INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Hot Market can earn a trip to the $250,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar next month with a victory in a $55,000 allowance race at Hollywood Park on Thursday.

Since early April, the 4-year-old Hot Market has shown remarkable improvement, winning two allowance races over 1 1/16 miles and finishing third in another to Palmeiro, who later won the All-American Handicap at Bay Meadows.

A winner in his last start, June 5, Hot Market is the probable favorite in Thursday's third race, but the distance of 7 1/2 furlongs is a worry for trainer Craig Lewis.

AUBURN, Wash. - Whatamate, once a highly regarded prospect, will plummet to the $8,000 claiming level in an attempt to score his second career victory in Thursday's six-furlong feature at Emerald Downs.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Milwaukee Brew, who was an upset winner of the Santa Anita Handicap, had his final work in preparation Sunday's Hollywood Gold Cup when he drilled five furlongs in 59.80 seconds Tuesday morning at Hollywood Park.

A field of six is in line for the Gold Cup, the track's premier race for older horses. Expected to join Milwaukee Brew, the likely favorite, are Dollar Bill, Momentum, Out of Mind, Sky Jack, and Macaneo, who sizzled six furlongs in 1:10.40 at Santa Anita on Tuesday morning.

MIAMI - Crafty C. T. and Echo Eddie tuned up for Saturday's $400,000 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder with easy workouts at their home base of Santa Anita on Tuesday. Both horses were scheduled to be flown Wednesday to Miami, where they will join Caller One and Orientate and three others in the six-furlong Smile Sprint. The Smile shares top billing on the $1.4 million Summit of Speed card with the $400,000 Princess Rooney Handicap, a race that features the rematch between Xtra Heat and Gold Mover.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Fans and horsemen at Monmouth Park are taking notice. Jockey Carlos Cruz is having a breakout season.

At age 37, Cruz is having the best meet of his 18-year career. After winning just six races last year in his first full season riding at Monmouth, he has nearly tripled his success with 17 wins through last weekend, putting him into a tie for seventh in the jockey standings. Formerly a summer regular at Philadelphia Park, Cruz has made the transition to the big time at the Jersey Shore.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Yoto Speakes, who carried Chris McCarron to victory in National Thoroughbred Racing Association All-Star Jockey Championship last month while winning the final leg of the competition, returns in the seventh race Thursday night at Lone Star Park.

The five-furlong turf race is a $15,000 starter allowance that drew 10 runners.

Yoto Speakes is the one to beat on the heels of his win in the Jockey Championship.

AUBURN, Wash. - One maiden posted a stunning upset and two others were excluded. Those were the two hottest topics of conversation following last Sunday's six-furlong Angie C. Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Roger Attfield found himself on the horns of an unexpected dilemma Tuesday morning.

Attfield had just watched Phantom Light, a 3-year-old colt he trains for Stronach Stable, breeze six furlongs in 1:16 on the Woodbine training track under jockey Robert Landry.

Phantom Light, who raced just twice as a 2-year-old, had gotten a late start to his current campaign.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - There was a time last summer when Tribal Rule was considered a candidate for the Breeders' Cup Sprint. This year, owners Marty and Pam Wygod and trainer Julio Canani would just like to see him start more than twice.

On Wednesday at Hollywood Park, the 6-year-old Tribal Rule makes his fourth career start in a $51,000 allowance/optional claimer over six furlongs.

EDMONTON, Alberta - The top two Thoroughbreds in Alberta squared off at Northlands Park last Saturday in the $40,000 Spangled Jimmy. And when the dust cleared, Sixthirtyjoe had defeated Rancour and asserted himself as the leading candidate for Horse of the Year honors in the province.

Joey, as he is known, came into the race with three stake wins on the year and added another with his outstanding performance, going three-wide through the finalturn before overtaking longshot Highland Leader down the lane.