INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Considering her pedigree and the fact she breezed on the turf instead of the dirt during Keeneland's sale of 2-year-olds in training in April, there was little doubt Cousineau's future was as a turf horse. But instead of being bought by European connections, Cousineau was purchased by trainer Craig Dollase and owner Paul Reddam, who decided to keep her in the United States, where the emphasis for 2-year-olds is on dirt racing.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - For one of the few times this year, Bobby Frankel will be the hunter instead of the hunted in a Grade 1 stakes.

Frankel, who already this year has won a single-year North American record 24 Grade 1 races, has shipped the 3-year-old Midas Eyes to New York for Saturday's $350,000 Cigar Mile, where he will take on the Bob Baffert-trained Congaree in the last Grade 1 race of the year in New York.

MIAMI - Trainer Ralph Ziadie confirmed Wednesday that he has earmarked the $100,000 What a Pleasure Stakes here Dec. 13 for what would be Silver Wagon's first start since his victory in the Grade 1 Hopeful on Aug. 30.

"Right now, I'd say there's about a 95-percent chance he'll run in the What a Pleasure, although I won't make up my mind for sure until after his final work the week of the race," said Ziadie. "If he runs, Jerry Bailey will be here to ride him."

Bailey rode Silver Wagon to victory in the Hopeful.

The New York Racing Association has named Kenneth T. Cook as its new director of security, effective Dec. 8.

Cook, 53, previously worked with the New York State Police in several capacities, including investigator and the captain in the bureau of criminal investigation. He most recently served as director of public safety solutions for a private consulting firm.

Cook was awarded eight superintendent's commendations during his service with the state police, as well as two certificates of appreciation from the Drug Enforcement Agency.

NEW ORLEANS - About six years ago, trainer Richard Small bought a house near Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, but when he split with the owner Robert Meyerhoff shortly afterward, Small stopped wintering at Fair Grounds.

Now, Small is back with Meyerhoff - and back in his house.

"When I stopped training for Mr. Meyerhoff, I was going to come down here," Small said. "But I had mostly my own horses, and they didn't have conditions. They weren't good enough for stakes, but they were too good to run in claiming races. I wouldn't have had any spots to run them."

Judiths Wild Rush, an undefeated colt who owns the highest two-turn Beyer Speed Figure for a 2-year-old in North America this year, is the early favorite for the $1 million Delta Jackpot at Delta Downs in Vinton, La., on Dec. 5.

The 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds had five other probables as of Wednesday morning: the Bob Baffert-trained Consecrate, who was fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile; Stolen Time, winner of the $100,000 Foolish Pleasure at Calder; Perfect Moon, winner of the Grade 2 Best Pal at Del Mar; the undefeated Joe Six Pack; and Mr. Jester.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Wando, winner of the Canadian Triple Crown and more than $2 million this year, heads the list of 2003 Sovereign Award finalists released by the Jockey Club of Canada on Wednesday.

The Sovereign Awards, which are the Canadian counterpart to the Eclipse Awards, honor outstanding achievement Thoroughbred racing and breeding.

The finalists, in each of 15 divisions, were determined by ballots of 58 voters across Canada, who ranked their top three choices in each category with points awarded on a 4-2-1 basis.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Hugo Dittfach was no stranger to the spotlight during a riding career that came to an end, by design, when he rode his 4,000th career winner in 1989 at Greenwood.

Dittfach, who won the inaugural Sovereign Award as Canada's outstanding jockey for 1975, was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1983, and was the recipient of the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award in 1991, has kept a much lower profile since turning his attention to training in 1990.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Lethal Grande, the probable favorite for Friday's $10,000 Thanksgiving Handicap at a mile, has demonstrated a good deal of versatility during a 38-race career in which he was won eight races and over $128,000. He has won in Oregon and California, on dirt and turf, and from on the lead and far off the pace.

A 4-year-old, Lethal Grande needs one more accomplishment, however, to complete his resume.

"He has never won around two turns," said trainer G. D. Khalsa. "In fact, he has never won beyond six furlongs."

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Bugsy Marrone ships in from Turf Paradise with a five-race win streak to take on 11 other 2-year-old fillies in the $50,000-added Princess Handicap at Sunland Park on Friday.

Bugsy Marrone has traveled before. She made the first two starts of her career at Santa Anita last spring, both at two furlongs against Cal-breds, and won her second start. She has not been behind at any call in her four races since, while running several sub-45-second half-miles in the process.