ARCADIA, Calif. - Wilko has had more surgeries than victories since he won the 2004 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Lone Star Park.

The 5-year-old returns from his latest setback, a severe case of colic last fall, to start in an optional claimer over a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Saturday.

For his ever-optimistic connections - owner Paul Reddam and trainer Craig Dollase - the comeback race is a chance for Wilko to break a 13-race losing streak dating back to the BC Juvenile and show that this winner of more than $2.4 million can be competitive at racing's highest level.

Very little has changed since last year on the Monmouth Park stakes schedule. Aside from the shift of one turf stakes from late August to the season's first stakes and a $50,000 purse boost to one of the track's 10 Grade 3 events, the 2007 schedule closely resembles the 2006 stakes package.

The $4.4 million stakes schedule released Thursday does not include any of the races that will be run during the special four-day Breeders' Cup mini-meet in late October or any overnight stakes.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla - Corinthian returned to the scene of his biggest disappointment to turn in the most impressive performance of his short career, drawing off to a convincing 9 1/2-length victory over the 2006 Belmont Stakes winner, Jazil, in Thursday's $48,000 co-feature at Gulfstream Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Ronny Werner may have picked an ideal time to send his stakes-winning filly Ermine to California.

The winner of the Grade 2 Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs in her last start, in November, Ermine may go favored in Saturday's $250,000 Santa Maria Handicap for older fillies and mares at Santa Anita.

Harems Legacy, a $330,000 yearling purchase at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale, comes off a maiden victory to start in the fifth of six 350-yard trials to the Maiden Stakes at Los Alamitos on Saturday night.

The Maiden Stakes entrants are 3-year-olds who did not win their maiden by Dec. 1, 2006. The $135,000 finals will be held on March 3.

The long arm of the Todd Pletcher stable reaches to Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday, where the consistent sprinter Yes Yes Yes may be favored to win the $75,000 Super Stakes. Or he may not. There are plenty of ways to go in the seven-furlong Super, which drew a huge field of 14 that should challenge even the heartiest handicapper.

As the only stakes winner in a field of nine 3-year-old fillies, Laila's Punch may appear to be a lock and a likely single in the first leg of this weekend's Magna 5 wager.

Although Laila's Punch crushed six rivals in last month's Marshua Stakes, earning an 83 Beyer Speed Figure that compares favorably to the competition she will face in Saturday's $90,000 Wide Country at Laurel Park, there are a couple reasons for concern.

Half Heaven might be making her final career start Saturday at Turfway Park in the Likely Exchange Stakes, or she might not. The 5-year-old mare was purchased at auction last November with the idea of perhaps having her bred in the spring. "But if she runs big again Saturday, she might stay in training," said her trainer, Dale Romans.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Originally, it appeared that Saturday's $150,000 Davona Dale Stakes might provide an early-season treat - a matchup of Eclipse Award winner Dreaming of Anna and trainer Shug McGaughey's promising Grade 2 winner Boca Grande. In the end, however, both fillies passed the one-mile race, which serves as a steppingstone to the meet's most important race for 3-year-old fillies, the Grade 2 Bonnie Miss on March 10.

NEW ORLEANS - The deep and talent-packed field of 3-year-old fillies entered in Saturday's Grade 3 Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds seems certain to produce at least one prospect for the important spring stakes to come, including the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks on March 10. All of the top contenders, though, have questions they must answer.

Will Total show the same ability going around two turns that she has demonstrated in sprints? Will Get Ready Bertie continue to improve as the distances increase?