STICKNEY, Ill. - A rematch between the two of the best Illinois-breds of their generation takes place in an open stakes race Saturday at Hawthorne, when Win Me Over and Humor at Last collide for the first time since they finished a half-length apart in the Jim Edgar Futurity here last December.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Palmeiro, a graded stakes winner over the track, returns from a 13-month layoff to face four tough rivals in Friday's Bay Meadows co-feature, a $40,000 claimer at one mile on turf.

A 7-year-old gelding, won the Grade 3 All American here in 2002. He has not raced since finishing third as the favorite in a $32,000 claimer on Jan. 29, 2004, at Golden Gate Fields.

"He's a war horse," said trainer William E. Morey. "This is the third time he's come back from an extended layoff. He's as ready as he can be off a long layoff."

Meteoric, runner-up in two major Grade 1 races at Los Alamitos, is in excellent position to win his first stakes at that Southern California track in the $18,000 Carmel Handicap on Friday night.

Meteoric, who already has won $556,545, has done extremely well at Los Alamitos, he just hasn't gotten that elusive stakes win.

In 2002, at age 2, he ran second as a 3-5 favorite in the Grade 1, $1,285,700 Los Alamitos Million, the track's richest race.

In 2004, he ran second, beaten by a nose, as part of the favored entry in the $200,000 Los Alamitos Winter Championship.

Post position could be a help or hindrance for Where Is My Daddy in Friday night's $50,000 Mademoiselle at Delta Downs. The race for Louisiana-bred fillies and mares will be run over 6 1/2 furlongs, which is a two-turn race at Delta.

Where Is My Daddy comes into the Mademoiselle hot, having won her last two starts. But she drew gate 10 for the race and will have to get position early to avoid getting hung wide in the first turn on Friday.

The 3-year-old filly Yankee Trick, claimed for $10,000 by trainer Jake Secor out of a race she won by 19 1/4 lengths on Feb. 5, returned last Sunday at Charles Town and won almost as easily against higher-class competition.

Going seven furlongs against $15,000 fillies who had never won three races, Yankee Trick ($3) romped by 14 1/4 lengths and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 76. This time, there were no takers at the claiming box.

Apprentice rider Mike Luark captured his first career victory last Friday when he guided Hippy ($10.20) to victory in the fifth race. Luark began riding at the start of this meet and had suffered some close losses before Friday's win. He is the son of trainer Monty Luark and cousin of fellow rider Mark Luark, who is currently sidelined by injury.

Louisiana Downs is getting an earlier start to its season this year, and the stable area will be open to receive horses beginning on April 1, said Pat Pope, racing secretary for the Bossier City, La., track. The first day of training will be April 5.

Stall applications are due March 17.

Louisiana Downs will have its earliest start since 1996 this year, when its 93-date meet opens on April 29 and runs through Oct. 9.

Trainer Jay Bernardini began the current meet at Mountaineer by going 1 for 21, but his stock began to heat up with a combined three victories on Sunday and Monday nights.

Bernardini saddled Dad Says Yes ($15.80), a 4-year-old filly making her first start since December, to a four-length victory in a $5,000 claiming sprint in Sunday's ninth race.

Monday night, Bernardini scored with Persian Princess ($5), making her second start off a layoff, and Backseat Romance ($4), making her first start off a claim.

Bernardini is now 4 for 26 coming into this weekend's racing.

A parade of longshots stumped pick three players in three different sequences on Saturday's card at Penn National.

No one had all three winners in races 3-5, 4-6, and 5-7. Chadychadybangbang (3rd, $26.40) and Otter (4th, $22.60) won back-to-back races that had 12-horse fields. The sequences also included third choice Saay Mi Name (5th, $10), and two other bombs, Mariatom (6th, $74.20) and Nine Notes (7th, $32.40).

The 5-year-old Terrified Ice ($3) won for the third time in her last five starts in the $8,000 starter handicap series for fillies and mares when she stretched out to a mile and 70 yards Sunday at Philadelphia Park.

Trained by Jayne Vaders, Terrified Ice is now 9 for 12 over Philly's main track.

* The 4-year-old gelding Bundle of Joy ($14.60) needed 28 starts to win his maiden. Trained by Alfredo Velazquez, he now has won three of his last four following a 1 3/4-length score Friday in a conditioned $6,000 claiming race.