HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Stephentown and Grey Beard, who earned their way into the Grade 1 Fountain of Youth Stakes by winning split divisions of a preliminary allowance race Jan. 9, began getting a bit more serious for their next assignment when breezing easy half-miles on Saturday morning.

Stephentown, working shortly after dawn, went four furlongs in a leisurely 52.60 seconds, while Grey Beard, with jockey Edgar Prado aboard, was well within himself covering the same distance in 49.40 seconds two hours later.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Richest Half rallied strongly through the stretch to win the $50,000 Mountain Valley Stakes before a crowd of 17,406 at Oaklawn Park.

It was a three-quarters of a length back ro runner-up and favorite Cojet, who finished a nose in front of Red and Rare.

Richest Half raced well behind a quick early pace in the Mountain Valley, emerged from midpack in the stretch, and ran down the leaders, covering the six furlongs over a fast track in 1:11.80. Ridden by Justin Vitek, he returned $29.20.

Sense of Duty rallied from well off the pace under Brian Peck for a mild upset in the $49,500 Forego Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Sense of Duty, who just two races ago won a $50,000 claiming race at Churchill Downs, prevailed by a neck over Golden Oldie in a field of 10 older horses.

Personal First, the 7-5 favorite, finished third, another two lengths back.

Sense of Duty, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred horse by Meadowlake, is owned by Jan, Mace, and Samantha Siegel and trained by Paul McGee. He returned $16.80 after running

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Saturday's $80,725 Paumonok Handicap at Aqueduct became an easier assignment for the five horses who ran when the morning-line favorite, Here's Zealous, was scratched early in the day because of a cough.

The significance of the scratch wasn't lost on trainer Jimmy Jerkens, who saddled the Paumonok's 2 3/4-length winner and even-money favorite, Wrangler. "That's a hell of a scratch," Jerkens said with a grin in the winner's circle on an unusually balmy winter afternoon.

NEW ORLEANS - Easyfromthegitgo drew first blood on the road to the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, winning the $100,000 Lecomte Stakes by a nose over Sky Terrace at Fair Grounds on Saturday.

It was a game effort by Easyfromthegitgo, who was making his stakes debut, but one that was enhanced by a perfect trip under jockey Donnie Meche, who chalked up career win number 1,000 in the race. Breaking from the rail post, Easyfromthegitgo saved ground the entire race while stalking a quick pace, found room turning for home and ran down Sky Terrace from the two path.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Yvonne Azeff, an assistant for trainer John Ward Jr., was listed in serious condition at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla., suffering from head injuries from an accident during training hours at Gulfstream Park on Saturday morning.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Squirtle Squirt is not expected to lose the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Handicap on Sunday at Santa Anita, despite trainer Bobby Frankel's admission that the screws are not completely tightened for his first start back.

"He'll run okay, but I haven't really cranked on him," Frankel said. "I'm not killing him to get ready; hopefully his class will come out."

Seven others - including graded stakes winners Ceeband, Men's Exclusive, and Snow Ridge - hope Squirtle Squirt is vulnerable in his first start since Oct. 27.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A New Twist goes from hunter to hunted as she aims for her second straight stakes victory Sunday, facing six rivals in the $100,000, Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Three weeks ago, the public made Forest Heiress a 3-10 favorite for the Old Hat Stakes, while sending A New Twist off at 4-1. A New Twist ran Forest Heiress off her feet in scoring a 3 1/2-length gate-to-wire victory. The result was a reversal from the Valley Stream Stakes at Aqueduct in November when Forest Heiress ran down A New Twist to win by three lengths.

NEW ORLEANS - Everyone wants to know if Lake Lady can race as effectively at two turns as she has at one. She starts Sunday in the one-mile Tiffany Lass Stakes, yet win or lose, questions about her distance limitations might still persist.

On paper, Lake Lady outclasses the six other fillies entered in the $100,000 Tiffany Lass, Fair Grounds' first route race for

3-year-old fillies. It's followed on the stakes schedule by the Grade 3 Silverbulletday and the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Chinquapin Charlie will carry 125 pounds, taking on six others in Sunday's $7,500-added William Kyne Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race at Portland Meadows.

Chinquapin Charlie, a 5-year-old trained by Jim Hambleton of Vancouver, Wash., won this season's Thanksgiving Handicap, as well as last season's Polynesian Flyer Handicap and Portland Meadows Mile, to earn highweight honors for the Kyne.