Etc. . . .

Godolphin Racing and trainer Eoin Harty had their first winner of the Arlington meet when Dubai Squire ($3) drew off to a three-length victory in the seventh race Thursday, defeating four other 2-year-old maidens. Godolphin and Harty had been winless with their first 10 starters. . . . As of Thursday at 5:30 p.m., the session-leader on the Ocala Breeders Sale's August yearling sale's fourth day was a $95,000 End Sweep-Susie Smile, by Smile, colt bought by Marion Montanari. Wednesday's third session at the OBS August yearling auction sold 174 yearlings for $1,775,900; average rose 6 percent to $10,206 and median remained level with last year at $6,000, while the buyback rate fell slightly, from 28.2 percent last year to 27.5 percent. . . . Fasig-Tipton has changed the date of its horses of racing age sale at Belmont Park from Nov. 20 to Oct. 30. Entries for the sale will close Sept. 8. . . . The National Turf Writers Association has voted to give Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens its 2001 Mr. Fitz Award for "typifying the spirit of horse racing," the NTWA announced Thursday. The NTWA also will honor Shirley Day Smith, an employee of the New York Racing Association press office, with its Joe Palmer Award for "meritorious service to racing," and Dallas Morning News columnist Gary West with its Walter Haight Award for "career excellence in turf writing."