JAMAICA, N.Y. - Wilzada, who trainer Tony Dutrow believes is the best 3-year-old filly in his barn, is sick and will miss Saturday's $100,000 Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct.

"She came off the track coughing this morning, and we scoped her, and her airway was full of mucus," Dutrow said Wednesday from his Laurel Park barn. "It's too bad."

Dutrow said he is now targeting the Nassau County Stakes at Belmont Park on May 11 as Wilzada's next major objective, with perhaps an allowance prep before then. Dutrow hopes to use the Nassau County as a prep for the Grade 1 Acorn on June 7.

Keeneland officials said Wednesday that takeouts on multi-horse bets would be returned to 19 percent during the upcoming spring meet. The decision ends an experiment during last year's three-week fall meet in which takeout was reduced to 16 percent across the board, the lowest rate in the country.

FLORENCE, Ky. - Even though Azillion wasn't able to win a first-level allowance race in two tries in Southern California, trainer Bob Hess Jr. thought the time would come when would deserve a trip to an out-of-town stakes race.

Indeed, when he runs Saturday in the $500,000 Lane's End Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park, Azillion will be embarking on a somewhat diversionary path toward the Triple Crown. Hess believes Azillion, an Irish-bred colt based at Santa Anita, has the running style to be a major factor in races outside of his home circuit.

FLORENCE, Ky. - Under different circumstances, Saratoga Blues would be long gone from the 30-horse stable that Tony Dutrow trains at Laurel Park in Maryland.

There are few things that Dutrow loves more than selling a horse at his peak value. And with , who is undefeated in three starts and frequently mentioned as one of the most promising 3-year-olds in America, it would seem there's no time like the present to sell.

"Sure, I wouldn't mind selling him," said Dutrow. "But the owners don't want to."

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Both Private Emblem, winner of a division of the $75,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn on March 2, and Descapate, third as the favorite in the Grade 3, $200,000 Oaklawn Breeders' Cup last Saturday, will bypass the next logical races for them on the Oaklawn stakes calendar, according to trainer Steve Asmussen.

Private Emblem, who has done his best running when his races are spaced well apart, will pass this Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Rebel Stakes and instead go straight to the Grade 2, $500,000 Arkansas Derby on April 13.

NEW ORLEANS - Hap is neither a true miler nor a true stayer. That makes the nine-furlong distance of Sunday's Explosive Bid, to say nothing of the race's $700,000 purse, a good spot for Hap's first start of the season. And if Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's assessment of Hap's condition is correct - and there's no reason to think it's not - Hap is in the Explosive Bid to win, not just to get his year started.

"He's got as much in him now as he did when he made his first start last year," Mott said.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Dave Donk is looking for big things from his grass specialist Sharp Performance this season. But Donk is not quite ready to throw his latest turf star in against the wolves in Saturday's $250,000 Pan American Handicap.

ALBANY, Calif. - An argument could be made that the horse of this Golden Gate meeting will be on display in Friday's feature race.

If Miz Kool isn't the horse of the meet, she's at least the leading claimer, with five wins in five, starting with a win for a $6,250 claiming tag on Nov. 9. On Friday, she will have a tough test in a field of seven older fillies and mares going six furlongs in an allowance race.

Trainer Bill Delia hopes the combination of her sharpness and love for the Golden Gate main track will lead to a victory.

Trainer Chris Block said his undefeated 3-year-old colt Cashel Castle is in good shape following his allowance win over older horses last Sunday at Sportsman's Park and is on schedule for the Lafayette Stakes at Keeneland on April 7.

As of Wednesday morning, Block had not seen the videotape of Cashel Castle's race. Block was at Tampa Bay Downs last Sunday, but Sportsman's does not send its simulcast signal to Tampa.

A pair of Thoroughbred senior citizens helped generate a $4,691 superfecta in Monday's fifth race at Mountaineer Park.

Victory Tower ($20), a 12-year-old gelding trained by octogenarian Elmer Damron, led wire to wire to win the six-furlong sprint for $4,000 claimers by 3 1/4 lengths. It was Victory Tower's 30th lifetime victory in 165 starts and his 24th win at Mountaineer.