INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Neil Drysdale was concerned early Tuesday morning that a crucial race for Sarafan on Thursday would not fill, so he decided to help his cause by entering a second horse. Some cajoling from Hollywood Park's racing office with other trainers paid off, too, and a five-horse field was cobbled together, much to Drysdale's relief.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The likely presence of strong favorites in Saturday's $100,000 Hollywood Prevue Stakes and Sunday's $100,000 Moccasin Stakes should result in small fields for both weekend stakes races for 2-year-olds at Hollywood Park.

Lion Heart, an impressive debut winner last month at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting for trainer Patrick Biancone, heads the probable field for the Hollywood Prevue, a seven-furlong race for 2-year-olds that serves as a prep for the $200,000 Hollywood Futurity on Dec. 20.

ALBANY, Calif. - Northern California horses ran one-three in Saturday's Cal Cup Sprint, and the trainers of those horses, Jeff Bonde and William E. Morey, were naturally pleased with their efforts.

The Bonde-trained Green Team won the race, running his fourth straight triple-digit Beyer since being claimed for $32,000 at the Solano County Fair. He finished two lengths in front of Summer Service, who was a half-length in front of the Morey-trained Trapper. The time for the six furlongs was 1:07.98.

"He came with his best race at the right time," said Bonde.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The 2004 California Cup at Santa Anita will be moved to mid-October in an effort to boost customer interest in the day, according to a top official.

Ontrack attendance at Saturday's 14th running of the California Cup, a day for California-bred horses, was 18,029, an all-time low. The overall handle of $16,074,662 was the fifth highest in history, but a substantial drop from $19,834,206 in 2002.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Martin Ciresa has purchased Presidentialaffair twice. On Tuesday, he was rewarded for his persistence.

Under Richard Migliore, Presidentialaffair took control soon after the start and held on for a neck victory over Thunder Blitz in the Grade 3, $110,300 Stuyvesant Handicap before a Veterans Day crowd of 4,398 at Aqueduct. Gander, who stalked Presidentialaffair for more than six furlongs, faded to third. Saarland, the 6-5 favorite, finished sixth of eight.

Betting at Delaware Park on its live racing and simulcast races declined 3.8 percent this year from last year, according to figures released by the track Tuesday.

Average daily handle on live and simulcast races was $1.9 million during this year's 141-day meet, compared with $2.0 million last year during a 141-day meet. Total handle declined to $272.1 million from $282.7 million. A spokesman for Delaware said the track does not separate live handle from simulcast handle.

All-sources wagering on races at The Meadowlands was up 18.7 percent at the track's recently concluded 28-day meet, according to figures released by the track Tuesday.

The handle gains made up for a precipitous drop in 2002 compared with 2001. Last year, when the Meadowlands ran a 63-day meet, handle dropped 19.6 percent on the track's races.

All-sources average daily handle was $2.1 million during this year's meet, compared with $1.8 million last year. Ontrack handle on the Meadowlands races was $407,389 daily, nearly identical to last year.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Kiaran McLaughlin has made a smooth transition from private to public trainer.

For 10 years, McLaughlin trained privately for the Maktoum family, splitting his year between Dubai and New York. In September, McLaughlin announced he was opening up a public stable. He has built the stable up to about 50 horses, and has continued to win at a high percentage.

McLaughlin won two races on Tuesday's Aqueduct card and is now 3 for 10 at this meet after going 7 for 35 at Belmont.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - In a perfect world, 26-year-old apprentice jockey Corey Fraser would have enjoyed a lengthier introduction to the sport before launching himself headlong into the world of Thoroughbred racing.

But Fraser, who came to the racetrack only three years ago, has taken the fast track to the jockeys' room, and he's determined to make up for lost time. Last weekend, he recorded the first two victories of his career.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Money may be the world's most powerful motivator, but in racing, favorable race conditions apparently rank a close second.