HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Courageous King, who earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure capturing a first-level allowance race earlier in the meet, will be favored to defeat five other midpriced optional claiming and allowance runners in Friday's $35,000 feature at Gulfstream Park.

is one of two members of the field who are not on the selling block, along with Ballistic Missile. Western Man, Our Wildcat, Wacky for Love, and Maybry's Boy will all compete under $62,500 tags.

Candid Glen and Warleigh, who have combined to win the last four runnings of the $200,000 Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap at Sam Houston Race Park, will take on recent Grade 2 winner Rapid Proof in the 11th running of the race Saturday night.

Eight horses were entered Wednesday in the Connally, a 1 1/8-mile turf race that will close out the meet. The Connally is also the richest race of the season. The undercard includes the $50,000 Sam Houston Turf Sprint Cup and the $50,000 Jersey Lily.

When the 8-year-old gelding Sweeping Analysis edged 2-5 favorite Governor's Pride by a neck in last Friday night's third race, for $3,000 claiming sprinters, at Charles Town, a couple of long losing streaks ended.

Sweeping Analysis ($42) had lost 20 straight races since recording his last win in November 2003 at Calder Race Course. His trainer, Raimondo Schiano-Dicola, is now 1 for 47 for the season after earning his first victory since Dec. 16.

Due in large part to the continued development of the slots casino, purses are up a healthy 25 percent from 2004 in the first condition book for the first season at the new Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La. The meet began Thursday night.

Purses are at approximately $150,000 per day in 2005 as compared with the $120,000 per day at the end of the 2004 season at the former racing facility, in nearby Carencro, La.

Saturday's $25,000 Budweiser-Tondi Handicap at Fonner Park is shaping up as an exceptional field, with Lukfata Louis and Tonight Rainbow both likely to start.

Lukfata Louis is a two-time winner at the meet, including the half-mile Grasmick Handicap on Feb. 19. Tonight Rainbow won the six-furlong Budweiser-Tondi in 2003.

Also nominated is Medium Rare, the 2002 winner of this race who has yet to make his first start of the year, and topweight Silver Zipper, trained by Hugh Robertson.

The filly Sunshine Summer ($31.40), 0 for 13 as a 3-year-old in 2004, is now 3 for 3 this season after scoring by 2 3/4 lengths while jumping from $15,000 to $30,000 claiming in a nonwinners-of-four route Monday night at Mountaineer.

Sunshine Summer is trained by Sherman Mitchell and was ridden by Alfredo Hernandez.

Tiffany Gold, a 7-year-old gelding who had been freshened since Feb. 2 after facing some of the fastest horses on the grounds, scored a 14 1/2-length victory in a $5,000 starter allowance on March 31. It was the 11th win in 33 career starts for Tiffany Gold, trained by Tim Kreiser.

Pay attention to owner Michael Gill's horses trained by Gammy Vazquez who are relocating to Philadelphia Park following the close of the Fair Grounds meet.

In last Saturday's eighth race, the 7-year-old gelding Infinite Faith ($11.20), taking a slight drop in claiming price after going 0 for 3 vs. better stock at Fair Grounds, won for $20,000 going a mile.

Mountain Top ($6), 0 for 2 since being claimed for $15,000 in December, dropped to the bottom $8,000 maiden claiming level and won Sunday's first race.

Owner Dennis Weir and trainer Dan McFarlane hope Virden can become as good as their star filly Muir Beach. The 3-year-old Virden looked strong romping by six lengths in last Saturday's $40,000 Scottsdale Handicap at Turf Paradise and now gets a shot at bigger game.

"We'll be looking at Hollywood Park stakes for Virden's next start," said McFarlane.

The Grade 3, $100,000 Senorita Stakes, at a mile on the turf for 3-year-old fillies May 8, may be what he has in mind.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Badge of Silver was forced to scratch out of last year's Carter Handicap because of a problem with a front foot. He might be forced to miss this year's Carter because of a problem with a hind foot.

Trainer Bobby Frankel said Wednesday that Badge of Silver popped an abscess in a hind foot earlier this week, and may not be able to run in Saturday's Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct. Last year, Badge of Silver suffered a keratoma in his right front foot that forced him to miss the Carter.