ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer John Kimmel did not see it as overly ambitious when he entered Andover Lady in last month's Grade 1 Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap off just an entry-level allowance win.

"I thought she had a big chance to win that race," said Kimmel, whose filly ran seventh in the Garden City. "I was very disappointed in that performance."

Kimmel believes he found an excuse for that effort and is looking for Andover Lady to rebound in Monday's Grade 3, $100,000 Pebbles Handicap at Belmont Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Returning to the comfort of Santa Anita could help Groom on the Run end a five-race losing streak in a $49,000 optional claimer on Monday.

Groom on the Run's last victory came in an optional claimer over 1 1/8 miles on turf here in February. Monday, the 4-year-old gelding is one of seven starters in a turf race over 1 1/4 miles.

Trained by Dean Greenman for Kirk and Judy Robison, Groom on the Run is part of a moderate field. Several of the starters have run well recently, but the race lacks a standout.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Trainer J. Willard Thompson can't disguise his feelings about Brass Arrow's last race. "It was very disappointing," Thompson said. "I don't know why he didn't run that afternoon. He had trained very well."

Shipped to Belmont Park for a New York-bred allowance race, Brass Arrow was sent off at 5-1 after three pace-pressing starts at Monmouth Park that produced three straight thirds.

Brass Arrow again pressed the pace, but came up empty in the stretch. He wound up beaten 21 lengths, the worst defeat of his 10-race career.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Monday's $75,000 Canadian Juvenile at Northlands Park appears to shape up as a rematch between Tigger Bay and Fly Esteem.

Tigger Bay, who joined Red Smith's stable after running third in the Winnipeg Futurity, led throughout in his Northlands debut Sept. 1 to win the $50,000 Birdcatcher by 3 1/4 lengths over Fly Esteem.

Fly Esteem has not been worse than third in four outings and captured the restricted one-mile Alberta Premier's Futurity in his most recent start.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - There are no stakes races scheduled at Hastings on Thanksgiving Monday, but it's still an excellent card that includes three optional claiming races which figure to be competitive affairs.

The fourth race at 6 1/2 furlongs features a matchup between one of the best sprinters at Hastings this year, Celt, and Discernment, a 3-year-old who was impressive winning a similar race Sept. 21. Both horses like to be in front but Celt should have the advantage from his inside post.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Owner Jeffrey Sengara is gambling $90,000 that Bluesthestandard, a former $10,000 claimer, is the fastest sprinter in the United States.

Trainer Ted H. West said Sengara is prepared to supplement Bluesthestandard to the $1 million Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita on Oct 25, hoping that a home track advantage can result in a massive score for a horse claimed last winter for $50,000.

Trainer Miguel Feliciano runs most of his horses at Thistledown. But when he ships horses to Mountaineer Race Track, they are usually well-meant.

Of nearly 300 horses Feliciano has started this season, only 37 of them have run at Mountaineer. But 18 of them have hit the board.

Felicianio has sent Tour the Hive, a 6-year-old gelding with 13 lifetime wins and earnings of $429,087, to Mountaineer three times this season. That just happens to make Tour the Hive eligible for Tuesday night's $75,000 Mountaineer HBPA Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Belleski won her first stakes, and remained unbeaten on Santa Anita's hillside turf course, with a late rally in Saturday's Grade 3, $112,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Handicap.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Belleski ($5.80) ran about 6 1-2 furlongs in 1:12.37, finishing two lengths in front of Buffythecenterfold. Icantgoforthat, who set the pace, finished third.

Roberto's Mango, the winner of the Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar in August, was seventh in the field of 10 fillies and mares.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Gander tuned up for his showdown with Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide in next Saturday's $250,000 Empire Classic by drilling five furlongs in 58.66 seconds Saturday morning at Belmont Park.

The move was the fastest of 43 at the distance. Gander, a 7-year-old son of Cormorant, is a two-time winner of the Empire Classic, having won it last year and in 1999.

"He just did that in hand," said Tonja Terranova, the assistant trainer to her husband, John. "He came home in [23.40] and went out three-quarters in 1:11 and he's doing just great."

ELMONT, N.Y. - Kicken Kris towered over his seven rivals in the Lawrence Realization Handicap on paper, and he towered over them on the track as well.

Taking over from the pacesetting Carrier midway around the far turn, Kicken Kris cruised to an easier-than-it-looked three-quarter-length victory over Rowans Park in the Grade 3, $150,000 before 7,858 at Belmont Park. It was another three-quarters of a length back to Fortune Writers in third.