The Woodlands track report
The Woodlands meet offers the perfect melting pot of stables for five-time defending jockey Ken Shino, who through the years has built relationships with many of the stables based in Iowa and Nebraska that frequent the Kansas City, Kan., track.
Shino, originally from Colorado, has been dominant at the Woodlands. Last season, he won an incredible 61 races during the 26-day meet, and this year he leads the standings with 22 wins. He is also the meet's leading jockey by earnings, with mount winnings of $159,401.
"I have a good base of clients," said Shino, 36, whose long roster of supporters include the two leading trainers at the meet, cousins Tim Gleason and Kenneth Gleason.
"We try to ride for a little bit of everybody," added agent David Kerrigan, who for the past 12 years has booked mounts for Shino.
Shino began riding at 20, and credits his stepfamily, which includes jockeys Terry and Rick Houghton, for introducing him to his career. "They all rode and got me into it, and I just kind of stuck with it," he said. "I started walking hots for Don Von Hemel in Lincoln, Nebraska."
Shino would later record one of his biggest successes in Nebraska. He tied a national record for wins on a single card there when he won eight races at Fonner Park in Grand Island on April 2, 2000.
These days, Shino is closing in on career victory 2,000. He was 33 wins from the milestone heading into the races on Wednesday. Following the close of the Woodlands on Nov. 1, he will take a few months off, then ride at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.
* The Woodlands recorded its highest handle of the meet Tuesday when $321,418 was bet on the track's live card. The Woodlands, which has increased the number of simulcast outlets taking its races this meet, had about a third of that handle come from Arlington Park.
* Trials for the Kansas Jackpot Futurity, a Grade 3 race for Quarter Horses expected to be worth about $100,000, will be run Friday. Also on the card are trials for the Kansas Jackpot Derby. The finales for both races are Nov. 1.
* Stakes closing on Saturday include the $30,000 Kansas Oaks.