ELMONT, N.Y. - A rock-hard turf course and the lack of other speed gave L'Oiseau d'Argent all the advantages when he beat Willard Straight in a classified allowance race here on June 10.

When the two meet again in Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Poker Handicap at Belmont Park, conditions suggest Willard Straight could turn the tables on that rival.

L'Oiseau d'Argent and Willard Straight are just two of eight horses in a very evenly matched Poker, run at one mile on the Widener Turf Course. Aggadan is entered in case the race is moved to the main track.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Folklore showed marked improvement from her debut to her second start. Another step forward could make her the one to beat in a competitive renewal of the $100,000 Astoria Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.

made her debut here May 18 and was part of a four-ply speed duel before finishing second, 3 1/4 lengths behind Fifth Avenue. Fifth Avenue came back to win the Fashion Stakes on June 9 and will likely be favored in the Astoria, run at 5 1/2 furlongs.

ELMONT, N.Y. - If bad things do occur in threes, then the luck of both Belmont Park and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum should soon be changing.

Oratory, winner of the Grade 2 here on May 28 and the likely favorite for Monday's $150,000 Dwyer Stakes, suffered a condylar fracture to his right foreleg during a five-furlong workout Friday morning at Belmont Park and is out indefinitely.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - One for Rose and Nashinda, who have dominated the filly-mare stakes here this year, were among the nominees to Sunday's $108,000 Sweet Briar Too, but neither will be in the lineup for the seven-furlong race, which drew a field of eight.

One for Rose, trained by Sid Attard, is heading for Monmouth Park and next Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Molly Pitcher Handicap at 1 1/16 miles. Regular rider Emile Ramsammy, who piloted One for Rose to victory in the 1 1/16-mile Ontario Matron here last time out, will make the trip to New Jersey.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - American shippers Silver Tree and Golden Commander figure to give the locals all they can handle in Sunday's $331,800 King Edward Breeders' Cup Handicap at Woodbine.

Silver Tree, who is based at Saratoga with trainer Bill Mott, closed to finish third in his lone outing this year, in the Sunshine Millions Turf at Santa Anita Jan. 29. He captured the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap at the Spa nearly a year ago and has earned a Beyer Speed Figure of at least 99 in each of his last eight starts.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Northnimprovement, the only two-time winner in the field, will be tough to beat in Sunday at Assiniboia Downs in the $20,000 North Dakota Derby, a restricted race for 3-year-olds at one mile.

Trained by Chad Torevell, Northnimprovement won two restricted races last year from five starts. In his third start, Northnimprovement won the Thoroughbred Futurity at Fargo. He then ran twice here to end his 2-year-old campaign, finishing fourth in the restricted North Dakota Stallion Stakes before taking the North Dakota Futurity by 7 1/2 lengths in his final start.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Frisky Spider, a stakes winner on turf and dirt last year, makes his season debut Sunday in the $65,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Trainer Bob Durso said he shopped for several comeback spots, but none filled. The six-furlong Mr. Prospector on the main track becomes the starting point for Frisky Spider, 4, who makes his first start since December.

"He was ready to run, and I wanted to run him," Durso said. "This gave him another couple of weeks. He's doing good."

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Sometimes a less-obvious combination works best, as trainer Stanley Hough discovered with Chuck Lopez and Brunilda.

Hough, not looking to tinker with success, will keep the team together for the Grade 3, $150,000 Eatontown Handicap Sunday at Monmouth Park.

Lopez is one of the best main-track speed riders on the New Jersey circuit, while Brunilda is a 5-year-old turf mare with a reputation of being headstrong.

Jaki's Magic missed by a nose and finished 3 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Rahy's Chance as the odds-on favorite in the 2004 Daniel Van Clief at Colonial Downs.

Although both horses are back for Saturday's running of the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for Virginia-breds, this time Rahy's Chance figures to have the advantage.

A Bit O'Gold put away arch rival Niigon on the far turn, then coasted to a decisive victory in the Grade 3, $216,200 at Woodbine on Friday.

A Bit O'Gold, under Jono Jones, had an ideal trip behind the speed, as Niigon and Sky Diamond vied through moderate fractions in the 1 1/4-mile race. A Bit O'Gold took control at the quarter pole, and widened his advantage through the stretch, scoring by 6 1/2 lengths over Niigon. Just in Case Jimmy rallied for third in the six-horse field.

The final time, which was slowed by a cuppy track and a strong west wind, was 2:07.55.