ALBANY, Ca. - Jockey Russell Baze scored victories in the final two races on Wednesday's card at Golden Gate Fields and now is within two wins of 9,000 for his career.

Baze, who trails only Laffit Pincay on the all-time win list, won with Mahalo ($3.60) in a $62,500 optional claimer for fillies and mares at six furlongs and then took the nightcap aboard Somuch Higher ($15) in a $32,000 maiden claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Baze has six mounts on Thursday, including morning-line favorites Somethinaboutlaura, No Whining and Queen of the Hunt, who is part of an entry.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The first Saturday in June last year at Belmont Park brings back bad memories for trainer John Servis, who saw his chance of making racing history fall one length short when Smarty Jones was denied the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown by Birdstone.

Servis hopes for more pleasant memories on the first Saturday in June this year. That's when Servis returns to Belmont to saddle Round Pond in the $250,000 . The Grade 1 Acorn is run at one mile.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Lisa Lewis knows it sounds a bit like redboarding, but she really did believe Silver Strings would be a better horse on turf than on dirt. She just didn't expect her to be that much better.

After finishing sixth in her debut on dirt on April 6, Silver Strings romped to a five-length maiden win over Belmont's Widener turf course on May 6. Friday, Silver Strings takes on winners for the first time in an entry-level allowance race that serves as the feature on Friday's card. First post is 3 p.m.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The quarantine restrictions that have impacted the livelihoods of several trainers at Churchill Downs the last few weeks seem to have had a trickle-down effect on the overall racing program.

Deprived of the roughly 100 horses that otherwise would have helped races fill, Churchill racing generally has been marked by short and undistinguished fields. And although Steve Asmussen, Paul McGee, and Ronny Werner have absorbed the most painful brunt of the quarantine situation that began May 17, "it's been bad for everybody," said fellow trainer Tom Amoss.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Already a winner of two allowance races for turf sprinters in the last month, Starkay will try for her third win of the Hollywood Park meeting in Friday evening's $62,000 Exotic Wood Stakes - if trainer Roger Stein decides to start her.

Wednesday, when entries were taken, Stein hesitated slightly to commit the 5-year-old Starkay, who won a $51,000 allowance race last Sunday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Super Case will get some significant class relief in Friday's eighth race at Woodbine, a $50,000 claimer going six furlongs on the grass.

Super Case, a 5-year-old son of Gold Case, seemed to have lots of potential when he won his first two starts on the main track here in fall of 2003, when he was trained by Danny Vella. After bombing in a tough Gulfstream allowance early last year, finishing 11th of 12, he found a home on the grass here.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Friday night racing returns to Hastings for the first time since Aug. 16, 2002. A total of 12 Friday night cards have been scheduled for the 2005 season, with post time for the first race set at 6:25 Pacific.

The feature race Friday is a $20,000 claiming sprint for 3-year-olds and up and it attracted J V Bennett, who is the only horse in the field of eight that has ever run under the lights at Hastings.

CALGARY, Alberta - With the $125,000 Alberta Derby coming up on June 18, six hopefuls will run Friday in a one-mile prep at Stampede Park, carded as the seventh race.

Those who go on to the Alberta Derby figure to face Dakota Duke, who simply toyed with a short field in last Saturday's Hoofprint on My Heart.

AUBURN, Wash. - Trainer William Smith appears to have found the spot he has been seeking for Lord Frederick, who was nominated for but did not enter last Sunday's Pepsi-Cola Handicap.

Lord Frederick, a son of Dance Floor, will instead take on five rivals in Friday's feature at Emerald Downs, a 6 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds eligible to be claimed for $30,000.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Bob Holthus was scheduled for release from a Louisville hospital as early as Friday after his health underwent marked improvement within the last week or so.

Holthus, who has been in the University of Louisville Hospital since May 23, had been suffering from complications involving the recent replacement of a defibrillator and insertion of a new pacemaker.