DEL MAR, Calif. - There was a good reason that trainer Bob Baffert scratched Ecstatic from the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes last Wednesday at Del Mar instead of letting him start against stablemate Officer.

"We don't want to discourage the poor guy," Baffert said. "There's no use doing that to him. He's a nice horse."

In hindsight, it was a good call. Officer won the Best Pal by seven lengths and is considered the top 2-year-old in California, and possibly the nation. Ecstatic has more to learn and can start with a win in a $53,000 allowance race over 5 1/2 furlongs on Monday.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Bobby Frankel's stranglehold on the Pacific Classic is so tight he has won the race five times without starting a single favorite. That will change Sunday at Del Mar, where Frankel speedball Skimming guns for his second straight win in the $1 million race.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The first Del Mar stakes winner for Kim and John Glenney did not stay in Southern California long after his victory.

Within 12 hours of winning the restricted Letitride.com Stakes on Thursday, Kim Loves Bucky was on his way to the Glenneys' home in Lexington, Ky.

Kim Glenney is the owner and John trains Kim Loves Bucky ($29.60), who ran 1 3/8 miles on turf in 2:14.12, winning by three-quarters of a length over War Declaration, who finished a nose in front of Prairieton.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Colts race in the Triple Crown carrying 126 pounds as 3-year-olds, but have a racing secretary put 119 on them a year later for a handicap and the trainer moans as though Lasix was just banned. Warren Stute, the trainer of the brilliant filly Go Go, has watched the weight pile up on Go Go, to a career-high 125 pounds for Sunday's Grade 3 $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar. But Stute has a refreshing attitude toward the assignment, one born of sensibility, and more than 60 years on the racetrack.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Trainer Bill Morey describes Dixie Dot Com's career as a rollercoaster, four years that included seven stakes wins but also occasional injuries that prevented his running in prestigious races.

Twice, a hairline fracture of the left front cannon bone put Dixie Dot Com out of action. Each time, he returned in top form. Last fall, Dixie Dot Com reacted poorly to a shot from a veterinarian and was sidelined until swelling in a blood vessel subsided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When Godolphin Racing made its third unsuccessful bid at winning the Kentucky Derby last spring, its best 3-year-old was in a barn at Belmont Park.

E Dubai, who had sore shins last summer after his second start, was not ready to run in the Derby, according to his connections. Three months and three races later,

E Dubai now is ready to be a factor in the 3-year-old division.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Red Bullet, the 2000 Preakness winner who won his return off a year layoff, will make his next start in the

Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park on Sept. 8, trainer Joe Orseno confirmed Friday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - New York State Senator Joseph Bruno has called on the Senate's Committee on Racing, Gaming, and Wagering to schedule hearings to debate publicly New York City's plan to sell New York City Off-Track Betting Corporation.

The committee, chaired by Sen. Bill Larkin, will hold three hearings, Bruno said in a press release, although none have been scheduled yet. The hearings will be in New York City, Albany, and western New York.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jerry Bailey continued his dominance of Saratoga's stakes program on Friday by guiding 3-2 favorite I'm All Yours to a last-to-first victory in Friday's $86,800 West Point Handicap over a yielding Mellon turf course.

Last until the quarter pole, I'm All Yours was swung seven wide turning for home by Bailey and rallied stoutly to get past Reluctant Groom in the final strides to win by three-quarters of a length. Reluctant Groom held second, a neck in front of longshot Brave One.

AUBURN, Wash. - The arrival of Irisheyesareflying from Southern California early on Saturday morning completes a strong 10-horse field for Sunday's Grade 3, $250,000 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs.

Irisheyesareflying, a 5-year-old Flying Continental horse who races for trainer John Dolan and partners, will share a highweight assignment of 117 pounds with Mike K and Makors Mark in the 66th Mile. Irisheyes-