They can't sustain their high speed for much more than a half-mile, but the best of the short-sprint specialists at Charles Town are extremely fast horses.

Three veterans of the 4 1/2-furlong wars, who have all recorded triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures twice this year, head a competitive field for Sunday's $100,000 Charles Town Dash Handicap.

Charles Town regulars Anthony Soprano, Calisthenic, and Not for Sam will have to prove they're better than Fine Stormy, a well-traveled sprinter who has been facing some classy competition.

A Group 1 winner from Brazil making his North American debut and an eight-time stakes winner on turf making only his second start since December 2002 headline the one-mile Independence Day Handicap on the grass, one of three $75,000 stakes on the holiday program at Mountaineer.

Ay Caramba, a 4-year-old colt now trained by high-percentage trainer Eduardo Caramori, is 4 for 5 lifetime on grass, including victories at one mile against Group 1 and Group 3 competition. One of the horses he beat, Leroidesanimaux, went on to win the Grade 3 Inglewood Handicap at Hollywood Park in May.

With Patience, third in the Grade 3 Gallorette Handicap two starts ago, goes for her second straight win against Virginia-breds in the $50,000 Brookmeade, a 1 1/16-mile turf race at Colonial Downs.

Although the 5-year-old With Patience must carry top weight of 124 pounds, she handled that assignment when she won in a similar field going 5 1/2 furlongs on June 19.

Sea Dub would benefit from some fireworks Sunday in the $75,000 Independence Handicap at Louisiana Downs, but not the kind that light up the sky. Joe Petalino, who trains Sea Dub, says he hopes there will be quick fractions in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, in which Sea Dub will attempt to turn the tables on Waupaca.

The two met last out in the $50,000 Barksdale Handicap, with Waupaca leading throughout for a two-length win and Sea Dub finishing third. Sea Dub raced closer to the pace than usual in that race, but could get a different trip in the Independence.

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Two months ago, trainer Jamey Thomas didn't expect to have a 2-year-old running in Sunday's $50,000-added Everett Nevin Alameda County Futurity at the Alameda County Fair.

But Blazen Right Cross surprised him.

"I didn't expect him to be so good," Thomas said. "He was just a laid-back horse around the barn, but he's all business when he's on the track."

Although he won't be favored against nine Cal-bred rivals in the five-furlong stakes, Blazen Right Cross could land a knockout punch.

MIAMI - Mr. Livingston couldn't have gotten a better trip en route to his four-length victory in the Carterista Handicap on May 8, when he saved every inch of ground before slipping inside the tiring leaders to post his first win since July 2003.

Trainer Bill Kaplan doesn't expect Mr. Livingston to receive another perfect journey in Saturday's $100,000 Mecke Handicap. But he is confident his multiple-stakes-winning veteran will again prove tough to beat if he gets a clean run in the 1 1/8-mile turf fixture for older horses.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Floater will attempt to rebound from a dull third-place finish behind Crypto's Prospect and Dawn's Revenge in the 1 1/16-mile allowance prep for the Cleveland Gold Cup when he faces 11 statebred rivals in the $75,000 Gold Cup at Thistledown on Sunday.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - The $40,000 Princess Elaine Stakes at Canterbury Park will go a long way toward determining the best Minnesota-bred filly or mare on grass. A field of 11 will meet in the 1 1/16-mile stakes.

Art and Gretchen Eaton, leading local breeders and Canterbury Hall of Fame members, will be represented by two of their homebreds, One Smart Chick and More Hot Gossip.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In the three months since 2-year-old racing began in Kentucky, there has been no clear leader in the 2-year-old filly division. On Sunday, one will finally be established with the running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Debutante at Churchill Downs.

The 5 1/2-furlong Debutante is the first stakes race for 2-year-old fillies in Kentucky this year, and only the second non-maiden race. The other race was a June 18 allowance, which was won by Sweet Miss El.

There is nothing enigmatic about Eye of the Sphynx, who will be the odds-on choice at Fort Erie in Sunday's $250,000 Labatt Bison City Stakes.

Eye of the Sphynx is, purely and simply, a winner, and she will be very difficult to deny in the 1 1/16-mile Bison City, which is the second jewel in the triple tiara for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies and the headliner on a program that also includes the $100,000 Daryl Wells Sr. Memorial Stakes.