INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Tracemark needed a summer vacation after he finished sixth in last July's Swaps Stakes, his worst performance of a stakes-winning, seven-race campaign in the first half of the year.

"He had some foot problems," trainer Craig Dollase said. "He needed a freshening and was tailing off. The last race wasn't him."

The vacation is over. On Friday, Tracemark returns in a $58,000 allowance race at 1 1/16 miles at Hollywood Park. Owner Edward McGrath and Dollase are hoping the race will lead to lucrative stakes at the upcoming Santa Anita meet.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Trophy for Me and Baldjim square off in Friday's 4 1/2-furlong eighth race at Portland Meadows. The race is for older horses eligible for $3,200 starter-allowance conditions and has lured a field of eight.

Trophy for Me, a 9-year-old with 16 wins, is coming off back-to-back scores at the $2,500 claiming level. He led throughout six furlongs in both of those scores. Trophy for Me, who races for trainer Larry Cermack, no doubt has designs on the lead again Friday, but Baldjim poses a formidable obstacle.

The last time Cherokee's Boy ran on a bullring he was a 21 3/4-length winner. Trainer Gary Capuano is hoping that result means Cherokee's Boy will successfully handle the turns of the six-furlong track in Saturday night's $500,000 Delta Jackpot at Delta Downs in Vinton, La.

The one-mile race for 2-year-olds drew a field of 10 when entries were taken Wednesday.

ALBANY, Calif. - Jim Moore, general manager of the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, is planning to approach the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 7 to request funds to build a turf course at the fair.

"The number one thing the industry has said it wants is some opportunity for turf racing in summer months," Moore said.

"We here in Santa Rosa feel strongly about staying in the business [of racing]. If that's what it takes to stay competitive, that's what we want to do."

PORTLAND, Ore. - Trainer Sue Utley says the same prayer for every horse she saddles, but she never said it so often or so fervently as during the running of last Saturday's $27,015 OS West Oregon Futurity at Portland Meadows.

Utley trains Glad to Be Here, who moved strongly under jockey Angel Felix to engage the pacesetting favorite, Stately Jack Flash, midway around the second turn of the one-mile race. It was at that point that the trainer began repeating, "Lord, let him run his fastest, but don't let him get hurt."

MIAMI - Union Place returns to the scene of his only graded stakes victory as one of the favorites in Saturday's $100,000 Pete Axthelm Stakes at Calder.

The 3-year-old Union Place outgamed Miesque's Approval to win the Grade 3 Calder Derby by a neck on Oct. 12, and it is likely the two rivals will match strides once again in the Axthelm.

NEW ORLEANS - A sibling rivalry is brewing in the Fair Grounds barn of trainer Neil Howard.

Rock Slide and Mineshaft, both dark bays cast in the classic Thoroughbred mold, live in adjoining stalls. Both are by A.P. Indy out of the outstanding broodmare Prospectors Delite, and Rock Slide, the 4-year-old, has a head start on his younger brother, the 3-year-old Mineshaft. Rock Slide won the Tenacious Handicap here in his last start, and trainer Neil Howard hopes he will develop into a horse for the New Orleans Handicap.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Gary Contessa is mapping out plans for Grey Comet and Unswept, the one-two finishers in last Sunday's Damon Runyon Stakes.

Contessa said he would like to keep the New York-breds separated, but intends to nominate both to the $75,000-added Count Fleet, an open stakes for 3-year-olds on Jan. 4.

Grey Comet, a 3 3/4-length winner of the Damon Runyon, is a likely starter for the Count Fleet, which will be run at the same mile and 70-yard distance as the Damon Runyon.

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Jockey John Pabon Jr. is a newcomer to Southwestern racing circles.

Remington Park in Oklahoma City, which faced an uncertain future earlier this year when Magna Entertainment considered closing the facility in 2003 because of a dates disagreement with horsemen, finished its Thoroughbred meet on Sunday with declines in average daily attendance and handle.

During the 71-day meet, attendance averaged 1,851, a 20-percent decrease from the same season a year ago, which ran 59 days. Handle on Remington's races averaged $408,964, a 17-percent decrease from 2001.

Purses also fell 14 percent this meet to a daily average of $80,830.