INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A last-minute decision to enter Stormy Jack at Hollywood Park on Friday has given a $53,000 allowance for older horses the quality of a minor stakes.

The 4-year-old Stormy Jack will attempt to enhance an already strong fall campaign, which includes a second in the California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 and a win in the On Trust Handicap here on Nov. 22. Trained by Bob Baffert, Stormy Jack is the likely favorite against four others in Friday's race, run over about 7 1/2 furlongs.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - An owner whose filly was scratched from a claiming race at Santa Anita on Oct. 10 after being found with a sponge in a nostril is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved.

Art Acosta, who owns My Sweet Lucy, is putting up the reward, according to trainer Frank Olivares. "Hopefully someone will come forward," Olivares said.

NEW YORK - The New York Racing Association board of directors approved a plan on Wednesday to eliminate parking and general admission fees during most of the Aqueduct winter meet.

The fees will be eliminated beginning the first week of January until mid-March, when the inner-track meet at Aqueduct ends, according to NYRA chairman Barry Schwartz. Parking at Aqueduct is normally $1, and general admission is also $1.

"Those months are a really tough time for New York, and we think this is something the fans deserve," Schwartz said after the board meeting.

MIAMI - Gulfstream Park will offer a guaranteed pick six pool of $25,000 every Friday afternoon throughout its 2002 meet, which opens on Jan. 3. A regular non-guaranteed pick six will also be available daily throughout the meet, which runs until April 24. The takeout on the pick six, comprising the last six races each day, will be lowered from 25 percent to 20 percent on all cards.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Inanout, who posted a confidence-building win just a week ago, will attempt to step up and repeat in Friday's featured eighth race at Portland Meadows. The six-furlong race has drawn seven fillies and mares, all eligible to be claimed for $3,200.

MIAMI - The plane that brought jockey Rosemary Homeister back from Puerto Rico touched down in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday. But Homeister said she was still "floating on air" Wednesday because of her victory aboard Alexia in the Clasico Internacional del Caribe at El Comandante Racetrack on Sunday.

JAMAICA, N.Y. - When Peeping Tom runs in Saturday's $100,000-added Gravesend Handicap at Aqueduct he will be looking to snap a five-race losing streak that dates back to May.

*, plucked out of the claim box by Flatbird Stable for $40,000 in March 2000, proved to be an exceptional claim when he won the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in May. The Carter was preceded by three consecutive wins during the winter, including scores in the Toboggan and Grade 2 General George.

ALBANY, Calif. - A plan by Golden Gate Fields to run 10-race cards Saturday, Sunday, and Monday has run into criticism from the Thoroughbred Owners of California and California Thoroughbred Trainers. As a result, Monday's card will have only nine races.

Championships are on the line in three Grade 1 Quarter Horse stakes closing weekend at Los Alamitos.

On Friday night, the top two qualifiers in the Grade 1, $154,350 Southern California Derby are trained by by Donna McArthur.

On Saturday, trainer John Bassett will have four juveniles in the Grade 1, $1,256,000 Los Alamitos Million, Quarter Horse racing's second-richest race.

On Sunday, the 2001 world championship will be on the line in the Grade 1, $500,000 Champion of Champions, the sport's most prestigious and richest race for older runners.

It has been just over four months since Dean Kutz returned from a life-threatening illness to his lifelong profession as a jockey. He has won 16 races, an average of only four a month, but Kutz could not be happier.

"I'm feeling good, and I've had no problems to speak of," said Kutz. "It's been as good as I could've hoped for."