Etc. . . .

The Texas Racing Commission will not consider approval of the sale of Lone Star Park near Dallas to Magna Entertainment until next month. A meeting set for Thursday has been pushed back to Oct. 16 in order to give commissioners more time to review documents relative to the sale. . . . Jockey Jose Valdivia began his busman's holiday in Italy on Tuesday with five rides at Milan's San Siro Racecourse, but the best he could come up with was a third-place finish. Valdivia is taking a break from Southern California racing until the opening of Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting on Oct. 2. . . . Leading French jockey Olivier Peslier has signed a contract to ride first-string for the Wertheimer brothers, beginning with the 2003 season. Peslier will be ending a long-term relationship with France's perennial champion trainer, Andre Fabre, while he moves his tack to the yard of Criquette Head-Maarek, the Wertheimers' principal trainer. . . . Jockey Mark Johnston hopes to resume riding in time for the opening of Laurel Park's meet on Oct. 8 after breaking the radius bone in his left wrist when Mt. Moran stumbled at the gate and tossed him in a race at Delaware Park last Saturday.