Etc. . . .

Thistledown's leading rider, Mike Rowland, gained his 3,500th winner with Providence Pete in the opening race on Monday afternoon. Rowland has been leading rider at 24 Thistledown meets since he began riding there in 1985, and has twice won six races in one day here. . . . The Jockeys' Guild has hired Matrix Capital Associates to manage its operations in place of John Giovanni, who indicated on Friday that he wished to resign after 14 years heading the organization.