AUBURN, Wash. - Lasting Code, who defeated 10 rivals in her commanding victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Hastings Park Handicap on May 9, will face a much smaller cast of challengers in Sunday's Washington State Legislators Handicap at the same distance.

CALGARY, Alberta - Sweet Monarch, champion 3-year-old filly on this circuit two years ago, will be taking her first step along the comeback trail when she faces eight rivals in an optional claimer going a mile at Stampede Park on Saturday.

Trainer Dale Greenwood saddles Sweet Monarch and has enlisted the services of leading rider Quincy Welch for Sweet Monarch's first start since she finished seventh in the Ballerina at Hastings in October 2002. She missed all of 2003 with a tendon injury.

ELMONT, N.Y. - It says something about the depth of the 3-year-old filly division that even without its three top stars, Friday's Grade 1, $250,000 came up a terrific race.

Halfbridled and Madcap Escapade are sidelined through the fall with injuries and Kentucky Oaks winner Ashado will await the June 26 Mother Goose. Still, the 10 fillies entered in the one-mile Acorn have solid credentials. Six are graded stakes winners and three have finished second in major events.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan Handicap, featuring an outstanding cast of male turf horses, heads the Belmont Stakes undercard Saturday at Belmont Park.

Entries for Saturday's 13-race card, including the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes and five other graded stakes, were drawn Wednesday.

ELMONT, N.Y. - First, Bobby Frankel said Master David would run on the grass. Then, Frankel started thinking about the Northern Dancer Stakes or Ohio Derby, both dirt stakes run June 12.

In the end, Frankel decided to put Master David in the Belmont Stakes.

"That's me, I change my mind all the time," Frankel said outside his barn Wednesday morning. "I'm not always right. If I were such a great handicapper, I wouldn't need to train horses. I don't think we can beat him" - referring to Smarty Jones - "but it's horse racing."

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher has won two of the last five runnings of the Flash Stakes. On Friday at Belmont Park, Pletcher will try to win the 2-year-old stakes for the second consecutive year.

Pletcher saddles Dubleo, who meets four rivals in the Grade 3, $100,000-added Flash.

are the only horses in the field to have won at the Flash's five-furlong distance. Also entered are Primal Storm, Departing Now, and Gold Joy.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - All the elements fell into place for a strong opening weekend at Monmouth Park.

The weather, with the exception of a rainy Monday, was spectacular. Saturday and Sunday were both picture perfect. The two days featured abundant sunshine but the temperatures rose only into the low 70's: too cool for the beach here at the Jersey Shore; ideal for the racetrack.

The racing purses, enhanced by a four-year, $86 million supplement from the state's casinos, drew large and competitive fields.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Pico Central emerged from his victory in Monday's Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park with a cut above the back of his left front foot. The injury has prevented trainer Paulo Lobo from immediately planning Pico Central's next start.

Pico Central, unbeaten in four starts since arriving from Brazil last fall, was flown from New York to Lobo's base at Hollywood Park on Wednesday. Lobo said the cut most likely occurred at the start, does not require stitches, and has been treated with antibiotics.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Before she was injured in October, Dream of Summer had trainer Juan Garcia believing that she could develop into a stakes-caliber filly.

His opinion did not change over the winter, but it will be tested when Dream of Summer makes her 5-year-old debut in a $50,000 optional claimer over six furlongs at Hollywood Park on Friday night.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The three speediest horses may also be the best. The ninth race Friday at Churchill Downs presents an interesting matchup for handicappers, as the top three contenders - Shake the Bank, Dynareign, and Puget Sound - all have highly effective speed, and all appear capable of knocking out their second allowance condition in this $52,900 feature.