthetic surface this summer was met with approval among trainers at Hollywood Park, a venue that has received strong support from horsemen since installing a similar surface last summer.