ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The favored Honor In War reinforced his position as the Midwest's top turf distance horse Saturday in the Arlington Handicap. But just barely.

Honor in War made a big move on the turf and appeared to take command of the race a furlong from the finish, but as the horses raced into a raging prairie headwind he nearly was run down by the surging Better Talk Now, whose rally fell a neck short.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Alan Seewald was hunting for a fallback position when an allowance race he targeted for Vinemeister did not fill.

The Grade 3, $100,000 Salvator Mile was sitting there, so Seewald took a shot.

Realistically, Seewald was hoping to hit the board with the 4-year-old colt who had not won since last August.

Seewald got much more Saturday afternoon at Monmouth Park as Vinemeister ($30.20), the second longest shot in the field, dug in gamely to hold off Jersey Giant by three-quarters of a length for the biggest win of his career.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Friday's 10th race at the Sonoma County Fair was delayed briefly when jockeys were reluctant to ride following an alleged shooting incident earlier in the day. The race went off without incident after a 10-minute delay.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Apparently, the real Dirty Diana is an outstanding 2-year-old filly who can run away in the stretch and score impressive wins.

After winning a maiden race by seven lengths at Hollywood Park in April, Dirty Diana finished a well-beaten fifth in the Cinderella Stakes on June 8. She returned in Friday's $125,000 California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes at Del Mar and led throughout to win by 8 1-2 lengths.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Dirty Diana ($6.20) finished 5 1-2 furlongs in 1:03.31, a stakes record.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Even though Sunday's $250,000 Go for Wand Handicap boasts four Grade 1 winners among its seven entrants, it is not as competitive a race as one may think.

"It's Sightseek, and everybody else," said John Kimmel, trainer of Go for Wand longshot Miss Linda.

The multiple Grade 1-winning Sightseek may not be the best older filly in trainer Bobby Frankel's barn, but she certainly looks like a standout in the Grade 1 Go for Wand. Sightseek, who shares the shed row with the imposing Delaware Handicap winner Wild Spirit, has a record of 6-4-0 from

DEL MAR, Calif. - They are the three favorites for the Grade 1 on Sunday, and plans for them are as dissimilar as the curious histories that led them to this, the premier turf race of the Del Mar meet.

One is Redattore, an 8-year-old from Brazil who skipped the Hollywood Gold Cup on the main track last month because of a bruised foot. The foot healed, Redattore is working well, and he will be favored to win the Read for the second time in three years. There is still talk about another dirt race for him, possibly the Pacific Classic.

AUBURN, Wash. - Alfurune will be out to validate his upset win in the Independence Day Handicap when he takes on six other older runners in Sunday's $100,000 Mt. Rainier Breeders' Cup Handicap at 1 1/8 miles.

Alfurune, a 5-year-old son of Alfaari from the barn of trainer Dave Doutrich, was dismissed at 9-1 in the 1 1/16-mile Independence Day, but closed powerfully to score by 1 1/2 lengths over 11-1 Poker Brad in a very fast 1:40.20.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Roarzak, who boasts two consecutive wins over lesser foes, climbing the ladder to a $17,500 claiming race on Sunday at Northlands.

Trained by Bill Matier, Roarzak started his climb with a second and a win against $7,500 claimers, then won right back for $10,000 at 7-1 here July 11.

On the other hand, Oolamah, Candid Remark, and Temptors Prodigy are dropping from the $22,000 claiming level for Sunday's race.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Gygistar, who won the Grade 1 King's Bishop here last August, made a successful return to the races Friday at Saratoga, romping to a 5 3/4-length victory in a classified allowance race.

The race was the first for Gygistar since Feb. 9, when he finished fifth in the Grade 3 Deputy Minister Handicap. A few weeks later, after a fast workout at Gulfstream Park, Gygistar underwent surgery to remove a knee chip.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The first five-furlong turf race at Del Mar in nine years produced a course record on Thursday when FJ's Pace won an optional claimer in 56.32 seconds.

The record may not last long.

With turf sprints scheduled throughout the meeting, including two $75,000 stakes, a division of horses that normally had no opportunities at Del Mar will be in action.