ELMONT, N.Y. - Very little separated Fortune Writers and Kicken Kris when the two faced each other three times last year.

While Kicken Kris has developed into one of the nation's top turf horses - he was awarded first place in the Grade 1 Arlington Million - Fortune Writers is still trying to prove his worth. Fortune Writers seems to have found a relatively soft spot to continue his development when he heads a seven-horse field entered in a second-level allowance race going 1 1/4 miles Thursday over Belmont Park's inner turf.

CHICAGO - It's one thing for a trainer to get turned down by a jockey. It's quite another if the jockey is the trainer's brother.

Thursday at Arlington Park the jockey commonly known simply as "Brother," Earlie Fires, jumps off , trained by his brother William "Jinks" Fires, to ride a horse named Joyful Ballad.

Jinks will not be holding Earlie's desertion against him. Joyful Ballad is owned by the Glen Hill Farm of Leonard Lavin and trained by Tom Proctor, longtime partners with Earlie Fires.

POMONA, Calif. - Three starts into her career, High Zone's record is perfect - she has broken dead last every time. Not that trainer Brian Koriner is complaining. "That's just her, she's broken slow every trip," he said. "I think she'll break slow again."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Royal Regalia, a Kentucky-bred 6-year-old gelding owned by Stronach Stable, had plenty of options for the upcoming weekend.

On Tuesday, Royal Regalia already had been entered in Saturday's $100,000 Sussex Handicap, a 1 1/16-mile turf race at Delaware Park, and also had been nominated to Saturday stakes at Belmont and Pimlico.

But when push came to shove the decision was made to run Royal Regalia here in Sunday's Grade 1, $1 million Atto Mile, a turf race for 3-year-olds and upwards that was shaping up with a field of seven as of Tuesday.

The Maryland Racing Commission approved a request by Pimlico Race Course to extend its current meet by three weeks in order to accommodate construction delays at Pimlico's sister track, Laurel Park.

The Pimlico meet will now end on Nov. 2, rather than Oct. 11, with Laurel opening on Nov. 4. Four stakes that were scheduled to be run at Laurel have been moved to the extended Pimlico meet: the Sonny Hine Stakes on Oct. 16, the Japan Racing Association Stakes on Oct. 23, and two stakes for Maryland-bred 2-year-olds on Oct. 30, the Heavenly Cause and the Rollicking.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Of course Steve Asmussen will allow himself to think about the Breeders' Cup Sprint for Cuvee.

After all, a parade of good 3-year-olds have come out of the Kentucky Cup Sprint to run back in the Breeders' Cup.

CHICAGO - Spotlight was entered last Sunday in the Grade 1 Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap at Belmont Park, but instead of starting there, she worked a half-mile on dirt Monday morning, and left later that day for Chicago. Spotlight arrived Tuesday morning at Arlington, where she is expected to start in the Pucker Up Handicap on closing weekend.

America America, who raced in four countries as a 2-year-old and registered her biggest wins in Texas, will be sold during the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky selected fall mixed sale on Nov. 7, said her owner and trainer, Franck Mourier.

AUBURN, Wash. - Three weeks ago, trainer Frank Lucarelli didn't like his chances of winning his second Emerald Downs training title at this meet. He was two wins behind four-time defending champion Tim McCanna and just one win ahead of a surging Jim Penney.

With five days of racing left in the 90-day meet, however, Lucarelli finds himself in front with 49 wins. McCanna has 47 and Penney 44.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trainer Art Sherman knows that Greenie and Banker Badgett have their work cut out for them if they are going to win Thursday's Bay Meadows feature, a $40,000 optional claimer for 3-year-olds at six furlongs.

Greenie, who was nominated to last weekend's California Sprint Championship, is coming off an impressive win in a $50,000 claimer at Del Mar. Banker Badgett won his debut in a $25,000 maiden claimer at the Bay Meadows Fair in impressive style, rallying nicely after breaking slowly.