Jesse Skees, executive director of the office of Inspector General for the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Public Protection Cabinet, will act as interim executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority until a permanent director is found.

The post was vacated when Bernie Hettel resigned as executive director last week. Hettel had been the longtime executive director and chief steward of the Kentucky Racing Commission, the agency that preceded the racing authority.

The search for a permanent director is ongoing.

Beulah Park set an all-sources handle record on Tuesday's nine-race live program of $1,983,520. Tuesday's handle surpassed the $1,554,073 mark that was set Jan. 12. . . . Our Preciousmoment, a 6-year-old Pennsylvania-bred mare who won five races last season at Penn National Race Course, has been chosen as the track's horse of the year for 2003. She is owned by Donald Gogluizza and trained by Harry Thompson. . . . UltimateBet.com, an online poker site, was named Wednesday as the new sponsor of two of Britain's classic races, the 2000 Guineas and the 1000 Guineas.

Four-time Grade 1 derby winner Oak Tree Special prevailed over Los Alamitos Championship winner Catchmeninyourdreams in a run-off vote to be named the 2003 quarter horse world champion in an announcement by the American Quarter Horse Association on Wednesday.

The voters are AQHA racing committee members and selected media members.

In a stunning reversal of history, Oak Tree Special is the first 3-year-old or older quarter horse world champion in 51 years that did not race at Los Alamitos Race Course during their championship year.

Youbet.com and Television Games Network, which owns part of Youbet, have reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit in which TVG alleged that Youbet had failed to inform its shareholders fully about proposed structural changes, according to Youbet.

Youbet said in court documents filed with a judge in Delaware last Wednesday that the two companies had reached an agreement in principle and would work out the final document within two weeks. Details about the agreement were not available.

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s Jan. 19-22 winter mixed auction rang up a pair of $95,000 session toppers Monday: a Deputy Commander filly out of the Relaunch mare O K Three Wire, and the Gulch broodmare Natkeeta, in foal to Johannesburg. Monday's opener sold 160 lots for $3,127,200, down slightly from last year's $3,192,400 for 198 lots, with an average price of $19,545 (up 21 percent) and a median of $14,000 (up 12 percent). . . . Bob McNair, who races Horse of the Year candidate Congaree, has been named member of the year by the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

Four-time Grade 1 derby winner Oak Tree Special prevailed over Catchmeninyourdreams, winner of the Los Alamitos Championship, in a run-off vote to be named the 2003 Quarter Horse world champion.

The results of voting for 2003 Quarter Horse champions in all divisions were announced Wednesday by the American Quarter Horse Association. Voting is done by AQHA racing committee members and selected media members.

Oak Tree Special is the first 3-year-old or older Quarter Horse World Champion in 52 years who did not race at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who last year was the leading rider at all five major Southern California meetings, fired his agent, Nick Cosato, on Sunday.

Cosato had represented Valenzuela since the rider was reinstated two years ago, after being exiled for substance-abuse issues. Last month, Cosato also began representing jockey Corey Nakatani. Both Cosato and Valenzuela agreed Monday at Santa Anita that the addition of Nakatani was the source of friction.

Philadelphia Park canceled its live racing program Monday after two races because the jockeys felt the frozen track was unsafe. In the first race, jockey Jose Flores fell when his mount broke down approaching the top of the stretch, and the rider was taken to a hospital to be evaluated for a possible concussion and rib injury. . . . Finger Lakes will boost overnight purses by 35 percent for its 160-day season, which begins on April 16. The increase will be funded by projected revenue from the track's video lottery terminal operation, scheduled to open next month.

ARCADIA, Calif. - When the 2003 Eclipse Award finalists were announced earlier this month, horse owner Jeff Nielsen of Minnesota stared in disbelief at the nominees among the 3-year-old fillies.

In the days before the announcement, he was certain his filly Island Fashion had impressed enough voters with her millionaire status and wins in two Grade 1 stakes - the Alabama at Saratoga in August and the La Brea at Santa Anita on Dec. 27 - to merit a position as a finalist.

John Velazquez extended his lead in the jockey standings at the 2004 Gulfstream Park meeting after winning the final four races on Friday's program.

Two of Velazquez's victories came for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, aboard L'Oiseau d'Argent in the sixth race and Binya in the featured eighth event. Both horses were making their U.S. debuts.

Velazquez also won the seventh race for Todd Pletcher on Liberty Son, then closed out his big day guiding trainer Peter Walder's odds-on favorite Cajun Concert to an easy victory in the finale.