OZONE PARK, N.Y. - In the paddock, prior to the running of Saturday's Rare Treat Handicap at Aqueduct, jockey Eibar Coa asked assistant trainer Steve Moyer if it was okay to put their filly, Dina, on the lead.

"He's the leading rider here; I said 'Just do what you got to do,' '' said Moyer, the assistant to trainer Jimmy Jerkens.

What Coa did was hustle Dina out of the gate, set a pedestrian pace, and then draw off to a 4 1/4-length victory over Daytime Promise in the $70,175 Rare Treat. Dina ($6.50) covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.33.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Carl Nafzger has been playing it close to the vest when it comes to revealing where his Eclipse Award winner Street Sense will make his 3-year-old debut. Nafzger did open up just a bit on Saturday morning when he ruled out the 7 1/2-furlong Hutcheson Stakes here and cited the Tampa Bay Derby (March 17) or Rushaway Stakes (March 24) at Turfway Park as the two most likely options.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Russell Baze continued his hot streak on Friday, winning with six of his seven mounts at Bay Meadows.

Baze finished third aboard My Lacie Cat in the first race, then reeled off victories aboard Valid Star ($6) in the second, favored Ploesti Flight ($3.80) in the third, Apollo Gal ($5.40) in the fifth, Senator Matty ($6.80) in the sixth, favored Stage Fever ($3) in the seventh and favored Handsome Lover ($3.60) in the eighth.

Baze, who won three of seven races Thursday, has now won 20 races with 48 mounts at the current Bay Meadows meet.

LAUREL, Md. - Just a few feet inside the main entrance of Laurel Park on a recent weekday, a five-gallon bucket sat in the middle of the floor, catching a steady stream of droplets from a cracked roof several stories above.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Devil House has passed every test put before her, and for her next start will face the biggest challenge of her career in the Grade 2, $250,000 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park on April 6. The Fantasy became the target for Devil House after she won her fifth straight race last weekend in the $50,000 Martha Washington.

"I think she's ready for the next level," said Terry Gestes, who trains Devil House for William Stiritz.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Lava Man worked six furlongs in 1:12.20 at Hollywood Park on Friday, further strengthening his position as the favorite for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 3.

The defending champion of the Big Cap, Lava Man's time was the fastest of 20 at the distance. The workout left trainer Doug O'Neill impressed.

"I think we're on schedule with where we want to be," he said.

NEW ORLEANS - Jeff Trosclair has brought Hyte Regency back carefully from the injury he suffered in the 2006 Risen Star Stakes, and the 4-year-old could be ready for his best in Sunday's feature at Fair Grounds, a second-level allowance for older horses at 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass.

This will be the third start back for Hyte Regency. In his first start off the layoff, Hyte Regency made the lead briefly and lost by a head in a race similar to Sunday's.

"After a year off I thought it was very encouraging," trainer Jeff Trosclair said.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Sunday's Bay Meadows feature race, a $40,000 starter allowance for 3-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs, may answer some questions for trainer Ed Moger Jr.

Is Cry Me No River the monster that graduated by seven lengths in his 3-year-old debut? Or is he merely a runner that happened to freak before settling back to his normal level?

In three starts as a 2-year-old, Cry Me No River finished third in his debut and second in his other two starts, including a runner-up effort at 5 1/2 furlongs to one of Sunday's rivals, Redman.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Bishop Court Hill, the Grade 1-winning gelding who has been the dominant sprinter here this winter, is going global. The 7-year-old son of Holy Bull has joined trainer Todd Pletcher's south Florida stable to prepare for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba on March 31.

"Mr. Melnyk is attending the races in Dubai and felt like the way Bishop Court Hill has been running he deserved a chance," Pletcher said, referring to owner Eugene Melnyk. "We're going to take him over there and see what happens."

STICKNEY, Ill. - You'd think a couple guys who expected to spend the winter in Florida but found themselves holed up at an Extended Stay America just off I-55 on the southwest side of Chicago would be moping around, heads down.

But as gritty as their unexpected accommodations might feel, Derek Bell and Terry Houghton were happy campers Friday, opening day at Hawthorne Race Course.