HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Shug McGaughey could have sent La Reina to Louisiana Downs this weekend, where she would have been one of the outsiders in the $250,000 Bayou Breeders' Cup Handicap. His other choice was to keep her home, where she would be among the top contenders in Saturday's $75,000 Marshua's River Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

In the end, McGaughey opted for the lesser purse but easier spot in the 1 1/16-mile Marshua's River, which drew a full and evenly matched field of 12 filly and mare turf specialists, plus two also-eligibles.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Hall of Fame trainers Allen Jerkens and Shug McGaughey relaxed and chatted near the end of training hours on a beautiful morning at Gulfstream Park on Thursday, the bulk of their day's work already completed.

McGaughey was all business earlier, however, while watching his Grade 1 winner Good Reward work a half-mile in 47.20 seconds over the fast track. The work was the second-fastest of 18 at the distance for the day and was the fifth drill for Good Reward, the winner of last year's Grade 1 Manhattan, since his arrival here last month.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - It's hard to argue with bettors who want to take a stand against short-priced favorite Bohemian Lady in Saturday's $65,000 Affectionately Handicap at Aqueduct. Nine times in her 16-race career, Bohemian Lady has been favored, but she has won only two of those starts.

On the six occasions in which Bohemian Lady was favored in a stakes race, she lost. That includes a head decision to India Halo in last month's Ladies Handicap, in which Bohemian Lady was the 4-5 choice.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - His 0-for-7 Thursday notwithstanding, Gary Contessa's success this winter at Aqueduct has exceeded even the trainer's own expectations.

Through the first 26 days of the inner-track meet, Contessa has 22 wins, 10 more than Todd Pletcher and Richard Dutrow Jr. Contessa, 48, is well on his way to winning his fourth inner-track trainer's title.

Aggadan's age may not be nearly as important as the back class he brings into Saturday's $85,000 Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel Park.

Now 7, Aggadan is older than six of the seven rivals he will face in the one-turn mile race. The exception is his uncoupled stablemate, Bailero, a 7-year-old Argentine-bred who will only run if trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. decides to scratch Aggadan.

Although Aggadan was winless in 10 starts in 2005, he was beaten 1 1/4 lengths or less in three different Grade 3 stakes in New York and New Jersey.

Here Tiger, twice a stakes winner against fellow Louisiana-breds and most recently a solid second against open stakes company, returns to the statebred ranks in Saturday night's $75,000 A Toast to Junius Stakes at Evangeline Downs.

A competitive field of nine 3-year-olds will race 5 1/2 furlongs.

Annie Savoy, who is undefeated in three starts, will face the biggest test of her career when she moves back into open company for the $30,000 Cy-Fair for 3-year-old fillies at Sam Houston Race Park.

Annie Savoy was a Texas-bred stakes winner in her last start on Nov. 19, when she cruised to a 3 3/4-length win in the $50,000 Bara Lass. She will face eight open company rivals in the six-furlong Cy-Fair, including two-time stakes winner Yaddo Cat.

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Above the Wind, the 9-year-old wonder who seems to get better with age, seeks to win his third straight Pelican Stakes on Saturday when he heads a field of 13 sprinters.

An Island Whirl gelding with 19 career wins, Above the Wind makes his 2006 debut in the $60,000 Pelican and will carry 116 pounds under the allowance conditions of the six-furlong stakes. Federico Mata, Above the Wind's regular rider, has been given the return call by trainer Ron Allen Sr.

Beulah Park will introduce the Fortune 6, a 25-cent pick six, on Saturday. The bet will be paid out only if there is a single winning ticket selecting all six winners. Beulah is guaranteeing the initial pool at $50,000.

If multiple tickets are sold with six winners on any given day, those ticket-holders will split 40 percent of the gross pool wagered that day, with the remainder being added to the jackpot. On days when no ticket has six winners, those with five winners will split 40 percent of the pool wagered that day.

PHOENIX - Muir Beach, one of the leading females in the Southwest the past few years, makes her return to the races as the 122-pound highweight in Turf Paradise's $40,000 Kachina Handicap on Saturday.

The one-mile race has attracted a field of nine, with Muir Beach looming a heavy favorite and giving five to nine pounds to her rivals.

Trained by Dan McFarlane, Muir Beach has won 10 of 27 starts and more than $347,000, and five of her wins came at Turf Paradise. Last year she won this race as well as four other stakes here.