FLORENCE, Ky. - In any given year, a 3-year-old based the entire winter at Turfway Park has been a virtual throwout when the big boys come to town for the track's signature race.

But when the $500,000 Lane's End Spiral Stakes is run Saturday, the lineup not only will include one locally-based horse that rates as a serious contender, but two. Request for Parole and Perfect Drift are the so-called Turfway twins who will attempt to earn a spot in the May 4 Kentucky Derby by facing a solid field that includes capable invaders such as Saratoga Blues, Straight Gin, and Azillion.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Sometime early Saturday afternoon, trainer Michael Dickinson will take his customary stroll around the Gulfstream Park turf course. His mission is to assure that the footing is safe for his multiple Grade 1 winner Cetewayo later that day in the $250,000 Pan American Handicap. If Dickinson finds the footing to his satisfaction, Cetewayo's 10 rivals may well be running for second money in the Grade 2 event.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - It's time for the local 3-year-olds to stand and deliver. The Grade 3, $100,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park on Saturday is their final chance to prove they belong in the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby April 13; In order to do that, they will have to beat a trio of shippers Saturday: Ocean Sound, Jeremiah Jack, and Dusty Spike.

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Forest Heiress, beaten at 3-10 in the Old Hat Stakes at Gulfstream on Jan. 6, appears to have found a soft spot to make amends when she heads a six-horse field entered in Saturday's $100,000, Grade 3 Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct.

A daughter of Forest Wildcat, Forest Heiress won 4 of 5 starts as a 2-year-old, including the Sorority at Monmouth Park and the Valley Stream at Aqueduct, both Grade 3 races.

ALBANY, Calif. - Because Fancee Bargain was willing to allow Art and Steve Sherman to train her, the three might meet in the winner's circle following Saturday's $55,000-added Soviet Problem Handicap at Golden Gate Fields. The six-furlong Soviet Problem has a field of eight fillies and mares.

Fancee Bargain used to be high-strung and hard to train, said Steve Sherman, assistant to his father, Art. But she has settled down enough to have won both her starts this year.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Several trainers had a surprise awaiting when they picked up Saturday's overnight. They found the $46,000 open allowance they had chosen for their horses also attracted Macho Uno, who returns to action for the first time since finishing fourth in the 2001 Breeders' Cup Classic.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The cancellation of racing at Aqueduct on Wednesday helped Oaklawn Park reach its highest offtrack handle of the meet, as out-of-state patrons bet $4,537,572 on the 10-race card. Another $623,598 was bet on the program by the ontrack crowd of 5,883, bringing Oaklawn's total handle on its races Wednesday to $5,161,170.

The previous offtrack best this meet was reached on Feb. 16, when Oaklawn handled $4,189,228 on nine races, which were delayed because of a tote malfunction. The delay forced the track to cancel its final race.

JAMAICA, N.Y. - After losing 13 juveniles worth approximately $1.3 million in a barn fire last month, owner Carl Lizza would have been forgiven had he wanted to avoid any horse auctions for a while.

But as a man who has been in the game of Thoroughbred racing for several decades, Lizza has learned one thing.

"This game isn't for the faint of heart," said Lizza, who races under the name Flying Zee Stable and who co-owns Highcliff Farms in upstate New York. "I'm not in it for the money. If I was in it for the money, I'd get out."

FLORENCE, Ky. - Although Saturday's running of the Spiral Stakes is the 31st, this is the fourth time in the last five runnings that the race has sported a different name.

Tom Dawson, who has produced the Spiral for Winner Communications television for many years, said he jokingly sent a message to his graphics personnel saying simply to label it the "Spiral/Jim Beam/Galleryfurniture.com/Lane's End/Spiral Stakes."

To explain . . .

FLORENCE, Ky. - At Turfway Park, there are two days a year when the quality of racing far exceeds the everyday fare: Spiral Stakes Day in the spring, and Kentucky Cup Day in the fall. Each program consists of at least five stakes, with nary a claiming race to be found.