Trainer Jaime Gomez, winner of three of the last six Kindergartens, has four maiden winners ready for the trials to Grade 1, $330,000 Kindergarten on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

Corona Couture won her maiden by 1 3/4 lengths in 15.46 seconds for 300 yards, the distance of the Kindergarten trials. Jess Sass Me, out of champion and 2001 Kindergarten winner Sassy Smith, was a first-time winner in 15.49 seconds. Rounding out Gomez's foursome are Prtizis Honor, a winner in 15.76 seconds, and Check This Beduino, a winner in 15.70 seconds.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Judging by the company he has been keeping, Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk probably deserves top billing in Friday's Woodbine headliner, a $71,300 allowance with an optional claiming price of $80,000.

Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk has proven to be a profitable claim for Tucci Stable and Sid Attard, Woodbine's leading trainer in 2004 and 2005. After they claimed him for $50,000 last July, he captured two optional claimers and ran second in the Kenora and Mt. Sassafras stakes.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Like a Gem's ultimate goal is the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, which will be run over 1 1/8 miles on June 11.

But in the meantime, there's no reason to believe that Like a Gem can't take home the top prize here in Sunday's seven-furlong Fury for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies.

"This filly just keeps getting better," said trainer Danny Vella, who sent out Like a Gem to work four furlongs in 48.60 seconds under regular rider Robert Landry at Woodbine on Wednesday. "Racing has made her better. She's matured."

AUBURN, Wash. - It will be one more sprint and then back to the drawing board with Starbird Road, the hero of Sunday's $40,000 Seattle Handicap at six furlongs.

Trainer Sharon Ross said Starbird Road, a 5-year-old son of Count the Time, will run in the 6 1/2-furlong FSN Handicap on May 29, but that he will not follow the local stakes schedule around two turns.

"He'll get 6 1/2 furlongs with no problem, but we don't think he'll go long," said Ross. "I wouldn't want to discourage him by asking him to do something he can't do."

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Foxysox tore up more than just her opposition in the Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita last month. She did the same to trainer Carla Gaines's staff on the morning of the race.

Foxysox bit a groom, causing his hand to bleed. Later, the filly stepped on the foot of an assistant trainer. Then she went out and won her third consecutive race in the Grade 3 Providencia.

So far this week, things have been quieter in advance of Foxysox's appearance in Saturday's $100,000 Senorita Stakes at Hollywood Park.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Had Le Copain not run into the juggernaut that was jockey Rafael Bejarano at Santa Anita on April 8, the 5-year-old might have won a lucrative optional claimer.

Instead, finished second in the first race on the Santa Anita Derby program behind Bejarano's mount, Hockey the General. It was the first of six winners on the afternoon for Bejarano.

Friday at Hollywood Park, Le Copain is entered in a $51,000 allowance race at 1 1/16 miles - and Bejarano is well out of the picture, riding in Kentucky.

Apprentice jockey Julien Leparoux won five races at Churchill Downs on Wednesday's 10-race card.

Leparoux, who shared the Keeneland riding title with Rafael Bejarano, won the second race with Lovetheprospect ($21.20), the fifth with Grand Survival ($11.80), the seventh with Royal Guard (11.80), the ninth with Quest Star ($7.40) and the nightcap with Shimmering Duchess ($12).

Leparoux, 22, is the first rider to win five races on a card at Churchill Downs since Robby Albarado on July 9, 2005.

ALBANY, Calif. - The popular starter allowance races for runners that have run for a claiming tag of $40,000 or less and have never won two races are a way station for trainers and their horses. The races are claim-proof, giving trainers a race to make a proper assessment of where their horse will ultimately fit.

Eight runners in that situation meet in Friday's Golden Gate Fields feature, which is at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

PHOENIX - You don't often hear jockeys sounding relieved when their horse is passed in the lane, but that was exactly how rider Scott Stevens felt as his mount Hey Slick got passed by favorite Corporal Tillman in midstretch of Saturday's $57,600 Arizona Breeders' Derby.

"I'm just glad that other horse passed us because my horse stopped when he got the lead at the head of the lane," said Stevens. "He needs somebody to run at."

That's just what he got, and Hey Slick rerallied to edge Corporal Tillman by a head at the end of the 1 1/16-mile event.

From staff to stakes, a number of changes have been made at Louisiana Downs, the Bossier City, La., track and slots casino that will open for a 93-date meet on Friday. The season will run through Oct. 21.

Louisiana Downs, following last year's meet, hosted an abbreviated Fair Grounds season that ended in January, and since then, change has swept through the plant. Mark Midland was named the new vice president of racing operations following the February resignation of Ray Tromba.