AUBURN, Wash. - When it comes to pace handicapping, the rule of thumb is to go against the flow.

Lots of closers in the field? Look for a front-runner.

Lots of speed horses? Look for a closer.

Planet Holland, winner of the Rainbow Futurity, and The A List, the Ruidoso Futurity winner, top the 176 juveniles in 18 trials who on Thursday at Ruidoso Downs will be racing for a spot in Quarter Horse racing's richest race - the $2 million (estimated) All American Futurity.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will return on Labor Day to race 440 yards for a $1 million first-place check.

Special Queen Sa, who defeated two-time Grade 1 winner Morning Snow in their Golden State Derby trial, meets that rival again in the Grade 1, $200,000 Golden State Derby on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

Special Queen Sa, second to Morning Snow in last year's Grade 1 Ed Burke Futurity, has returned this year to win both of her starts.

In her trial, the Carlos Lopez-trained Special Queen Sa rallied strongly to defeat Morning Snow by a half-length with the fastest-qualifying time of 19.815 seconds for the 400 yards.

The 2003 Quarter Horse meet at Remington Park wraps up on Sunday afternoon with Frostys Money Man going for his fourth derby win in the Grade 1, $78,915 Remington Park Derby.

Also set to race on the closing-day card is Freada Maxine, the fastest qualifier to the Grade 1, $178,359 Remington Park Futurity.

Frostys Money Man, trained by Rodney Reed, has become the leading 3-year-old in Oklahoma this year with wins in the Grade 1 Heritage Place Derby, the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby, and the Grade 3 Blue Ribbon Derby.

The competition for horses and handle could be fierce between Louisiana Downs and Lone Star Park next year if an expanded Thoroughbred meet proposed by Louisiana Downs gets approved by state racing commissioners on Monday.

Louisiana Downs has become one of the most prosperous tracks in the region since installing 905 slot machines in May, and now officials want to reclaim the lucrative spring dates the facility raced for 24 years prior to the opening of neighboring Lone Star in April 1997.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Seabiscuit mania has been a recurring theme throughout the northern California fair season this year, as each stop on the circuit has done a promotion based on the recently released film and its namesake.

Last Sunday, fans at Bay Meadows had a chance to see Charles S. Howard's famed Triangle-H silks return to the racetrack with the debut of 2-year-old colt Chief Truckee.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Norm McKnight hadn't won a stakes race since Sept. 25, 1999, when Dawson's Legacy won the Sky Classic here. That could be why McKnight seemed more relieved than excited when he ended his stakes drought with Slightlymorelikely here in Sunday's $136,250 Ontario Debutante.

"We needed that, believe me," McKnight said. "We've had kind of a rollercoaster year.

"We've had trouble getting a lot of consistency from our starters. And we've had a lot of injuries; that doesn't make the job any easier."

AUBURN, Wash. - Sky Jack heads a list of 28 handicap runners nominated to the 68th running of the Grade 3, $250,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 24 at Emerald Downs.

Sky Jack, who won the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup last year, is expected to be the favorite and will achieve millionaire status if he wins. A 7-year-old son of Jaklin Klugman, Sky Jack is coming off a victory over allowance rivals at Hollywood Park on July 5, when he led throughout 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.15. That win boosted his bankroll to $977,627. He has 9 wins in 17 starts.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Jockeys Tyler Baze, Anthony Lovato, and Jose Silva suffered significant injuries and three horses perished in a terrifying five-horse accident in Monday's fourth race at Del Mar.

Baze, according to track officials, fractured the big toe of his left foot, as well as a bone at the top of that foot. He is expected to be out for at least three weeks. Baze, 20, was the Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey of 2000.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Three horses perished and five jockeys were dislodged from their mounts, with two riders suffering significant injuries, in a terrifying accident in Monday's fourth race at Del Mar.

Jockey Jose Silva was taken to a local hospital, where X-rays revealed a fracture of a vertebra in his lower back. His was reported to be conscious and moving his extremities. Jockey Tyler Baze suffered a broken big toe on his left foot, and a fracture on the top of that foot. Jockey Anthony Lovato was taken to another local hospital for X-rays of his lower back.