Molina looks long gone

Tommy Molina, riding his first full season at Great Lakes Downs, appears to have the jockey title in the bag. With only 15 of 100 racing days left in the meet, he has 126 wins, 21 more than Freddie Mata, a two-time riding riding champion here. Mike Allen is third with 81 wins through Tuesday's racing.

Molina, a 30-year-old native of Puerto Rico, was previously based in Chicago. He had been shipping into Great Lakes for occasional stakes mounts over the last few years, primarily for leading trainer Bob Gorham, and has won 11 stakes at this oval. Among his wins was a division of the Michigan Sire Stakes on Saturday with Nell's Enjoyment.

Gorham holds a 62-57 edge over Gerry Bennett, who has won several titles here but this year has his stable split between Great Lakes and Thistledown. John Rupert is third with 46 wins.

Bennett and Rupert train for automobile dealer Tom Vanderhyde, who leads all owners with 47 wins. Henry Mast, who is retired from the greenhouse business, is second with 26 wins. Gorham, a veterinarian from Kalamazoo, trains for Mast. Shane Spiess has 20 wins, good for third place.

* Jockey Lori Coburn is recovering from surgery after breaking her leg when she was unseated on Monday evening. She was aboard Snack Pack in the second race when the first-time starter bolted on the turn. Coburn, who has seven wins here, will have to keep weight off her leg for at least six weeks, she said.

* Racing secretary Mary Anne Barron announced a 10 percent purse increase effective last Tuesday.