Colonial Downs expects to run up to 80 percent of its races on the turf again this year, including 13 of the track's 14 stakes, a track official said Friday.

Last year, the Virginia track ran 81 percent of its races on the one-mile turf course, according to Darrell Wood, the track's publicity director. This year, the track will try to run more races on the 1 1/4-mile dirt course, but the mix of horses will ultimately determine the ratio, Wood said.

ARCADIA, Calif. - At the start of his 9-year-old season in Sunday's $125,000 Crystal Water Handicap at Santa Anita, Native Desert amazes trainer Juan Garcia.

"He still looks like a 3-year-old," Garcia said. "He's in really good shape."

A winner of 19 of 62 starts and $1,583,891, Native Desert is running in the Crystal Water Handicap for the fifth consecutive year. Fourth in 1998, Native Desert won the Crystal Water in 1999, finished fourth in 2000, and was second last year, a neck behind Road to Slew.

ALBANY, Calif. - Northern California's top two older male sprinters meet in Sunday's feature race at Golden Gate Fields, the $55,000-added Danville Handicap.

Beyond Brilliant, who has won 7 of 13 starts and was favored over Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Squirtle Squirt when the two met last spring, will be the high weight in the field of five at 121 pounds. Beyond Brilliant will be making his first start since placing third in the $150,000 Gallant Bob Handicap at Philadelphia Park on Oct. 6.

NEW ORLEANS - There are different kinds of horses out there to buy. Do you want raw material - young horseflesh to be groomed and developed? Or do you want the full-grown model, the horse who has already gone through growth spurts, been put through lessons, and has made it to the races?

Darrell Vienna has been involved with both types, but as his experience as a horseman grew he became less and less satisfied with the practice of buying young horses at auction.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Gulfstream Park racing Secretary Dave Bailey may have to call in a few favors to get as many as six entrants in the starting gate for next Saturday's $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap. Only 11 horses were nominated for the Grade 1 race, and as of Friday only defending champ Sir Bear and Red Bullet had been confirmed as starters.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Although the distance of the featured ninth race Sunday at Oaklawn Park is six furlongs, it could produce several starters for the $75,000 Bayakoa, a S1 1/16-mile stakes for fillies and mares on April 5.

At least that's the goal for Dorothy Ann, who won the Bayakoa last year, and possibly Darling Deputy, a recent allowance winner who is under consideration for both the Bayakoa and the Carousel Breeders' Cup, a six-furlong race for fillies and mares April 7.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Wynyard, who finished second in a first-level allowance at Gulfstream Park during the winter, should be favored in Sunday's seventh race at Woodbine, a $59,100 allowance for 3-year-old fillies.

Wynward, a half-sister to stakes winners Dixieland Slew and

A Perfectredransom, was a $170,000 2-year-old purchase by owners Jim and Alice Sapara. She had local workout watchers buzzing before her debut last summer, but lost her first two starts, both times as the favorite.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - New racing rules pressed for by the Woodbine Entertainment Group were passed by the Ontario Racing Commission last month and go into effect with the start of racing Saturday.

The first involves the elimination of entries in stakes races worth $1 million or more. All starters in $1 million races will run as separate betting interests.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Olympian stole the show on opening day of the 2001 Woodbine meet, winning a $100,000 optional claimer in a romp while sizzling five furlongs in a track-record 56.07 seconds.

On Saturday, Olympian will try to try to duplicate that phenomenal feat in the $101,800 Briartic Handicap, the opening day feature of the 2002 Woodbine meet.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The $150,000 purse of Saturday's Santa Ana Handicap at Santa Anita does not do justice to the quality of the field.

Five fillies or mares who have won a Grade 1 race in the last 18 months meet in the Grade 2 Santa Ana, run over 1 1/8 miles on turf. Bettors must choose among Grade 1 winners Astra (2001 Beverly Hills Handicap), Golden Apples (2001 Del Mar Oaks), Janet (2001 Yellow Ribbon Stakes), Starine (2001 Matriarch Stakes), and Tout Charmant (2000 Matriarch Stakes) as well as four longshots.