Fonner Park: Hill making homecoming appearance

New York rider and Columbus, Neb., native Channing Hill will make a special appearance at Fonner Park on Sunday when he returns home for a weekend family gathering.

Hill, 20, began his riding career at age 16 at Columbus and Prairie Meadows in Iowa. He is tied for sixth in the rider standings at Aqueduct with 25 wins entering Wednesday's racing. Last month, he won his first graded stakes when he guided Golden Dawn to a six-length win in the Grade 2, $300,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel Park.

Hill will be accepting mounts for Sunday's Fonner card. He made a quick trip through Nebraska around this time a year ago, and rode three horses. He won a race aboard his namesake, C. Hill, who is trained by family friend Bill Conyers. Hill is the son of longtime Nebraska rider Allan Hill.

* Weekday post times at Fonner will switch to 3 p.m. Central beginning with this week's racing. The track will be dark next Sunday for Easter and will will race Thursday through Saturday before the holiday.