Native Heir is often involved in photo finishes. So even though he had to duel with Turbotaxman throughout the stretch of last Saturday's $50,000 Blue and Grey Stakes at Charles Town, Native Heir's half-length advantage at the wire of the seven-furlong race for West Virginia- and Virginia-breds was actually a relatively comfortable margin.

In his three previous starts, the 3-year-old Native Heir won by a neck at Pimlico and Saratoga, and was a neck short in a restricted stakes at Colonial Downs.

The Racing Association of Central Iowa has made an offer of $150 million to purchase Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino from Polk County.

RACI, a non-profit organization, manages the facility under a lease agreement with the county. Last month two of the five members of Polk County's board of supervisors expressed an interest in selling the Altoona, Iowa, track, prompting RACI's board of directors to make its offer. The track has yet to be officially put on the market.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Just about everybody in attendance seemed to have a good time when Portland Meadows opened its 2001-2002 meeting last weekend, but few could have enjoyed themselves more than breeder, owner, and trainer Pat Sonnen.

Sonnen sent out his homebred Tomtom Tommalice to resurrect his stakes career with a victory in Saturday's $11,375 Inaugural Handicap for older sprinters, then watched his recent claim Lammy post an authoritative win in Sunday's $8,400 Lassie Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Jockey Juan Gutierrez contributed flawless rides to both scores.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Maple Leaf Stakes generally is not considered a magnet for California-based runners.

But Saturday's renewal of the Grade 3, 1 1/4 mile race for fillies and mares has attracted just such an animal in Letter of Intent, a 4-year-old owned by Farfellow Farms Ltd. and trained by Bill Spawr.

Letter of Intent, a Kentucky-bred 4-year-old by Capote out of the Raise a Native mare Island Splendour, was a $240,000 purchase at the Barretts March sale in 1999.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Officer, the beaten odds-on favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Belmont Park last Saturday, has been entered for Saturday's $125,000 California Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, and trainer Bob Baffert said there's a better than 50 percent chance that Officer will run.

Despite a cross-country trip from New York by Officer, Baffert said he was impressed with the way Officer galloped at Santa Anita on Wednesday, the day entries were drawn. He said that Officer will run without blinkers and will be ridden by Gary Stevens, who replaces Victor Espinoza.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Just when the California Cup Sprint appeared tailor-made for Ceeband, graded stakes winner Trailthefox jumped in and will try to become the fifth 3-year-old to win the $150,000, six-furlong race Saturday at Santa Anita. Trailthefox has not raced since August, but trainer Patrick Biancone said the layoff was by design.

"We've been pointing for this race," Biancone said. "He's training very well, I think he's back to what he was. He's a very nice horse, he seems to be the best 3-year-old Cal-bred, and now we are going against older horses."

ARCADIA, Calif. - Tiznow may soon be on the road again. Depending on how well Tiznow bounces out of his second straight win in the Breeders' Cup Classic, trainer Jay Robbins said Tuesday he was in favor of another start this year for Tiznow, providing he returns from Belmont Park in good shape.

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Search Party was nominated to Saturday's $100,000-added Turnback the Alarm Handicap at Aqueduct, but apparently trainer Shug McGaughey has found a spot more to his liking on Thursday.

Search Party is the likely favorite among the seven fillies and mares entered in Aqueduct's eighth race, a $56,000 allowance race at one mile on the main track.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After a productive summer at Ellis Park, Advanced Edition started running into heavy hitters. But he acquitted himself well in his latest start, finishing second in a Keeneland allowance to the stakes-savvy In Frank's Honor, and another big try would make him a solid contender in the Thursday feature at Churchill Downs.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The problem with the field for the seventh-race feature on Thursday at Santa Anita is they all look the same.

Mpenzi won her most recent start, but lost to La Jolla Shores the time before. Dynamistic has outrun both La Jolla Shores and Jalisco, though she required six starts before winning. Thursday, Dynamistic threatens to extend her latest losing streak to four starts. Pick a name, any name.