The loud noise resonating around Laurel Park late Saturday afternoon was the throng of horseplayers jumping off the Capac Triple Crown bandwagon.

Hammered down to 2-5 in the $40,000 Miracle Wood, Capac loomed large, three wide in third place, on the turn for home in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds. But just as he appeared positioned to zoom by the leaders, he began to lose ground - and he kept losing ground, finishing fifth in the field of seven, beaten 8 1/2 lengths by the winner, Water Cannon.

Crypto's Best won her first stakes Friday night, powering to a 6 3/4-length win over Simply Jolie in the $50,000 Green Oaks at Delta Downs in Vinton, La. It was 5 1/2 lengths back in third to Road to Mandalay.

Wacky Patty, part of an entry with Royal Pet, was scratched in favor of the Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 13.

NEW ORLEANS - Early this week, Ben Huffman, the amiable first-year racing secretary at Fair Grounds, clammed up. Huffman declined to speak publicly about the New Orleans Handicap. The race looked too good to be true. Huffman feared jinxing it.

At midmorning Friday, his wondering and worrying ceased. The eight horses Huffman hoped would show up in the Grade 2, $500,000 officially were entered.

The Iowa House of Representatives voted, 73-26, on Thursday to allow table games, including blackjack, at Prairie Meadows and the state's two dog tracks while prohibiting any new gambling licenses from being issued in the state.

The bill now must be heard by the state Senate. The bill is the result of a long legal battle between the tracks and the state and contains most of the major elements from a May 2003 settlement proposal made by the tracks.

Veteran trainer Larry Uelmen could not have scripted a better start to the 2004 racing season in Chicago.

"I'm trying to build a stable here after 27 years in Michigan," Uelmen said after saddling Of Legal Age to win the opening race of the National Jockey Club-at-Hawthorne meet, a $32,000 allowance sprint that served as the richest of 10 Friday races. "This really helps."

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A stakes-less Sunday at Gulfstream Park comes along about as often as five Sundays in February. Such is the case this Sunday, however, when two turf allowance races highlight a 12-race card.

The featured event is an entry-level allowance for fillies and mares at nine furlongs. An overflow field of 12 was entered, with 10 permitted to start. The co-feature is an entry-level allowance for 3-year-old colts and geldings, also at nine furlongs.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Madcap Escapade, the brilliant winner of the Old Hat Stakes here on Feb. 14, will make her next start in the Grade 3, $150,000 Stonerside Forward Gal Stakes at seven furlongs on March 13, trainer Frank Brothers said Friday.

Brothers did not even nominate Madcap Escapade to next Saturday's Bonnie Miss Stakes at nine furlongs, saying he would prefer to wait before stretching the filly out in distance.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Snake Mountain won't defend his title in next Saturday's $75,000-added Stymie Handicap at Aqueduct.

Snake Mountain, who won last year's Stymie by a nose over Classic Endeavor, will not be ready to run in the 1 1/8-mile race, according to his trainer, Jimmy Jerkens.

ALBANY, Calif. - Ema Bovary, the top horse stabled in northern California, will race in New York next month and then at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.

Trainer Larry Ross, still basking in the 5-year-old Chilean mare's record-setting victory in last Sunday's Grade 3 Las Flores at Santa Anita, says his star will run next in the Grade 2, $150,000 Distaff Breeders' Cup Handicap at Aqueduct on March 27 before running in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff Handicap at Churchill Downs on May 1. Both races are seven furlongs.

NEW ORLEANS - The outsiders still cheer loudly for Funny Cide. The doubters still knock him around. At this point, Barclay Tagg really isn't worried about either faction.

"I'm not concerned about any of that. I just want him to have a nice career. I want him to win some races," Tagg said.