ARCADIA, Calif. - Blueprint, the winner of the Sunset Handicap and San Luis Rey Handicap earlier this year, is facing a time crunch to be ready for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Belmont Park on Oct. 27.

On Friday at Santa Anita, Blueprint worked a mile on turf in 1:41.60, finishing visibly tired. Despite the modest final time, trainer Bob Hess Jr. is not overly concerned. With three weeks remaining until the Breeders' Cup, Hess said Blueprint has time to get fit for the biggest race of his career.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - For Numbers Man, the number he needed to come up was five - as in the five-furlong distance of the $50,000 Morven Stakes Friday night at the Meadowlands.

Richard Malouf's 2-year-old colt broke his maiden at first asking at the five-furlong distance. His return to that distance on the turf under Jose Velez Jr. stopped a three-race losing streak at slightly longer treks and produced a 16-1 upset.

"We've been strictly looking for the chance to sprint him," said

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Spook Express made a bold move to win the $563,500 WinStar Galaxy at Keeneland Friday, charging from last place to take the opening-day feature by 1 1/4 lengths over Solvig.

But trainer Tom Skiffington probably made the smartest move a few days earlier, scratching Spook Express from the ultra-tough Flower Bowl to await the Grade 2 Galaxy. The turn of events may have earned Spook Express a spot in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and a belated try against the one-two finishers in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl, Lailani and England's Legend.

The sometimes unusual economics of modern-day racing have come into sharp focus this week with the battle pitting Keeneland Racecourse against nearly every simulcasting site on the eastern seaboard.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Quiet Resolve nearly jumped up and stunned the racing world last fall. Dismissed at almost 42-1 in the Breeders' Cup Turf, he finished only a half-length behind the victorious Kalanisi.

Six races later, Quiet Resolve has been something of a disappointment for his owner-breeder Sam-Son Farm, having won just once. But when Quiet Resolve, a 6-year-old gelding, starts Sunday as a contender in the $500,000, Grade 2 Shadwell Keeneland Turf Mile, he may be peaking right in time for the World Thoroughbred Championships.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Thady Quill and Redattore are the top contenders in Sunday's $250,000 Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Both are stakes winners this year, have excellent current form, and come from barns with Hall of Fame trainers.

The similarities end there. If they run as expected in Sunday's prep to the Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park on Oct. 27, they are likely to go their separate ways this fall.

ELMONT, N.Y. - If not for his affinity for Belmont Park, Delaware Township might not even be considered for this year's Breeders' Cup Sprint. But since he does some of his best work over the spacious Belmont oval, Delaware Township will try to strengthen his Breeders' Cup credentials Sunday when he heads a short field in the $250,000 Forest Hills Handicap at six furlongs.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The $500,000 Overbrook Spinster Stakes, the definitive Midwest test for North America's fillies and mares, has so many possble outcomes that even the trainers involved will feel some degree of relief after it has been run.

"What're you going to do?" asked David Vance, who will saddle 3-year-old Unbridled Elaine in a rugged field of 10. "This is the time of year you do your deal."

MIAMI - Nobody will be busier during next Saturday's Festival of the Sun program than trainer Ralph Ziadie, who will saddle eight horses in five of the six stakes scheduled during the $1.5 million program.

Past You, second in the Bustles and Bows Stakes at Pomona in her last race, looks to have found a good spot to gain her first stakes victory as she takes on five rivals in Sunday's $50,000-added Courtship Stakes. The six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies will be run as the eighth race on the nine-race Sunday program.