Something has to give in Thursday's $50,000 optional claiming feature at Aqueduct. Seven of the eight entrants come into the mile-and-70-yard event off a big race; only one did not finish first or second in his last start. The money figures to be spread, but it may well be Happy Hunting of the Phipps family stable who grabs the spotlight.

CHICAGO - If a bettor thinks a racetrack plays to speed, the first thing is to find the speed. So there's a problem in Thursday's featured fifth race at Hawthorne.

The race is for third-level allowance horses or $35,000 claimers at 1 1/16 miles, but there isn't a definitive front-runner among the 10 entrants.

Maybe will be sent from the eight-hole. But is making the front end actually preferable right now at Hawthorne?

ALBANY, Calif. - Thursday's Golden Gate Fields feature, a six-furlong, $80,000 optional claimer for 2-year-old fillies, is a stakes by any other name.

The one to beat in the field of seven is , who may have been best in the Piedmont Stakes in her last start when she lost by a head to Talverna. Seam Seeker experienced traffic problems and had to wait for room at the quarter pole into the stretch before closing with a rush.

"She's a nice filly - classy," said trainer Ed Moger Jr.

Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M., closed out its inaugural meet Sunday and handled an average of $270,000 a day on its races during its mixed meet for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. Purses for the meet averaged $257,000 a day, fueled in large part by the 675 slot machines in operation at Zia.

Hollywood Park has raised purses for overnight races by 5 percent, retroactive to the start of the current meeting on Nov. 9, the track announced Tuesday. The purse increase includes the final nine days of the meeting, which ends Dec. 19.

The increase was announced despite a meeting that has been plagued by disappointing handle and attendance figures.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Lorne Richards-trained entry of Ok Nothanksforaskn and Back Pack Shack could make an impact in Thursday's Woodbine feature, a six-furlong allowance for 2-year-olds.

Ok Nothanksforaskn and Back Pack Shack were both purchased privately by owner K.K. Sangara from trainer Mark Casse.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Happy Ticket is back. The most famous Louisiana-bred in training returned to the track on Monday at her Louisiana Downs base for the first time since undergoing throat surgery in early November. She also trained on Tuesday.

"She's been hand-walked for the past 30 days," said Andrew Leggio Jr., who trains Happy Ticket. "Hopefully we're going to see her before this meet closes."

MIAMI - With four of the next six stakes races at Calder scheduled for the turf, it was no surprise the local grass course was a busy place when it opened for training Monday morning.

A dozen horses worked around the dogs Monday, including five entered for this Saturday's co-featured Cherokee Frolic and Kris S. stakes, a pair of 2-year-old events carded on the grass. The meet's two most important stakes, the Grade 2 W.L. McKnight and Grade 2 La Prevoyante, will be run over the turf the following weekend.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It's still far from a done deal, but Polytrack could be coming to Woodbine as soon as next summer.

"We're looking seriously at Polytrack," said Chris Evans, Woodbine's vice president of Thoroughbred racing, acknowledging that continuing problems with the main track here are expediting the study.

"We're researching the practicality of installing it, how to do it while we continue racing, and what the costs will be," he said.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Trainer Benny Feliciano appears to have an excellent chance of extending his winning streak to nine races when he sends out El Keko in Wednesday's fifth race at Thistledown, a two-mile starter allowance marathon. is the 7-5 morning line favorite in the seven-horse field.