Paul Jones, the four-time defending national Quarter Horse training champion and the solid choice to win the 2006 national title, has four horses in the Grade 1, $192,000 Southern California Derby and the probable odds-on favorite in the Grade 1, $50,000 Marathon National on Sunday night at Los Alamitos.

In the Southern California Derby, Jones will send out Spike It and Fly, the fastest qualifier, as well as Volcom, In Dispute, and Redwood Creek.

Snowbound Superstar brings an undefeated record at 870 yards into the 870-yard Marathon for Jones.

Terry Thompson rode a winner on Nov. 26, opening day of the Turfway Park holiday meet, bringing him to within two of hitting the 2,000-win milestone.

Thompson then retreated to Ankeny, Iowa, which he has made his year-round home for the past five years with his wife and four children. Two thousand, it seems, can wait, and with good reason.

Mr. Trieste, a dominant handicap horse in New Mexico, will make the penultimate start of his career on Sunday, defending his title in the $200,000 Zia Park Distance Championship in a field that includes the up-and-coming Majestic Stream.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Five stakes will be run on Sunday's 15th Oregon Championship Day program, which is devoted entirely to Oregon-breds.

The $48,000 Os West Oregon Futurity at a mile tops the stakes menu, and Ex Mountain Cop is the one to beat.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The front-runners Ball Four and Flamethrowintexan will have a showdown of their own in Sunday's $100,000 Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park. But they cannot get too carried away.

If a speed duel develops, there are several stalkers and closers capable of meaningful late runs.

Tampa Bay Downs is reducing the takeout on three wagers starting with the opening-day card of its 2006-07 meet on Saturday. The takeout on daily doubles and quinellas will drop from from 20 percent to 19 percent, and the takeout on pick threes will go from from 25 percent to 21.5 percent.

Other takeout rates will remain the same, with win, place, and show takeout at 18 percent, exactas at 21.5 percent. The trifecta and superfecta takeout will stay at 25.9, while pick fours will remain subject to a 25 takeout.

CHICAGO - It might - might, mind you - have been all of 17 degrees on Thursday afternoon at Hawthorne Race Course, with a chill wind whipping out of the northwest. Perfect horseracing weather, hey?

Hark back to summertime in Chicago, and take a look at the top 10 riders from the Arlington Park meet.

NEW ORLEANS - Jockey James Graham went 48 races without a win at the start of the Fair Grounds meet before breaking out with three consecutive victories on Thursday's card. The first was a front-running score aboard Scarlet Butterfly in the seventh race. As he returned to the jockeys' room, well-wishers shouted congratulations to Graham, who flashed a smile in acknowledgement.

"I had a real case of second-itis," said Graham. "But you know things happen like that. You have to roll with the punches. My agent told me, 'Just keep trying, keep doing what you're doing.' "

Tampa Bay Downs is reducing the takeout on three wagers starting with the opening-day card of its 2006-07 meet on Saturday. The takeout on daily doubles and quinellas will drop from from 20 percent to 19 percent, and the takeout on pick threes will go from from 25 percent to 21.5 percent

Other takeout rates will remain the same, with win, place, and show takeout at 18 percent, exactas at 21.5 percent. The trifecta and superfecta takeout will stay at 25.9, while pick fours will remain subject to a 25 takeout.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Tom Bush was planning on giving Finlandia and Rahys' Appeal some time off following their most recent starts. The horses had other ideas.

Thus, Bush has found two stakes races in Southern California for his New York-breds. Finlandia, winner of the Ticonderoga Handicap in her most recent start, is scheduled to run in the Grade 2, $150,000 Dahlia Handicap at 1o1/16 miles on turf at Hollywood Park on Dec. 18.