Longer distance in Mekko Hokte's future

It looks like Kenny Smith might have another good gray on his hands.

Known for training the gray millionaire Silver Goblin, Smith sent out a promising 2-year-old filly last Sunday in Mekko Hokte, who set a stakes record in the 6 1/2 furlong Delta Miss, going 1:17.99 while defeating stakes winner Hadif's Allstar.

"She really looks like a racehorse. She has it written all over her," said Smith, who trains the daughter of Holy Bull for William Lerblance Jr. "She's a beautiful filly, and she's got a lot of try."

Mekko Hokte, never worse than second in four starts, settled behind the pace and then closed strongly in the Delta Miss, while appearing to just be warming up.

"It looks like she wants more distance," said Smith.

The trainer plans to send Mekko Hokte longer this December in the $100,000 Delta Princess Stakes at Delta Downs. The one-mile race is to be run Dec. 20, and its prep is the $50,000 Chargedupsycamore over seven furlongs on Nov. 23, which is likely the next race for Mekko Hokte.

Big Hubie to Alliance

Big Hubie, another recent stakes winner trained by Smith, is being pointed for the $30,000 Alliance Handicap over 1 1/16 miles on turf at Louisiana Downs on Oct. 26. In his last start, Big Hubie got his first stakes win when he outgamed Dynameaux in the $100,000 Louisiana Downs Handicap on Sept. 22.

Smith said a long-term goal for Big Hubie is the $200,000 Connally Breeders' Cup Turf at Sam Houston on Feb. 15. The colt races for country artist Toby Keith, and is named for Keith's father. Tim Doocy was aboard Big Hubie in the Louisiana Downs Handicap, and also rides Mekko Hokte.

Multiple winners clash in turf starter

Starofmynight and Tricky E. Tee, who have each won three races this meet, square off in Thursday's seventh race, a 7 1/2-furlong turf starter allowance that also drew No Its Not, a four-time winner last meet at Evangeline Downs.

Austin Lovelace will ride Starofmynight for trainer Bret Thomas, while Ricky Faul has the mount on Tricky E. Tee for Brent Davidson. The probable favorite is the Cole Norman-trained Warhead.

Also on the card is a $60,000 optional claimer on turf for 2-year-olds that matches Humble Earl against the Smith-trained Bravo Valentino. Humble Earl returns to turf, the site of his maiden win, and adds Lasix for trainer James Danaher, who has given the mount to Gerard Melancon.

Benefit for Guillory

A golf tournament to benefit jockey David Guillory, who underwent surgery Monday to remove pieces of vertebrae pressuring his nerves, will be held in Shreveport, La., on Oct. 7. The tournament still needs hole sponsors, and is being put on by the Louisiana Downs riding colony and the Racetrack Chaplaincy of Louisiana. One of the lead organizers is jockey E.J. Perrodin.

Guillory sustained career-ending spinal injuries in a spill in August. He was expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday.

"He's doing fine. He's just in a lot of pain," said the rider's daughter, Denise Guillory.

* Glitzi's Classic, the $50,000 Prelude winner who was eased in the stretch of the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby last month, came out of the race with a respiratory infection. "We're giving him two weeks' rest to get it cleared up," said trainer Andrew Leggio Jr.

* The Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana, which put on a yearling sale Tuesday at Louisiana Downs, will be back next week to conduct a mixed sale. A catalog of 213, including broodmares and weanlings, is to be sold at the track Oct. 8.