LEXINGTON, Ky. - A year ago, Fitz Eugene Dixon paid $950,000 for the dual Grade 3 winner Solvig when she went through the auction ring at Keeneland's 2006 January all-ages sale. Carrying a foal by Smarty Jones, she was one of the last major purchases Dixon made before his death at age 82 last Aug. 2.

Dixon's death brought Solvig back to Keeneland's auction ring again on Tuesday, and, once again, she was one of the top choices at the January all-ages sale. Offered in foal to the 2005 champion 3-year-old Afleet Alex, Solvig was Tuesday's session-topper at $750,000.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority should hire a supervisor of parimutuel wagering and consider the purchase of monitoring software to insure that bettors and the state are receiving the proper returns from wagering, according to a report prepared by the state's auditor, Crit Luallen.

Breeders' Cup will expand to a two-day racing program in 2007 with the addition of three new $1 million races, which will be run the Friday before this year's event at Monmouth Park on Saturday, Oct. 27, Breeders' Cup announced on Monday.

The Florida Department of Agriculture lifted the quarantine on the majority of horses stabled at Payson Park on Friday. The quarantine had been in place since a horse died from equine herpesvirus at the training facility, located in Indiantown Gap, Fla., on Dec. 22.

"Restrictions have been lifted on the majority of the population at Payson Park," said Dr. Mary Scollay, the track veterinarian at both Gulfstream Park and Calder. "A couple of barns involved in the original case remain restricted at this time."

Excelsior Racing Associates, the private partnership that is seeking the franchise held by the New York Racing Association, has joined New York State in asking a federal judge to throw out NYRA's petition for protection under Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and New York's off-track betting companies remained at loggerheads on Friday in a dispute that has resulted in the blackout of the signal from Gulfstream Park in New York's OTB locations.

Early nominations for the Triple Crown, which starts with the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby on May 5, close on Jan. 20. The fee is $600.

Nominations can be made through the mail, by telephone at either (800) 928-3372 or (502) 638-3810, online at www.thetriplecrownchallenge.com, or in person with representatives of Triple Crown Productions.

Average daily all-sources wagering at the Maryland Jockey Club's two racetracks, Laurel Park and Pimlico Racecourse, was $3.2 million in 2006, according to figures released by the MJC on Thursday, an increase of 24.9 percent.

The increase was principally because of a sizeable increase in betting on the signals from the two tracks in out-of-state locations. Average daily out-of-state handle was up 28.4 percent, to $2.85 million a day from $2.22 million a day last year, according to the figures.

The state of New York has filed a motion in federal court to dismiss the New York Racing Association's request for protection under Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Invasor, Bernardini, Barbaro, and Lava Man - four of the marquee names from last year - were among 28 horses and 13 people announced Wednesday as finalists for 2006 Eclipse Awards by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.