ALBANY, Calif. - Two additional horses in trainer Lloyd Mason's barn at Golden Gate Fields have tested positive for the equine herpesvirus, but they are showing no symptoms of the disease, said the California Horse Racing Board's equine medical director, Dr. Rick Arthur, on Tuesday. They are the second and third horses to test positive for equine herpes at Golden Gate. No horse outside of the Mason barn has tested positive.

Dr. Arthur called the test results "not terrible, but not great."

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - A forecast for unseasonably warm temperatures means it will feel like April at the Big A Thursday. Handicappers may also get a case of spring fever when they see race 3, the $65,000 Get Lucky Stakes, which is an overnight event that brightens a midweek card.

Seven 4-year-old fillies entered the one-mile Get Lucky, restricted to nonwinners of a graded stakes in 2006. The conditions, however, do not exclude Kimchi, the Sovereign Award winner as Canada's champion 3-year-old filly of 2006.

ARCADIA, Calif. - For Garrett Gomez, 2006 was a breakthrough year. He led the nation's riders in purse earnings, and is considered - along with Edgar Prado - one of the two leading candidates to be named the Eclipse Award-winning jockey for the year.

Gomez got off to a fast start in the new year. On Monday at Santa Anita, he won three races, including a pair of Grade 3 stakes. That put a smile on his face, as did the fans who shouted "happy birthday" to Gomez as he walked back to the jockeys' room after the last race. Happy 35th, indeed.

There were several candidates for the Jan. 13 Tiffany Lass out breezing last weekend in New Orleans, but the best 3-year-old filly seen so far at Fair Grounds, Total, won't be in the Tiffany Lass, having just raced Monday in the Letellier Memorial Stakes. Total made short work of her rivals there, just as she had in her other two races since finishing second in her Saratoga debut. She won Monday by 6o3/4 lengths, and the margin could have been greater.

"She was out there twitching her ears, swapping her leads, idling really," said trainer Al Stall.

Trainer Neil Howard is nothing if not patient, and the horses he trains tend to benefit from it. Take Student Council, who began his career on Aug. 28, 2004 at Saratoga by finishing last of 12, beaten almost 23 lengths. A couple months later, Student Council's close fourth of 12 at Keeneland suggested Howard had the horse going the right way, but he didn't race again for more than a year. In fact, it was not until this past June that Student Council won for the first time.

"I think the horse has got some talent, but he's been slow to mature," Howard said.

. Getting stakes to fill has become something of an iffy proposition of late in northern California, but the Muir Woods drew six runners.

Victorina, who will make her first start since winning the Ahwatukee Express at Turf Paradise on Oct. 28, drew post 5 for the Muir Woods, which will be her second try at the distance. A 4-year-old filly, Victorina was second to the talented Secret Scheme in the Noe Valley last fall.

Also in the field are the multiple stakes winner Bai and Bai, Codi Dee, Dramatic, Beautiful Dixi, and Loyal Bounty.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Torn rotator cuff. Broken pinkie. Cracked rib. Fractured wrist. Another broken pinkie.

That is the laundry list of injuries suffered by jockey C.C. Lopez in a 24-month period beginning in September 2004. Frustrating? Certainly. Frustrating enough for the 46-year-old rider to consider finding another line of work? Hardly.

ARCADIA, Calif. - More than a year ago True Xena made a winning debut at Santa Anita. But after a hard-fought second-place finish a month later in the Moccasin Stakes, she started to unravel.

Foot problems, perhaps owing to her large size, have been the Achilles' heel for True Xena. On Thursday, she returns to Santa Anita after five straight starts at Hollywood Park. More significantly, her trainer, Rafael Becerra, believes her feet are "as good as they can be."

ALBANY, Calif. – Vicarino ($2.80) put away Double Action early, pulled clear, and was not seriously challenged in the $50,275 Stinson Beach, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds at Golden Gate Fields on Monday.

Vicarino set fractions of 21.34 and 43.81, racing just in front of Double Action. Double Action dropped from contention andVicarino won the race by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:09.23. Candy's Bro finished second, seven lengths in front of Double Action, with Zoning In last in the field of four, another half-length back.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Garrett Gomez, who led the nation’s jockeys in purses in 2006, jumped out to the early lead in 2007 on Monday at Santa Anita by winning three races, including a pair of Grade 3 stakes races.

Not a bad way to start the year, or celebrate a birthday.