ARCADIA, Calif. - Now that Romance Is Diane has proven herself over a distance of ground, the issue Saturday is whether she can win a race that has another front-runner.

Romance Is Diane got loose three weeks ago in her first start around two turns and scored a 16-1 front-running maiden win in a performance that makes her a favorite Saturday in the $125,000 California Cup Juvenile Fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

"She seems like a smart filly, and if other horses send, she doesn't need the lead," trainer Mike Mitchell said.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Super Strut has endured a four-race losing streak since his win in the Crystal Water Handicap at Santa Anita last March, but trainer Craig Dollase's faith in the 6-year-old gelding has not wavered. After all, the losing streak includes nothing but second- and third-place finishes in turf stakes throughout California. It is that consistency that Dollase hopes will lead Super Strut to victory in Saturday's $175,000 California Cup Mile at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The prospect of a wet track, the likelihood of a fast pace, and the presence of Edgar Prado make Annika Lass an attractive proposition in Saturday's Gradeo2, $150,000 First Flight Handicap at Aqueduct.

The First Flight, run at seven furlongs, is one of two graded stakes races on Saturday's card. The Gradeo3, $100,000 Sport Page Breeders' Cup is also on the nine-race card. With heavy rains in the forecast, the New York Racing Association opted to postpone the Grade 3, $100,000 Knickerbocker Handicap and reschedule that turf race for next Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Moscow Burning goes for her third victory in four years in the $100,000 California Cup Distance Handicap, a 1 1/4-mile turf race for fillies and mares at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting. Moscow Burning won the Distance Handicap in 2003 and 2005, and will be favored to do so again on Saturday.

The richest California-bred female in history, with earnings of $1,411,800, Moscow Burning is expected to be retired following this race. Owner Don Van Kampen plans to sell her in Kentucky next month.

PHOENIX - Victorina has won at Santa Rosa, Golden Gate, Hawthorne, and Calder, and nearly won at Bay Meadows and Churchill Downs. So surely the new surroundings of Turf Paradise won't be a significant hurdle as she leads Saturday's $40,000 Ahwatukee Express. The six-furlong event for 3-year-old fillies lured a field of 10.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Midnight Shadow will try to bolster her case for the Sovereign Award as champion 2-year-old filly in the $150,000 Fanfreluche Stakes for Ontario-breds at Woodbine on Saturday.

Midnight Shadow has won 4 of 6 starts, including three restricted stakes. She validated her authoritative maiden win in June with a game victory in the five-furlong Shady Well Stakes in July, receiving a Beyer Figure in the 80's in both races.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Chelsey's Image or Suva would wrap up local divisional honors with a win in the $75,000-added Fantasy Stakes at Hastings Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile feature for 2-year-old fillies drew eight horses, including Alberta stakes winner Dawn of Fame.

Chelsey's Image has the edge over Suva going into the Fantasy. They've met three times, with Chelsey's Image winning twice, including a narrow victory over Suva in the Sadie Diamond Futurity Sept. 30. Chelsey's Image also beat Suva in the B.C. Cup Debutante, but lost to her in the CTHS Sales Stakes.

A Cook County, Ill., district court judge on Wednesday denied jockey Jose Ferrer a temporary restraining order, so Ferrer will have to begin serving a 30-day suspension on Friday as stipulated in a ruling issued by stewards at Hawthorne on Sunday.

Average daily attendance was up slightly, ontrack handle was even, and overall handle was up 6.7 percent at the Belmont Park fall meet when compared with last year's figures. In calculating its numbers, the New York Racing Association did not include attendance and handle from Breeders' Cup Day 2005.

Things are going so well for trainer Todd Pletcher this year that he can even win a graded stakes on dirt with a son of Theatrical.

Roman Dynasty, a son of the 1987 turf champion, rallied four wide on the turn and outfinished On Board Again and Valid Notebook to win the Grade 3, $107,300 Discovery handicap by a half-length before an on opening-day gathering of 2,374 at Aqueduct.

On Board Again finished second by 2 3/4 lengths over Valid Notebook after coming over on that horse in the stretch. The stewards posted the inquiry sign, but made no change.