ALBANY, Calif. - Eighteen-year-old apprentice jockey Kevin Krigger is earning the respect of Golden Gate Fields trainers.

Krigger is not listed on a mount for Sunday's running of the $55,000-added Moment to Buy Handicap, but he was listed to ride Today a Star in Saturday's Albany Handicap.

Krigger, a native of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, won his first race at Golden Gate Fields on Friday. He cut the corner on the far turn inside Russell Baze (aboard favored Pearls N Lace) as he guided Angel's Touch to a victory in the opening race.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Recent winners Murdock and I'm Yer Hucklebery head a mixed bag of eight in Sunday's six-furlong allowance feature at Portland Meadows.

The field comprises three 3-year-olds, including a filly, an older mare, and four older males.

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Like the rest of us, trainer John Salzman figured two hard races against colts would have taken a toll on his sensational 3-year-old filly *. But, since they haven't, Salzman plans to continue running Xtra Heat and will ship her to Aqueduct for next Saturday's $75,000 Garland of Roses Handicap.

"Why not run her until she needs a break?" Salzman said. "I don't care how good she is, if she doesn't need a break I can't give her a break. I thought those colts would knock her out. Instead, she knocked them out."

NEW ORLEANS - There is an aging fellow on the Fair Grounds backstretch who has been places none of his colleagues have been. Green pastures, slow mornings in the sun, and mares - mares everywhere. All that's gone for now, and Commitisize, age 6 and approaching his sixth season of racing, is back at the track again.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Few people would have blamed trainer Tom Skiffington if he had left California earlier this week. Last Sunday, Spook Express, his top turf mare, was euthanized after suffering an injury during the running of the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes.

Spook Express was the reason Skiffington came to California with three horses this fall. Even though the other two still had races to run, Skiffington could have retreated to Florida, his winter base.

"I've had some bad days but Sunday was the toughest," Skiffington said. "It scars you for life."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - When the Jockey Club of Canada announces the finalists for this year's Sovereign Awards on Monday, it's a pretty safe bet that Streakin Rob will be on the 2-year-old colt or gelding list.

But first there's the not-so-small matter of Sunday's closing-day co-feature at Woodbine, the Kingarvie Stakes, which falls too late to impact the Sovereign voting but presents Streakin Rob with the prospect of a $78,375 payday and an opportunity to further his education with a hopeful eye toward next year's Queen's Plate.

MIAMI - Groomstick Stock's will be a longshot in next Saturday's $100,000 Tropical Turf Handicap. But as hot as his trainer, Paul Brettler, has been recently, it might be wise to keep a close eye on Groomstick Stock's, even though he has not run on the grass in over a year.

Portland Meadows recorded the highest weekly handle of its current meeting last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, when a total of $399,345 was handled on the track's live races for an average of $133,115 for the three days. The surge in betting brought the average daily handle through 15 days of live racing to $100,418, which is up better than 30 percent from the same period last season. Track president Arthur McFadden said attendance and concession sales are up commensurately, and that the track's new operator, MEC Oregon Racing Inc., is generally pleased with the progress of the meeting.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Rain or shine, trainer Bobby Frankel has a trio of older horses ready for Saturday's crowded $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup at Hollywood Park.

Northern Quest, *, and Super Quercus, all stakes winners this year, will represent the red-hot Frankel.

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Throw out his losses in three Grade 1 races and Balto Star has a 5-1-1 record from his last seven starts, including victories in the Spiral Stakes and Arkansas Derby. Add his terrific speed and his white-hot trainer and Balto Star looms the one to beat in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Queens County Handicap at Aqueduct.

A field of 11 was entered for the 1 3/16-mile Queens County, including defending Queens County winner Boston Party, Cat's at Home, Evening Attire, and *.