The New Jersey Legislature passed a bill Monday that would allow the state to lease The Meadowlands and Monmouth Park to a private operator.

By making changes is some minor racing laws, the bill, which has been sent to Gov. James McGreevey, clears the way for a lease of the two properties, which are owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. McGreevey has said that he supports an effort to lease the tracks to a private operator. Last year, Monmouth and The Meadowlands earned $23.5 million for New Jersey.

Pies Prospect, one of three also-rans from last month's Peter Pan to ship to Delaware Park for Tuesday's $55,300 Floor Show Stakes, scored a 5 1/2-length victory for trainer Nick Zito.

Norberto Arroyo Jr. rode Pies Prospect for Arroyo's fourth stakes win of the meet.

Pies Prospect ($5.60), a distant fourth behind Purge in the nine-furlong Peter Pan last time out, covered 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:43.93. Gmork finished second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Zakocity, a New York-based horse who was beaten less than two lengths by Pies Prospect in the Peter Pan.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Last spring, when Kiaran McLaughlin was training privately for the Maktoum family, he had a lot of success at the Belmont meet with horses shipping in from Dubai that were able to race on Lasix.

Though he opened a public stable last fall, McLaughlin still trains a few horses for the Maktoums. Two of those horses, Northern Rock and Cherry Pickings, are back in New York after wintering in Dubai and are entered in Thursday's $56,000 classified allowance feature at 1 1/16 miles at Belmont.

STOCKTON, Calif. - The San Joaquin Fair certainly spread the wealth during its first week.

Twenty different trainers won the first 20 Thoroughbred races. Twenty-eight different trainers won the 35 Thoroughbred races during the first week of the meet with only Barry Holmes, who won with all four horses he started, winning more than two.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The 2-year-old program at Monmouth Park was fairly lean last season, but the juveniles are back on the Jersey Shore this year.

We have already seen several impressive 2-year-olds, topped by Smokescreen, a debut winner last weekend for trainer Benny Perkins Jr.

A large, gray son of Smoke Glacken, Smokescreen swung into contention with a powerful move on the turn before steadily edging away to win in 58.82 seconds for the five furlongs.

Smokescreen was a $120,000 yearling purchase selected by Perkins's father, Ben Sr., for Eb Novak's New Farm.

With two 3-year-old stakes winners this year, the visibility of Frank Fletcher Racing Operations has been high in the Louisiana-Arkansas-Texas area. And one of the key team members behind the scenes is Kathy Moore, a former jockey and racing official at Louisiana Downs.

Moore, 47, can now be found on the track's backstretch, checking in on colts like There Goes Rocket, the champion 2-year-old last year in Texas, and Old Lee, a two-time stakes winner in Louisiana. Both race for Fletcher, a prominent Arkansas-based businessman.

AUBURN, Wash. - The big question on everyone's mind before Sunday's $75,000 Budweiser Emerald Handicap at Emerald Downs was whether Willie the Cat could stretch his abundant speed to a mile, and that question seemed to be answered by the big gray's disappointing fifth-place finish.

CALGARY, Alberta - The 46-day spring meeting at Stampede Park wound to a close last Sunday with rider Mike Iammarino and trainer Emile Corbel teaming up to score a rather easy win with Cypriata in the 8th running of the Penny Ridge. The $40,000 allowance stakes for 3-year-old fillies attracted just four entrants and Iammarino turned in a patient ride abaord the Kentucky-bred daughter of Seeking the Gold to win drawing off under a hand ride.

AUBURN, Wash. - An evenly matched group of nine 3-year-old fillies, each eligible to be claimed for $12,500 or $10,000, will race at a mile in the featured seventh Thursday at Emerald Downs.

Four of the entrants are exiting a race run under the same conditions on June 11, including the top three finishers that day. Echo Weaver took advantage of a blistering pace to come from a dozen lengths back and win that race by a half-length over Jewelette, who took the lead passing the furlong marker.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - His path to the Queen's Plate may have been rocky, but trainer Jim Day said he believes that His Smoothness is back on the right track for Sunday's $1 million Queen's Plate.

The 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate, the first leg of Canada's Triple Crown for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds, is expected to attract a field of 14 when entries are taken Friday morning.