It's time for Wiggins to make another pilgrimage to Hawthorne Race Course. And when he comes, it's not just for the refreshing winter air at the gritty Chicago track.

Since being moved from the barn of Tony Granitz into that of Dale Romans early in the summer of 2005, Wiggins only twice has ventured north from Romans's Kentucky base to take advantage of his Illinois-bred status. He won the Milwaukee Avenue last April by four lengths and the High Alexander about a year ago by nearly five, and Romans said Friday morning that Wiggins will return to defend his title in that race.

Trainer John Kimmel won last month's Maid of the Mist Stakes for New York-breds with Grand Merger, but he felt that Crosstown Traffic would have been equally as good a fit for that race.

But since Crosstown Traffic is by a New York-based stallion and Grand Merger is not, Kimmel opted to hold Crosstown Traffic out until Sunday's $100,000 Fifth Avenue Stakes at Aqueduct. The Fifth Avenue, for juvenile fillies, and the Great White Way, for juvenile colts and geldings, are both run at six furlongs on Sunday and restricted to offspring of New York-based stallions.

PORTLAND, Ore. - The best 2-year-old statebreds in Oregon will be on display in Sunday's twin stakes offerings at six furlongs, the Janet Wineberg for fillies and the Bill Wineberg for colts and geldings. In the case of the Janet Wineberg, at least, that's pretty darn good.

Blackies Cuttie will be the headliner in the Janet Wineberg, and she couldn't have been more impressive in two starts last summer at Emerald Downs. Although trainer Ben Root didn't feel he had her ready for her 5 1/2-furlong debut against $40,000 maidens on

PORTLAND, Ore. - Three rich stakes for Oregon-bred juveniles will be featured on Sunday's 10-race card at Portland Meadows.

On the Thoroughbred side, a field of eight colts and geldings will run six furlongs in the $28,000-added Bill Wineberg Stakes, while seven fillies will go the same distance in the $20,000-added Janet Wineberg. Ten Quarter Horses will contest the 350-yard Oregon-bred Juvenile Finals for a purse of $21,500 guaranteed.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Leonnatus Anteas will try to stake his claim for the Sovereign Award as this year's Canadian champion 2-year-old in Sunday's $250,000 Coronation Futurity at Woodbine.

Leonnatus Anteas made quite a splash when he made his debut in the Aug. 13 Vandal Stakes over five furlongs on the inner dirt track. Sent off at 7-1, he showed speed on the outside, then dropped back on the turn before rallying wide for a head victory in 59.86 seconds.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The winners of the last two runnings of the Cormorant division of the New York Stallion Stakes, the front-running Retribution and the stretch-running Pa Pa Da, figure to have a major say in the outcome of Sunday's renewal.

The $75,000 Cormorant, scheduled for turf, is one of four stakes on the card restricted to the progeny of New York stallions, along with the $75,000 Perfect Arc for fillies and mares on turf and two $100,000 six-furlong dirt sprints for 2-year-olds, the Great White Way for colts and geldings and the Fifth Avenue for fillies.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After finishing second in the May 5 Kentucky Oaks, the sky was the limit for Ermine. But after two resounding losses and a minor injury, she faded into racing oblivion and wasn't even the favorite for a second-level allowance condition when she returned to action last week at Churchill Downs.

Suddenly, Ermine is back in the ballgame. A seven-length triumph in the eighth race Wednesday, a $44,680 allowance, has led Ronny Werner to begin thinking big things for her again.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Although he hasn't won since his career debut in April, when he scored a 15-length victory in Germany, Proudinsky has the most interesting credentials coming into Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Bay Meadows Derby at

1 1/8 miles on turf.

Eight 3-year-olds entered the Bay Meadows Derby, including two who are making their turf debut, two who are making their second turf start, and one who is making his third.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Breeders' Cup visitors still in town Sunday could probably do worse than take in yet another day of horse racing at Churchill Downs. Unlike the day after the Kentucky Derby, when a massive cleanup effort requires the track to go dark, Churchill has made a habit of conducting racing on the Sundays after the Breeders' Cup is held here.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Stretched thin by an autumn stakes glut, the depleted 2-year-old filly division wobbles into the $100,000 Sharp Cat Stakes on Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Only seven entered the Sharp Cat, which is the sixth stakes for juvenile fillies the past seven weeks in Southern California. It follows five stakes during the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita - the Oak Leaf, Cover Gal, Anoakia, Hidden Light, and Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies. They offered something for everyone - sprinters, California-breds, and turf fillies.