OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Offlee Wild may have come up a neck short in last month's John Campbell Breeders' Cup Handicap at Laurel Park, but the performance showed he is as good and tough as he was last summer when he upset Funny Cide in the Massachusetts Handicap.

Now, trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. is hoping the 5-year-old Offlee Wild can retain that form on Saturday when he runs in the Grade 3, $200,000 Excelsior Breeders' Cup Handicap at Aqueduct. Among Offlee Wild's challengers in the Excelsior will be Coast Line, who held Offlee Wild at bay in the stretch of the Campbell.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Shug McGaughey will look to continue his sizzling start to Aqueduct's spring meet when he sends out in Wednesday's $46,000 second-level allowance feature race at Aqueduct.

Following a three-day hiatus, racing returns to Aqueduct with a pick-six carryover of $51,401. After a pair of four-day race weeks for holiday observances, Aqueduct's regular five-day schedule returns for the final five weeks of the meet.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The end of the race - Give Me Sugar has that part down. It's the start that still needs some work.

In both her races, Give Me Sugar has broken slowly. In her debut, it did not matter, because she got up in time to win. Last time, though, it cost her. She could not overcome her rail draw or the slow start, though she closed from last to finish third.

ARCADIA, Calif. - First Declan's Moon, then Scipion, and now Uncle Denny. The month of March has been filled with casualties for stakes-winning 3-year-olds based in Southern California. The latest to head to the sidelines is Uncle Denny, who was to have surgery Monday afternoon to remove a chip from his right front ankle, according to trainer Rafael Becerra.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Afleet Alex, who was found to have a lung infection after finishing sixth as the favorite in the Grade 3 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn on March 19, scoped clean on Monday.

"He was scoped after he galloped," said Tim Ritchey, who trains Afleet Alex. "There was no sign of any infection."

SAN MATEO, Calif. - The California Horse Racing Board's decision last Thursday to allow year-round harness racing at Sacramento puts two weeks of mixed-breed racing in northern California up for grabs. The question is: Which track will get the dates?

Merry Mary posted a mild upset in the Red Camelia Handicap on closing day at Fair Grounds, beating favored Destiny Calls at odds of 9-2. Merry Mary and stablemate Autobesarah both finished ahead of favored Destiny Calls, who won the Red Camelia last year.

Front-running Destiny Calls was hounded by Vitamin Bag on the front end through six furlongs in 1:13.80 in the Red Camelia, a mile race on the turf for Louisiana-bred fillies and mares. Merry Mary enjoyed a dream trip tracking the pace along the rail under jockey Gerard Melancon.

Rocky Gulch stayed perfect in four starts this season, but it wasn't easy. The heavy favorite and top New Mexico-bred, Rocky Gulch gallantly held on for a neck victory in Sunland's $102,850 under a career-high impost.

Carrying 128 pounds, Rocky Gulch survived a long stretch duel with Hecamefromaclaim to win the 4 1/2-furlong event for New Mexico-breds. Jonnygetachex was third.

Ridden by J. Martin Bourdieu, Rocky Gulch completed the distance in 50.65 seconds. He paid $3.80 and earned $61,710 for owner Larry Teague.

ARCADIA, Calif. - It took nearly 16 months and plenty of patience, but for trainer John Shirreffs and owners Jerry and Ann Moss, the wait was worth it.

Their horse Stanley Park, who fractured a hind pastern bone in November 2003 and did not return to the races until last month, scored the biggest victory of his career on Sunday when he rallied to capture the Grade 2, $200,000 at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. - High Standards ran his perfect record to 4-for-4 with a front-running victory in the $95,475 San Pedro Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters on Saturday at Santa Anita.

High Standards ($6.40), the second choice in the field of six, sat just off the flank of early pacesetter Sea My Halo, took over midway on the final turn, and steadily widened his margin to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths over late-running Ransom Demanded. Talking to John was third, and was followed, in order, by Chandtrue, White Pine, and Sea My Halo.