HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Asking a 3-year-old filly coming off a four-month hiatus to stay nine furlongs against a quality field seems like an ambitious undertaking. But perhaps it's not for a special filly such as Belterra, who will put her unblemished record on the line in Friday's $250,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Invisible Ink finished second in his first start since the Belmont Stakes last June, rallying to finish 4 3/4 lengths behind He's a Knockout in a $40,000 allowance race Wednesday at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said he was "delighted" by the runner-up finish by the 2-1 Invisible Ink, whose top career effort was a second-place finish behind Monarchos in the Kentucky Derby in May.

"It was everything you look for in a comeback race. The winner just happened to run a hole in the wind."

ARCADIA, Calif. - He is a trainer with a never-ending onslaught of European imports. Multiple-horse entries are regular occurrences for him, and two more of his foreigners entered the $75,000-added Some Sensation Stakes on Friday at Santa Anita.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Post-position draws for major stakes usually offer few surprises. But such was not the case when entries were drawn Wednesday morning for Saturday's $1 million at Gulfstream Park.

At the draw, three unexpected entries - Smooth Jazz, Monthir, and Peekskill - became part of the field, and Stephentown was not entered because of a minor injury.

French Assault appears to be recovering from the intestinal disorder that kept him from running Sunday in the Louisiana Derby, but even with a speedy recovery it will be several weeks before the colt is ready to race again. Trainer Keith Desormeaux said that if French Assault's condition continues to improve, he will tentatively be pointed for a start next month in the Arkansas Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Came Home, who was an impressive winner of the San Rafael Stakes on March 2, had his first workout since that race postponed on Wednesday because he became cast in his stall on Tuesday night, trainer Paco Gonzalez said Wednesday morning at Santa Anita.

"I just jogged him this morning to make sure he was okay," Gonzalez said at his barn. "The night watchman called me around 9 o'clock last night. [Came Home] gets cast a lot. He rolls a lot. He was fine this morning, but he seemed a little quiet. He's usually full of himself. So I jogged him. He jogged fine."

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Though it is mid-March and he has an undefeated 3-year-old in his barn, trainer Tony Dutrow does not have a case of Derby fever.

Dutrow said on Wednesday that Saratoga Blues will skip Sunday's $200,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct and will not be pointed to the Kentucky Derby on May 4. Instead, Saratoga Blues will make his next start in the $500,000 Lane's End Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on March 23 and may be pointed to the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 18.

ALBANY, Calif. - Saturday's $200,000 Golden Gate Breeders' Cup Handicap is coming up light.

Only four horses are listed as definite for the 1 1/8-mile Grade 3 turf race after trainer Laura deSeroux indicated Agol Lack would pass the race.

"I really wanted to run, but things just didn't work out," said deSeroux, whose Azeri won the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Handicap at Santa Anita last Sunday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - As men who have spent virtually all of their adult lives in the sport, owner John Oxley and trainer John Ward have an especially deep appreciation of horse racing history.

So it is not difficult to understand why they are excited about the prospect of becoming only the second owner-trainer team to win back-to-back runnings of the Florida Derby.

"That, to me, would be quite an accomplishment," said Ward.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Search Party will try to go out a stakes winner Saturday in the $200,000 Oaklawn Breeders' Cup for fillies and mares. The 1 1/16-mile race is the richest of two Grade 3 stakes on the program at Oaklawn Park, the other being the $100,000 Razorback Handicap, which matches Crafty Shaw, a winner of his last four races, against Mr Ross, a winner of $1 million.

Search Party, a graded stakes-placed earner of $250,254, was flown from Miami to Oaklawn on Wednesday morning, and will be making her career finale start on Saturday.