The president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association said Tuesday that the organization would support a bill raising the takeout on bets at the New York Racing Association if it meant getting other legislation supported by horsemen passed.

James McAulay, formerly the announcer at Ruidoso Downs, has been named announcer at Prairie Meadows, replacing Ken Miller, who called the races at the track every year but one since it opened in 1989. Miller was released earlier this year following a dispute with management over a pick five wager Miller was attempting to patent.

New York Sen. Richard Larkin, chairman of the State Senate's Racing and Wagering Committee, has introduced a bill that would raise the takeout for bets placed on New York Racing Association races.

Lucky Owners scored a 1 3/4-length victory over Tiber in the $1.8 million Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin on Sunday, covering the 1 1/4 miles of the Group 1 contest for 4-year-olds in 2:02.60. Roosevelt, third in last year's Irish Derby, finished last of 14, beaten 11 3/4 lengths. . . . Evil Elaine, dam of 1997 Horse of the Year and juvenile champion Favorite Trick, was euthanized March 15 at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., after developing complications from laminitis. The mare was 20 years old and had produced an Unbridled's Song filly in February. . . .

It might be called the Magna 5, but deuces were wild in the national wager on Saturday when the winners of the final four races, including two favorites, all wore saddle cloth number two.

The winning numbers were 3-2-2/6-2-2/6. In both the third and fifth legs, the favorite won, so scratched horses, in both cases number six, reverted to the starting favorite.

AmericaTab, a large U.S. account-wagering operation, has withdrawn its request to the Oregon Racing Commission for approval to take bets on foreign races, citing objections from members of the racing industry, according to Oregon racing officials.

AmericaTab withdrew the request on Friday, according to Jodi Hanson, the executive director of the racing commission, which licenses several large account-wagering hubs. The request was scheduled to be heard at the commission's next meeting, on March 25.

Breeders' Cup Ltd. and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association plan to contribute additional purse money through the Breeders' Cup Stakes program to 113 races in 2004, a 10-race increase over last year.

The total awards for the 113 races will be $7.2 million this year, up $800,000 over 2003. The awards for individual races range from $100,000 to $25,000, in some cases doubling the total purse for the stakes.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association's new Wagering Systems Task Force met Thursday and Friday at the New York City office of Giuliani Partners, a consulting firm that is a member of the task force. The two-day meeting was the first for the panel, which was set up several weeks ago to examine why purses declined last year despite an increase in handle.

End rebating to share wealth among all fans

It was good to read that Magna Entertainment Corp. decided to curtail rebating on its online wagering platform, XpressBet ("Magna said to halt rebates," March 17).

Now the question is, will other tracks across the country put measures into place to end rebating?

Jockey Zoe Cadman announced her retirement Thursday after less than four years of riding. Cadman, 29, is the only female jockey ever to win a riding title in Chicago, taking the crown at the 2001 Hawthorne spring meet. She is also the all-time leading female rider at Arlington Park.

Born in South Africa and raised in England, Cadman arrived in the United States in 1994 and galloped horses for Michael Dickinson, Chris Speckert, and Mike Stidham. She won aboard her first mount, the Stidham-trained Prize and Joy, at Arlington on June 10, 2000.