INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Since she beat maidens in her career debut at Del Mar in 2004, Haka Girl has failed to return to the winner's circle in six tries. In a career plagued by layoffs, she has found trouble in a few starts and was once beaten a head in a minor sprint stakes on turf.

Friday at Hollywood Park, may have found a spot to secure her second career win. A 4-year-old, she is the lone filly in a field of eight in a $51,000 allowance race at 1 1/16 miles. But with the exception of the lightly raced Mr. Wolverine, Haka Girl does not face a strong field.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - For once, things are going well at trainer Julio Canani's barn. The flamboyant trainer has been known to panic on a moment's notice and rue that his luck has turned south, certain never to improve.

No such thoughts are being are being stated this week. Monday at Hollywood Park, Canani won the Grade 1 Gamely Breeders' Cup Stakes with Shining Energy. An hour later, his Charmo ran a game second to Aragorn in the Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Horseplayers have a clever saying for what frequently occurs when a horse makes its first start after having scored at a big mutuel. "I missed the wedding, then went to the funeral," the adage goes.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Discretion might well have been the better part of valor in the case of Ready to Please. After speed horses mostly fared poorly in the May 5 Kentucky Oaks, which trainer Todd Pletcher chose to skip with Ready to Please, it appears the decision to wait for the Grade 3, $150,000 Dogwood Breeders' Cup Stakes was a prudent one.

CHICAGO - If the Prairie State Festival, Arlington Park's six-stakes day for Illinois-breds, came in late summer rather than June 24, Bluesbdancing probably would find herself racing June 17 in the Grade 3, $175,000 Chicago Breeders' Cup Handicap, a seven-furlong sprint. But statebred-restricted stakes usually are too good to pass up, which is why Bluesbdancing finds herself in the featured eighth race on Friday at Arlington, an overnight stakes prep for the Illinois-bred Isaac Murphy Handicap.

Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., where Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was based prior to his injury in the Preakness Stakes, will install an all-weather synthetic surface manufactured and designed by trainer Michael Dickinson, officials of Fair Hill and Dickinson's company, Tapeta Footings, announced on Wednesday.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Five 3-year-old fillies looking to make their name in northern California's deepest division will go six furlongs Friday night at Bay Meadows in a $40,000 optional claimer.

The race pits Hybird Diablo, Mamita Chula, Rio Rosie, Hunter's Fortune, and , with Hybird Diablo the only runner appearing for a claiming tag.

"It's been hard to get races for her," trainer Bill Morey Jr. said of Hybird Diablo, who earned a career-best 77 Beyer winning a similar race in the mud here on Dec. 31.

AUBURN, Wash. - Trainer Bill Tollett said Spanish Highway, the winner of Monday's 6 1/2-furlong FSN Handicap, exited his race in good order and will likely run back in the $75,000 Emerald Downs Handicap at a mile on June 18.

"He runs a mile better than any other distance," said Tollett. "I never thought he could sprint at all until six or eight months ago, but I guess he has proven me wrong about that."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Queen's Plate nominees Seeking Shelter and Bridgecut are among a five-horse field in Friday's third race at Woodbine, a 1 1/16-mile allowance for 3-year-olds.

CALGARY, Alberta - Super Cruise and A Fiesta Champ square off for the third consecutive time here at Stampede Park in Friday's featured sixth race, a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up at one mile.

Super Cruise drew post 3, just inside A Fiesta Champ, and will once again be ridden by Rickey Walcott.

Super Cruise's three sprint races at this meet have all been strong for trainer Dale Saunders. Now Super Cruise just has to prove he can handle the stretch-out to clear this condition.