MIAMI - Dansetta Light, given a perfect trip by John Velazquez, turned back several strong challenges in deep stretch to score a hard-earned victory Saturday in the $100,000 on the Grand Slam III program at Calder Race Course.

Bred and owned by J D Farms and trained locally by David Brownlee, Dansetta Light returned $6.60 as second choice in a field of 11 3-year-old fillies. Dynamite Lass finished a neck back in second, while Silver Stage was another neck behind the runner-up and just another nose ahead of favored Rich in Spirit.

OLDSMAR, Fla. - When a jockey gets in the "zone," it seems like nothing but good things happen. One example is Jesus Castanon, who has been riding with rare focus in the early part of the meeting.

Through Friday's program, Castanon, who emerged from a long battle with T.D. Houghton to take last year's riding title, had won 18 races from 54 mounts for a dazzling 33 percent win rate. He has won four races on a program twice and is the leading money earner in the jockeys' room. In short, he has been putting on quite a show.

NEW ORLEANS - Seven of the nine 3-year-old fillies entered in Monday's feature at Fair Grounds, a $30,000 optional claimer at a mile, appear to have promising futures on the turf, which should make this a good betting race.

Diane's Debut has a class edge off her third-place finish in the $71,000 Caressing Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 20. The downside is that she has not worked since that race.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Greg Martin was extremely confident Bank Audit could win Saturday's Interborough Handicap. He just had to convince his owner, Robert Amendola, of it.

After several conversations, Martin eventually persuaded Amendola to scratch Bank Audit out of a Thursday allowance race and run in the Interborough.

Martin's faith was rewarded when Bank Audit took over from the pace-setting High Peaks in upper stretch and drew clear to a 5 1/2-length victory in the $81,255 at Aqueduct. Mariakel rallied from last to nip Belong to Sea by a head for second.

Miss Confusion proved much the best in the $40,000 Prime Rewards at Delta Downs on Friday, when she drew out to an eight length win in the one-mile race for fillies and mares who had never won a stakes. Mini Brush finished second, a length and a half clear of third-place finisher Ballroom Deputy.

Miss Confusion ($5) pushed pacesetter Crypto Em through an opening quarter in 23.09 seconds, took over from there and increased her advantage to the wire. She covered the distance over a fast track in 1:40.71.

Frank Stronach is not only one of racing's most accomplished owners and breeders, but his Magna Entertainment Corp. has also become North America's biggest racetrack company. Among Magna's prized possessions is Gulfstream Park, Florida's top winter track, which opens Monday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The extensive physical change in the Gulfstream Park landscape has brought along a more subtle change in the track's most visible series of races. The 3-year-old events leading to the Florida Derby have undergone revisions that Gulfstream racing secretary Dave Bailey believes will strengthen the series and make it more alluring to horsemen.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The jockey colony for the upcoming Gulfstream Park meeting will be second to none. Anchored by Hall of Famers Jerry Bailey and Pat Day as well as future Hall of Famers Edgar Prado and John Velazquez, the group will also include three-time Gulfstream titleholder Jorge Chavez, Eclipse Award winner Jose Santos, six-time British riding champ Kieren Fallon, Joe Bravo, Eibar Coa, and Calder kingpin Eddie Castro.

MIAMI - Trainer Nick Zito was all smiles after watching the last of his horses work over the Gulfstream Park track Friday morning.

Among them was his undefeated New York-bred gelding Commentator, whom Zito is readying for his 2005 debut in Gulfstream's Grade 3 Hal's Hope Handicap on Saturday. The Hal's Hope may serve as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Donn Handicap four weeks later.

NEW ORLEANS - Brian Hernandez Jr. had a lot to celebrate on New Year's Eve. He finished the year as the top apprentice rider in victories in 2004 and is a leading candidate for the Eclipse Award. A 19-year-old native of Lafayette, La., Hernandez won 240 races in 1,439 mounts during the year, racking up earnings of more than $4.3 million.