HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trip handicappers will have plenty of options from which to choose when doping out Thursday's featured entry-level allowance race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles over Gulfstream Park's turf course.

Ballado Hill, Storm Clipper, and Constancy all had their share of trouble in their last starts, though Ballado Hill was talented enough to overcome hers and win. Storm Clipper encountered her problems when racing in stakes company, while Constancy makes a return visit to this allowance condition.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - John Ward said we would know he was getting serious about Sky Mesa's training when he shipped the colt to Gulfstream Park from his winter home at Palm Beach Downs for a workout.

Tuesday morning, Sky Mesa showed up at Gulfstream Park and did he ever get serious, drilling five furlongs in 1:00.40 under his regular rider, Edgar Prado. The time equaled the fourth-fastest of 31 moves at the distance on a track that yielded some fast times early because of its moisture content.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The postponement of the $200,000 General George at Laurel Park from Monday to Saturday means that Affirmed Success, who was the 2-1 morning-line favorite, will miss the race.

Instead, Affirmed Success will be pointed to Aqueduct's $100,000-added Toboggan Handicap on March 15.

A major snowstorm canceled racing at Laurel in Maryland on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The General George and $200,000 Barbara Fritchie, scheduled for last Saturday, were redrawn on Tuesday and will be run on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The preliminary races are over for the five 3-year-olds entered in a $56,000 allowance race at Santa Anita on Thursday.

A win or a placing in Thursday's race over 1 1/16 miles could vault some of these colts into the preps for the Triple Crown. A loss could force their owners and trainers to reconsider a start in the big races this spring.

The allowance race in question is the second race on an eight-race program that includes the $75,000 San Marino Handicap, which was postponed last weekend because of a wet turf course.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - This is the kind of meet Larry Jones is having at Oaklawn Park: He has the highest win percentage among the top 10 trainers and hasn't even started the two best horses in his barn, Ruby's Reception and Don't Countess Out.

Ruby's Reception, a 7 3/4-length winner of the $100,000 Debutante at Ellis Park in August, worked a bullet five furlongs in 1:02.20 on Saturday in preparation for her 3-year-old debut, which is scheduled to come in the $75,000 Honeybee at 1 1/16 miles March 8.

Her goal at the meet is the Grade 2, $200,000 Fantasy on April 11.

NEW ORLEANS - Lots of Sizzle's first four races blended immaturity and ability. The colt appeared to run in spurts, and when things got serious in the stretch, he wasn't all there. But in his fifth try, Lots of Sizzle figured things out, scoring a breakthrough one-length maiden win on Jan. 30.

NEW ORLEANS - Badge of Silver isn't a stout, strapping horse, but his 10-length win in Sunday's Risen Star Stakes apparently didn't sap his energy. Badge of Silver dove into his feed tub Sunday night and didn't seem overly tired Monday, trainer Ronny Werner said. He won't know for sure until Badge of Silver returns to the racetrack for exercise, but Werner thought Badge of Silver came out of the race in fine physical shape.

ALBANY, Calif. - Many apprentice riders get the first victory of their career by racing wide and avoiding all possible problems.

Not Marcia Stortz.

Stortz, 25, rode her first winner at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday, hugging the rail with Gifted Athlete ($12.20) in a six-furlong $3,200 claimer.

Stortz said Gifted Athlete's trainer, Reina Gonzalez, told her to stay on the rail a little off the pace, and to make her move in the stretch.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Bay Meadows will run 16 stakes races, including six worth at least $100,000, at its upcoming spring meet, April 2 through June 15.

That is five fewer stakes than at last year's spring meet, but only one of the five races was eliminated. Two will instead be run during the current Golden Gate Fields meet, and two stakes races for 2-year-olds were moved to the fall.

The meet's premier race will be the Grade 2 San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile. The $200,000 turf race at will be held April 26.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Following a disappointing one-year stint as a Grade 1 race, Woodbine's Niagara Breeders' Cup Handicap has been bumped back to Grade 2 status for its 2003 running.

The Niagara, a $300,000 turf race for 3-year-olds and upward, was the only race to undergo a change of grading on this year's schedule of graded stakes.

The complete list, released Tuesday by the Jockey Club of Canada's Canadian Graded Stakes Committee, comprises 40 races worth a total of $7.845 million.