SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Christophe Clement and Jose Santos ended their frustrations in stakes races at Saratoga on Friday when Celtic Sky ran down front-running Reluctant Groom to win the $82,900 West Point Handicap by a nose.

It was 1 1/2 lengths back to Chasin' Wimmin, who edged out 6-5 favorite I'm All Yours by a half-length for third.

It was the first stakes win of the meet for Clement and Santos, who suffered tough-luck defeats in the Diana Handicap (Voodoo Dancer), Bernard Baruch Handicap (Forbidden Apple), and Lake George Stakes (Mariensky).

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When it comes to juvenile stakes at Saratoga, nobody does it better than Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

In 16 of the last 18 Saratoga meets, Lukas has won at least one of the six juvenile stakes.

All told, he has won 29 of Saratoga's juvenile stakes, including five Adirondacks.

Monday, Lukas sends out the undefeated Holiday Runner in the $150,000 Adirondack. Lukas won four consecutive Adirondacks from 1985-88 and won it again in 1997 with Salty Perfume.

CHICAGO - Miss Pickums's see-saw career has swung upward again, and in Sunday's $50,000 Mariah's Storm Handicap she comes off perhaps her best race in two years.

A graded stakes winner at age 2, Miss Pickums banked about $255,000 during her juvenile season, but last year she raced four times, lost four times, and earned about $15,000.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Ginger Gold, Canada's champion 2-year-old filly of 2001 and winner of the $500,000 Labatt Woodbine Oaks this June, is through for the season.

Mel Lawson, who bred Ginger Gold and races the filly under his nom-de-course Jim Dandy Stable, said she emerged from her third-place finish here in Monday's Wonder Where with a bone chip in her right ankle and is to leave this Monday for Kentucky where she will undergo surgery.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The $200,000 B.C. Derby is only six weeks away, and local contenders are taking different paths to get there.

Shacane, who wasn't eligible for last week's Stallion Stakes because he is by Jumron, who stands in Washington, will make his next start in the Richmond Derby Trial Sept. 1

AUBURN, Wash. - Crowning Meeting, who tied one track record and set another in four starts at the Emerald Downs meeting, is out for the year with a hip injury.

"He pulled a stifle galloping last week, and I'm just not going to take any chances with him," said trainer Sharon Ross. "He seems fine now, but these things don't just disappear. It's a drag, but he will heal. He'll be back next year."

Three years ago, Rhythmean, then a 3-year-old, beat his elders in the Buckeye Native Stakes at River Downs. On Sunday Rhythmean will attempt to win his second Buckeye Native, but this time he'll be the target of an up-and-coming 3-year-old.

The $45,000 Buckeye Native, for accredited Ohio-breds, will be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Devout Sinner, who won three stakes at the Remington Park meet last year and was voted horse of the meet, makes an opening weekend appearance at the Oklahoma City track Sunday in the $30,000 Carris Memorial Stakes.

The Carris, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares, drew a field of seven, including the one-two finishers from last year, Western Delight and Darlin Dixie.

Adding to the field's depth is the Niall O'Callaghan-owned and

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - In one of the deepest renewals in recent memory, 10 fillies and mares were entered in the $40,000 Minneapolis Stakes, to be run Sunday at Canterbury Park.

The 1 1/16-mile turf race features a three-horse entry from the barn of Hugh Robertson. One of Robertson's horses, Twilite Tryst, was entered in the HBPA Mile at Canterbury earlier this meet but didn't run. In her most recent start, Twilite Tryst captured an optional claimer over the turf at Arlington. Zoe Cadman is named to ride Twilite Tryst.

Mighty Merlin, who rolled to an 11 1/4-length win in his only race, will likely be favored Sunday in the $40,000 Pioneer at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La.

The six-furlong race for 2-year-olds drew eight others, including Father Martin, commanding winner of the $52,000 consolation for the Texas Stallion Stakes in his last start, and Calder Race Course shipper Comic Truth.