ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Gulfstream Park invaders On the Game and Wicklow Highlands are the obvious protagonists in Friday's featured eighth race at Woodbine, a $75,300 allowance for 4-year-olds and up.

Six others were entered in the seven-furlong race, limited to nonwinners of $45,180 other than maiden or claiming in 2001-02.

On the Game showed he had talent by posting a 5 1/4-length maiden win in his debut here last summer. He subsequently was sold by trainer Laurie Silvera to John Franks, who turned him over to trainer David Bell.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The 1 1/4 miles of the $1 million Queen's Plate may turn out to be beyond the range of Rare Friends.

But in the meantime the road to the Plate is paved with riches, and Rare Friends already has picked up a $98,820 appetizer after handily capturing the six-furlong Achievement Handicap last Sunday at Woodbine.

The Achievement was the fourth sprint stakes score for Rare Friends, who was Canada's champion 2-year-old male last year for his trainer, Bob Tiller.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - A local horse has not won the Grade 1, $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap since Opening Verse in 1990, but this could be the year the shippers' streak ends. On Saturday, Mr Ross and Crafty Shaw will make the strongest representation of Oaklawn Park-based horses to start in the race in years.

CHICAGO - With a glut of Kentucky Derby preps already on the market, some questioned the wisdom in 2001 of moving the Illinois Derby from its traditional spot on the racing calendar, a week after the Kentucky Derby, to its current position, four weeks in front of the Derby. But it just might work after all.

The field drawn Tuesday for Saturday's $500,000, Grade 2 Illinois Derby at Sportsman's Park is a step up from last year's race. With 10 horses entered, the numbers are there; with the presence of , the race has star power; and Repent's supporting cast is not bad.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Trainer David Anderson saddled three winner in the first four races Saturday.

Anderson sent out heavily favored Raging Rabbit ($3.20) to win the first race, then scored with Kathy June ($10.20) in the third, and Stand Watie ($10.40) in the fourth. In all, Anderson had six winners in 12 starters over the weekend. He owns a 14-8 edge in wins in the trainer standings over Kelly Von Hemel and Kenny Johnson, who are tied for second.

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - A few weeks ago Daryl Montoya seemed in a safe position to win another Sunland riding title. But since then Jorge Bourdieu has gotten hot.

With three days left in the meet going into Friday, Bourdieu had cut the lead to three wins, leap-frogging over Nena Matz. Montoya has taken 321 mounts to win 46 races, compared to Bourdieu's 188 mounts and 43 wins. Matz is in third with 36 wins.

CICERO, Ill. - Repent has traveled a twisted path to his two wins this season. In the stretch run of both the Risen Star Stakes and the Louisiana Derby, Repent swerved inside and out, failed to change leads, and generally raced in a way that caused many observers to downgrade his performances.

Now it is his road to the Kentucky Derby that has taken a rather strange turn.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - It won't take long for the Keeneland spring meet to begin producing news worthy of the racing world's attention. A pivotal matchup between two of North America's most highly regarded 3-year-old fillies, Take Charge Lady and Belterra, is expected to take place in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes here Saturday, just a day after the 16-day meet opens.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Neither Came Home nor Mayakovsky answered any questions Tuesday at Santa Anita, nor were they expected to. Revelations are scarce when horses breeze a half-mile under a hold.

Co-favorites for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, Came Home and worked in 48.20 seconds, breezing. Mayakovsky worked in 48.20, breezing. Identical times for top-class milers who will attempt the same thing Saturday - carry their speed a mile and an eighth.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Homeland's two-start U.S. career has been a disaster, but in the Grade 2 Arcadia Handicap on Sunday, there are reasons to believe this gray will show signs of life. The $150,000 Arcadia, at 1 1/8 miles on turf, will be the first time Homeland has had a fair chance.