PHOENIX - While the cat's away the mice can play. That's very much the scenario for Saturday's $40,000 Cactus Flower Handicap at Turf Paradise as Muir Beach, the top female on the grounds, was not entered after being assigned 128 pounds for the six-furlong Cactus Flower. That gives seven others a chance to reap the dividends.

Yet even as local distaffers were licking their chops at a chance for big bucks with no Muir Beach in the way, in comes Santa Anita shipper Iflookscouldkill to carry highweight of 120 pounds and present a new hurdle.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Sometimes jockey and horse get into a wrestling match during a race. If the horse wins the fight with the rider, she is likely to lose the race. Excessive pulling is a no-no at higher levels of racing, especially on turf, where a stretch punch is required.

The purse for the Berkeley Handicap at Golden Gate Fields has been raised to $100,000, allowing the race to retain its Grade 3 status.

The purse for the Berkeley, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, was $75,000 when the Golden Gate stakes schedule was released last weekend. The minimum purse for a Grade 3 race is $100,000. To retain the race's grading, Golden Gate canceled the $55,000-added Raise Your Skirts Handicap and shifted $25,000 to the Berkeley, to be run June 11.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - More racing, more purse money, and a feeling of stability should help Hastings have a strong 2005 meet. Live racing begins Saturday, and there's a strong feeling throughout the industry that the past 10 years of decline here are over.

Total purses for the 83-day meet are projected at $15 million, up $1.5 million from last year, thanks to an interest-free loan from Hastings's owner, the Great Canadian Gaming Corp. The loan will be paid back from future slots revenue; slots have been approved at the track and could be in place as early as this fall.

AUBURN, Wash. - Ruby Dawn will try to reprise her opening act at last year's meeting when she meets six other older fillies and mares in Saturday's Emerald Downs feature, a 5 1/2-furlong race to be run under $40,000 optional claiming conditions.

Ruby Dawn, a 5-year-old daughter of Pioneering from the barn of trainer Dan Markle, came out in a similar spot on the first Saturday of last year's meeting, and she upset the heavily favored Lasting Code.

Ruby Dawn won that day by a length over runner-up Lasting Code, who is now retired, covering the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.80.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Quartern will be an overwhelming favorite against six challengers in Saturday's $7,000 Oregon Oaks at 1 1/16 miles. That is, if she runs.

Quartern, a 3-year-old daughter of Danjur, has won four of her five starts, all at this meeting, including a trio of stakes. She is coming off a six-length score in the one-mile Mary Goldblatt Stakes on March 5, clocked in 1:42.40.

CALGARY Alberta - The two Sales Stakes that are new to this meeting will be run Saturday, poviding Stampede fans with the best card of the young season.

The program also will be a fitting lead-in to the Night of Champions, Alberta's annual awards banquet, which will be held Saturday evening.

In the older colts and geldings handicap, a $50,000 sprint over six furlongs, trainer Ron Grieves saddles a formidable three-horse entry that comprises Boldanzar, Topwynson, and Code Name Fred. The trio drew posts 7, 8, and 9 in the field of nine and will go off as the favorite.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Maria V. Pascual couldn't wait to run the Argentinian-bred sprint sensation Miss Victory after spending all winter preparing the mare for her United States debut. Pascual's patience was rewarded when Miss Victory overcame a slow start to post a game neck victory over Our Exploit in an allowance race going five furlongs over the Gulfstream Park turf course on March 27.

Selecting the winner of Saturday's Primonetta Stakes for filly and mare sprinters at Laurel Park might be as simple as watching which horse Eric Rodriguez ends up riding.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - How the 3-year-old fillies in the race react to a new surface could determine the outcome of Saturday's $55,000-added Bay Meadows Oaks.

Eight fillies will compete in the 1 1/16-mile race on turf. It will be the first turf start for five of them. Two of the others have run on turf, but only down the hill at Santa Anita.