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Lou Hodges Sr., the track photographer at Fair Grounds from 1948-78 and a member of the track's Press Box Hall of Fame, died Tuesday at age 88. Services for Hodges, whose son Lou Jr. is the current Fair Grounds photographer, will be held Friday at St. Angela Merici Church in Metairie, La. . . . The Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission approved a 136-day meet at Delaware Park that begins on April 22 and continues through Nov. 19. Its biggest weekend, the Delaware Handicap Festival of Racing, will be held July 15-16. . . . Alkaased, announced on Wednesday as an intended runner in the Hong Kong Vase, was withdrawn from the race on Thursday after having been bought by Darley Japan to stand at stud in Japan. A 5-year-old son of Kingmambo, Alkaased won the Japan Cup last Sunday.