MIAMI - On Monday, trainer John Ward entered Booklet for Saturday's $100,000 Fred Hooper. But he and owner John Oxley are likely to wait until long after all the Christmas packages are opened before deciding whether Booklet will take on older, more experienced runners Best of the Rest and Sir Bear on their home track in the Grade 3 Hooper.

"We'll enter and take a look," Ward said. "What I don't want to do is take the heart out of him for $100,000 with a $1 million race staring us in the face next month."

ALBANY, Calif. - Thursday's opening day at Santa Anita will get plenty of attention, and it figures to be a big day for Golden Gate Fields, also.

Three local horses could play prominent roles in the three stakes races at Santa Anita - D's Bertrando in the California Champion Stakes, Aly Bubba in the Sir Beaufort Stakes, and U S S Tinosa in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes.

D's Bertrando figures the strongest of the three.

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Ciento will be the heavy favorite in Thursday's $75,000-added City of Sunland Park Handicap for New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds and up. But Ciento is likely to be overbet, adding value to the race's other contenders.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Wrangler rose from mid-level claimer to the best sprinter in the Northeast last winter. After tailing off in the spring, Wrangler will try to jump-start his career Thursday when he heads a nine-horse field in the $100,000 Gravesend Handicap at Aqueduct.

The Grade 3 Gravesend, run at six furlongs, is the final leg of the pick six, which features a carryover of $57,900.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - There is finally something more to discuss about Pinky Pizwaanski than just his unusual name.

A 4-year-old gelded son of Petionville, Pinky Pizwaanski is coming off two sharp efforts and will attempt to win his first graded stakes in Saturday's $100,000, Grade 3 Gallant Fox Handicap at Aqueduct.

Pinky Pizwaanski's trainer, Billy Turner, won the 1977 Gallant Fox with Cunning Trick, "and I think ol' Pinky is a better horse than Cunning Trick was,'' Turner said.

NEW ORLEANS - The virus struck Queen Kelly a month ago, just as the 2-year-old Louisiana-bred filly with a small-time pedigree was to take the first of two shots at big money. First came the $100,000 Champions Day Lassie on Dec. 14, and on Thursday is the Louisiana Futurity.

Having easily beaten the best statebred 2-year-old fillies at Louisiana Downs, Queen Kelly figured as a major player in the two Fair Grounds races.

In his last six starts, dating back to August, Sassy Hound shows a steady string of triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures. The six older sprinters Sassy Hound faces in Thursday night's $75,000 Christmas Handicap at Mountaineer Park have combined for just three Beyers of 100 or better - none since September.

No wonder the 5-year-old Sassy Hound is listed as the 3-5 morning-line favorite, even without stablemate Crossing Point, who has been scratched to run in Thursday's $100,000 Gravesend Handicap at Aqueduct. Sassy Hound is also cross-entered in the New York race.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Echo Eddie might not have raced for more than five months, but he came back Sunday with his game face on. Forced to bull his way through along the rail, Echo Eddie fought his way to the front and outraced Rocky Bar to capture the $85,970 on the closing-day card at Hollywood Park.

NEW ORLEANS ? Kazoo blew past his two speed rivals just strides out of the gate, and by the time anyone got close to him Sunday's Gaudin Handicap was long over. Kazoo ($19.20) had never won a stakes race, but he won the $75,000 Gaudin on Sunday at Fair Grounds by two lengths, setting a stakes record of 1:09.38 for six furlongs.

ALBANY, Calif. - Racing was canceled Sunday at Golden Gate Fields when jockeys refused to ride because of the condition of the track.

"The bottom was not even enough to be fair," said jockey Ron Warren Jr., head of the Northern California Jockeys' Guild.