OZONE PARK, N.Y. - A particularly strong edition of the $75,000 Montauk Handicap is on tap at Aqueduct on Sunday.

The major players in the nine-horse field of New York-bred fillies and mares are the 2002 winner, Along Came Mary, and runner-up, Princess Dixie, who are stablemates. The biggest threat to Along Came Mary and Princess Dixie, who are not coupled in the wagering, is Message Red, who should be hitting peak form in her third start following a layoff.

The field also includes stakes winners Marc's Rainbow, Golden Damsel, and Flag Pin.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Grade 1 winner Gygistar, who has suffered more than his share of setbacks during his career, is working toward a return to the races following a viral infection.

Gygistar worked four furlongs in 48.99 seconds at Belmont Park on Thursday and likely will make his comeback in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream Park on opening day, Jan. 3.

MIAMI - Del Mar Show, Better Talk Now, Freefourinternet and the locally based French Charmer are the leading candidates among the 23 horses nominated for the $100,000 Tropical Turf Handicap on Dec. 6.

The well-traveled Del Mar Show is coming off a second-place finish behind Better Talk Now in the Grade 2 Knickerbocker Handicap and will be seeking his first victory since defeating allowance company at Keeneland in his 2003 debut.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Watchem Smokey did not seem to be a potential graded stakes winner when he was knocking out victories in claiming races at Louisiana Downs and Oaklawn Park early in his career.

But seven months after he was available for a $30,000 claiming price at Oaklawn Park, Watchem Smokey has become a multiple stakes winner and a win candidate for what could be an outstanding running of the $250,000 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Hastings closes its 2003 season with a 12-race card and an excellent feature race, the $28,000 Au Revoir Handicap for 3-year-olds and up. The 1 1/8-mile stakes drew nine horses, including this year's Sir Winston Churchill winner Futural.

Post time for the first race is an early 10:53 a.m.

Futural will be making his first start for trainer Gary Demorest, who claimed him on behalf of the Diglett Stable for $25,000 Nov. 8. Demorest is having a big year with 25 wins from 86 starters, and he's won with 27 percent of his newly claimed horses.

NEW ORLEANS - For Steve Asmussen, opening day at Fair Grounds was a rousing success: three winners, including a stakes victory from Posse, who rolled to a 1 1/2-length win in the Thanksgiving Handicap.

Of course, as Asmussen pointed out, he won four races on opening day last season, and he could have had another this year, except Von Braun finished second as the heavy favorite in a Louisiana-bred maiden sprint.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Different meet, same burning issue. Turfway Park's president, Bob Elliston, is looking forward to hosting the next four months of live racing action on the Kentucky circuit, yet he is keenly aware that the issue of alternative gaming overshadows virtually everything that will transpire during that time.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - When trainer Todd Pletcher sends a Eugene Melnyk-owned runner north of the border, it's usually time to sit up and take notice. That's the case Sunday at Woodbine, when Pletcher runs Melnyk's long-distance specialist Fisher Pond in the $143,500 Valedictory Handicap.

The 1 3/4-mile marathon is Woodbine's closing-day feature on an expanded 13-race card, which also includes the $135,250 Kingarvie Stakes for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - There will be a nip in the air here Sunday, and possibly a touch of snow, but trainer Catherine Day Phillips will be hoping to warm her spirits with Winter Whiskey.

Owned by Day Phillips in partnership with a syndicate named Ten Goal Racing Stable, Winter Whiskey will face eight rivals in the $135,250 Kingarvie, a 1 1/16-mile race for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds.

Winter Whiskey, the only stakes winner in the race, was an upset winner versus open company in the Swynford at seven furlongs at Woodbine on Sept. 21.

Although neither Appealing Secret nor Okie Style, the top two contenders in the $75,000 MEC Mile, is proven around two turns, they are imposing on class in Sunday's one-mile stakes for 2-year-olds that closes out the meet at Remington Park.

Okie Style has won stakes in his last three starts, while Appealing Secret has won his last two starts, including a stakes. They are part of a full field 12, with Okie Style having drawn the outside post.