Tammaro

LAUREL -- Owners Nick and Elaine Bassford won the $55,500 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Race Course.But they also finished last.The couple from Davidsonville ran two horses, each handled by different trainers.Ameri Valay, from the King Leatherbury barn, loved the mud and won by a comfortable 3-length margin over a rallying Exit West.Festive Feathers, trained by Ricky Sillaman, disliked the wet track and quickly dropped out of contention."Of course, we were hoping for a dead heat," Nick Bassford said.

The gulf between purses in Delaware and Maryland will narrow considerably in a week and a half when racing moves from Pimlico to Laurel Park.The pot will swell about $30,000 a day, increasing daily purses in Maryland by about 20 percent to $150,000 to $160,000 -- in comparison to Delaware Park's $170,000 to $175,000, said Donald H. Barr, a Maryland trainer and chairman of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association purse committee."

Sloppy tracks often produce long-shot winners, but two fillies in Laurel Park stakes yesterday scored decisive wins as the heavy favorites on a wet strip and will now go after richer purses.Secret Prospect, the 9-5 choice, led wire-to-wire in the Fair Star Stakes and earned a spot in the starting lineup of the Dec. 2 Heavenly Cause Stakes, which is nearly double in value of yesterday's $37,475 race.Delaware Handicap winner Night Fax, who is bred to run marathon distances, pulled her jockey, Jeff Carle, to the lead around the final turn and held on for a 1 3/4 -length win in the Nobiliary Stakes at 1 1/4 miles.

Secret Prospect again proved the best.Her heralded first matchup against highly regarded Riverland was over with a furlong to go and Maryland's top 3-year-old filly roared to the finish line alone yesterday in the $60,000 Politely Stakes at Laurel Park.Secret Prospect, a slight favorite over Riverland, completed the seven furlongs in a modest 1: 25 2/5 and prevailed by a length and a half over out-of-town closer Hot Getaway.For almost three-quarters of a mile, the anticipated duel shaped up nicely with Riverland taking the lead from the rail and Secret Prospect hanging with her doggedly.

The Virginia Racing Commission hired Daniel N. Shockey, an engineer, to play devil's advocate in the saga that is the construction of Colonial Downs.Shockey has watched as frantic work crews rush to finish the Virginia horse track before its Sept. 1 opening. His observations have usually been the most pessimistic -- or realistic -- of those associated with the $55 million project.So now, at this 11th hour, as doom-and-gloom stories continue to circulate that Colonial Downs will not be ready by Labor Day weekend, Shockey responds to the inquiry: Will it, or won't it?

Billy Turner, who trained 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, will not train horses in Maryland this year because of what he describes as "upheaval" in the state's racing industry.Turner, 57, has trained in Maryland since 1992 after moving here from New York. He spent the winter at Gulfstream Park in southern Florida, where recently he stood at his barn and explained his decision to move back to New York this spring."It was something I've agonized over and agonized over and agonized over," he said.

Buster's Daydream, the outstanding 2-year-old stabled at Laurel Park, has gone on extended vacation and won't race again until next year, said his trainer, Tim Tullock Jr. Since finishing fourth Aug. 18 as the 1-5 favorite in the Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes in Kentucky, the son of Housebuster has trained listlessly, the trainer said. The colt has not eaten well, and his coat has turned dull. "He's just a tired colt," Tullock said. "He's asking for a break." Tullock said that Buster's Daydream, a multiple graded-stakes winner, would spend a couple of months on a Pennsylvania farm before returning to training for his 3-year-old season.

The road to the Triple Crown takes a detour today, and the national focus lands on Maryland-bred Awad.No major 3-year-old prep races are scheduled this weekend, but Gulfstream Park could be the site of Awad's climb above $2 million in career earnings.He is seeking a repeat victory in the Grade II, $300,000 Crown Royal Pan American Handicap, a 1 1/2 -mile event for older horses.Awad won two Grade I stakes last year, the Early Times Manhattan and the Arlington Million. In his most recent outing, he rallied to finish fourth in the Grade II Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap, beaten by only two lengths.

Three consecutive victories late last year, including one against males, earned Gin Talking the title of Maryland-bred Horse of the Year. The 3-year-old filly closed out 2000 with commanding wins in the Maryland Million Oaks, Grade III Anne Arundel Stakes and Broad Brush Stakes. In the Broad Brush, Gin Talking defeated her seven male challengers by two lengths. In voting conducted by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Gin Talking also was named champion 3-year-old filly. "That was really, really cool," said Gin Talking's trainer, Robin Graham, of Horse of the Year honors.

NEW YORK - Jerry Bailey has learned a thing or two in winning five Eclipse awards as North America's top jockey, four Dubai World Cups, 12 Breeders' Cup races and two Kentucky Derbys. "You can never have too many," Bailey said. He was referring to potential Derby mounts, the pot at the end of every jockey's rainbow. Bailey has already lost two this year, perhaps the top two: Siphonic and Repent, both to ankle injuries. Repent is to undergo surgery Monday for removal of a bone chip after carrying Bailey to a disappointing, second-place finish last week in the Illinois Derby.