Changing careers in mid-life isn't unusual. Leaving a secure job in the medical profession to try and ride Thoroughbred race horses after an absence of almost 10 years, however, surely is both rare and risky.

Marge Keefer-Muniz, who had only modest success during a 10-year stint as a jockey that began in the mid-1980's, got the itch to resume riding this spring. At age 43, Keefer-Muniz left her job as an operating-room nurse to revive the riding career she had abandoned in 1994.

Based on early returns, Keefer-Muniz is riding better than ever.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Bob Durso has been waiting for a chance to run Flank Attack on the Monmouth turf.

That moment could arrive Saturday in the $50,000 Lamplighter Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds. The Lamplighter is the supporting feature on United Nations Handicap card.

"He really needs the grass," Durso said. "On the dirt, he tends to make the lead too soon. He hangs a little and waits for horses. On the grass, the jockey can sit longer and let him make the big run."

Eddie King will have the task of getting Flank Attack to uncork that rally.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - One of the best horses to race in the $100,000 Alysheba Breeders' Cup in its seven-year history is Touch Tone. Racing for Tom Durant, he won the seven-furlong stakes in his second career start and went on to finish a memorable second to eventual Horse of the Year Point Given in the Grade 1 Haskell.

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Fairmount Park's $25,000-added Roman Colonel Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings has drawn the undefeated Chicago invader Fifteen Rounds.

Fifteen Rounds won his maiden for trainer Christine Janks at Hawthorne on April 1, then steadily progressed through the allowance ranks while winning his next two at Arlington. All of Fifteen Rounds's races have been at the six-furlong distance of the Roman Colonel. Jerry LaSala will be in for the mount.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Seven of the best sprinters on the grounds will contest the $35,000 Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association's Minnesota Sprint at six furlongs, one of two stakes on the program.

Expert might be a slight favorite after beating several members of this field in an allowance last month. His stalking style fits nicely in a race that features several front-running types. Seth Martinez rides Expert.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - At first glance it looks like Saturday's $100,000 Cleveland Gold Cup could be conceded to Hackendiffy, based on his second-place finish to Wild and Wicked in the Grade 2 Ohio Derby two weeks ago. But a closer analysis of the race indicates that he might be vulnerable in the 1 1/8-mile race at Thistledown.

Hackendiffy will face six Ohio-bred 3-year-olds, and he has dominated his division for the past 18 months. All five of his career wins have come in statebred stakes.

Perfection is hard to achieve in racing, and even harder to maintain, but so far so good for Watchem Smokey.

Unbeaten in five career starts, he will face eight other 3-year-olds in the $50,000 Airline Stakes at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La.

The six-furlong race has drawn 10 horses, including the coupled entry of Book Note and Kool Humor, but Kool Humor will instead run in the $100,000 Alysheba Breeders' Cup at Lone Star, said his trainer, Jack Bruner.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Southern Oasis was having an ideal season until she took on Dublino in the Wilshire Handicap at Hollywood Park April 27.

Facing Dublino, a Grade 1 winner, Southern Oasis could only manage second in her stakes debut, losing by 2 1/2 lengths. The defeat ended a three-race winning streak.

That experience could help Southern Oasis when she starts in Saturday's $100,000 Royal Heroine Stakes for fillies and mares at one mile on turf.

"I think a pretty good filly beat us last time," trainer Ron McAnally said.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Turf milers rarely win Grade 1 dirt sprints, reason perhaps to forsake longshot Medicis when he tries the main track Saturday in the seven-furlong Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park. Of course, dismissing Medicis because of surface is akin to dismissing Santa Catarina when she switches to turf in the main event Saturday - the $750,000 American Oaks.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With just one win from 17 mounts at the Churchill Downs spring meet, jockey Kris Prather may have thought she was doing poorly.

But after recently finding out that a tumor in her brain is benign and unlikely to cause her any trouble for years - if ever - Prather has a whole new outlook.

"She's as upbeat as ever," said her close friend, Churchill television personality Donna Brothers.