AUBURN, Wash. - Sandia's Flicka will attempt to stretch her speed to 6 1/2 furlongs when she heads a field of nine in Sunday's $40,000 Federal Way Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs.

BALTIMORE - Yearly Report, given a cagey ride by Jerry Bailey, took over in the final furlong for her second graded-stakes triumph Friday in the 80th running of the Grade 2 at Pimlico.

Yearly Report had been unable to run in the April 30 Kentucky Oaks because of scheduling problems caused by muscle cramping, or "tying up," in late March. So trainer Bob Baffert made the appropriate adjustments with the filly, and she responded Friday with a 1 1/2-length triumph over Pawyne Princess in the $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - As they dotted the I's and crossed the T's on Friday morning at Arlington Park, preparing for the first racing program of the 2004 season later in the afternoon, rain fell steadily from densely packed low clouds. Nobody here was dancing for a wet opener - but neither were Intern's people crying for a break in the weather.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Louisiana Downs opened with a new look on Friday, and many patrons returning to the track for the first time were surprised by a new casino and dining addition that doubles as the main entrance to the track.

"It looks great," said Fred Revils, who lives in neighboring Greenwood. "It's probably the best thing that ever happened to this place.

"I live here," he said. "I saw the first race here, and it used to be great. Now, I think it's moving [back] to where it used to be."

The featured eighth race at Lone Star on Sunday could produce starters for the Miller Lite. A five-furlong turf allowance for fillies and mares, the race drew eight. Frilly Fun, who finished third to Savorthetime in a six-furlong allowance that went in a near-track-record time of 1:08.36, returns to turf for the first time since June 2003 on Sunday.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Eleven Minnesota-bred fillies and mares will contest the $40,000 Lady Slipper Stakes, a traditional opening-weekend fixture at Canterbury Park.

The deserving favorite in Sunday's six-furlong sprint is Madam Speaker, winner of last season's Frances Genter Stakes and Minnesota Distaff Sprint Championship. Unraced since August, Madam Speaker has posted two bullet works in preparation for her return. Vic Hanson trains the 4-year-old Wild Zone filly, and last year's leading rider, Derek Bell, will ride.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockey Patrick Valenzuela will appear before the California Horse Racing Board at Hollywood Park on Tuesday to appeal a stewards' ruling issued last month that terminated his conditional license for missing a mandatory drug test in January.

Valenzuela was given a stay by the CHRB on April 16, allowing him to resume riding until the appeal is heard. Since his return to riding April 25 after a three-month absence, Valenzuela has vaulted to the top of the jockey standings at Hollywood Park. Through Thursday, he had 23 wins, seven more than Corey Nakatani.

PHOENIX - Sunday's aptly named Hasta La Vista Handicap, the annual closing-day feature at Turf Paradise, is at the unusual distance of 1 7/8 miles on the turf. Defending champ Pittsburgh Star and capable Southern California shipper Fade to Blue head a field of 11 in the final race of the season and the highlight of a 10-race program.

The Arizona racing scene shifts about an hour and a half north to Yavapai Downs in Prescott Valley. The meet there runs from May 29 through Sept. 7.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Gulfstream Park has begun work on a major renovation project that will dramatically change the look of the facility, beginning with the 2005 racing season.

Construction crews have already bulldozed the turf course and main track and are in the final stages of preparing the grandstand for demolition. Also scheduled to be demolished within the next several weeks are the the racing secretary's office, the paddock, and 18 barns, which run the entire length of the backstretch.

ELMONT, N.Y. - An especially strong group of New York-bred 3-year-old fillies will run in Sunday's $100,000-added Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont Park.

The likely favorite in the seven-furlong Bouwerie is , who won the Fashion Stakes against open company here last June. Another top contender is Capeside Lady, who was named last year's champion 2-year-old New York-bred filly.

The 11-horse field also includes Ihaveadate, who won a division of the New York Stallion Stakes in her last start, and Leedle Dee, who won last year's East View Stakes.