The 2005 Suffolk Downs season, which concluded last Wednesday, had declines in both handle and attendance. The 117-day meet was marred by the death of jockey Michel Lapensee, another forced hiatus of the Massachusetts Handicap, and roadblocks from the state government in the pursuit of slots.

CHICAGO - Nicole's Dream specializes in turf sprints, and her talent has taken her to stakes races all over the country. This week, she has gone even farther - to Hong Kong for a super-rich stakes engagement on Dec. 11.

Nicole's Dream arrived at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Tuesday night, according to her trainer, Larry Rivelli. Her trip from Chicago took some 18 hours, and included a stopover in Anchorage, Alaska, but everything was first class, arranged and paid for by Nicole's Dream's Hong Kong hosts.

ALBANY, Calif. - Friday's Golden Gate feature, a $50,000 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, drew an international field, with runners from Brazil, South Africa, and France among the entrants.

Ten fillies and mares were entered, nine of them running without a tag at the second allowance condition.

The three foreign-breds are , who is on the also-eligible list.

Trainer Jenine Sahadi had high hopes when she sent Royal Emblem out for her United States debut at Hollywood Park on June 5. She left the track that day disappointed and confused.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Schooner Bay, who battled on the lead before weakening slightly to finish fourth in the 1 1/4-mile Maple Leaf Stakes here at Nov. 12, should have clear sailing in Friday's $73,500 headliner at Woodbine.

Nine fillies and mares, including the Maple Leaf's third-place finisher, Silver Impulse, have been entered for the 1 1/16-mile race, a second-level allowance with a $62,500 claiming option.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Turf racing may seem a distant memory at this point of the season, with the last grass race here at Woodbine having been run Nov. 4.

There are still a couple of Canadian turf races to be decided, however, although in this case the results will be determined by the Sovereign Award voters and will be made official at the awards ceremony on Dec. 16.

In the turf male category, A Bit O'Gold was the only horse with two major turf victories here.

It's an opportune time for the 3-year-olds in the trials to the Grade 1, $165,000 (estimated) Southern California Derby on Friday night at Los Alamitos. That's because Grade 1 derby winners Ocean Runaway and Apollitical Time, who are eligible for the trials, are pointing instead to next week's Grade 1, $500,000 Champion of Champions.

When trainer Mike Caraman was galloping horses for the Kinsman Farm operation of George Steinbrenner, one of his favorites was Military Major. In October, Military Major gave Caraman his biggest win as a trainer when he captured the $150,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.

Military Major will be out to make it two derbies in a row on Saturday, when he starts as one of the leading contenders in the $100,000 Zia Park Derby. He is one of eight horses in the field for the 1 1/16-mile race, which will come on the next-to-last card of the inaugural meet at Zia.

It's all about teamwork Friday night at Evangeline Downs as no fewer that three stable couplings have been entered in the $50,000 Bayouland Sales Stakes. The six-furlong sprint is restricted to 2-year-olds who passed through any of the four local sales held by the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders' Association during the last two years.

Although the three entries will garner their share of attention on the tote board, the heavy favorite is expected to be a single entrant from the powerful Cole Norman stable.

The raids continued as Southern California invader Beneficial Bartok shipped to Turf Paradise to capture last Saturday's $40,000 Queen of the Green Handicap. The lack of turf racing at Hollywood Park this winter has resulted in a bevy of horses from that location coming to Phoenix for turf stakes.

MIAMI - The Gulfstream Park meet is a month away, but Saturday's Grand Slam I card at Calder has a Gulfstream-like flavor to it with many of the nation's foremost trainers and riders well represented in the four stakes races on the 12-race program.