MIAMI - For the majority of the horses in Saturday's $100,000 Brave Raj Stakes for juvenile fillies at Calder Racecourse, the question is whether or not they can stay the mile-and-70-yard distance in a race that for most will serve as a final prep for the $400,000 My Dear Girl Stakes on Oct. 13.

But the neither Phil Combest, the owner of Ms. Brookski, nor his father, trainer Reed Combest, have any doubts about their filly's ability to handle two turns. Not after Ms. Brookski, a daughter of Monbrook won her two-turn debut by 11 lengths on Sept. 1.

ELMONT, N.Y. - After waiting a week for New York to regroup from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, racing resumes Wednesday at Belmont Park with a nine-race card. First post is 1 p.m.

Belmont, 23 miles east of the twin towers that were destroyed by hijacked jetliners on Sept. 11, has not conducted racing since Sept. 9. The New York Racing Association has run only three programs since Saratoga ended on Sept. 3. Wednesday's card features a pick six carryover of $56,238.

POMONA, Calif. - Rarely has the color of money been linked so firmly to the patriotic fervor of red, white, and blue. Stymied by a weekend of canceled sports events, gamblers were drawn instead to horse racing at Fairplex Park, where weekend handle soared to near-record levels.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Milicia, who has been pounding on the door in straight maiden races, may rate a narrow edge in Wednesday's Bay Meadows feature, a $32,000 starter allowance for fillies and mares at a mile on the grass.

Milicia has not started since June, but she has been working well for trainer Chuck Jenda, and she raced well off a layoff once before. She may lack a winning spirit - as evidenced by her career record of six seconds from 10 starts - but she has been close to some nice fillies.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Owner Darlene Denchuk and trainer Steve Bryant are hoping that "lightning" will strike twice as they send out a formidable entry consisting of Perth Lassie and Lilsisterlightning in a $25,000 optional claiming race for fillies and mares at Hastings Park on Wednesday evening. The 6 1/2-furlong race drew eight horses.

With Turfway Park officials saying Monday that they have not been informed of any defections from the Kentucky Cup series because of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, the eighth annual series appears to be coming up with short but solid fields.

Horses such as Guided Tour, Spain, City Zip, and Ecstatic are expected to take part in the five-race Kentucky Cup, which will be run Saturday at Turfway in Florence, Ky. The races will be telecast on a one-hour show on ESPN2 beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Touch Tone has been caught in major stakes after setting the pace going 1 1/8 miles in each of his last two starts. On Sunday he will have to carry his speed even farther in the

1 1/4-mile Super Derby, a Grade 1, $500,000 race for 3-year-olds.

"I believe he'll handle [the added distance], but you don't know for sure until you get out there and try it," said Ronny Werner, who trains Touch Tone for Tom Durant. "I do think the racetrack surface there will suit him."

ELMONT, N.Y. - Although flights to ship horses in and out of New York were scheduled to resume on Tuesday, trainers in California on Monday still seemed leery of sending horses across the country, which could seriously impact Saturday's Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park.

Ceeband, Performing Magic, and Tribal Rule were being considered for Saturday's Grade 1 Vosburgh but will not run. I Love Silver, another California-based horse, was scheduled to run in the Vosburgh as of Monday.

CHICAGO - Turf-horse auditions are being held Wednesday in the Mike Stidham barn. Not once, but twice on Arlington's nine-race card, Stidham will saddle horses who have never raced on grass, and when he tightens the girth on Saturday in May before the featured eighth race, he will do so with a somewhat heightened sense of anticipation. "If he ever puts it all together, he could be a good horse," Stidham said.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Stakes-placed fillies Red Satin Slippers and Skipping Stone should garner the bulk of the betting action in Wednesday's second race at Woodbine, a preliminary allowance on the grass.

Red Satin Slippers lost a nail-biter going about 1 1/8 miles at this condition Aug. 18, and is coming off a respectable third behind Free Vacation in the 1 1/2-mile Flaming Page Handicap. Emile Ramsammy rides for trainer Laurie Silvera.