ARCADIA, Calif. - Hampered by widespread sickness on the Santa Anita backstretch, Oak Tree racing secretary Mike Harlow is struggling to fill races. Only 65 horses entered Wednesday's eight-race card; just 63 were entered for eight races Thursday.

"I usually never struggle at this meet, but I understand 300 to 400 horses are sick," Harlow said. "I don't have any other explanation [for not filling races] other than than that. They're not sick where they can't train, but they they're coughing, so they can't run."

ELMONT, N.Y. - It would be a mild understatement to say that Mister Kick was ambitiously placed when he made his United States debut in April's Grade 1 San Juan Capistrano at Santa Anita.

Mister Kick was making his first start since last November over a firm turf course that he had never raced over while facing the best turf marathoner in the country in Bienamado. That he finished fourth, beaten 11 lengths in the 10-horse field, may be viewed as something of an accomplishment.

ELMONT, N.Y. - New York-breds will steal the thunder on Saturday and Sunday at Belmont Park in the New York Showcase Fall Festival, which features a total of seven statebred stakes, worth $1 million.

Chumaree makes his first start since winning a maiden race at Del Mar last year Thursday in the $32,000 seventh race at Bay Meadows. He resurfaces in a six-furlong, first-level optional claimer that attracted a total of eight 3-year-olds.

A son of Hennessy, Chumaree has raced twice and ran well both times. Both of his starts came last year, but he has been training well for his return for trainer Eduardo Inda. In his last workout at Santa Anita, he went five furlongs in 57.80, the fastest of 35 works at the distance that morning.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A pair of hopefuls for the Oct. 27 World Thoroughbred Championship Breeders' Cup races at Belmont Park tuned up at Woodbine on Tuesday, with Numerous Times and A Fleets Dancer braving the slop and showers.

Numerous Times, who has been pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Mile, according to trainer Sid Attard, worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 under regular rider Patrick Husbands. He went in company with Apalachee Anne, a 4-year-old filly who was clocked in 1:01.

ELMONT, N.Y. - At this time last year, Freshwater Pearl was being considered for the Breeders' Cup. That the 3-year-old filly remains eligible for second-level allowance conditions is not only disappointing but surprising to her connections.

"We thought she was stakes caliber when she came into the barn," said trainer Bill Mott, who received the Irish-bred last fall from Aidan O'Brien, who wound up not running her in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. "With a small move forward [Wednesday] maybe we do go somewhere."

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Dale Romans woke up Sunday morning "feeling a little nervous," he said.

The reason: Romans thought he stood a chance to become the first trainer ever to win four races on a single day at Keeneland. At least 17 trainers have won as many as three races on a Keeneland program, but none has ever won four.

ARCADIA, Calif. - In Wednesday's seventh race at Santa Anita, three leading contenders are making their first appearance for a claiming price in a $49,000 allowance race/optional claimer on turf.

It appears that Fade to Blue's career is going the other way.

A 5-year-old gelding, Fade to Blue was claimed for $25,000 in April 2000 and has since won 3 of 11 starts and $141,970 for owner Richard Englander and trainer Nick Canani.

EDMONTON, Alberta - The $50,000 Canadian Juvenile at Northlands Park last Saturday was expected to provide a view to the 2002 Canadian Derby.

But the race provided more questions than answers after Crescent Remark, lightly regarded at 9-1, surged down the lane to overtake heavy favorite Dance Me Free at the wire.

Entering the race, Crescent Remark had just one win to his credit in his first campaign but the Rod Haynes-trained colt was not to be denied down the stretch.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - As the Hastings Park meet winds down, handicappers will be faced often with sorting out horses taking substantial drops running against horses coming off sharp wins and moving up in class. A perfect example is the sixth race on Wednesday's card, a $25,000 sprint for 3-year-olds that drew six horses.

Captain Des showed a lot of potential early in the meet with a sharp win going 6 1/2 furlongs against straight maidens in his initial start of the year and also in a 2 1/4-length victory in a $50,000 optional race at 1 1/16 miles.