INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Areyoutalkintome has been remarkably consistent this year. In 10 starts, he has won four races, including the California Cup Sprint, and finished second five times. But his two worst performances came when he tried to stretch out to 7 1/2 furlongs. One time, he finished third. The other time, he lost by 4 1/2 lengths, even though he finished second.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - After returning from Kentucky on Wednesday night, trainer Richard Mandella on Thursday set about the task of preparing his suddenly rejuvenated stock of 3-year-olds, which was enhanced earlier this week by the addition of Rock Hard Ten.

"I just saw him today," Mandella said from his Santa Anita barn, where Rock Hard Ten was transferred from trainer Jason Orman on Tuesday. "He looks good so far."

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - This must be the week for complexity at Churchill Downs. The jockey-insurance controversy overtook the track all week, and now there are all sorts of handicapping variables involved with the Saturday feature, the Grade 2 .

STICKNEY, Ill. - The High Alexander Handicap was shaping up as something close to a two-horse race. It might still be, but Scooter Roach and Wiggins have plenty of horseflesh to dodge.

When the smoke cleared late Thursday morning, 12 horses had been entered in the High Alexander, the last and best of six $100,000-added Illinois-bred stakes races Saturday at Hawthorne Race Course. The stakes sequence starts in the fourth race with the Powerless Handicap, the weakest of the stakes races, but things build from there.

STICKNEY, Ill. - Silver Bid had done little wrong all year until he stumbled home last of five in an open allowance race a month ago at Hawthorne. But if Silver Bid becomes his typical self again, he should win the $100,000-added Lightning Jet Handicap here Saturday.

He nearly did last year. In the 2003 edition, Silver Bid dueled on a fast pace and never let up, losing by a neck to Fairmount invader Bulldog George. While that horse has faded from sight, Silver Bid has won 5 of 7 with 1 second this year, looking very much like the fastest Illinois-bred sprinter going.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - One for Rose's tour de force in last year's Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes went a long way toward earning her the Sovereign Award as Canada's top older filly and mare.

On Saturday, One for Rose will look to enhance her chances for another divisional title when she faces four other fillies and mares in the $185,850 Maple Leaf.

Last fall, One for Rose scored by 7 1/4 lengths in the 1 1/8-mile prep for the Maple Leaf and returned three weeks later to romp by 6 1/4 lengths in the 1 1/4-mile stakes, earning a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 110.

Roses in May, whose runner-up finish behind Ghostzapper in the Oct. 30 Breeders' Cup Classic was his only defeat in six starts this year, will not run in the Nov. 26 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs as had been hoped, owner Ken Ramsey said Thursday.

"I'm afraid that we emptied him out," said Ramsey. "We're going to freshen him up."

Ramsey said Roses in May would soon accompany trainer Dale Romans to the Palm Meadows training center in south Florida, where the colt will begin preparing for the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 26.

Right This Way came with a flying finish to win Thursday's $61,000 at Aqueduct.

Ridden by Edgar Prado, Right This Way was a three-quarter-length winner over Humoristic in the mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies. It was a nose back to Tuesday Prayer in third.

Right This Way, the 5-2 favorite, covered the distance in 1:38.04 over a good course labeled good. She returned $7.

A daughter of West by West, Right This Way is trained by Barclay Tagg and owned by Alan Pesch.

Zarb's Luck is a fast horse who has registered the majority of his wins around one turn. He did, however, score one of his biggest victories around two turns, and on Saturday night he will defend his title in that race, the $100,000 Gold Cup, at Delta Downs in Vinton, La.

The one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up is restricted to horses bred in Louisiana, and it drew a familiar cast of eight, including Witt Ante, Nitro Chip, Prince Slew, and Walk in the Snow.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Online wagering, introduced in New Jersey with little fanfare last month, has gotten off to an encouraging start.

"Business is good," said Dennis Dowd, vice president of account and offtrack wagering for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.

The NJSEA sent out more than 10,000 brochures in mid-October and has already signed up approximately 1,500 accounts. The NJSEA is spearheading the

drive for its two tracks, The Meadowlands and Monmouth Park, as well as Freehold Raceway and Atlantic City Race Course.