MIAMI - Gemma's Star emerged from a four-horse battle for the lead around the second turn and scored a convincing 2 1/2-length victory over 9-5 favorite Susie's Poker and six other 3-year-olds in Saturday's $75,000 Blazing Sword Stakes at Calder.

Gemma's Star rated off the early pace of Sebastian Light through the opening half-mile of the 1 1/16-mile Blazing Sword. He moved four wide to engage for command midway down the backstretch under jockey Manny Aguilar, shook clear in early stretch, and gradually increased his advantage in the final furlong.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Jeb's Wild sat a perfect trip off a blistering pace set by Lord Abounding and B K Dodger, took the lead at the sixteenth pole, and captured the $50,000 Spend a Buck Stakes at Monmouth Park.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Runaway Love, the longest shot in the four-horse field, overhauled Krz Ruckus in the final furlong to post a three-quarter-length score in the $126,000 Shepperton Stakes at Woodbine.

Krz Ruckus and Trailthefox dueled each other into submission in the 2001 Shepperton, and the same pace scenario played out in this year's running of the 6 1/2-furlong dash for Ontario-sired runners. That duo hooked up through splits of 22.21 and 44.69 seconds, before favored Krz Ruckus gave way to Runaway Love, who got the distance in 1:16.97.

Bolaro ($6.80) chased the pacesetting Pyrite Dance until deep stretch, then dug in under strong handling by Luis Gonzalez to make the lead and drew off to a 1 3/4-length win over her seven 2-year old Ohio-bred filly rivals in the $40,000 Miss Ohio Stakes at Thistledown.

Pyrite Dance finished gamely to gain second over Orangeberry by a nose.

Bolaro, a chestnut daughter of Sandpit, was bred by her owner, Edward Marshall, and got the six furlongs in 1:12.10 over a fast track.

Dash for Daylight once again showed his fondness for Ellis Park by drawing clear to win the $75,000 Governor's Handicap in Henderson, Ky.

Ridden by Larry Melancon and trained by Elliott Walden, Dash for Daylight put away the 6-5 favorite, Danthebluegrassman before finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of Frazee's Folly in the one-mile race.

Robin Zee finished third and Danthebluegrassman wound up last in a field of seven 3-year-olds and upward.

The winner paid $5.60, and ran the one-mile race in in 1:37.35.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - With jockey Gerard Melancon barely moving a muscle, heavily favored Bonapaw pulled away to post a popular victory Saturday in the $100,000 Arlington Sprint Handicap at Arlington Park.

Bonapaw, a 6-year-old gelding who now has won 16 of 33 lifetime starts, dueled early with Tic N Tin in the six-furlong race, then pulled away down the stretch to win by 4 1/2 lengths. Secret Romeo was all-out to get second by a head over Tic N Tin, who was followed by Sand Ridge and Halo Cat in a field of five older horses.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - A racing rarity occurred at Thistledown Friday when both halves of the late daily double ended in dead heats.

In the seventh race, Rich Shay (No. 7) and Prince Granville (5) finished on even terms. A half-hour later Order Chief (6) and Cider (4) hit the wire together.

As a result of the two dead heats there were four daily double payoffs: The 5-4 combination paid $l3.80, 5-6 returned $4.80, 7-4 paid $45.40, and 7-6 paid $l6.20.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Julie Jalouse won her American debut in the Grade 2 Orchid Handicap at Gulfstream Park on the heels of a five-month layoff.

In light of that, Julie Jalouse should merit respect when she runs for the first time in five months in Monday's $100,000-added Glens Falls Handicap at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Saturday's soggy weather, which forced the day's five turf races to the main track and which limited attendance, was expected to take a dramatic toll on New York Racing Association's (NYRA) business for Travers Day. Before first post, NYRA officials were hoping the crowd would reach the low 40,000's.

Last year, under ideal summer conditions, Travers Day produced a record crowd of 60,486 and a record total handle of $34,529,273.

DEL MAR, Calif. - There will be no more easy spots for Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem. No more unchallenged leads against ordinary 3-year-olds.

The whole picture changes Sunday at Del Mar, where War Emblem meets older horses for the first time in his career in the $1 million Pacific Classic. At 1 1/4 miles, there is nowhere to hide. War Emblem will set the pace and encounter a fresh challenge at every turn.