OZONE PARK, N.Y. - When Pioneer Empire's late run fell a head short in last month's Grade 3 Gravesend Handicap, it provided trainer Kim Laudati what she called "the thrill of my life and the biggest disappointment at the same time."

Dismissed at 45-1 in the Gravesend, Pioneer Empire finished just behind fellow longshot Banjo Picker, who won the race at 47-1.

"I thought we had a huge chance in the race because he's so honest and he always gives 100 percent," Laudati said. "You get beat six inches at the wire, I couldn't believe it."

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Juggling more than one training title at a time is nothing new for Steve Asmussen. As he took the lead in the Oaklawn Park standings Saturday with three winners on the card, including the $50,000 American Beauty with More Moonlight, he was just one day from picking up his sixth straight Fair Grounds title, this year at the abbreviated meet being run at Louisiana Downs.

An outrider pony has been moved from Laurel Park into isolation at Pimlico Race Course after the horse tested positive for the equine herpesvirus, according to officials with the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Maryland Jockey Club.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Friday's second race, a $25,000 claimer at six furlongs for 3-year-olds, should give trainer Billy Morey a good idea of whether Wild Truce is a claiming horse or something better.

won his first two starts. He was claimed for $12,500 from his winning debut, then won by 13 lengths when he was boosted to the $16,000 level against winners.

It hasn't taken long for a pair of owners whose horses usually race at Turf Paradise to find their way into the deeper end of the pool. Chris Eaton is headed to Santa Anita with his mare Allbow for Saturday's $500,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf, while Mark Dyer will be heading east to Gulfstream Park with Night Dash for the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf.

Allbow has post 3 and will be ridden by Miguel Hernandez, while Night Dash landed post 8 and Chris DeCarlo. Both races are at 1 1/8 miles.

Bettors will have plenty of good-looking recent form to work with in Friday night's $50,000 Genesis Stakes at Evangeline Downs, at least on paper. No fewer than five of the 3-year-old fillies entered are coming off a win, and while none of those victories came in stakes company, several in the field will likely be sporting plenty of black type before the year is out.

Later this meet, Middleweight could attempt a sweep of Sam Houston Race Park's biggest races for older horses. He won the first half of the equation last Saturday night, with his 1 1/4-length score in the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup on dirt. Middleweight is also a stakes winner on turf, the surface of the Grade 3, $200,000 Connally Breeders' Cup at 1 1/8 miles on April 8.

"The Connally could be on our radar," said Al Stall Jr., who trains Middleweight for Peter Gaffney and Stewart Madison.

It wasn't as easy as her previous three wins, but Peppers Pride remained unbeaten with a terrific late rally in last Saturday's $125,000 La Senora Handicap at Sunland Park, drawing rave reviews from her trainer, Joel Marr.

"She's one of the best fillies I have ever trained," Marr said. "It's a pretty good feeling. She makes things easier on me."

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The eighth Kentucky Derby Future Wager opens Thursday for a four-day run, the earliest opening date since Churchill Downs officials began offering parimutuel futures on their signature race in 1999.

Last year, Pool 1 of the future wager was held Feb. 10-13, its customary calendar slot. Since Churchill has a policy of separating the three pools in the annual future wager by at least four weeks, and with the Super Bowl to be played on Feb. 5 this year, company officials decided to go to the earlier opening dates.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - When former jockey Donna Barton Brothers decided last summer that she wanted to start exercising horses in the morning once again, she didn't have to look very far to find work. She just passed her impressive resume across the kitchen table to her husband, trainer Frank Brothers, and just like that she had herself a job.