Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear on Thursday asked the state legislature to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would ask voters to authorize casinos at 12 locations in the state, including seven racetracks.

Youbet.com plans to stop taking bets at its offshore rebate shop International Racing Group beginning Friday and will close the business over the next several months, the company announced on Wednesday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The specter of the New York Racing Association being in charge of Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga for another 25 years was greeted by a mixture of relief and tempered enthusiasm by horsemen.

Horsemen were naturally relieved that racing will continue uninterrupted under a franchise deal agreed to Wednesday, but many said they thought this was only the first step in restoring New York racing to national prominence and that there is more work to be done.

Buyers at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s select 2-year-old sale on Tuesday embraced the auction house’s offer to test their purchases for exogenous anabolic steroids, requesting the tests for between 15 and 20 of the 89 horses sold.

OBS is the first Thoroughbred auction company to offer steroid testing on 2-year-olds. Keeneland, Fasig-Tipton, and Barretts all have committed to offer tests on weanlings and yearlings but not yet at juvenile sales.

It didn't take long for the market to peak at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company February select 2-year-old auction Tuesday in Ocala, Fla. The first horse through the ring, a Silver Deputy filly consigned by the Eisaman Equine agency, brought the day's highest price of $520,000 at a session that set records for average and median prices.

International Equine Acquisitions Holdings Inc. has an agreement in place to purchase majority interest in top Kentucky Oaks candidate Pure Clan. The deal is scheduled to close on Thursday, confirmed Lewis Lakin, the filly's seller, who will retain an undisclosed percentage of Pure Clan. Bob Holthus will continue to train the undefeated filly, who is scheduled to make her season debut in the Grade 3, $100,000 Honeybee at Oaklawn Park on March 16.

Lakin said the decision to sell was made for a number for reasons.

Brahms, a Grade 1 winner and sire of 2007 Strub Stakes winner Arson Squad, has relocated from Kentucky to Louisiana for the 2008 breeding season.

Under a three-year lease agreement, Brahms will stand at Elite Thoroughbreds in Folsom, La. His 2008 fee will be $3,500.

An 11-year-old Danzig horse out of Queena, Brahms previously stood at Vinery in Lexington, Ky.

Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's winter mixed sale rang up a handful of six-figure horses Monday, one day after posting sharp gains at its opening session.

At 5:30 p.m., Monday's session-leading price was $200,000 for the Grade 3-placed stakes winner Coli Bear, an earner of $378,070. G. Chris Coleman bought the 5-year-old Formal Dinner mare. Crossroads Sales Agency consigned her as Hip No. 298. Coli Bear was one of five horses to bring $100,000 or more by that hour.

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association on Monday named 11 members to serve on the Monitoring Committee of the Sales Integrity Task Force. The committee will oversee implementation of the task force's November 2007 recommendations to increase transparency in bloodstock sales and also with evaluating the recommendations' effectiveness.

Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's winter mixed sale on Feb. 10-11 has gained six late entrants from Joanne Nor's Norfields Farm.

The Norfields draft will include the 7-year-old Forestry mare Teton National, who is from the family of Behrens, and an unraced 4-year-old Unbridled's Song broodmare prospect from the family of Desert Stormer. Both will sell through the Taylor Made agency.