John Lies ascended the Turf Club elevator and then the rickety wooden stairs that led to the announcer’s booth atop the old grandstand at Del Mar, where his hero awaited at a meeting arranged by his father.

Lies was 10 years old and was “nervous, as nervous as I ever remember being.”

The door flung open. Trevor Denman welcomed his visitor.

“He said, ‘I want to be an announcer,’ ” Denman recalled. “He watched a few races, and from then on, we’ve been buddies.”

That first visit made a lasting impression on Lies and truly was life-changing.

Craig Perret, one of the most successful jockeys of his generation, has been scarce from the racing scene since riding his last race, Nov. 25, 2005, at Churchill Downs. He ranks 43rd all time among North American jockeys with 4,415 wins from 27,164 rides, and had mount earnings of nearly $114 million. His greatest wins came aboard Unbridled in the 1990 Kentucky Derby for Carl Nafzger, Bet Twice in the 1987 Belmont Stakes for his late friend Jimmy Croll, and four Breeders’ Cup races. A New Orleans native, he began riding Quarter Horses at age 10.

Mickey Sample, a well-traveled racing official who wound up his career in Kentucky, died early Wednesday morning in Columbus, Ohio, after suffering a heart attack at his home the previous night. He was 69.

According to Karale Sample, his wife of 38 years, Mickey Sample retired from racing in 2007 after a lifelong career in the game. After training horses in his early years, he became a racing official in 1973, with his first stints at Penn National and the old Keystone. He also worked as an official in Florida, New York, Ohio, New Hampshire, and Minnesota.

A Kentucky circuit court judge has upheld the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s decision to suspend former state steward John Veitch for one year for his role in the Life At Ten incident at the 2010 Breeders’ Cup, according to a ruling released on Wednesday.

In issuing the ruling, Judge Thomas Wingate of Franklin Circuit Court denied Veitch’s appeal of the one-year suspension while lifting the stay that Veitch had been granted shortly after the suspension was handed down in February.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Rafael Bejarano will ride the multiple graded stakes winner Game On Dude in his next start, replacing regular rider Chantal Sutherland, trainer Bob Baffert confirmed on Wednesday.

Sutherland has ridden Game On Dude in his last nine races, including wins in the Hollywood Gold Cup, Goodwood, Californian, and San Antonio. In his most recent start, Game On Dude finished second, beaten a half-length, in the Pacific Classic on Aug. 26 at Del Mar.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Steve Morguelan, who sent out his last starter in 2002 after some 30 years of training Thoroughbreds, died Tuesday night at his home when drowning in the Ohio River after apparently going into insulin shock. He was 62.

Morguelan, a diabetic, retired following a health scare in 2003, when he underwent successful surgery for a form of cancer known as cystic neoplasm.

Paynter, the Grade 1 Haskell winner and Belmont Stakes runner-up, continues to show positive signs in his battle with colitis and laminitis, according to updates presented on Twitter by his owner, Ahmed Zayat.

In a series of tweets Monday afternoon, Zayat said that Paynter no longer has fever and that his blood work was normal and protein level was good.

“He is comfortable, stable and eating well,” Zayat tweeted, adding “all in all [it] looks like Paynter continues to turn the corner and [is] winning his battle with colitis.”

Paynter continues to make progress from colitis and laminitis, according to a series of updates sent out on Twitter on Sunday night by owner Ahmed Zayat and his son, Justin, the family’s racing manager.

“Today he is having a great day, in fact he had an excellent weekend,” the family’s update read.

According to the Zayats, Paynter’s temperature “has been totally normal for the last 36 hours.”

“His feet are very comfortable,” they added.

The California Horse Racing Board on Sunday officially filed charges against apprentice jockey Eswan Flores, alleging he tested positive for cocaine, board spokesman Mike Marten said late Sunday afternoon.

A hearing will be held at Fairplex next Saturday, Sept. 15, Marten said. Stewards Scott  Chaney, Luis Jauregui, and Tom Ward will preside, Marten said.

Wise Dan had his final breeze toward for the Woodbine Mile last Wednesday at Keeneland, and now the most important thing for trainer Charlie Lopresti is to keep the gelding “in one piece” leading up to the Sept. 16 race in Canada.