INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Pico Central, a top candidate for the Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding sprinter, will have a winter campaign geared toward a possible start in the $2 million Golden Shaheen Sprint in Dubai on March 26, trainer Paulo Lobo said.

Lobo said Pico Central emerged from a third-place finish in the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 27 in good condition despite losing a shoe in the race. He said the 5-year-old horse sustained some minor damage to the wall of his right hind foot, but did not expect it to curtail Pico Central's winter campaign.

VINTON, La. - Some of the horses in Saturday's $1 million for 2-year-olds at Delta Downs have run well on smaller tracks like the six-furlong oval in Vinton. Others have won under the lights. And still others have performed well following long ship-ins. But the horse in the Delta Jackpot who seems best suited to handle all of those variables at once is Texcess.

VINTON, La. - For just its third running, the $250,000 Delta Princess will offer an outstanding matchup: Punch Appeal and Summer Raven. The one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies is one of three undercard stakes supporting the $1 million Delta Jackpot.

The Princess drew a field of six, but the focus will be on the two favorites. Punch Appeal and Summer Raven both come into the race on the heels of impressive stakes wins. They each seem at their best using front-running tactics. Both hail from high-profile barns.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Classic Endeavor has returned to career form. Evening Attire is returning to his preferred surface. But Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Queens County Handicap at Aqueduct could be a good spot to go against both of the probable favorites.

has never won a stakes race, nor has he raced at the Queens County distance of 1 3/16 miles. But there are some things in his favor that could make him the right one in a fairly competitive renewal of this race.

VINTON, La. - The outcome of the $75,000 Sam's Town, one of four stakes on the $1 million Delta Jackpot card at Delta Downs on Saturday, will likely depend on what trainer Cole Norman decides to do with his three starters: Pie N Burger, Intelligent Male, and Shaky Town.

NEW ORLEANS - Midway Road turned the corner at Neil Howard's barn on Monday morning, cooling out after working five furlongs in 1:01 for Saturday's Tenacious Handicap. The work was the fastest of 29 horses at the distance, and Midway Road walked with the relaxed but confident stride of a serious horse sitting on a big race.

"There he is," said Howard, with a slight wave of his right hand. Howard's poker face revealed nothing of his thoughts, but it wasn't hard to see that Midway Road's move had pleased him.

NEW ORLEANS - When Destiny Calls didn't bounce back from her prep race for next Saturday's Louisiana Champions Day, the undefeated Happy Ticket suddenly appeared to have the Champions Day Ladies at her mercy. Trainer Andy Leggio Jr. wouldn't speculate about Destiny Calls, but knew what to say about his filly. "She's doin' terrific," said Leggio, seated in his barn office. He ran his finger across the workout chart that dominates his office desk. "Let's see, we worked her five-eighths Saturday and she went 1:01 in the slop," he said.

When Private Opinion starts as one of the main contenders Saturday in the Holiday Inaugural at Turfway Park, she will be running for a $50,000 purse.

But the stakes are actually much higher. Private Opinion is by the top-class sire Deputy Minister and the first foal of Vantive, a Mr. Prospector mare whose family is loaded with good horses.

"She's bred incredibly well, so we really would love to get her some black type Saturday," said Pat Byrne, who trains Private Opinion for the estate of the late Robert Sangster.

Net Sum Gain is the favorite to score his fourth straight win and his first stakes victory in the inaugural running of the $255,241 Harrah's Entertainment Futurity at Louisiana Downs on Saturday afternoon.

After winning a maiden race from his first two starts, Net Sum Gain has become a stakes horse for trainer Dwayne "Sleepy" Gilbreath with three consecutive wins, including a victory in the consolation to the Texas Classic Futurity at Sam Houston Race Park.

New Mexico Breeders Derby winner Arbor Mist heads a strong contingent of 3-year-old fillies in the $125,000 Lou Wooten Handicap for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares at Sunland Park on Saturday afternoon.

In the Sept. 26 Breeders Derby, her most recent start, Arbor Mist defeated males as the 3-5 favorite when she quickly opened up a daylight lead and rolled through the finish 1 1/4 lengths in front at the Wooten distance of 400 yards.