NEW ORLEANS - Local hero Mystery Giver returns to the scene of some of his greatest triumphs in Saturday's feature race at Fair Grounds, the inaugural running of the $75,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

Mystery Giver is one of the most accomplished grass runners in Fair Grounds history, a winner of more than $1 million on the turf. A gelded 8-year-old son of Dynaformer, he won the Fair Grounds Breeders' Cup three years in a row, from 2002 to 2004, and added a victory in the $500,000 Mervin Muniz Handicap at Fair Grounds in 2004.

Cee's the Point has won 3 of his last 4 starts, and the sharp form coupled with his versatile running style could give him a slight edge Saturday in a competitive renewal of the $50,000 KLAQ Handicap at Sunland Park.

The 5 1/2-furlong race is for 3-year-olds and up, and it is one of three stakes on the opening weekend card. In other action, Rocky Gulch heads the $125,000 Johnie Jamison for New Mexico-breds, while Gotta Get will be aiming for his sixth straight win when he starts in the $125,000 Jess Burner Memorial, a restricted Grade 1 for Quarter Horses.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The 32nd annual Sovereign Awards ceremony, honoring the best in Canadian Thoroughbred racing and breeding, will take place Saturday evening at the InterContinental Toronto Centre.

A total of 20 awards will be presented and the festivities will climax with the announcement of the three finalists and winner of the Horse of the Year award for 2006.

The three finalists in 15 other categories were announced on Dec. 7 by the Jockey Club of Canada.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Slot machines won't be the only new additions awaiting fans and horsemen when racing returns to Gulfstream Park for the 2007 season beginning on Jan. 3.

In response to concerns raised by patrons and trainers during the 2006 race meet, the first conducted with the newly constructed Gulfstream Park grandstand, track management has renovated several areas of the facility, including the paddock, winner's circle, and the north park area of the grandstand.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Moonlite Romance and Bank Emblem bring the biggest bankrolls into Saturday's Bay Meadows feature, a first-level allowance race at six furlongs.

But Moonlite Romance might be considered an underachiever, while Bank Emblem is something of an overachiever.

Both are 3-year-olds, and both started in the claiming ranks.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - In gymnastics, 10 is a perfect score. In the Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity on Saturday at Hollywood Park, 10 is the outside post, the one drawn by the likely favorite, the unbeaten Belgravia. To keep his record perfect, Belgravia will have to perform some gymnastics. He must overcome the outside post, the short run to the first turn in the 1 1/16-mile race, nine rivals eager to knock him off, and the possibility of rain.

The New England Turf Writers will present 17 awards next summer to the region's top horses and horsemen of 2006, and will recognize two of the circuit's adopted favorite sons. The turf writers has announced the winners in each category, except for horse of the year.

Jockey Jerri Nichols was killed in a car accident on Interstate-10 near Lake Charles, La., on Wednesday night, Bobby Granger, agent for her husband, jockey Kirk LeBlanc, confirmed. LeBlanc was in the car with Nichols, but escaped serious injury, was released from a local hospital and went home with family, said Granger.

LeBlanc had seven mounts on Wednesday night’s card at Delta Downs, the Vinton, La., track that is located near Lake Charles.

Nichols and LeBlanc were married three years ago. Both have long been based in Louisiana.

Turfway Park canceled its second through ninth races on Wednesday evening due to a power outage. Racing is expected to resume on Thursday.

Fresh off becoming the first New Mexico-bred Thoroughbred to earn $1 million, Rocky Gulch is back at his home base of Sunland Park and is expected to start in a handful of races at the meet. His first stakes engagement is Saturday, when he takes on a competitive group of New Mexico-breds in the $125,000 Johnie L. Jamison.

Rocky Gulch went over the $1 million mark in earnings on the New Mexico Cup program last month at Zia Park, when he won the $212,000 Classic. He has spent much of his time at Sunland, where he has won 7 of 16 starts and $617,853.