JAMAICA, N.Y. - Owner Ernie Paragallo said he fired trainer Dick Lundy earlier this week because he was unhappy with the condition of some of his runners. Paragallo is now in the process of finding a new trainer for the 85 horses, including 44 2-year-olds, he has in training.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Jockey Marlon St. Julien is at a loss to explain why his promising riding career took a negative turn last year. He just wants to start fresh and put it behind him.

He will not ride in Kentucky this spring and has returned to Lone Star Park, where he excelled in the late-1990's.

"Last year I was in a terrible slump," said St. Julien. "I didn't want to go back that same route. I was very successful here. I want to get my career back on track like it was. And hopefully it will."

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trainer Bill Morey Jr. is looking forward to Friday's feature race at Bay Meadows, when the perhaps aptly named Sensational Guy returns to the races in a six-furlong allowance sprint.

"He acted like he could be a real nice colt," said Morey, who saw Sensational Guy win his debut from the rail in a 5 1/2-furlong race at Del Mar.

Unfortunately, that race came in September 2000. Friday's race will be Sensational Guy's second start.

ARCADIA, Calif. - A year ago, it seemed impossible that would be a candidate in Saturday's $750,000 Santa Anita Derby. He was more likely a candidate for an equine nuthouse.

From the time that trainer Ted H. West and his father, Ted, first saw Easy Grades at the 2001 Barretts March sale, the colt grabbed their attention. Especially when he dropped his rider in a workout.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Down does not necessarily mean out. Or off.

Veteran jockey Tony D'Amico has been taken off three Kentucky Derby hopefuls but still will be aboard Take Charge Lady when the filly shoots for her first Grade 1 victory Saturday in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The hottest trend at the Keeneland spring meet last year had nothing to do with khakis, blue blazers, or topsider shoes. It didn't involve seeing and being seen in the ultra-exclusive clubhouse. And it sure wasn't uncovering the secrets to how the track's caterers make that terrific burgoo.

No, the hottest trend was cashing bets on 2-year-olds trained by the new kid in town, Ronny Werner.

CALGARY, Alberta - The 2002 Alberta Thoroughbred season begins at Stampede Park Friday evening with a nine-race program of four-furlong sprints.

Because unseasonably cold weather compromised training schedules in March, the half-mile sprints will be the order of the day throughout opening weekend.

The 43-day meeting will be conducted four days a week, with 6 p.m. Mountain post times on Wednesdays and Fridays and 1 p.m. starts on weekends and holidays.

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.