OZONE PARK, N.Y. - On paper, there are several logical reasons to play against probable short-priced favorite Galloping Grocer in Saturday's $75,000 Whirlaway Stakes.

He hasn't raced in 11 weeks. The Whirlaway is just a starting point to what his connections hope is a start in the Kentucky Derby 12 weeks from now. His trainer, Dominick Schettino, is struggling through a 1-for-29 inner-track meet. His regular rider, John Velazquez, is somewhere else. Finally, there looks to be a number of other early speed types to keep the gelding company up front.

NEW ORLEANS - Summerly won a maiden race at Keeneland by 14 lengths, an entry-level Fair Grounds allowance by almost 10, and on Saturday it is time to see if Summerly can translate her obvious ability into a stakes victory.

will be favored to win the Grade 3, $150,000 Silverbulletday; she has the raw talent to run on to the Fair Grounds Oaks and points beyond, and at the end of that line lies the Kentucky Oaks.

NEW ORLEANS - Had events gone according to plan, The Beter Man Can would have spent her Saturday night last weekend in Vinton, La., participating in Louisiana Premier Night at little Delta Downs. But the plan for The Beter Man Can got scrapped - and that is not a bad thing.

NEW ORLEANS - Steve Flint thought he would be training a group of well-bred young horses the last couple years, courtesy of his main client, the owner-breeders Bertram and Elaine Klein. But the Kleins were hit hard by mare reproductive loss syndrome, the mysterious illness two and three breeding seasons ago that caused so many mares in Kentucky to abort, and Flint was forced to fall back on skills learned long ago under his father, Bernie Flint.

"I had to go back to my roots, my dad, and be a claiming trainer," Flint said.

All horses trained by Jeff Mullins entered to race at Santa Anita for the next 30 days must go to a detention barn 24 hours before their races, the result of one of Mullins's horses testing positive for an excessive amount of an alkaline agent last month. The sanction was disclosed Thursday by a consortium of Santa Anita, the Thoroughbred Owners of California, and the California Thoroughbred Trainers.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The rematch between Girl Warrior and A. P. Adventure, the first two finishers in the Grade 2 El Encino Stakes on Jan. 15, will not happen in Saturday's $200,000 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita.

Girl Warrior has a sore foot, which was diagnosed on Wednesday, according to trainer Neil Drysdale.

Her absence robs the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes of a top contender. Girl Warrior won her first stakes in the El Encino, and could have given A. P. Adventure a test in the La Canada, a 1 1/8-mile race for 4-year-old fillies.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The simplest approach to handicapping the Grade 3, $100,000 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park on Saturday might be the best: River Mountain Rd, in his last start, defeated five of the nine rivals he will face in 1 1/16-mile Essex.

The Essex is the first graded stakes of the Oaklawn meet and the first step toward the Grade 2, $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Saturday's $100,000 San Mateo Mile at Bay Meadows could be step one on the Kentucky Derby trail for the winner.

Even for a runner such as Stellar Magic, who is currently not nominated to the Triple Crown, a big effort here could catapult him into the Derby picture.

Seven 3-year-olds entered the one-mile race, which could be a springboard to graded competition. The San Mateo serves as a prep for the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby on March 12.

ARCADIA, Calif. - A newcomer and veteran who could make a comeback from injury later on have given trainer Vladimir Cerin optimism that his stable will play a major role in the turf mile division this year.

Wednesday, Laura's Lucky Boy won his first start for Cerin in the $78,650 Thunder Road Handicap at Santa Anita - a prep for the $300,000 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 5.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Chancy Chancy and her owner and trainer, Dave Runyon, have the other entrants in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile Sweetheart Stakes at Portland Meadows in something of a pickle. Chancy Chancy's speed may cause a dilemma for her rivals. If they try to go with her, they make themselves vulnerable to the late charge of Quiz the Maid and the other closers in the field. If they don't, they risk seeing a fresh Chancy Chancy pull away from them through the stretch.