Thistledown track report

Apprentice rider Chris Creary, who recently moved his tack to Thistledown from Gulfstream Park, scored his first Thistledown victory in Monday's first race aboard Put in Bay for trainer Anthony Cucinotta. Creary didn't wait long to notch his second victory, as he guided War Room to the wire first in the seventh race for owner-trainer Rodney Faulkner.

Creary, who is from Jamaica, previously rode at Calder, where he recorded his maiden win in October 2004. Creary, whose father and uncle owned horses in Jamaica, met local rider Julio Felix at Gulfstream this past winter, and Felix persuaded him to come to Thistledown.

Creary looks good in the saddle and rides with a level of confidence usually displayed by riders with more experience.

"It's nice here," said Creary, 26. "I'm not used to the cold weather, though. I will see how things go. "

* Luis Antonio Gonzalez, the leading rider at the recently concluded Summit meet, is recovering from bruised ribs he suffered during a spill in the seventh race here Saturday. He is resting at home and hopes to be back in the saddle within a few days.

* Sunday's sixth race produced a Faulkner family trifecta. Owner-trainer Joe Faulkner saddled Bad Bad Brenda and Lil Princess Tee, who finished first and second, and his son, trainer Rodney Faulkner, took third with Gimmesumsugar. The trifecta paid $338.

* Beginning Friday, post time will be moved back to 2:30 p.m. Eastern every Friday for the summer. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and at 3 p.m. Thistledown will host "Party in the Picnic Area," with live racing, food and drink specials, and radio personality appearances.

* Thistledown posted its second-highest Preakness handle on Saturday. Fans at the track wagered $518,689 on the race, down 6.5 percent from last year's record of $522,134.