JAMAICA, N.Y. - Bill Mott believes he has a genuine Kentucky Derby contender in his barn in Blue Burner. Jerry Bailey needs a little more convincing. Both should find out for certain on Saturday when Mott gives Bailey a leg up on the 3-year-old colt in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Officer's impressive comeback win in the Zany Tactics on Sunday has put him on target for the Grade 3 Derby Trial on April 27 at Churchill Downs.

"Right now, the Derby Trial would be the most logical spot," trainer Bob Baffert said Tuesday. "The Lexington [April 20] is a little quick back."

At one mile around one turn, the Derby Trial is a perfect fit for Officer, who is 5 for 6 around one turn, but 0 for 2 around two turns. The 1 1/16-mile Lexington is a two-turn race, and Baffert will resist Derby temptation.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Bien Nicole, twice the runner-up in allowance races at Churchill Downs last fall, was an obvious contender when the race was drawn Saturday for Thursday's $30,000 allowance feature at Lone Star Park.

Three days later, her chances improved further. Mike Mareina, trainer of Rosequest, said Tuesday that he had scratched his mare from the race because of a fever. That reduces the field from 10 to nine, and more significantly, eliminates a horse who was likely to test Bien Nicole.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - One Tuff Fox, who was forced to scratch from last weekend's Grade 2, $500,000 Illinois Derby on the day of the race for having violated an obscure Lasix rule, could be a $25,000 supplement to the Grade 2, $500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.

Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr., on Tuesday was working to make transportation and rider arrangements for the colt. Entries for the 1 1/8-mile race were to be drawn Wednesday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - If there had been voting last year on the top 10 most explosive performances in a Grade 1 stakes, surely Victory Ride would have made the list for her eye-catching victory in the Test Stakes.

The Test capped a rapid rise to stardom for Victory Ride, a Seeking the Gold filly who was making just the fourth start of her career. Unfortunately for owner Watts Humphrey and trainer Rusty Arnold, Victory Ride suffered a condylar fracture in a workout shortly after that sensational triumph.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The "B" team takes the stage Wednesday at Oaklawn Park in the $75,000 Northern Spur Stakes. The one-mile race is usually for 3-year-olds who aren't ready to advance to the Grade 2, $500,000 Arkansas Derby on Saturday, and has drawn a well-matched field of 11.

Guppie's Secret is one of three colts trainer Lynn Whiting has entered in the Northern Spur, but because he is training so sharply, Guppie's Secret will also be entered in the Arkansas Derby on Wednesday.

"He may well be seen in the Arkansas Derby," said Whiting.

ARCADIA, Calif. - When the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap - the showcase race of the winter-spring meeting - was run on March 2, it was heavily criticized for drawing a weak field.

A month later, it turns out that might have been a harsh assessment.

Third-place finisher Kudos won Saturday's Oaklawn Handicap. Sienne, who was ninth, won the Grade 2 Arcadia Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita, the same day that 10th-place Freedom Crest finished a respectable third in the San Bernardino Handicap.

ALBANY, Calif. - Golden Gate Fields posted a modest increase in ontrack attendance at its recently concluded 101-day meeting, the first time in a decade that a northern California Thoroughbred meet did not experience an attendance decline.

Attendance increased just under one-half of 1 percent, with an average of 2,619 people per day. Offtrack attendance declined by 3 percent to 4,494 per day.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Wednesday's co-features at Bay Meadows have one common denominator. Hot new apprentice rider Omar Figueroa has a mount in each.

In the first race, a $25,000 claimer at six furlongs, Figueroa will ride Court's In Session for one-time Eclipse Award-winning apprentice Wesley Ward. In the seventh race, a one-mile turf race for maidens, Figueroa will ride Southern California shipper Military Academy for Patrick Gallagher.

JAMAICA, N.Y. - A $38,159 pick six carryover, the first turf race of the season, and a stakes-caliber allowance sprint for fillies and mares highlight Wednesday's nine-race card at Aqueduct.

Should pick six players make it through the first five legs of the bet, many will be relying on trainer Steve Young to have Imadeed ready off a 53-day layoff in the eighth, a classified allowance at six furlongs.