Happy Hunting, 5-year-old son of Seeking the Gold making belated stakes debut for Shug McGaughey after winning three straight and four of five since breaking maiden last summer at Saratoga, tracked pace set by Mr. Whitestone, bid for lead turning for home, was headed again by Mr. Whitestone mid-stretch, came on again under Norberto Arroyo Jr. to win Grade 3, $100,000 Aqueduct Handicap at mile-and-sixteenth by length as 5-2 favorite.

* NYRA yesterday reported drops in attendance (6.2 percent), handle (4.4 percent on track, 4.2 percent total) and average number of starters per race (4.9 percent) for 2005 from 2004. On other hand, average handle overall remained above $10 million per day. NYRA’s decision to stop taking bets from many rebate shops and to institute pre-race detention barn contributed to declines.

5TH RACE – Why can’t thoroughbred racing, which has been keeping detailed records for over 300 years, get its act together and figure out whether Jose Santos has 3,995 career victories (as per Racing Form count) or 3,994 (according to Equibase, sport’s so-called “official record keeper”). Whichever number it is, Santos really earned this one. Riding Stronach Stable’s Symmetron, Canadian shipper making first start since winning at Woodbine Dec. 1, he sat off pace duel between Beebe’s Famoose, Jet Prospector and Little Red Rocket, 2-1 favorite under Ramon Dominguez, advanced up rail around turn as Little Red Rocket took lead, swung out in stretch, bulled way through traffic to take lead inside final sixteenth, then dug in to hold off late charge of Multiple Choice rallying outside.

PICK SIX

Winning numbers 8-9-1-4-1-8

8 winners; each receives $5,433

127 consolation (5 of 6) winners

each receives $114

No carryover