Presidentialaffair, who lost a photo finish to Docent in last year's Maryland Million Classic, will be one of the strongest favorites on Saturday's Maryland Million card at Pimlico. During the last year, Presidentialaffair has gone on to win two Grade 3 races and finish second to Ghostzapper in the Iselin, a race in which Ghostzapper earned a 128 Beyer Speed Figure.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - A cleaner trip could help Out of the Will narrow the gap with Melody of Colors when they meet again Saturday in the $60,000 Incredible Revenge Stakes at The Meadowlands Racetrack.

The fillies squared off in a mid-September allowance race at Monmouth Park, with Melody of Colors drawing off to a 2 1/4-length win in the five-furlong turf race. Out of the Will, stuck in traffic, shook loose late and got up for third.

Any mishap in a five-furlong turf sprint spells trouble.

MIAMI - Most trainers with key contenders in turf stakes shudder at the hint of rain in the forecast and the chance a race might be taken off the turf. But you can bet neither David Fawkes nor Manny Azpurua will lose any sleep fretting about the weather in south Florida this weekend.

EAST BOSTON, Mass. - Requesting racing dates in New England used to be a cutthroat political exercise. With only one track left running Thoroughbred dates, this year's request is an exercise in survival.

Suffolk Downs officials want to reduce the number of races they run to maximize their limited purse funds, but the responsibility of supporting the region's horsemen means there won't be much change in the schedule in 2005.

In the first six starts of his career, Killenaule has been favored five times and gone off at 3-2 odds in his other race.

As the only 2-year-old in a field of six with proven dirt form around two turns beyond the maiden ranks, Killenaule figures to be a short price again Saturday in the $100,000 Dover Stakes at Delaware Park.

Dynamite Flyer, ambitiously placed against Grade 3 stakes company at Saratoga after winning the first three starts of his career, meets far easier company in the $50,000 Yankee Affair, a 1 1/16-mile turf race restricted to Pennsylvania-breds at Philadelphia Park.

A son of Dynaformer trained by Sanna Hendriks, Dynamite Flyer steadily improved his Beyers from 83 to 93 while winning twice at Delaware and once at Saratoga. He was competitive in the 1 3/16-mile Saranac Handicap until fading in the final eighth.

Trainer Al Stall Jr. might have a second horse to start on the Breeders' Cup card if Akanti runs well in the featured ninth race Saturday at Lone Star Park. The one-mile allowance could be the Akanti's springboard to the $100,000 Metroplex Mile on the Breeders' Cup undercard at Lone Star on Oct. 30.

Stall is already pointing Enduring Will for the $1 million Juvenile Fillies.

Here's something that isn't seen regularly in a $40,000 stakes in this region: a pair of shippers from Kentucky and a horse whose last start came at Belmont Park. They are some of the players in the $40,000 Cornucopia, a 1 1/16-mile turf handicap for fillies and mares to be run Saturday at Louisiana Downs.

Fuse It should get a nice pace to close into Saturday night in the $40,000 Zydeco for fillies and mares at Delta Downs in Vinton, La. The bigger question is, can she get up at five furlongs?

History says yes. Fuse It rallied from four lengths off the pace to win a five-furlong allowance at Evangeline Downs on April 24, and for that race she was turning back in distance from one-mile. She will be a fresher horse when she runs Saturday, because she has not started since finishing fifth in the $100,000 Valid Expectations at Lone Star Park on May 31.

The purse of the $20,000 Atchison, Topeka, Santa Fe Handicap at the Woodlands in Kansas City, Kan., on Saturday belies the strength of the field. A competitive group of seven horses will line up for the six-furlong race, and together they have combined to win 71 races and earn more than $1.8 million.