NEW ORLEANS - The horses in Sunday's stakes race at Fair Grounds did not make it here on merit. What they did to qualify for a $75,000 purse was to go through the Fair Grounds Sale of 2-year-olds in training last season. The heavy restrictions makes the Sales Stakes light on quality - and tough to figure.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After racking up thousands of frequent flier miles - and a stakes victory - late last year, My Cousin Matt was knocked out.

After several light weeks of training, My Cousin Matt on Friday gave his connections an indication that he is ready to get going again. My Cousin Matt breezed five furlongs in 1:00.63 over Belmont Park's training track in preparation for a start in the $200,000 General George Handicap at Laurel Park on Feb. 17.

ALBANY, Calif. - Winter Meeting will be one of three older fillies and mares seeking a repeat victory in Sunday's feature at Golden Gate Fields.

Eight runners meet in a $40,000 claiming race at 4 1/2 furlongs on the turf course.

Miss New York, Madison Davis, and Winter Meeting all exit victories, while Boca Dream scored a win in her last start at Sunday's distance.

Winter Meeting, who has won three of four lifetime starts, will run for the first time since her wire-to-wire victory in the Miss Gibson County Stakes at Turf Paradise on Nov. 17, 2001, as a 2-year-old.

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Round three between Star Smasher and Ciento is set to take place Sunday at Sunland Park in the $125,000-added New Mexico State University Stakes at one mile.

Star Smasher and Ciento have met twice this meet, splitting decisions. What makes this perhaps a more intense rivalry than usual is that the two horses' trainers are father and son. Robert Cappellucci trains Star Smasher and his son Dick trains Ciento.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The three-month break between the Breeders' Cup Classic and Saturday's $400,000 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita has only enhanced Medaglia d'Oro's reputation.

Medaglia d'Oro, a finalist for champion 3-year-old male of 2002, is part of a Strub field that lacks the leading participants from the division's top races of 2002. War Emblem, the champion 3-year-old, and Came Home, another title finalist, have both been retired to stud. Harlan's Holiday and Repent are based on the East Coast, while Belmont Stakes winner Sarava recently resumed training for a comeback.

ARCADIA, Calif. - With his reputation already firmly established among the nation's Triple Crown hopefuls, Kafwain is not in a must-win situation when he makes his 3-year-old debut in Saturday's $150,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita.

Trainer Bob Baffert considers the seven-furlong San Vicente as a prep to more important races in coming months, and ideally the Kentucky Derby, for Kafwain, the runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The trainers of Fleetstreet Dancer and Piensa Sonando are approaching Sunday's $300,000 San Antonio Handicap at Santa Anita with low expectations.

Both Doug O'Neill, who trains Fleetstreet Dancer, and Ron McAnally, who has Piensa Sonando in his stable, are not expecting to beat Congaree in the San Antonio, which is run over 1 1/8 miles.

But with the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 1 as a long-term target, and Congaree instead under consideration for the $4 million Dubai World Cup on March 29, both trainers say they need to start their horses.

ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Mike Mitchell wasn't looking at a recent trend in California racing when he entered Bush Triumph in Saturday's $100,000 Grade 3 Brown Bess Handicap at Golden Gate Fields.

Bush Triumph, who ran in claiming races earlier in her career, makes her stakes debut in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Touched an Angel heads a contentious field of six older fillies and mares in Saturday's six-furlong allowance feature at Portland Meadows.

Touched an Angel is coming off a win in a similar spot on Jan. 4, when she bested the talented Maria Kay by a half-length after running 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:06.40.

Gov. Robert Ehrlich of Maryland unveiled Thursday a plan for slot machines at Maryland tracks that would allow Pimlico Race Course, Laurel Park, Rosecroft Raceway, and a new track in western Maryland to install 2,500 machines each, a number well below the recommendation of the Thoroughbred industry.