MIAMI - One of the hottest topics on the south Florida racing scene this summer concerns what may happen around these parts next winter, considering the major reconstruction project that is under way at Gulfstream Park.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Clubay, a bridesmaid in all three stakes she contested at the Fort last year, appears to have a caught a field she can master in Sunday's Rose City. The 6-year-old Clubay will face five rivals in the six-furlong Rose City, an "in-house" stakes restricted to fillies and mares who have made three starts at the track in 2003-2004. The purse is $40,000, with up to $20,000 extra for Canadian-bred horses.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Fancy As attempts another comeback in Sunday's $40,000 Free Press Stakes at Assiniboia Downs, in which nine older males will go six furlongs.

Fancy As has not raced since the Stampede Park Sprint Handicap in May of last year. The 6-year-old came off a 13-month layoff to win both his starts in 2003.

AUBURN, Wash. - Leading rider Ricky Frazier and his agent, Boone McCanna, faced an enviably tough decision regarding Sunday's $75,000 Budweiser Emerald Handicap at a mile.

Frazier is the regular rider for both Willie the Cat, who is undefeated in six sprints at Emerald, and Poker Brad, who ran second to Sky Jack in last year's Grade 3 Longacres Mile. Frazier and McCanna put off making a decision as to which horse Frazier would ride as long as they could, but Thursday morning it was time to fish or cut bait.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - A positive attitude and the ability to tack 102 pounds has helped Jorge Espitia launch his riding career at Hastings. A 10-pound apprentice, Espitia shipped to Hastings a couple of weeks ago, and he's won two races, finished second four times, and generally made a favorable impression in his 20 mounts.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Silver Ticket, owned by Sam-Son Farm and trained by Mark Frostad, is headed for next Sunday's $1 million Queen's Plate after working six furlongs in 1:13.20 here Friday.

A 3-year-old gelding by Silver Deputy, Silver Ticket would be making only his second start of the year in the 1 1/4-mile Plate. He scored an impressive victory in a first-level allowance at one mile on turf here June 5.

Todd Kabel, who rode Silver Ticket in each of his four career starts, was aboard for Friday's drill over a fast main track.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Eight months ago, a matchup between Azeri and Sightseek would have been a battle to decide a divisional championship. But, an injury knocked Azeri out of the Breeders' Cup Distaff and Sightseek finished fourth as the 3-5 favorite. Azeri won the title when longshot Adoration won the Distaff.

Saturday, when the two mares meet for the first time in the Grade 1, $300,000 at Belmont Park, it will be a battle for survival in a wide-open division in search of a leader.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Beautiful America, a quadruple stakes winner on dirt, will try to transfer that form to the turf Sunday, when she runs in the $100,000 Mount Vernon Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares.

Beautiful America was voted New York-bred champion 2-year-old filly in 2002 on the strength of three consecutive stakes victories. She tried the turf last summer, finishing second behind Ocean Drive in the Gaviola Stakes, sixth in the Grade 3 Lake George, and fourth in the Yaddo for New York-breds.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - It has been a long road back for unbeaten Grade 1 winner Candy Ride and Grade 1-placed filly Solar Echo, who both are nearing a return to serious training for Ron McAnally. If they make it back, it will be more than a year since each last raced on Aug. 24 at Del Mar. Candy Ride won the Pacific Classic, and Solar Echo finished an unlucky second in the Del Mar Oaks. Both were sidelined and have not raced since.

McAnally said Candy Ride will resume training July 1, his third attempt at a comeback.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Twice as Bad is merely a sprinter, and Cheiron is just a California-bred unproven in open stakes. The talented 3-year-olds will try to show that the preconceptions are misconceptions when they compete at 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Hollywood Park.