If ever the foundation was properly laid for a horse to make his stakes debut, such is the case with the 3-year-old colt Brilliant. With seven starts, including back-to-back allowance victories against older rivals since he was introduced to turf, Brilliant figures as a major player when he steps up into stakes company in the Grade 2, $200,000 Jefferson Cup (race 6).

Usually a large field in a stakes race is a reflection of a closely matched group, one in which there is not a standout entrant. Saturday's 11-horse Regret Stakes appears an exception.

Lady of Venice, from the powerhouse turf stable of trainer Patrick Biancone, looms a short-priced favorite in the Grade 3, $200,000 Regret after winning her U.S. bow in the Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland on April 23. In the Appalachian, she quickly recovered from a tardy start, and blew away her opponents in the stretch with a powerful turn of foot.

With a $100,000 purse, the Grade 3 Mint Julep offers the least in monetary worth among the six graded stakes Saturday at Churchill. But Tom Proctor, who trains a primary contender, Rich in Spirit, in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares, said he believes there might be a little something extra awaiting the winner.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The calendar year isn't quite half over, but the first half of the racing year essentially is. One week after the Triple Crown season came to its conclusion, the season for

deciding championships in virtually every division can now get under way in earnest.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Calder shipper Take D' Tour ran a solid field of fillies and mares off their feet when she went gate to wire to win the Grade 2 Shuvee Handicap last month at Belmont Park.

After returning home, Take D' Tour is back at Belmont, where she will meet an even better group in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 . In addition to the Shuvee runner-up, Balletto, Take D' Tour meets Grade 1 winners Spun Sugar, In the Gold, and the very solid Nothing But Fun in the 1 1/16-mile race.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - finds herself in a familiar position in Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs. Once again, she is trying to beat a filly from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher.

In a couple of high-profile match-ups with Pletcher representatives, Happy Ticket ran

second by a half-length to Ashado in last fall's Grade 1 Beldame at Belmont and second by a neck to Spun Sugar last time out in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn April 8.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Gold Strike, Canada's reigning champion 3-year-old filly, heads a quality field of five fillies and mares in Saturday's $100,000 Hill 'n' Dale Stakes at Woodbine.

A season in one of three stallions standing at Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Kentucky will be awarded to the owners of the first three finishers in the 1 1/16-mile race. The stallions are El Corredor, Stormy Atlantic, and Candy Ride.

Six weeks later, the three are back in Saturday's $100,000 Affirmed Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Hollywood Park. Those who run well in the Affirmed could come back in the Swaps Breeders' Cup Stakes on July 8.

went into the Kentucky Derby with high expectations. He won the San Felipe Stakes in March and finished third in the Santa Anita Derby. Trained by John Shirreffs for Stan Fulton, A. P. Warrior finished 18th in the Kentucky Derby, emerging with several bumps and bruises, Shirreffs said.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A sense of humor is helping trainer Richard Mandella as he struggles through an 0-for-17 slump at Hollywood Park this spring.

"I'm walking around silly from losing," he said on Thursday.

The stable has had five second-place finishes at the meeting, including in the Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap on May 13. It could be Spellbinder that ends the drought when he starts in Saturday's $250,000 Californian Stakes. The Grade 2 Californian is a prep to the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 8.

CALGARY, Alberta - Saturday's 76th running of the Alberta Derby promises to be the most

competitive renewal in many years, with a field of 11 contesting the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds here at Stampede Park. The highlight of the 47-day stand, which concludes on Sunday, the $125,000 Alberta Derby will run as the ninth and final race on a strong Saturday afternoon program.