Jim Price

One thing about later racing dates and shorter seasons is that stakes horses and their trainers get right down to business. Today's 47th Inland Empire Speed Handicap has a field that would have flattered last October. Che Meza, last year's winner, is only one of several contenders. No Small Buzz, runner-up in the 1994 Spokane Derby, hasn't won in five tries this year, but he's been very close with better than these. Barzana Dana, as well as I'm Slew and Halo Passer, both among last year's top sophomores, also have a shot.

Eight fillies and mares chase first money today in the meet's first stakes race, the Sweetheart Handicap. The top five weighted horses are in the field, so it promises to be a dandy sprint. Maheras Run, first or second in 12 of 17 lifetime starts, is the probable choice from the outside post with stiff competition expected from the Montana-based fillies Nightly Habit and Lady in Sable. Don't, however, overlook Night Rodeo, a stretch-runner who has won stakes in each of her two previous Spokane campaigns. Most of the best middle-priced claimers on the grounds hook up in the seventh race. The field includes both El Cabrio and Convergent Run, who almost always run as hard as horses can run.

One day does not a season make, but five wins from 10 races is a promising start. Demonstrating again, however, that money management usually is tougher than picking winners, that handicapping produced only a $2 profit. Tonight, we'll learn how quickly the new sandy surface drains. It could be sloppy, but it might be fairly firm. If it's sloppy, the bettors may be line up behind Challenging Knight, who's already a horse for the course, in the fourth. Explosive Gold (1st) and Tarab (8th) also love the local track, if not tonight's going.