Nick Zito

Why are Washington Nationals officials calling this series "The Battle of the Beltway?" Shouldn't it be "The Battle of the Parkway?" ... I had this quote passed along to me from another former Oriole, reliever Steve Kline, regarding the four-game suspension handed to Houston Astros pitcher Russ Springer related to Springer throwing at Barry Bonds: "I got four [games] for bumping an umpire last year. I bumped my coach into him. It might be too much. I don't know if he did it on purpose or not. Who am I to judge?

A trainer of a rival horse says Sweet Catomine doesn't have "scary" speed, and no one else seems to be afraid of the champion filly in next Saturday's Santa Anita Derby, either. At least 12 horses may start, which would be the race's biggest field in 24 years. The Santa Anita Derby and the Wood Memorial, which will be run at Aqueduct on Saturday, are expected to further whittle the list of contenders for the Kentucky Derby on May 7. The favorite in a wide-open Kentucky Derby is not a horse but a trainer, Nick Zito, who could have four and possibly five starters at Churchill Downs on May 7. Two of Zito's hopefuls, High Fly and Noble Causeway, ran 1-2 in Saturday's Florida Derby, and Zito said yesterday that they won't run again before the Kentucky classic.

They were telling me yesterday about a Baltimore man at Johns Hopkins Hospital who has been battling cancer for nearly two years.A lot of us know someone in this position -- someone who is undergoing radiation treatments, going in and out of the hospital, clinging to life.A family friend thought about the terrible ordeal the patient and his family are going through."It just shows you once again that you can't take life and good health for granted," he said. "Most of us make that mistake and do take them for granted."

On Wednesday, the foot traffic was minimal around Pimlico's Stall 40 occupied by Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin, with only a handful of local reporters and TV camera crews seeking out trainer Nick Zito.But by week's end, Zito, a gregarious sort, was surrounded by the media horde, making the native New Yorker feel like he was trapped on the subway during rush hour.Winning the Derby twice -- Zito won his first in 1991 with Strike The Gold -- has a way of drawing attention to a trainer.But Zito, 46, keeps things in perspective.

HALLANDALE, Fla. -- No 2-year-old who has won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile has won the Kentucky Derby the next year at 3. But that hasn't stopped owners and trainers from trying. The connections of 19 2-year-old colts and geldings pre-entered their promising stars in this year's Juvenile. Only 14 got in. One who didn't was Postponed, the Summer Squall colt owned by Jinny Vance and Laddie Dance. Owners of a horse farm in Baltimore County, they also own Lemon Drop Kid. Postponed will run in a stakes here Sunday instead.

Blaze and Blues had never raced a distance or started on the turf, so he was somewhat of a question mark yesterday in the $75,000 Woodlawn Stakes at Pimlico. But the Lazy Lane Farms colt quelled all the doubts in a stirring stretch battle with Dixie Run by scoring an exciting nose victory, a third straight win in a four-race career. It was a head bobbing battle through the lane by the third and fourth choices and jockey Rick Wilson prevailed in a photo-finish for his fourth winner on the card.

At the Kentucky Derby, Nick Zito was an interested - but impartial - observer who could assess the race without prejudice. On the morning of the Derby, he encountered fellow trainer Bob Baffert and told him: "You're going to steal this race. You'll be the only speed." At the time, Baffert looked at Zito askance, as if he'd lost a few marbles, but in the post-race analyses, there was the trainer of War Emblem explaining how Zito had called the shot. But when the 127th Preakness arrives on May 18, Zito will be back as a participant, probably with two horses, Straight Gin and Crimson Hero, both of whom had insufficient earnings to qualify for the Derby.

NEW YORK -- Unbridled's Song's star-crossed career is now in the hands of Nick Zito.Owner Ernie Paragallo moved his talented but troubled colt into Zito's Saratoga stable yesterday, firing Jim Ryerson as trainer.Ryerson won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the Florida Derby and the Wood Memorial with the horse, but never seemed to be on the same page with the brash Paragallo, who clearly was calling the shots and was widely criticized for what many have perceived to be mismanagement.With Ryerson seemingly on the outside looking in, Unbridled's Song's career hit the skids after the Wood Memorial as he lost both the Kentucky Derby and the Peter Pan as the favorite while being bothered by bad feet, a lung infection and an ulcer.

The track was fast, and so were the horses.Within an hour at Pimlico today, four of the seven horse expected to run in Saturday's Preakness took to the track for their final big speed workouts.They were dazzling, one right after the other.Kentucky Derby winner Strike the Gold worked at least four o five seconds faster than he did in his pre-Derby breeze, and was impressive. But it was Corporate Report, who trailed him nearly nine lengths in the Derby, who stole the spotlight.During Derby week the colt suffered a bruised foot.

Likely favorites Strike the Gold and Olympio drew the Nos. 3 and 7 posts, respectively, for the 116th Preakness tomorrow, a draw that elicited happy responses from their trainers."