ELMONT, N.Y. - It was the next-to-last race on the last day of racing on Aqueduct's inner dirt track, and it was an ordinary optional claimer with second-level allowance conditions. Who could have guessed Anew's half-length victory over Tiger would in retrospect turn out to be the toughest sprint of the winter, and that both would become contenders for Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 True North Handicap?

They came into that optional race off impressive wins in their first start of the year. But had merely won a first-level allowance at Gulfstream Park for Jimmy Jerkens.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Wend is a classy, multiple-stakes-winning mare, and Mirabilis continued her run of solid North American performances with an upset of Wend in the Distaff Turf Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard. But the filly that really jumps off the page in Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Just a Game Handicap at Belmont Park is Gorella.

That is because in 2 of her last 3 starts, turned in excellent efforts against some of the best turf males in the nation.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Officials at the New York Racing Association may have been prescient when they decided to move Tom Albertrani from Barn 4 to Barn 10 at Belmont Park this spring.

Barn 10 is the former home of D. Wayne Lukas, the last trainer to win two Triple Crown races in the same year with different horses. Albertrani can equal that feat when he saddles Deputy Glitters in Saturday's $1 million .

ELMONT, N.Y. - Dr. Larry Bramlage will be dressed for a television appearance Saturday at Belmont Park, but he would be happiest if you never saw him.

Bramlage will be the veterinarian ABC Sports turns to should there be a horse-related injury in the . The American Association of Equine Practitioners provides a vet, free of charge, to ABC, ESPN, CBS, and NBC for all their televised races, but the only time viewers see the vet is if a horse gets hurt.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Six weeks after he overwhelmed fellow California-breds in the Khaled Stakes on turf and four weeks before he is scheduled to defend his title in the Hollywood Gold Cup, Lava Man will attempt a career first in Saturday's $300,000 at Hollywood Park.

The multi-millionaire Lava Man is trying to win his first Grade 1 on turf.

Lava Man has won five stakes since he was claimed for $50,000 in August 2004, including victories in two Grade 1 dirt races, the Gold Cup last summer and the Santa Anita Handicap in March.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Captain Squire, the millionaire and four-time stakes winner, is best known as a sprinter. Trainer Jeff Mullins is hoping to change that in coming months.

, 7, tries a new distance on Saturday when he starts in the $100,000 Ack Ack Handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Hollywood Park. If Captain Squire wins, Mullins said he might run him at a mile or farther this summer.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Slewpast will try to gain some of the respect she certainly deserves when she takes on Monashee in the Strawberry Morn Stakes at Hastings on Saturday.

Slewpast, who won five stakes races in 2005, has not only lived in the shadow of her more illustrious stablemate, Regal Red, but when she was a 3-year-old last year, most of the headlines related to her division went to Monashee.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When the reliably speedy Unbridled Sidney was unable to get the early lead in the May 4 Mamzelle Stakes at Churchill Downs, her trainer was prepared to wave the white flag.

"She'd never passed a horse down the lane," said Ronny Werner. "And I mean never. Never ever."

But there's a first time for everything, and Werner watched in amazement as Unbridled Sidney, who had chased from second the entire trip, dug in to nail the race-long front-runner, Very Vegas, by a nose.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - The home team will be well represented in Saturday's $65,000 Hillsborough Handicap at Bay Meadows.

The one-mile turf race drew 10 fillies and mares, seven of whom are based in northern California.

The locally based runners should dominate the pace with Heavenly Humor, Eleanor Rose, Midwife, and Marla Bay in the race.

, runner-up in the five-furlong Monterey in her turf debut here, figure to get great stalking trips, while strong Faith could be a factor late.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - In Rush Bay, the Churchill Downs-based trainer Tom Amoss has a horse that can win the Stars and Stripes Handicap next month at Arlington Park, and in Dynalympic, Amoss has a horse that can win Arlington's prep race for the Stars and Stripes.