MIAMI - A year ago, the intimidating presence of reigning Eclipse Award winner Xtra Heat held the field for the Grade 2 Princess Rooney Handicap down to just six starters. But with no Xtra Heats in the picture this summer and with the purse increased to a record $500,000, fillies and mares from all across America are expected to converge on Calder for Saturday's 20th renewal of the six-furlong dash.

Blue Boat will try to keep his undefeated stateside record intact when he attempts to wire a compact field in Thursday's feature race at Belmont.

Blue Boat, a recent import to the United States who is 2 for 2 since arriving from France and the barn of trainer Christiane Head-Maarek, is one of only two front-running horses in the race, a $48,000 nonwinners-of-three-other-than at 1 1/16 miles.

CHICAGO - It almost attained the status of ritual. Trainer Steve Hobby would call the Arlington racing office. He'd enter Smart Juliet in a second-level allowance race. The race wouldn't attract enough entries to make it onto a racing card.

"I entered her I don't know how many times," Hobby said Tuesday. "It seems like it's been every day the last two weeks."

Finally, the entry became more than an exercise. Smart Juliet made it onto Thursday's program, and her race, the eighth, serves as Arlington's feature.

AUBURN, Wash. - Americas Pride will be a heavy choice versus five rivals in Thursday's top race at Emerald Downs, a five-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies eligible to be claimed for $16,000.

CHICAGO - Everything went wrong for In Secure at the head of Belmont Park's stretch last Friday. Four days later, there are bright spots for In Secure's owner, breeder, and trainer, Louie Roussel.

Foremost, In Secure has returned to Chicago physically healthy. Making a run for the lead in the Grade 1 Prioress, In Secure and jockey Jorge Chavez ran out of room at the rail, and Chavez had to snatch up his mount to avoid colliding with Princess V., the pacesetter.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Kim Laudati welcomed the challenge when trainer Gary Contessa put his Monmouth division in her name while he served a 20-day suspension for drug positives in New York.

"It was his idea," Laudati said. "It's been fun but it's been really stressful at the same time.

"You have the added phone calling with the owners. Instead of communicating with Gary between two and five times a day, now it's 35 times a day. That makes it hard."

OMAHA, Neb. - Horsemen's Park will come alive Thursday when its four-day summer festival of racing begins.

This year's meet comes about a month after a public auction was held to sell the final remaining fixtures and racing memorabilia at Ak-Sar-Ben.

R.J. Brown, a staunch supporter of racing in the state, purchased a 60-inch painting on velvet of Triple Crown winner Omaha and the original grave marker from Omaha's burial site at Ak-Sar-Ben. Brown has since donated these items to Horsemen's Park for permanent display.

The maiden, allowance, and stakes races at Louisiana Downs will be deeper this meet because trainer Donnie Von Hemel will have an increased presence at the track. Last year, the trainer had just a dozen horses stabled in Bossier City, La. This year, he will have 40.

Von Hemel's stable is loaded with some of this region's best bred and most talented horses. Just a few of the stakes winners he has in training are Bien Nicole, who won the $50,000 Honeymoon opening weekend at Louisiana Downs, See How She Runs, Bedanken, and millionaire Mr. Ross.

VALLEJO, Calif. - There's a new mule in town, and her name is Sarah Nelson.

A virtual baby in the mule racing world at 4 years of age, Sarah Nelson handed the queen, Black Ruby, her worst loss since 1996 - the year she began racing - Sunday at the Alameda County Fair.

Sarah Nelson has Rubyesque numbers with 11 wins and two seconds in 13 starts. Both her losses came at Stockton, by a nose as a 3-year-old and by a neck to Black Ruby this year.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Third Day will be sporting new colors when he runs in Sunday's six-furlong Colin Stakes at Woodbine.

Trainer Mark Casse, who sent out Third Day to win the five-furlong Victoria in his debut for Gaillardia Racing here June 14, said a deal was finalized Monday and the colt will contest the $125,000 Colin for Earle Mack.

Based in New Jersey, Mack is prominent in the real estate development business and has held far-flung interests in Thoroughbred racing.