OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Everything has been going right for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. at Aqueduct's inner-track meet, and he proved that Saturday with his one-two finish with She's Zealous and Fit Performer in the $82,875 Correction Handicap.

Before a crowd of 4,558, She's Zealous ($9) won the Correction by one length over Fit Performer, the 2-1 favorite and 117-pound highweight who was not coupled in the wagering with her stablemate. It was another three lengths back to Balmy in third in the nine-horse field of fillies and mares.

NEW ORLEANS - Even the people closest to him sometimes find Mystery Giver difficult to understand, but one thing is obvious: Mystery Giver thrives at Fair Grounds. For the third year in a row, Mystery Giver won the , this time beating Skate Away by a neck.

Mystery Giver doesn't eat with gusto, and his manners in his stall border on rude. In fact, Richie Scherer, his trainer, thinks Mystery Giver simply hates being in his Fair Grounds barn. Out on the track, it's a different story.

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Sometimes giving the average horseplayer an even break pays off. At least that's what the facts and figures released for the first third of the current Tampa Bay Downs meeting suggest.

With little fanfare, the track instituted a new business policy this season in which it stopped accepting wagers from a number of betting outlets, primarily offshore sites. Some of these sites have among their clientele a faction that employs sophisticated computer systems that reveal last-minute wagering opportunities the average horseplayer has no way of tracking.

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Mary Murphy dueled to the stretch, opened a clear advantage after five furlongs, then just lasted over late-closing 35-1 longshot Really Royal to post a half-length victory in Saturday's $60,000 Manatee Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

Ridden by Pedro Rodriguez, who replaced Rosemary Homeister Jr., Mary Murphy returned $18.80 after racing the seven furlongs in 1:26.64. Really Royal was 2 1/4 lengths ahead of 28-1 shot Cherry Hill Tree as the 4-3-1 trifecta returned $4,286.40. The 4-3 exacta was worth $485.40.

ALBANY, Calif. - Favored Red Rioja sat nicely behind a brisk pace, moved inside in the stretch, and finished strongly to win the Grade 3, $100,000 at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

A 5-year-old mare, Red Rioja outkicked Hooked on Niners as both horses wore down A B Noodle in the stretch. Red Rioja ($4) defeated Hooked on Niners by a length in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, winning in 1:46.01 over a soft course.

"She took a half-mile to get into the race and find her action," winning jockey Eric Saint-Martin said.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Skeet overcame a poor start to give trainer Bob Holthus his third stakes win of the young Oaklawn Park meet in the $50,000 King Cotton Stakes. Wacky for Love finished four lengths back in second, while it was another 1 1/2 lengths to Chindi in third.

City Fire won in spite of herself, taking the Nellie Morse Stakes at Laurel Park by a neck after veering out dramatically down the stretch run.

After setting the pace under jockey Abel Castellano Jr. through fractions of 24.08 seconds, 47.70, and 1:11.08, City Fire turned for home with a 2 1/2-length lead over Cruise Along, the 8-5 favorite. Inside the eighth pole, Castellano whipped the filly with his left hand, and she ducked to the outside, but Castellano managed to get her straightened out for the final yards.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Can a horse that has not won a sprint in 10 months still be regarded as the top sprinter in California? Or is Bluesthestandard vulnerable when he returns Sunday in the Grade 2 at Santa Anita?

ARCADIA, Calif. - The race for leading rider at Santa Anita this winter will have much more suspense than last year.

Through Thursday, Alex Solis led all riders with 29 wins, one more than Victor Espinoza and eight in front of Tyler Baze and Mike Smith.

Last year, they all trailed Patrick Valenzuela, who pulled clear to win 94 races, 25 more than David Flores.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Sir Oscar has been training regularly at Calder Race Course since completing his undefeated 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the Jack Price Juvenile Stakes on Nov. 15. On Friday morning, trainer Manny Azpurua took Sir Oscar, a Kentucky Derby hopeful, away from home for the first time to work a mile at Gulfstream Park.