PORTLAND, Ore. - Back in 1996, when Knight Cover began to show promise as a 3-year-old, owner and breeder Dr. Bob Seapy and trainer Steve Fisher conspired to maximize their enjoyment of the young gelding's career.

"The best horse that Doc had owned to that point was Knight Cover's sire, Knight in Savannah," said Fisher. "He was a brilliant sprinter, but he only lasted through two years and 11 races. Doc wanted Knight Cover to have an extended career, and he told me to take care of him accordingly."

MIAMI - Sara's Success, has been unbeatable in south Florida on both turf and dirt since the spring. She will put her leadership of the 3-year-old filly division on the line when she faces 11 rivals including Grey Ballet in Saturday's $60,000 Lenta Stakes.

The Lenta shares top billing on the program with the $60,000 Western Borders Handicap, a 6 1/2-furlong dash for colts and geldings.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - *, one of the nation's leading turf horses for the past two seasons, fractured the sesamoid bones in his left front ankle at the conclusion of a workout Thursday morning on the Hollywood Park turf course.

Manndar was taken to the barn of his trainer, Beau Greely, who said every effort would be made to save Manndar's life. No decision had been made about whether to operate, because Greely said he and veterinarian Dr. Sam Bradley wanted to see how Manndar progressed over the next two days.

Volley Ball, unbeaten in two career starts for trainer Ben Perkins Jr., is the colt to catch in Saturday's $50,000 Pennsylvania Futurity, the final stakes of the season at Philadelphia Park.

ANDERSON, Ind. - Neon Shadow bids for a repeat in the $100,000 Michael G. Schaefer Mile Stakes at Hoosier Park Saturday, and he's coming off the same prep race.

Trained by Carl Bowman for owners Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton, Neon Shadow last raced Oct. 12 in the Warfield Stakes at Keeneland where he finished a strong second. Before winning last year's inaugural running, he ran third in the Warfield. Lonnie Meche will ride from post 2.

A field of seven fillies and mares will lineup Saturday for the $55,000-added Camilla Urso Handicap at Golden Gate. The six-furlong dash, the third race on a nine-race program, has drawn a strong cast.

Creaseinherjeans was assigned topweight of 120 pounds, but the Jeff Bonde-trained entry of Hall of Gold and De Godddaughter might draw the most betting support. Hall of Gold is looking for a stakes hat trick in the Camilla Urso, and a repeat of her last performance would make her very tough to beat.

PHOENIX - Trainer Eric Kruljac probably has mixed feelings going into Saturday's $30,000 Paradise Valley Handicap at Turf Paradise. He sends the entry of Resolve and R. Baggio, which will probably be favored for the 7 1/2-furlong turf race for 3-year-olds.

On the one hand, Kruljac's horses have much going for them. On the other hand, there are reasons to think neither may run his best race.

John Salzman's phone must have been ringing off the hook Wednesday afternoon. Just about every jockey agent in the country probably tried to contact Salzman, the trainer of Xtra Heat ( ), when he did not name a rider on his standout filly sprinter at entry time for Saturday's $300,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Friday's featured eighth race, a 5 1/2-furlong race for $4,000 claiming 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, illustrates the difficulties that handicappers have faced early in the Portland Meadows meeting.

There simply aren't many common points of reference among the nine contestants, as only three have started at the meeting. Three others made their last start at Hastings Park, while the remainder last started at Emerald Downs, Los Alamitos, or Kalispell in Montana.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - An enticing rematch between the first two finishers in the Breeders' Cup Distaff appears set, as trainer Dallas Stewart has tentatively committed the Distaff winner, Unbridled Elaine, to run against the runner-up, Spain, in the Nov. 22 Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Stewart said Unbridled Elaine still had to exit a Thursday work in good shape, but he expects all to go well. "She hasn't had a bad day since she ran," he said.