OCEANPORT, N.J. - For those who were at Monmouth on June 1, they may not want to forget that they were in attendance to see Trump Marina win his maiden in the third race.

Trump Marina, a 3-year-old trained by Ben Perkins Jr., won that day in the mile-and-70-yard race by nearly 14 lengths, lengthening his winning margin with every stride down the stretch. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 95 in the race, his second career start, and the backstretch buzz surrounding the horse has been hot ever since then.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Crash Course was an unlucky horse at Monmouth last year. In four starts - all in stakes on the turf - he was always flying late, only to run out of distance before the wire. Crash Course finished third in each start.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Denon has been a disappointment to bettors since his eye-catching win in the Hollywood Derby last November.

Sent off as the favorite in two Grade 2 stakes at Santa Anita earlier this year, Denon finished fifth in both, caught in traffic in the San Luis Obispo Handicap and failing to rally in the San Luis Rey Handicap.

Three months later, Denon returns in Saturday's $350,000 at Hollywood Park as a contender in a wide-open turf race over 1 1/4 miles.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - With California's top 3-year-old fillies recovering from recent races or taking vacations, there is little that separates the eight fillies entered in Saturday's $250,000, Grade 2 Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks at Hollywood Park.

Three starters - Ladylore, Super High, and Adoration - won their first stakes in their last starts, while Ile De France and Respectful are seeking their first stakes wins following strong races in graded stakes earlier this year.

Sister Girl Blues, Runaway Pro, and Saint Bernadette will be longer prices.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Halfway through the $1 million-guaranteed pick six pool on races 5-10 Saturday at Hollywood Park, bettors face a choice. Santa Anita Derby runner-up Easy Grades will be favored to win race 8, a first-condition allowance at 1 1/16 miles on turf, but Rock Opera poses the main threat.

Rock Opera won his debut by 2 1/2 lengths, was hammered to 9-5 second time out, and finished third. Was trainer Cliff Sise disappointed?

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Trainer Justin Nixon has been hotter than the weather this June.

Starting with Border Call ($21.90) on June 3, Nixon is going into Saturday's program here having won with five of the last six runners he has sent to the post. None was a race favorite, and Essie D'or, the nonwinner, finished third.

Nixon, 33, who began training Thoroughbreds in 1996, finished 11th in the trainers standings with 18 wins in 2001. With a winning percentage of 19 and purse earnings of $261,897, it was his best year to date.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Inish Glora gave her trainer, Kathy Bremner, a pleasant surprise when she won the 6 1/2-furlong Strawberry Morn Stakes on May 11. Bremner wasn't surprised that the classy filly ran a good race, she just assumed that the sprint was too short for Inish Glora.

Bremner is looking forward to stretching out Inish Glora on Saturday in the 1 1/16-mile Sun Handicap at Hastings Park. "I hate sprinting her, said Bremner. "She'll run well at any distance, but I prefer running her a distance of ground. She's a lot more comfortable."

ETOBICOKE, Ont. - Bravely will head into next Sunday's $1 million Queen's Plate as a non-winner of two races, coming off a seventh-place finish in the Plate Trial.

But Catherine Day-Phillips, who trains Bravely and campaigns the gelding under her nom-de-course Kingfield Farm, believes her runner deserves a shot at the 1 1/4-mile showpiece June 23.

"I was disappointed with the Trial," said Day-Phillips. "I don't think he ran his race, but there were enough reasons he didn't run his best to carry on again.

SALEM, N.H. - While top riders like Joe Hampshire and defending title-holder Winston Thompson figure to do well this meet at Rockingham Park, the unusually large size of the jockey colony means competition for mounts is going to be fierce this season.

Thirty riders have their tack in the the jockeys' room after one week of racing. That stands in marked contrast to the 16 jockeys who toughed it out during the deepest part of the winter at Suffolk Downs.

How does the form of a Grade 3 winner in the United States compare to that of a three-time Group 1 winner in Puerto Rico? The answer will come in the $100,000 Office Queen Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Calder.