THOROUGHBRED RACING / BILL CHRISTINE : TRA Memberships Shrinking as Association Dues Increasing

With American Day ailing, only four horses were entered to run against Timber Country in Saturday's $150,000 San Rafael Stakes, and two of those are not definite. Timber Country, last year's champion 2-year-old male, will be racing for the first time since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile four months ago. His rivals are Mr Purple, Snow Kidd'n, Fandarel Dancer and Larry The Legend. The trainers of Snow Kidd'n and Larry The Legend may skip the one-mile race for another spot. Mr Purple drew the rail and will be ridden by Chris McCarron. Outside them in the gate will be Timber Country, with Pat Day; Snow Kidd'n, Corey Black; Fandarel Dancer, Pat Valenzuela, and Larry The Legend, Kent Desormeaux. Timber County will carry 121 pounds, three more than the others. . . . The San Rafael will be the fifth race on the card. . . . McCarron, who broke out of a slump with four winners last Sunday, underwent minor surgery Monday and has missed the last two racing days. . . . Corey Nakatani, Santa Anita's leading rider, has ended his five-day suspension, but will be in Japan this weekend to ride in an international jockeys' competition.