Catienus, who recently moved from Highcliff Farm in New York to owner Ken Ramsey's Ramsey Farm in Kentucky, will stand for a higher stud fee of $15,000 in 2008. Catienus stood for $7,500 in 2007.

The 13-year-old Storm Cat horse is the sire of Grade 1 winner and record-setting runner Precious Kitten, recent winner of the Matriarch Stakes as well as the John C. Mabee Handicap this summer. His other stakes winners this year include Grade 1-placed Talent Search and Cannonball, third in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

The Tattersalls December foal sale in Newmarket, England, ended Saturday afternoon with declines compared to last year's record-setting figures. But the sale still achieved its second-highest gross and average ever and elicited positive comments from the auction house's chairman, Edmond Mahony.

Six states in the Mid-Atlantic region will put in place rules to regulate the use of anabolic steroids by April 1, state officials said Friday after a meeting on the issue earlier in the week.

The states are Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Each will adopt the recommended rule issued earlier this year by the Association of Racing Commissioners International. The rule establishes threshold levels for four anabolic steroids and prohibits the use of the drugs within 30 days of a race. It further bans all other anabolic steroids.

The California Horse Racing Board on Thursday informally approved the creation of a fund to provide jockeys and former jockeys and their families with health insurance.

The plan, called the California Jockeys Trust, would be funded by uncashed parimutuel tickets and administered by a five-person board consisting of members of the Jockeys’ Guild and the Thoroughbred Owners of California. It would replace the current health insurance plan, which is administered by the Jockeys’ Guild.

Charles Champion, the chief executive of Youbet.com since 2002, stepped down from his position at the online horseracing and broadcast company on Friday and will leave the company effective Dec. 11, Youbet announced on Friday.

The California Horse Racing Board approved an amendment Thursday that would prohibit the use of anabolic steroids within a specified period before a race. The amendment would set withdrawal times of 30 to 60 days for the only four anabolic steroids that would be allowed for use: stanazolol, nandrolone, boldenone, and testosterone.

A weanling Oasis Dream colt out of English champion Dominica brought 400,000 guineas, or about $867,151, on Thursday to lead selling at the Tattersalls December foal auction's third of five sessions in Newmarket, England.

Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum's bloodstock adviser, John Ferguson, made the purchase from Stowell Hill Stud. The bay colt is a three-quarter brother to the juvenile filly Todber, who is unplaced in two starts this year. His dam, a daughter of Alhaarth, won the Group 2 King's Stand Stakes in 2002 and the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes in 2001.

The American Graded Stakes Committee upgraded 28 races and downgraded 14 after meeting in Lexington, Ky., on Tuesday. The committee, which announced the changes Wednesday, is administered by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

Twenty turf stakes in the U.S. were upgraded, compared to only four downgraded. Turf racing in the U.S. has become more common over the past five years because they attract full fields and many horsemen prefer to run their horses over the surface.

A U.S. bankruptcy court in Manhattan on Wednesday approved an amended reorganization plan submitted by the New York Racing Association and set a date for creditors to vote on the plan by Dec. 21, according to the bankruptcy attorney for NYRA.

Coolmore Stud in Ireland has sold first-crop sire Statue of Liberty to East Stud in Japan, the Racing Post has reported.

The 7-year-old Storm Cat horse has sired Italian stakes winner Black Mambazo, Group 3-placed Galaktea, and stakes-placed New Jersey from his first crop of runners this year. He has progeny earnings of $477,155.