NEW ORLEANS - The 3-year-old filly Cape Hope has turned in two of the best turf sprint performances by her peers of either sex at the current Fair Grounds meet. That record may have earned her a shot at males in Saturday's Black Gold Handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass here.

Trainer Dallas Stewart is not that eager to run Cape Hope against males, but he thinks he probably has the best horse in the race.

"It's not something I like to do, run a filly against colts, but I might have to, because there's not a race for her on the turf here," said Stewart.

NEW ORLEANS - A trio of horses who finished behind the good-looking winner Green Briar Rose earlier this month top a full field of 12 entered in Friday's feature race at Fair Grounds, a $30,000 entry-level allowance for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

, a 5-year-old French-bred mare by Volochine, ran on well for second that day, her second try at the condition, and there is no Green Briar Rose this time around. Trained by Andrew Leggio Jr. and ridden by Lonnie Meche, Volobee will go off at considerably less than 24-1 this time.

ALBANY, Calif. - Northern California will be represented by four runners in Saturday's at Gulfstream and Santa Anita.

Sprinters Green Team and Onebadshark run in the $300,000 Sprint at Santa Anita, with Green Team drawing the rail and Onebadshark getting post 6 in the field of 13. Green Team, second in this race last year, earned the highest Beyer Speed Figure of his career, a 113, in winning the Oakland Handicap here on Dec. 11 in his last start. Onebadshark was third in that race.

As part of a $60 million expansion plan, Prairie Meadows will increase its number of slot machines by one-third and nearly double the number of table games it operates. The plan was approved by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission on Tuesday.

Construction on the 14,000-square-foot expansion will begin early this summer, according to a track spokesperson. The addition will house a two restaurants as well as an open area that will be able to hold 800 people for banquets and up to 1,200 people for concerts. In addition, the jockeys' room will be doubled in size.

A bill advocated by West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin to privatize the state's workers' compensation program has targeted $20 million in purse subsidies at the state's racetracks for a portion of its funding.

The bill would raise $230 million from a variety of new taxes and other sources to underwrite bonds to cover liabilities of the existing workers' compensation fund.

Academic Angel, who captured the $50,000 Sam Houston Distaff last Saturday night, has been retired, said her trainer, Steve Asmussen. She is scheduled to be bred to Giant's Causeway, who stands in Kentucky.

Academic Angel was a stakes winner on dirt and turf, with her biggest career win coming on the grass in the Grade 3 WinStar Distaff last May at Lone Star Park. Overall, she won 11 of 26 races and $474,225. Giant's Causeway won five consecutive Group 1 races at 3, and in his lone dirt start was a hard-fought second to Tiznow in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Munificence, winner of both of his career starts in memorable fashion, makes his stakes debut against an evenly matched field in Friday night's $50,000 Triple Sec for 3-year-olds at Delta Downs.

The 6 1/2-furlong race will be run around two turns and has drawn a field of six, including the Eric Reed-trained entry of Mechanic, who exits the $41,000 Prevue at Turfway Park, and maiden winner Visionary.

Lead for Speed's nose win over Scottsbluff in last Sunday's $40,000 Rattlesnake at Turf Paradise has his connections eyeing bigger game.

"We know now he can go a distance and be competitive," said trainer Dan McFarlane.

Lead for Speed ran the mile in 1:37.25, earning a 77 Beyer Speed Figure.

McFarlane said Lead for Speed will be pointed to the $100,000 Turf Paradise Derby on Feb. 12. Scottsbluff is also expected to run.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sulamani turned in the best performances by a horse who raced in Canada last year, according to the 2004 Canadian Thoroughbred Ratings released by the Jockey Club of Canada on Wednesday.

The Canadian Thoroughbred Ratings, which replaced the Canadian Free Handicap last year, closely follow the SMILE (Sprint-Mile-Intermediate-Long-Extended) distance categories employed in the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, previously known as the International Classification.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The filly Sweet Catomine will be freshened until March before an ambitious campaign that may lead to an April 9 clash against males in the Santa Anita Derby.

Owner-breeder Marty Wygod mapped Sweet Catomine's springtime agenda Monday night in Beverly Hills, where she was named champion juvenile filly of 2004. Wygod said Sweet Catomine will skip the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes on Feb. 12, and aim for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on March 13.

Wygod was asked where she would go next. "If she wins the Oaks, probably the Santa Anita Derby."