Stokes takes command in jockey standings

Jockey Louis Stokes, looking for a sweep of the two 2008 race meets at Thistledown, has opened a daylight lead in the standings. Stokes has won 39 races during the first 43 days of the 56-day Randall-Cranwood meeting. Luis Gonzalez is second with 33. Stokes has already won this year's Summit-Thistledown meeting at Thistledown.

For the entire Thistledown season, which began May 1, Stokes has a nine-winner advantage, 77-68, over Weldon Cloninger Jr.

Jeff Radosevich leads all trainers at the Randall-Cranwood meeting with 22 victories. Rodney Faulkner is second with 19.

For the year, Radosevich leads the trainer standings with 56 winners. Faulkner is second with 48.

The winningest horse of the season at Thistledown is the 3-year-old filly Wanna Try Me, who is owned by Robert Van Worp and trained by Aldolfo J. Exposito. She has won 5 of her 8 starts here.

* Abad Cabassa Jr. looked ready to celebrate his 1,000th career winner at Thistledown in Saturday's sixth race only to have his mount, Dakota's Choice, nipped at the wire. Cabassa rode at Mountaineer Park that night and got his 1,000 winner in the third race with Foot Trick, who is trained by Thistledown-based Randy Faulkner.