ARCADIA, Calif. - Special Matter, a former $12,500 claimer, pulled a 9-1 upset when he won the Grade 3 Carleton Burke Handicap last fall at Santa Anita.

When he attempts to defend his title on Friday in the $125,000 race at 1 1/2 miles on turf, bettors and rival horsemen will not ignore him.

ARCADIA, Calif. - King Robyn was little more than an ex-claimer from Calder when he finished second in the Grade 3 Baldwin Stakes at Santa Anita last February. He lost to stablemate Buddy Gil, who went on to win the San Felipe Stakes and Santa Anita Derby, and finish sixth in the Kentucky Derby.

Eight months later, Buddy Gil is preparing for a comeback following an injury, and King Robyn has found a niche as a sprinter, scoring wins in four stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. - For most of the morning on Wednesday, Snake Mountain's comeback appeared to be at least another day in waiting. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens had entered Snake Mountain, a graded-stakes-winning son of A.P. Indy, in a $58,000 allowance race that had only drawn four horses.

But late Wednesday, trainer Rene Araya entered Cottage to make it five, and Snake Mountain is now set to take on four others in the 1 1/16-mile feature race on Friday after a five-month layoff. Snake Mountain was assigned high weight of 123 pounds.

Churchill Downs Inc. had net income of $13.2 million in the third quarter of 2003, or 59 cents per share, essentially identical to the results of the third quarter last year despite a 6.4 percent drop in revenue, the company announced Wednesday.

Retama Park near San Antonio reported a gain in attendance but a decrease in handle during its 48-night Thoroughbred meet that ended Sunday.

Retama averaged 2,426 patrons nightly, up 8 percent from the corresponding meet a year ago. The track handled an average $868,172 a night on its races, down 18 percent from $1,062,437 in 2002.

Call Me Mr. Vain took the lead in most races won in North America this year with a head victory over Diplomatical in a match race at Suffolk Downs on Wednesday.

The two were tied at 10 wins apiece coming into the six-furlong race, and they raced head-to-head until Call Me Mr. Vain edged ahead under jockey Angel Stanley to win in 1:15. He paid $2.80 as the favorite.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Saturday's Breeders' Cup simulcasts from Santa Anita will have six local races dovetailed into the program.

The action begins with the Breeders' Cup Distaff at 11:20 a.m. local time, and the first Northlands event at noon.

This is the first time Northlands has inserted its own races among the Breeders' Cup races, rather than running its card after the simulcasts.

Quarter Horses take center stage Friday at Portland Meadows, where the feature on the nine-race card is an allowance test for 2-year-olds at 350 yards.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Trainer Tim Hills lined up the perfect way to enjoy the Breeders' Cup.

"I get to spend the day at Santa Anita with my two favorite gals, my wife [Laine] and Mooji Moo," said Hills.

The Hillses had long planned to visit friends in California and attend the Breeders' Cup as fans. The opportunity to run Mooji Moo in the $100,000 Very Subtle Handicap on the Breeders' Cup undercard offered a chance to mix business with pleasure.

"With her speed, she should really love Santa Anita," Hills said from Florida. "The owners were very game to go."

SAN MATEO, Calif. - What do Robert Bone and Jeffrey Diener of Sacramento, Calif., have in common with Ken Smole and Jane Conway of Mill Valley, Calif.?

Both northern California groups have a horse entered in Saturday's Breeders' Cup.

Bone and Diener own Captain Squire, who drew post 13 for the Sprint. Smole and Conway, who have had horses with Wally Dollase since 1997, are members of Horizon Stable, which own Classic starter Ten Most Wanted.

Ten Most Wanted and Captain Squire have additional local ties as they have each run in northern California.