VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Seldom Free, who has won his last two sprints and finished fourth when he tried to stretch out for the first time Aug. 3, should get a nice trip behind what figures to be a hotly contested battle for the lead in the feature race at Hastings Sunday. The $25,000 sprint for 3-year-olds drew seven horses.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Young Runaway will be gunning for his fifth win of the year in Sunday's $22,000 claiming feature at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Young Runaway's last victory came two starts back, for Sunday's price. Red Exit, coupled with Young Runaway, is still looking for his first win of the year.

Dublin's Woodwin won two straight for this price in June. He is dropping after being claimed for $28,000 last time out.

Kissthissky, who won four times earlier this year against lesser company, is making his second start since being claimed for $22,000.

AUBURN, Wash. - Condotierri heads a field of eight in Sunday's $65,000 Seattle Slew Breeders' Cup Handicap, the final prep for the $125,000 Emerald Derby on Sept. 1.

Condotierri, a late-running son of Candy Stripes, will shoulder high weight of 122 pounds, including regular rider Gallyn Mitchell, for the 1 1/16-mile stakes. He is coming off a breakthrough effort in the July 13 Tacoma Handicap, in which he came from far back to score by nearly six lengths in 1:42.20 for 1 1/16 miles.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - When Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's state-of-the-art training center, opened for its inaugural season last winter, horsemen were not sure what to make of a facility that was only partially completed and lacked most of the amenities they were accustomed to at other racetracks.

When the same horsemen return for the 2004 meeting, they may be pleasantly surprised at the improvements that have been made since last spring. Palm Meadows, about 45 miles north of Gulfstream, is scheduled to open on Nov. 28.

Friday was just another day at the office for trainer Todd Pletcher, who won with two of three starters at Saratoga including Finality, who won the $115,200 West Point Handicap for New York-breds by one length.

Celtic Sky, last year's West Point winner, finished second, one length ahead of Private Emblem.

It was the fifth consecutive racing day - and ninth time in 15 days at the meet - that Pletcher has won at least two races. He now has 22 wins, two shy of Syl Veitch's meet record of 24 set in 1954 when the meet was 24 days. It was his fourth stakes victory of the meet.

The New Jersey State Police arrested trainer Julio R. Cartagena at Monmouth Park on Thursday and charged him with possession and use of prescription drugs and possession of hypodermic needles and syringes.

Only a licensed veterinarian is allowed to possess prescription drugs and administer them to racehorses.

Cartagena was released on his own recognizance.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Minor throat surgery and a winter vacation worked wonders for Out of the Will.

Out of the Will, unbeaten in four starts this year, tops the field in The Highlands Stakes Sunday at Monmouth Park.

The Highlands, for 3-year-old fillies going one mile on the turf, is one of three $50,000 stakes on the card. The Highlands and the Jersey Breeders' Handicap are restricted to New Jersey-bred runners; the Rumson is an open six-furlong race for 3-year-olds, which was originally scheduled to be run on Saturday.

Mr. Jester might have lost the battle in his last start, but he can win the war Sunday in the $50,000 Pioneer for 2-year-olds at Louisiana Downs. The fighting, however, will be intense.

It is tough to dismiss any of the eight colts in the 5 1/2-furlong race, with the top challengers to Mr. Jester being Afternoon Charlie and Full Moons Arisin.

Mr. Jester was one of the most impressive debut winners at the meet when he rolled to a 9 1/4-length win in a five-furlong race July 3 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 82.

COLUMBUS, Neb. - High Dice comes into Sunday's $15,000-added Amadevil Stakes in search of his fourth stakes victory this year, but he will have to carry 123 pounds, giving at least four pounds to five Nebraska-bred rivals.

High Dice has won three of his last four starts: the Big Red Mile and State Fair Breeders' handicaps at Lincoln and the Who Doctor Who Handicap at Horsemen's Park. He turns back in distance to six furlongs for Sunday's race, but the longer stretch of this five-eighths-mile oval should help him.

Two weeks after a gutsy allowance win in his seasonal debut, Count on My Word seeks his first career stakes victory in the $40,000 Buckeye Native Stakes at River Downs.

The Buckeye Native, for Ohio-sired and -bred 3-year-olds and up, is scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the turf.