The Texas Racing Commission has adopted a zero-tolerance policy on clenbuterol, according to agency spokesman Robert Elrod. He said the “prohibition” of the bronchodilator goes into effect Sept. 10.

The Louisiana Racing Commission recently adopted a similar policy for Quarter Horses. It goes into effect Oct. 3.

The penalties for Texas – which covers all breeds – range from a $1,000 fine, 30-day suspension, and loss of purse for a first offense to a $5,000 fine, 120-day suspension, and loss of purse for a third offense, according to Elrod.

Prairie Meadows concluded its 67-day 2018 Thoroughbred meet Aug. 11 with slight declines in total handle, average daily handle, and average handle per race, and a small uptick in average handle per starter.

Mountaineer Casino and Racetrack in West Virginia was forced to cancel race cards on Monday and Tuesday night after an electrical fire at a power station near the racetrack disabled a fiber-optic line running to the facility, according to Jim Colvin, the track’s manager of racing.

Colvin said that the cause of the fire was still under investigation, but whatever the case, the disabling of the fiber-optic line shut down all of the track’s bet-processing operations.

“It totally crippled our tote system,” Colvin said. “We were dead in the water, no tote capability at all.”

Jockey Eddie Martin Jr., who earlier this month hit 4,000 career Thoroughbred wins in North America, will be a regular at the Remington Park meet, which opens Friday night. He also is riding at Retama Park, where he led the standings through Tuesday. The meet at Retama closes Sept. 5.

It was at Retama where Martin hit the milestone on Aug. 15 in a photo in the final race of the night with Spinning Pegasus ($9.80).

“It was pretty awesome,” Martin said. “The good Lord made me wait until the last race.”

High North is headed due south.

The winner of the Iowa Derby, High North is now bound for Louisiana Downs and a start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Super Derby on Sept. 2.

“It’s a good race, a good purse, and it just seemed to fit his schedule well,” said trainer Brad Cox. “We’ve been targeting the race for a while.”

Cox won last year’s Super Derby with Mr. Misunderstood.

High North will be invading from Churchill Downs for Shortleaf Stable. Cox said Florent Geroux would have the mount. Geroux was aboard for the $250,000 Iowa Derby win July 6 at Prairie Meadows.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The 3-year-old Carrick, the upset winner of the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington Park on Aug. 11, will take on older males in the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Sept. 29, trainer Tom Morley said this week.

Morley said he preferred the 1 1/2 miles of the Hirsch to the 1 1/8 miles of the Grade 2, $500,000 Hill Prince, a race restricted to 3-year-olds, on Oct. 6.

Morley also noted that the Joe Hirsch is a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With 13 races on the card, there will be a slight tweak to the wagering menu for Saturday’s Travers Day program.

There will be three pick-four wagers on the program, starting with races 2, 8, and 10. The pick four that begins with race 8 comprises the Ballerina, Forego, Sword Dancer, and Travers. The pool for that pick four is guaranteed at $1 million.

The pick six begins on race 6, so it won’t be the final six races on the card, and will consist of all Grade 1 stakes races, starting with the H. Allen Jerkens and concluding with the Travers.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Endorsed, arguably the most impressive 2-year-old maiden-winning colt this meet, will point to the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont Park on Oct. 6, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Wednesday.

Endorsed, a son of Medaglia d’Oro out of the Grade 1-winning mare Dance Card, ran down Ahead of Plan to win by a head last Saturday. He ran six furlongs in 1:11.22 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 89.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hofburg, who was kept out of this Saturday’s Grade 1 Travers due to a temperature, still had not returned to the track as of Wednesday, trainer Bill Mott said.

Mott’s options for Hofburg include the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby against 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles at Parx on Sept. 22 or the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, against 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/4 miles at Belmont Park on Sept. 29.

“A mile and a quarter is interesting,” Mott said.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Voodoo Song isn’t finished with Saratoga just yet.

The popular New York-bred, who won the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap here on Aug. 11, will make his next start in the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap here on Sept. 3, trainer Linda Rice said Wednesday.

Voodoo Song is 5 for 5 at Saratoga, having won all four of his starts here last year, including the Grade 3 Saranac on the second-to-last day of the meet.