INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Stonecoldfox had a crash course in racing this fall.

After winning her debut at Santa Anita on Oct. 13, leading throughout a six-furlong sprint to post an upset at 22-1, she finished eighth as the favorite in the $125,000 California Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

On Thursday, she makes her first start at Hollywood Park in an optional claimer over 6 1/2 furlongs for 2-year-old California-bred fillies. Run as the first race, it is the feature on an eight-race program that includes three races for maiden claimers.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A 20 percent increase in wagering from the United States helped boost the total handle on Woodbine's 166-day live Thoroughbred meeting this year to $363,780,210. That is a 5.5 percent gain over the amount for a 165-day meet in 2001, according to figures released Tuesday by the Woodbine Entertainment Group.

The U.S. input on the meeting jumped to $146.9 million, up from $122.4 million a year ago.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Jimmy Jerkens has a bevy of talented handicap horses to run on the East Coast this winter. Finding the proper spots in which to run them all could be a challenge.

With Wrangler, Voodoo, Multiple Choice, and Snake Mountain, Jerkens has horses to run in races ranging from six to 10 furlongs. Voodoo and Multiple Choice may be best going seven furlongs or a mile around one turn, races that are not run during Aqueduct's inner track meet.

ALBANY, Calif. - "I'd rather be lucky than good" is one of the oldest lines in sports.

Just ask trainer Donna Elordi, who hopes to saddle her fourth straight winner Thursday at Golden Gate when she sends out Shapiro's Hero in the fifth race. The $8,000 maiden claimer at six furlongs drew a full field of 12, plus four on the also-eligible list.

Elordi has 11 wins from 108 starts this year but is 2 for 11 at Golden Gate, with a pair of seconds and a pair of thirds.

NEW ORLEANS - The hype machine may have been turned down a notch when Empire Maker finished third Saturday in the Remsen Stakes, but Empire Maker remains on target for major 3-year-old stakes races and should end up in New Orleans sometime early next year.

Trainer Bobby Frankel said Monday that Empire Maker was headed back to California following his 5 1/2-length defeat in the Remsen, which was won by Toccet. Empire Maker may make a single start in Southern California, perhaps on turf, but probably will head to Fair Grounds to start in the Grade 3 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 16.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - In one of the more curious twists of 2002, Sarava, whose upset in the Belmont Stakes denied War Emblem the Triple Crown, has been transferred to the barn of Bob Baffert, who trained War Emblem.

Baffert, completing the story seamlessly, said he put Sarava in the stall of his Santa Anita barn that had been occupied by War Emblem, who was retired after the Breeders' Cup Classic.

"His stall was still empty," Baffert said.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The holiday shopping season may have gotten off to a late start, but winter arrives early for horseplayers on Wednesday with the opening of Aqueduct's inner track.

The one-mile, winterized oval - featuring the longest stretch of the four New York Racing Association dirt tracks - is where racing will be conducted for the next 3 1/2 months. It means a steady diet of six-furlong sprints and route races at 1 1/16 miles and at a mile and 70 yards around two turns.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - In hopes of making a last-ditch effort to earn an Eclipse Award, owner Daniel Borislow is seriously considering running Remsen winner Toccet back in the Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity on Dec. 21.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Figures for the the 30-day Churchill Downs fall meet that ended Saturday ranged from bad to worse. While average all-sources handle was down 7 percent, average ontrack attendance and wagering were down 21 and 17 percent, continuing trends at the historic Louisville track over the last few years.

Churchill officials blamed continuing competition from riverboat casinos in nearby Indiana and other lesser factors for the sharp decline. The Caesars riverboat became operational in November 1998, and Churchill's business figures have stagnated or slumped since then.

ANDERSON, Ind. - Ontrack attendance and handle dipped slightly at Hoosier Park this season, while the track showed gains in the sale of its simulcast signal.