INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Del Mar will increase purses in non-claiming races by $1,000 for its upcoming meeting from July 20 to Sept. 7, director of racing Tom Robbins said on Wednesday.

Del Mar is offering a slight increase in purses for maiden special weight and allowance-class races at the start of the meeting, Robbins said. Earlier this year, the track announced a record stakes program worth more than $6.7 million.

"We're on an upward trend," Robbins said.

He's the claim that keeps on giving.

Winning one allowance race with a horse claimed for $10,000 is a coup. Winning four of them and a graded stakes, all in the space of six months, is like conquering a continent.

MIAMI - Silver Wagon may have appeared a bit ambitiously placed, and it may have seemed a waste of time shipping all the way up to Belmont Park from his Calder base to take on Ghostzapper and Forest Danger in Monday's Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap.

But trainer Ralph Ziadie was supremely confident in his horse and proved he knew what he was doing when the 35-1 Silver Wagon rallied to easily be second behind an awesome Ghostzapper in the one-mile Metropolitan.

ALBANY, Calif. - Seven talented older runners meet in the Friday feature at Golden Gate Fields, with Kilgowan possibly set for his first victory since his upset win in last year's El Camino Real Derby.

drew the rail in the $80,000 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Freshened after a rugged 3-year-old campaign, Kilgowan should be set for a big race.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Evil Minister returns to Monmouth Park, the scene of his biggest victory, in search of a confidence-restoring win.

Trainer Eric Juvonen will try a switch to turf on Friday in a bid to get Evil Minister back in the winner's circle for the first time since he pulled off the upset last summer in the Grade 3 Sapling, Monmouth's top 2-year-old stakes. Evil Minister unexpectedly burst on the scene that day when he outdueled Park Avenue Ball at 24-1.

All of the horses stabled in Barn 60 at Belmont Park - where the filly Lady Libby last Friday showed symptoms of strangles - have tested negative for that contagious respiratory disease, according to New York Racing Association officials.

Lady Libby was isolated and then sent to the equine hospital at Cornell University. She, too, has tested negative for strangles, though NYRA officials believe further testing should be done on her.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Supah Blitz could be one of the horses who steps up and fills the void in the Southern California handicap ranks left by Rock Hard Ten, whose interrupted training schedule is expected to keep him grounded until the fall. Or, Supah Blitz could sprint.

Trainer Doug O'Neill is considering several options for the versatile Supah Blitz, who showed grit on Monday when he won a four-way photo in the Grade 3, $300,000 .

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Hero's Glow, third against optional claiming rivals in his most recent start, will probably be the favorite in Friday's $26,000 headliner at Louisiana Downs, an allowance on turf restricted to horses that have not won a race on the turf other than maiden or claiming.

The race is at about 7 1/2 furlongs, and there are plenty of question marks in the field of 10.

Prairie Meadows broke ground Wednesday on a $60 million expansion project. The project, which is expected to be completed in 2007, includes a 14,000-square-foot multipurpose structure that can accommodate 800 for banquets and 1,200 for concerts. It will house two restaurants, a 300-seat buffet, and a steakhouse.

Also part of the expansion are 500 new slot machines, which will bring the track's total to 2000, and more than 20 new table games.

The jocks' room will be nearly doubled in size and the saddling paddock and walking ring are also scheduled to be upgraded.

The first sign of summer at Canterbury Park is the track's 3 1/2-furlong races, which offer the career debuts of the most precocious 2-year-olds on the grounds.