Creighton off to hot start at Prairie Meadows

Trainer Brett Creighton has a hot hand at Prairie Meadows, where five of his last six starters have won. That group includes Humble Destin, who scored a mild upset in last Saturday's Prairie Express, and Humble Smarty, who was .41 of a second off the track record at 5 1/2 furlongs in a starter allowance on the same card.

"I've just been putting them in the right spots . . . and having good help. That makes all the difference in the world," said Creighton, who is 6 for 13 at the meet with a return on investment of $4.27.

Creighton has one horse entered this weekend. Lenas Sunday is listed at 8-1 in Friday's second race.

* Jockey Alex Birzer is approaching his 2,000th career win. It's easy for Birzer to remember his first win. The win photo is memorialized in a clock in his parents' house.

Birzer scored his first win aboard East of Eton in a $3,500 claiming race at River Downs on June 24, 1992. Since then, he has gone on to win an additional 1,990 races and $23.6 million in purses. When not at the racetrack, Alex lives with his wife Bonnie, and their three children, Jordan, Brett, and Colby in Council Grove, Kansas.

* Through the first 21 days of the meet, field size is 7.8 horses per race, up from 7.3 in 2009. The increased field size has helped to slightly increase all-sources handle, which is up 6 percent from $11.9 million to $12.6 million.