ELMONT, N.Y. - Discreet Cat, who suffered his first career loss when he finished last in the Dubai World Cup in March, is expected to return to the United States by the weekend, assistant trainer Rick Mettee said Monday.

The winner of the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct last fall, Discreet Cat was scheduled to be flown here from Dubai along with the talented 3-year-old Day Pass, who won the Grade 3 Nashua at Aqueduct last October before being sent to Dubai, where he ran poorly in two stakes.

ALBANY, Calif. - Two community groups, the Sierra Club and Citizens for East Shore Parks, are requesting that the city of Albany more closely study Golden Gate Fields's plans to install a synthetic race surface this summer. Their chief concerns focus on environmental issues, specifically the toxicity of the new synthetic surface on bird, animal, and marine life in the area, and how water quality will be affected by drainage from the synthetic track.

Plaer's Trump ran her career record to 4 wins from 5 starts with a determined half-length victory in the $16,500 Princess Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Lincoln under R.D. Williams.

As the front-running Dazzling Seville began to drift out on the far turn, Williams eased up inside for the victory, covering the six furlongs in 1:14.20 over a fast track.

The front-running Call on Carson repelled a bid from heavily favored Immigration turning into the stretch and drew away to a 2 1/4-length victory in the $45,000 Auburn Stakes for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.

Call on Carson, a son of Lord Carson, ran the six furlongs in 1:08 to set a stakes record for the Auburn under a strong ride from Kevin Radke. Immigration held second by three lengths over Jamaica Bound.

There was no suspense in the $75,000 Work the Crowd at Golden Gate Fields as heavily favored Somethinaboutlaura ($2.20) cantered along on the lead and was never challenged.

Under jockey Russell Baze, Somethinaboutlaura scored a two-length victory over Gentle Charmer in the 1 1/16-mile turf race. The winning time was 1:43.50 after fractions of 24.59 seconds, 49.00, and 1:13.00.

Strike Softly ($14.30) overtook the 4-5 favorite, Mary Delaney, at the eighth pole and drew away to a decisive victory in the Grade 3, $186,700 Hendrie Stakes at Woodbine.

Strike Softly, ridden by Todd Kabel for trainer Mark Frostad, prevailed by four lengths in a quick final time of 1:16.20 for the 6 1/2-furlongs. Mary Delaney held on for second, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of a stalking Bosskiri.

In his first start since taking the Cormorant Stakes last Nov. 5 at Aqueduct, Red Zipper led virtually every step of the way under Eibar Coa to take the $113,100 Kingston Handicap for New York-breds at Belmont by a half-length.

Golden Commander, the 9-5 favorite who won this race in 2005, finished second by a neck over the 2006 Kingston winner, Dave.

Red Zipper, a son of City Zip owned by Jeffrey Tucker and trained by John Morrison, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.37 over good turf.

Racing on conventional dirt or synthetic tracks, Ashley's Kitten is unbeaten. Just do not expect much from her on turf.

Ashley's Kitten won her third race, and first stakes, in Sunday's $111,000 Railbird Stakes at Hollywood Park, a loss that erased the disappointment of a ninth-place finish in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes on turf at Santa Anita last month.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Strike Softly's talent was not in question but her readiness was when she went postward in Sunday's $186,700 Hendrie here at Woodbine.

"I was uncertain whether she was dead fit," said Mark Frostad, who trains the homebred Strike Softly for Sam-Son Farm. "I was going to run her when we were at Keeneland, but she wasn't quite ready then."

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockey Tyler Baze, the nation's champion apprentice of 2000, said on Saturday that he is taking a break from riding this spring to deal with health and personal issues, but that he intends to return before the start of the Del Mar meeting on July 17.

When he returns, Baze will have a new agent. Ron Ebanks will replace Ivan Puhich, who said on Sunday that he plans to stay to stay involved in an advisory role and help Ebanks through the end of the Del Mar meeting on Sept. 5. Puhich has been Baze's agent since the jockey's career began in 1999.