CHICAGO - In Ashado, trainer Todd Pletcher used to have an occasionally dominant player in the national distaff division. Now that Ashado has retired, it is Pletcher himself who is dominating the national distaff division.

Indian Vale, a horse many believe is Pletcher's best older female runner, hasn't even made her 2006 debut, but in recent weeks, Pletcher has won the Rampart at Gulfstream with Oonagh Maccool, the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn with Spun Sugar, and on Wednesday at Keeneland, the Doubledogdare with the up-and-coming Pool Land.

ARCADIA, Calif. - It will be up to Argentina and Eternal Melody to continue trainer Bobby Frankel's winning streak in Saturday's $200,000 Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita.

For the last three years, Frankel has won the Grade 2 Santa Barbara with the diminutive Megahertz, the only three-time winner of the race for fillies and mares.

Megahertz has been retired, but Frankel may have a suitable replacement in either of his two entrants in the Santa Barbara, which is run at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Running on turf and dirt, Siren Lure has won three consecutive stakes. That streak is at risk Saturday in the $100,000 San Simeon Handicap at Santa Anita, although race shape could work in favor of Siren Lure.

With ample pace expected in the San Simeon, a Grade 3 race at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course, Siren Lure's ability to stalk should come in handy.

"I'd like to see quite a bit of early lick," trainer Art Sherman said. "I know there is quite a bit of speed in there. He's one of those honest type of horses that tries every time."

ARCADIA, Calif. - Wild Buddy was so far in front at one stage of the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Handicap last month at Santa Anita that it seemed improbable he would be caught.

On the backstretch, Wild Buddy led by as many as 10 lengths in the seven-horse field, an advantage that was gone with a quarter-mile remaining. Some horses caught after such an early effort would have retreated to the back of the field, but Wild Buddy did not quit. He finished third, two lengths behind the winner, King's Drama.

In most years, the Federico Tesio Stakes allows the best 3-year-old based in Maryland a chance to show off one more time before being thrown to the wolves in the Preakness Stakes one month later.

This year, however, the best 3-year-old based in Maryland, Sweetnorthernsaint, has done enough to earn his way to the Kentucky Derby. Thus, Saturday's $150,000 Federico Tesio is a compilation of locally based horses and a few shippers seeking a nice payday, but not necessarily a Preakness berth.

Rewards beyond the usual purse money add to the appeal of three restricted stakes on the undercard of Saturday's Spring Festival of Racing program at Pimlico, which is topped by the $150,000 Federico Tesio.

Three of Maryland's leading breeding farms are each sponsoring a stakes, and each farm has donated a season to two stallions which will go to the breeders of the top two finishers in their race.

The stakes, worth up to $125,000 apiece counting bonus money, are restricted to Maryland Million-nominated or Maryland-bred horses.

Joy quickly turned to horror for the connections of Up an Octave after the 3-year-old colt won the Forerunner Stakes over the Keeneland turf Thursday afternoon. About 100 yards past the finish, Up an Octave broke down in his left foreleg, tossing jockey John Velazquez on the ground and rolling over him.

Average all-sources wagering on Laurel Park's races during the track's winter meeting that ended April 15 shot up 44 percent compared with last year, according to figures released by the Maryland track Thursday.

The average daily wagering figure on Laurel's races over 72 live racing days was $2.83 million, up from $1.96 million over 70 racing days in 2005, according to the figures. Total wagering on Laurel's races increased 48 percent, from $137.4 million to $203.8 million.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Speed will be at a premium Saturday at Woodbine when Vibank clashes with L'Argent and six other 3-year-olds in the $125,000 Woodstock Stakes.

Vibank, a Queen's Plate eligible trained by Josie Carroll, won three consecutive races here last summer, including the Victoria and Clarendon stakes. He missed the second half of 2005 after undergoing ankle surgery.

"He had a little flake in one ankle that we had taken out," Carroll said.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Langara Lass, who dominated the 2-year-old filly division at Hastings last year, makes her 3-year-old debut in the $50,000 Supernaturel Stakes at Hastings Saturday. Considering that it's her first start since Oct. 22 and that she'll be facing a racing fit and fast Bond Queen, she could be vulnerable in the 6 1/2-furlong feature.