SAN MATEO, Calif. - Sometimes a horse can provide a trainer with a pleasant surprise. Looksflip'n', who began her career in a maiden claiming race, has done that for Billy Morey, and he hopes the 4-year-old filly can improve off her first two races on Friday at Bay Meadows.

Looksflip'n' drew the rail against six rivals in a six-furlong starter allowance race.

Looksflip'n' had a few minor problems and took time to mature, and didn't make her debut until Dec. 6 here. Morey opted to start her for a $32,000 tag.

Hawthorne Race Course has granted jockeys Terry Houghton and Derek Bell, two of the 10 riders banned from several racetracks last fall, permission to ride at its upcoming winter-spring meet.

This is the second time Hawthorne has allowed one of the banned jockeys to ride. The track allowed Rene Douglas to ride on Jan. 1, the final day of the track's fall-winter meet. Douglas, who subsequently was granted permission to ride at Gulfstream Park, was one of the original group of riders denied access to Calder Race Course, Tampa Bay Downs, and Philadelphia Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The only way No Greater Love can win the seventh-race feature Thursday at Santa Anita is by improving off her fifth-place comeback attempt one month earlier.

If she improves, perhaps the only way No Greater Love can lose the seventh-race feature is by bad luck.

Ten fillies and mares entered the second-condition allowance sprint, in which No Greater Love will try to win for the third time on the downhill turf course. Others with downhill wins are comebacker La Tormenta, Runaway Cozzene, Squeeze Me Tight, and Princess Ezra.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Xchanger, who won the Grade 3 Sapling at Monmouth Park in September, arrived at Oaklawn Park on Tuesday morning to run in the $250,000 Southwest Stakes here Monday, said his trainer, Mark Shuman.

Xchanger made the 18-hour van ride to Arkansas from his Fair Hill training center base in Maryland. He is making his first start of the year in the one-mile Southwest, following a troubled third-place finish in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Jackpot at Delta Downs in his last start Dec. 1.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Stormello will duck no one. The California-based Stormello will ship to Gulfstream Park for his 3-year-old debut March 3 in the Grade 2, $350,000 Fountain of Youth, the same race targeted by current Kentucky Derby favorite Nobiz Like Shobiz.

Stormello has not raced since winning the Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity on Dec. 16, but owner-trainer Bill Currin said the 3-for-7 colt is up the challenge.

"I can't hold him to the ground anymore, and I don't want to be accused of ducking anything," Currin said Tuesday at Hollywood Park. "I want to take on the best."

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Oaklawn Park has earned a reputation for producing good 3-year-olds in the last few years with horses like Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex and Lawyer Ron. Monday, the horse widely considered the track's next great hope, Hard Spun, will put his perfect 4-for-4 record to the test in the $250,000 Southwest Stakes.

Trainer Doug O'Neill and owner J. Paul Reddam probably will have a horse for the March 10 Louisiana Derby - just not the horse one might expect.

While Notional won the Risen Star Stakes last Saturday at Fair Grounds, and still was there awaiting a flight home as of Tuesday, O'Neill said he was more likely to send Liquidity to New Orleans for the Louisiana Derby. Liquidity most recently finished a close second to Ravel in the Feb. 4 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Ten older sprinters, including four couplings, entered Thursday's third race at Aqueduct. A maximum of eight will run in the $49,000 optional claimer with third-level allowance conditions, because both halves of two of the entries have the same rider named.

The Tony Dutrow-trained entry of Mister Supremo and Morine's Victory have Eibar Coa listed to ride.

Mike Smith is named on Mr. Umphrey and City Attraction, either of whom will be saddled by Juan Rodriguez, deputizing for the suspended Richard Dutrow Jr.

The word was out when Jibboom made her career debut on Jan. 14 at Fair Grounds in a turf sprint race for maiden special weights. On paper, Jibboom looked like just one of several contenders, but on the tote board, she looked exceedingly live. Sent off at odds of about 8-5, Jibboom showed why, tracking a decent pace and charging to the front with an eye-catching rally to win by three-quarters of a length.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Is it too late for a horse to get on the Triple Crown trail? Especially one that has made only one start?

Trainer Craig Dollase hopes not.

The Dollase-trained Robbos Courage is the lone Triple Crown nominee entered in Thursday's Bay Meadows feature, a $40,000 optional claimer at a mile. He is part of a three-horse entry in the field of eight.