HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The beneficial scratch of expected favorite Hook And Ladder, coupled with a scalding pace that fried the front-runners, combined to propel late-running Fappie's Notebook to a narrow victory in Sunday's $100,000 Deputy Minister Handicap* at Gulfstream Park.

NEW ORLEANS - With the city of New Orleans heating to a fever pitch on Mardi Gras Day, one of the best stakes races of the season heats up Fair Grounds' special Tuesday card. Local turf stars Northcote Road and Where's Taylor face off in the $75,000 Mardi Gras Handicap, a race that also marks the turf debut of the talented colt Griffinite.

ALBANY, Calif. - Odds-on favorite Decarchy continued trainer Bobby Frankel's hot streak in stakes races with a two-length victory over Ninebanks in the $100,000 Tanforan Handicap (G3) at Golden Gate Fields.

Decarchy ($3.40) took back early off the uncontested pace of I'madrifter as jockey Russell Baze was content to stay in sixth while saving ground. When the field began to bunch up heading into the stretch, Baze shot Decarchy through a hole between entrymates Ninebanks and Sirpa, then quickly passed I'madrifter to assume the lead.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Bettors on Saturday failed to conquer the Santa Anita pick six for the second consecutive day, resulting in a carryover of $505,816 for .

Only one favorite won during Saturday's pick six - Lord Sweeney in the ninth race. The winners of the other pick six races were Avenue of Royalty ($8), Seven Jillion ($13.20), Searcher ($19), Warm April ($16.20) and Summer Colony ($15).

Sunday's pick six covers races routh through nine. There are no changes in the fourth race, a sprint for 3-year-old maidens.

ARCADIA, Calif. - A Saturday morning telephone conversation between jockeys Gary Stevens and John Velazquez helped Summer Colony extend her winning streak to 6 with an upset in the $200,000 * at Santa Anita.

Stevens, riding Summer Colony for the first time, conferred with Velazquez, who has won aboard her four times.

"The main thing he wanted me to know was that she didn't need to be in front," Stevens said.

With the strategy session on his mind, Stevens gave Summer Colony an ideal trip in the Grade 2 La Canada.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Mongoose finally fulfilled all the promise he showed early in his career by registering a neck victory over a game but unlucky Red Bullet in Saturday's $500,000 * at Gulfstream Park. Red Bullet, the 2-1 favorite in a field of 14 older horses, was ultimately disqualified from second and placed fourth for interfering with Rize entering the far turn.

NEW ORLEANS - It's hard not to believe in trainer Tom Amoss at this stage of the game. Nearly three months into the Fair Grounds meet, Amoss has maintained nearly a 40-percent win rate with more than 100 starters at the meet, though through Friday's card he still trailed Steve Asmussen by six wins in the standings.

ARCADIA, Calif. - USS Tinosa won his first race outside of Ohio in Friday's Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, USS Tinosa finished 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.11, winning by 4 1/2 lengths over Puerto Banus. The winner, bought privately by Peter Abruzzo and Barry Thiriot last fall, will continue on the Triple Crown trail. But trainer Jerry Hollendorfer does not yet have any specific plans for him.

For veteran jockey Charlie Woods Jr., a run of incredibly poor luck was perpetuated in Nov. 2000, when a knee injury forced him to miss the winning mount aboard Miss Pickums in the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Spanish Glitter became the first favorite to win a stakes this meet at Oaklawn Park when she rolled to a 5 3/4-length win in the $50,000 American Beauty Stakes at 4-5. Southern Tour rallied for second, 1 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Sweet And Firm.

In three previous stakes this meet, favorites had failed.