ALBANY, Calif. - Three young men - jockeys Joel Rosario and Luis Contreras, and their agent, Ramon Silva - are making a big splash at Golden Gate Fields.

Rosario, a 22-year-old rider from the Dominican Republic, arrived in northern California in November and finished ninth in the Bay Meadows jockey standings during the fall meet. He is currently second at Golden Gate Fields with 26 victories, six ahead of third-place rider Jason Lumpkins. Russell Baze, who is expected to return to action Thursday after sustaining a cracked rib on Jan. 28, leads with 41 victories.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - If the last three legs of Thursday's late pick four at Aqueduct summon a sense of deja vu, it's because you have seen them before. A restricted claiming sprint carded as Thursday's ninth race was supposed to be race 6 last Saturday; and Thursday's two events that contain first-level allowance conditions, races 7 and 8, were originally races 5 and 6 last Sunday.

It would be unwise, however, to merely skim over the familiar-looking fields and arrive at the same handicapping conclusions.

NEW ORLEANS - It's 9:15 on Monday morning at Fair Grounds, and the Steve Asmussen barn radiated all the tranquility of a midtown Manhattan rush hour. Horses being removed from automated walking machines, baths given, blood samples taken, exercise riders reporting back after routine gallops - 20 people going 30 directions, most with some piece of information to convey.

Typical day.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - After a one-week hiatus from racing brought about by a winter blast, Oaklawn springs back into action on Thursday with sprinters Smoke Smoke Smoke, Monkey Hill, Urban Guy, and Marq French matching speed in the featured eighth race. The $80,000 optional claimer will be run at six furlongs, and is part of a pick six that has a carryover of $60,007.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Johannesburg Star, the beaten favorite in the Count Fleet Stakes, was shipped from Aqueduct to south Florida over the weekend and will be pointed to the Grade 2, $350,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 3 at Gulfstream Park. Johannesburg Star had been pointing to Saturday's Whirlaway Stakes here.

Horsemen and officials at Turfway Park said Monday that they are closely monitoring the Polytrack surface at the Florence, Ky., track, where more equine injuries apparently have occurred this winter than during the same time frame last year.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey William Antongeorgi III lost his apprentice allowance on Sunday, but it does not seem to have hurt his business.

On Wednesday's eight-race program at Santa Anita, Antongeorgi has six mounts, including top contender Silk Kerchief in the featured $59,000 allowance race. Silk Kerchief and Antongeorgi are old friends. Antongeorgi guided Silk Kerchief to two victories in allowance races in late 2006.

"She is one of my favorite fillies to ride," Antongeorgi said on Sunday. "Hopefully, we can keep it going."

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Strong Contender, scratched Saturday morning from the Grade 1 Donn Handicap, has been retired, trainer John Ward confirmed on Monday.

Strong Contender, a 4-year-old son of Maria's Mon owned by John Oxley, suffered a tear in the top of his right front tendon just behind the knee. Ward believes Strong Contender incurred the injury shortly after the start of the Hal's Hope Handicap here Jan. 6 when he was knocked sideways by another horse moments after leaving the starting gate.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who has not ridden since Nov. 26 because of rib injuries and subsequent knee surgery, said over the weekend that he is hoping to return to riding in early March after suffering complications from the knee operation he underwent in December.

Valenzuela said he is hoping to see a doctor later this week to discuss the condition of his right knee. He offered no precise timetable for a return.

NEW ORLEANS - Who knows if there are any future stars in this year's edition of the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, but it seems like half the 3-year-old crop has been entered in the race.