Louisiana Downs handled a total of $5.8 million, or an average of $293,248 a day, on live Quarter Horse races during its inaugural 20-date meet for the breed, which ended Dec. 12. Purses per program at the track, which operates a slots casino, averaged $226,228.

Alvin Brossette won the first riding title with 33 wins, and the leading trainer was Kenneth Roberts with 25. Geral Dewitt led all owners at the meet with 10 wins.

The horse of the meet was Vals Fortune, who is approaching the $1 million mark in earnings.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - One year ago, after the third race of Diligent Gambler's career, two veterinarians told trainer John DeStefano the horse would not make it back to the races. A third vet said that if Diligent Gambler were to race again, his career wouldn't last long.

Jockey Ariel Smith, who had ridden Diligent Gambler to a fourth-place finish in that Nov. 28, 2003, race, told DeStefano the horse was real sore and he would not want to ride him again.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Proud Accolade will race in blinkers for the first time when he goes for the 2-year-old championship in Saturday's Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity at Hollywood Park.

won the first three starts of his career, including the Champagne Stakes, before his disappointing sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. His two most recent works, including a five-furlong drill here on Sunday, have been in blinkers.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The well-traveled Excessivepleasure, who has been off since April, begins his newest travelog right at home at Hollywood Park on Thursday when he returns in the featured second race, an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles that carries a $46,000 purse.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Considering the time of year, Thursday's featured eighth race came up tough. The mile and 70-yard two-other-than allowance drew a field of eight, any of which might ordinarily look like a solid contender - but this is a better-than-average group.

comes from relatively humble beginnings, having required eight starts before finally winning a $32,000 maiden claimer at Santa Anita last spring. But he has been on the improve in three starts since shipping to New York and being given over to trainer Bruce Levine.

Turf-sprint stakes aren't easy to find. There is one on Thursday at Fair Grounds, but they're calling it an allowance race.

The featured ninth, at about 5 1/2 furlongs over the Fair Grounds grass, is a jewel of a race, glittering with stakes-level talent, and plenty of it. A full field of 12 plus one also-eligible went in. There are no conditions and the $38,000 purse is smaller than this group merits.

"Fair Grounds has no middle level," said trainer Tom Amoss, who has been here long enough to know. "You're going to get the best of the best in a race like this."

ALBANY, Calif. - Among the lessons to be learned in racing is don't fall in love with your horses.

Trainer Bill Morey Jr. knows that all too well, but he'll be feeling a little tightness in his stomach in back-to-back races at Golden Gate Fields on Thursday.

He sends out two of his best horses in a pair of claiming races.

Morey will run Texas Chili against five rivals in the day's featured seventh race, a $25,000 claimer at six furlongs.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Tom Bush will find out a lot about his 2-year-old Tani Maru when he stretches him out for the first time Wednesday in a $44,000 entry-level allowance race for 2-year-olds at Aqueduct. The 1 1/16-mile race goes as the seventh and serves as leg four of a pick-six wager that includes a $37,853 carryover.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A large pick six carryover, plus two days off to get to the cash machine, makes Wednesday's Hollywood Park card far more attractive than the usual midweek offering.

No one hit the pick six on Sunday, so there is a carryover of $137,599 going into Wednesday's races. With no racing on Monday or Tuesday, and moderate-sized fields making up the bulk of the pick six races, horseplayers should be eager to take their best shot and try to make their holidays just a little brighter.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Wice O Kat won the centerpiece of Saturday's Oregon Championship Day program at Portland Meadows, edging male competition in a thrilling renewal of the $41,780 Os West Oregon Futurity at a mile.

Wice O Kat, a 2-year-old daughter of Katowice who races for Mr. and Mrs. William Johnson, finished resolutely under Twyla Beckner to prevail by a scant nose over A Colt Named Sue, with Abtastic just another head back in third. Wice O Kat, who is trained by Jim Fergason, paid $9.40 to win after getting the mile in 1:41.80.