Silver Minister completed a remarkable feat for his connections when he pulled away to a surprisingly easy win Saturday in the $100,000 at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Victory in an unusually deep renewal of the Battaglia gave Silver Minister a sweep of the three prep races that lead to the Lane's End Stakes, the annual Turfway showcase race. Silver Minister previously had won the Turfway Prevue and the WEBN Stakes and with his win Saturday duplicated the sweep that Champali pulled off last year, for owner Lloyd Madison Farms and trainer Greg Foley.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Smarty Jones remained undefeated in four career starts on Saturday, when he held off a strong bid from Two Down Automatic for a three-quarter-length win in the $100,000 at Oaklawn Park. Pro Prado, part of an entry trained by Bob Holthus, finished third, a half-length behind Two Down Automatic.

The loud noise resonating around Laurel Park late Saturday afternoon was the throng of horseplayers jumping off the Capac Triple Crown bandwagon.

Hammered down to 2-5 in the $40,000 Miracle Wood, Capac loomed large, three wide in third place, on the turn for home in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds. But just as he appeared positioned to zoom by the leaders, he began to lose ground - and he kept losing ground, finishing fifth in the field of seven, beaten 8 1/2 lengths by the winner, Water Cannon.

Crypto's Best won her first stakes Friday night, powering to a 6 3/4-length win over Simply Jolie in the $50,000 Green Oaks at Delta Downs in Vinton, La. It was 5 1/2 lengths back in third to Road to Mandalay.

Wacky Patty, part of an entry with Royal Pet, was scratched in favor of the Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 13.

NEW ORLEANS - Early this week, Ben Huffman, the amiable first-year racing secretary at Fair Grounds, clammed up. Huffman declined to speak publicly about the New Orleans Handicap. The race looked too good to be true. Huffman feared jinxing it.

At midmorning Friday, his wondering and worrying ceased. The eight horses Huffman hoped would show up in the Grade 2, $500,000 officially were entered.

The Iowa House of Representatives voted, 73-26, on Thursday to allow table games, including blackjack, at Prairie Meadows and the state's two dog tracks while prohibiting any new gambling licenses from being issued in the state.

The bill now must be heard by the state Senate. The bill is the result of a long legal battle between the tracks and the state and contains most of the major elements from a May 2003 settlement proposal made by the tracks.

Veteran trainer Larry Uelmen could not have scripted a better start to the 2004 racing season in Chicago.

"I'm trying to build a stable here after 27 years in Michigan," Uelmen said after saddling Of Legal Age to win the opening race of the National Jockey Club-at-Hawthorne meet, a $32,000 allowance sprint that served as the richest of 10 Friday races. "This really helps."

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A stakes-less Sunday at Gulfstream Park comes along about as often as five Sundays in February. Such is the case this Sunday, however, when two turf allowance races highlight a 12-race card.

The featured event is an entry-level allowance for fillies and mares at nine furlongs. An overflow field of 12 was entered, with 10 permitted to start. The co-feature is an entry-level allowance for 3-year-old colts and geldings, also at nine furlongs.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Madcap Escapade, the brilliant winner of the Old Hat Stakes here on Feb. 14, will make her next start in the Grade 3, $150,000 Stonerside Forward Gal Stakes at seven furlongs on March 13, trainer Frank Brothers said Friday.

Brothers did not even nominate Madcap Escapade to next Saturday's Bonnie Miss Stakes at nine furlongs, saying he would prefer to wait before stretching the filly out in distance.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Snake Mountain won't defend his title in next Saturday's $75,000-added Stymie Handicap at Aqueduct.

Snake Mountain, who won last year's Stymie by a nose over Classic Endeavor, will not be ready to run in the 1 1/8-mile race, according to his trainer, Jimmy Jerkens.