PHOENIX - In the marquee race of the meet last week, the Turf Paradise BC Handicap, the locally based Black Bart tried to defeat Southern California invader Irish Warrior. He almost succeeded.

There is a similar scenario in Saturday's $50,000 Glendale Handicap at Turf Paradise, as the locally based Moonlit Maddie - coming off a smart win in the Kachina Handicap last month - attempts to defeat Southern California shippers Magnificent Val, Major Idea, and Harbor Blues. A field of 12 is entered in the 1 1/16-mile turf race.

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Saturday's $50,000-added El Paso Times Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs for 3-year-old fillies comes up wide-open, having only two stakes winners in a field of eight. The race offers an interesting mix of shippers, and might well be won by an overlay.

Elliott Walden is a better horse trainer than weather predictor. So as he tried to determine where to ship Ole Faunty, who is cross-entered Saturday in the Dust Commander at Turfway Park and the John B. Campbell at Laurel Park, Walden wondered aloud if weather would override his preferred option.

"The $64,000 question is whether Turfway will run or not," said Walden.

Grand Island, Neb. - Winter weather has been making headlines in central Nebraska the past two weekends, but mild temperatures up until that time kept horses in steady training for Saturday's opening of Fonner Park's 51st season of racing.

There Goes Rocket has been a dominant force in the Texas Stallion Stakes, with two wins in his two starts in the series restricted to the offspring of nominated stallions. Saturday night, he has a good chance to pick up a third Texas Stallion Stakes victory in the 1 1/16-mile division of the race at Sam Houston Race Park.

The stakes is one of two divisions for 3-year-olds on Saturday night, with the other restricted to fillies. Each race has a purse of $75,000.

Blue Guru already looked good on paper in a competitive $50,000 Sweetheart Stakes at Delta Downs on Saturday night, but with rain in the forecast, she looks even better.

"She moves way up on a sloppy track," said Joel Cunningham, who races Blue Guru with his father, Marv Cunningham.

The Sweetheart is a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares. It will be run around two turns at Delta.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The prospective starting lineup for Saturday's $250,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes has gone through a few alterations over the past 48 hours, but the changes do not affect the three likely favorites - Second of June, Read the Footnotes, and Sir Oscar.

Three-year-olds previously under consideration for the race but who are now looking elsewhere include Zakocity, Farnum Alley, and Mustanfar. Two Calder-based longshots, Hopefortheroses and Broadway View, are expected to join the lineup for the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Got Koko, the third-place finisher in the Grade 1 Santa Monica Handicap on Jan. 25 and one of the nation's top older fillies last year, is out until late summer with an ankle injury.

Trainer and co-owner Bruce Headley said Got Koko suffered the injury in her last start and will be sidelined for four months. Headley hopes that Got Koko will return at Del Mar in August.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The weekend could begin early for Jerry Bailey. The Hall of Fame jockey is sitting on a potential big day at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, when his mounts include Read the Footnotes in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, but he has a chance to pick up some pocket money on Friday afternoon in a pair of allowance races that top a perfunctory card.

NEW ORLEANS - A rash of defections has diminished Saturday's Grade 2 Silverbulletday Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, so much so that Thursday's featured ninth race at Fair Grounds might be in the same league.

The Thursday feature is an entry-level allowance at one mile on dirt. An optional claiming race carded for one mile on turf, but likely to be run on dirt, lends support a race before the feature.