ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Gennadi Dorochenko goes into the final days of 2003 with hopes of setting a personal best for winners.

He currently stands ninth in the Golden Gate Fields trainer standings with 6 victories from 22 starts and needs only one victory in the final five racing days of 2003 to record his 15th training win of the year. His current total of 14 matches his previous high, set in 2001.

Dorochenko, 44, a native of Russia, came to the United States as a jockey in 1993. He enjoyed riding success in his native land and Poland.

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Ciento, who already has a lock on the New Mexico-bred horse of the year title, will be favored in Sunday's $100,000-added City of Sunland Park Handicap at 1 1/16 miles. Ciento, trained by Dick Cappellucci, has won seven of his last nine starts, dating back to Oct. 7, 2002, with his only two losses coming to the now retired Star Smasher. One of those losses came in last year's City of Sunland Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Craig Dollase knows that he is sending out more than the favorite in Saturday's $250,000 at Santa Anita. He might be making a final, last-second plea to contemplative Eclipse Award voters.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Azeri, the 2002 Horse of the Year, is expected to be sent back to California this weekend with the hope of returning her to racing under a new trainer, D. Wayne Lukas.

An official announcement is expected in the next few days. Michael Paulson, who manages the Allen Paulson Living Trust, which owns Azeri, did not deny the move when questioned on Tuesday morning but would say only that "a decision is forthcoming."

NEW ORLEANS - After two knee surgeries, a serious foot problem, and a generally disappointing 2003 campaign, Cat Genius is back on his game.

A powerful two-length allowance win here Saturday - his first victory in nine months - will land Cat Genius back in stakes races, with his next start likely to come Jan. 17 in the Sam Houston Sprint Handicap.

"He's really a warrior," said trainer Tom Amoss, who gave his barn a major assist in Cat Genius's return to form.

NEW ORLEANS - If racing fans outside Louisiana and Texas know the name Crowned King, it's probably because he finished third to Ten Most Wanted and Soto in the Grade 1 Super Derby. But Crowned King has another talent - turf racing - and Sunday he will get a chance to display it when he runs in the $75,000 Woodchopper Handicap.

ALBANY, Calif. - In April, two months before any of Renaissance Lady's nine rivals in Saturday's $60,000-added Corte Madera were anywhere near ready to race, she won her debut at Keeneland and was immediately dubbed a "sensational prospect."

Eight months later, Renaissance Lady is still looking for her second victory, but Saturday's one-mile stakes at Golden Gate Fields could well be it.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Icicle Angel and Chancy Chancy, both runaway winners in their most recent outing, will face off for the first time in Saturday's $10,000 City of Roses Handicap, a one-mile race for fillies and mares at Portland Meadows.

MIAMI - Can Balto Star effectively stay 1 1/2 miles if he gets outrun to the lead? That could be the key question in the $200,000 , one of four stakes races on Saturday's Grand Slam II program at Calder.

The McKnight will share top billing on the Grand Slam II card, along with its filly counterpart, the $200,000 La Prevoyante Handicap. Both races offer Grade 2 status. The Grade 3, $100,000 Fred W. Hooper Handicap and the $100,000 Stage Door Betty Handicap will complete a special all-stakes pick four wager.

MIAMI - The La Prevoyante Handicap has attracted more than its share of top-class filly and mare long-distance turf specialists to Calder over the years. Enough stars, in fact, to earn the race Grade 2 status. But none of the previous 28 runnings of the 1 1/2-mile La Prevoyante has drawn a field as deep, talented, and wide open as the group that runs on Saturday's Grand Slam II card.