Doubly Fun and Lady Cherie are hard to look past in Sunday's $45,000 Ms. Southern Ohio Stakes at River Downs in Cincinnati. Eleven will start in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for statebred fillies and mares.

Doubly Fun, the winner of the Ms. Southern Ohio the last two years, appears to be better than Lady Cherie on the grass. In addition to her Ms. Southern Ohio wins, Doubly Fun also won an allowance race over this course on June 28. Coming off of an eight-month absence, Doubly Fun won by 5 1/4 lengths.

Speed, speed, speed. There will be no shortage of it Sunday at Louisiana Downs in the $40,000 Rebel, a six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies that drew a field of front-runners, including the promising Itsmybag.

Itsmybag has won her last two starts by a combined 11 lengths, and with a 2-for-3 career record is the winningest member of the six-horse Rebel.

In her most recent race July 21, Itsmybag set a pressured pace in an allowance race before drawing out to a 6 1/2-length win. Before that race, she wired Louisiana-bred maidens by 4 1/2 lengths July 7.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Trainer Greg Gilchrist cringes when someone suggests he has a sure thing with Taraval in Sunday's $40,000-added Redwood Empire Stakes at the Sonoma County Fair.

"Obviously, I'll be the favorite," he said of the likely betting on the 5 1/2-furlong race for

2-year-olds.

On paper, Taraval looks as strong a favorite as Black Ruby, who will try to avenge last year's loss to Taz in the $12,500 Santa Rosa Mule Championship.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Todd Pletcher's worst fears were realized while Bobby Frankel's greatest concern was alleviated on Thursday at the post position draw for Saturday's $750,000 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga.

The Grade 1 Whitney drew the expected stars Street Cry, Lido Palace, Macho Uno, Left Bank, and Unshaded. But, it was the inclusion of Saint Verre that gave Pletcher, the trainer of Left Bank, angst, while providing Frankel, trainer of Lido Palace, relief.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Two years later, you can still hear the irritation in Eoin Harty's voice.

Harty was the trainer of Street Cry during his 2-year-old season. After winning his maiden by seven lengths in his second career start, Street Cry was narrowly defeated in a pair of graded stakes by the Bob Baffert-trained Flame Thrower.

Automatically, Street Cry was branded as a hanger, a horse who wouldn't go by other horses in the stretch.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Mayakovsky, who began his career sensationally at Saratoga last summer, looks to begin the second half of his 3-year-old campaign in similar style when he takes on seven rivals in Saturday's $150,000 Amsterdam Handicap. The Grade 2 Amsterdam will be decided at six furlongs.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - An August allowance last year at Arlington put Generous Rosi on the path to a Grade 1 placing in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. But the path Generous Rosi has taken since the Oct. 6 Gold Cup has been a troubled one.

With only an eighth and a fifth in two starts this season, Generous Rosi tries to get back on track Saturday at Arlington when he faces five rivals in the Buckpasser Handicap, a $50,000 overnight stakes at nine furlongs on dirt.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Little Treasure will be an unknown factor for handicappers when she makes her U.S. debut in Saturday's $150,000 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar.

But two rival trainers are familiar with the French import. Ron McAnally and Carla Gaines said this week they were interested in acquiring Little Treasure for their clients, but lost out when she was bought by Sidney Port of Chicago.

Little Treasure brings strong credentials to the Grade 2 San Clemente, run over a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Scotty Schulhofer was standing on the rail just outside barn 27 as horses went through their paces during training hours here Thursday. For the first time in 52 years, Schulhofer was merely a spectator, enjoying a picture perfect Saratoga summer morning without the pressure of having to make weight or train another stakes horse up to a Grade 1 race.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Shingen Storm will have plenty of speed to chase as he goes for his sixth straight win in the seventh race at Hastings Park, a $50,000 optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs. Seven older sprinters have been entered, but it looks like a battle between Shingen Storm, who will be coming late, and Danzilation, who should have the early lead.