JAMAICA, N.Y. - Turf horses from all over North America have ascended upon Aqueduct for Saturday's $150,000 Grade 2 Red Smith Handicap, the last turf stakes of the year in New York.

Shippers from Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Chicago and Canada have swelled the field for the 1 3/8-miles race to 16. Only 12 will be permitted to start. The race features the 2000 Red Smith winner (Cetewayo) and the 1999 Red Smith runner-up (Williams News) and a host of intriguing turf marathoners that could leave handicappers burning the midnight oil.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - It's quite a leap to start in a maiden-claimer in Kentucky and only a few months later win a graded stakes in New York or California. That's what trainer Bobby Frankel will be trying to do on Saturday, when he sends out Labamta Babe in the Grade 3, $100,000 Hollywood Prevue Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Will this be You, part deux? Frankel acquired You, a 2-year-old filly, for owner Ed Gann after she ran in Kentucky, beginning in maiden-claiming company. You went on to become one of her division's leaders, highlighted by a victory in the Frizette Stakes.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Until facing the very best that North America had to offer, Snow Dance had done everything trainer John T. Ward Jr. asked of her - at least on grass.

Snow Dance was rather ordinary in her first four starts on dirt, after which Ward began racing her on turf. The result was a major transformation: Snow Dance reeled off four straight victories before leading most of the way and fading to third behind Affluent and Golden Apples in a sensational field in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, a Grade 1 race five weeks ago at Keeneland.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Late-blooming Streakin Rob put it all together three weeks ago when he captured the $250,000 Coronation Futurity, the country's richest race for Canadian-bred juveniles.

Streakin Rob will make a late-season bid for the Sovereign Award as champion 2-year-old when he tries open company in Saturday's $112,500 Display Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile race at Woodbine.

Sumthintotalkabout reunites with Cindy Noll, under whom she's run her best races, in the $25,000 Lady's Secret Handicap at Remington Park in Oklahoma City on Saturday.

The 6 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares has drawn eight others, including Darlin Dixie, a two-time stakes winner around two turns, and recent $25,000 Kansas Oaks winner Spanish Guitar.

Sumthintotalkabout and Noll teamed to win two stakes and an allowance race this summer at Prairie Meadows. Their biggest triumph came in the $75,000 Donna Reed Stakes on Sept. 1.

Babyexpectations, who is a full sister to four stakes winners, tries to win the first stakes of her career Saturday night in the $25,000 Cy-Fair at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston.

The 6 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies has drawn nine, including Miss Photogenic, a winner of five of seven starts this year, who gets back to her best surface after racing on turf. Another contender is Eagle Lake, who earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure two starts ago when she romped by 17 1/4 lengths in the $54,000 Texas Stallion Stakes at Retama Park.

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Pat Reynolds earned a great deal of success as well as notoriety for transforming Peeping Tom from a mid-level claimer to a graded stakes winner. Now, the trainer is hoping for lightning to strike again Saturday when he sends out Eltawaasul in the $150,000, Grade 2 Red Smith Handicap.

Hallowed Dreams and slots machines. It seems that's what every track in Louisiana wants, and it seems that's what Delta Downs in Vinton, La., will get during its 26-night Thoroughbred season that opens Saturday and runs through Dec. 30.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Tails of the Crypt has been anything but a horror story in his first campaign for trainer John Ross and the Jam Jar Racing Stable of Bud and Jackie Reynolds.

In fact, Tails of the Crypt already qualifies as a sweet success and will be looking to put a pleasant exclamation point on his first year at the races when he starts Saturday at Woodbine in the in $112,500 Display Stakes.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Handle shot up 21 percent compared with last year on last weekend's Churchill Downs Simulcast Network Turf Pick 3 wagers. Combined handle on the Saturday and Sunday wagers was $247,398, up from $204,033 bet on the same weekend last year.

It was the first time the multi-track wager had been offered since last fall. Churchill Downs offered a pick three among its family of tracks for the first time in the spring of 2000.