ELMONT, N.Y. – While Lady Eli continues to make great progress in her battle against laminitis – with the possibility of returning to training early next year – one of the podiatrists instrumental in her recovery was killed this week in a vehicular accident.

Robert Agne, a veterinarian with the Rood & Riddle Equine Clinic in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., was riding his bicycle Monday in Pawlet, Vt., when he was struck by a car, whose driver had fallen asleep at the wheel, according to published reports. Agne, 54, was declared dead at the scene, according to police.

Lincoln Race Course’s token one-race meet has been rescheduled for Monday after heavy rain forced the cancellation of Thursday’s card.
Post time for the rescheduled race will be 4:50 p.m. Central.

The Lincoln, Neb. venue hosts a single one-furlong parimutuel race each year to maintain its simulcast license for the following year, with long-term plans for the site including a one-mile course and a longer meet.

Gross all-sources handle at the Ellis Park meet that ended Monday in western Kentucky was up 8 percent over 2014, increasing to about $33 million from $30.5 million, but daily average handle of about $1,064,500 was down nearly 2 percent because there were 31 racing dates this year compared with 28 last year.

Ontrack handle grossed about $5 million, with the per-day average up marginally, according to a track release, while average field size increased from 7.3 to 8.2 horses per race.

Keeneland officials released more details and photos this week in updating the dramatic transformation of facilities at the Lexington, Ky., track in anticipation of the Oct. 30-31 Breeders’ Cup.

A track release said preparations are “in the home stretch,” with temporary structures expected to accommodate 10,000 more fans than normal.

“The energy around the grounds is palpable,” said Keeneland president Bill Thomason.

It’s nearly eight months away, but that won’t stop racing fans from thinking about the first weekend in May at Churchill Downs when back-to-back stakes for 2-year-olds are run Saturday as part of a four-stakes package.

The Grade 3, $150,000 Iroquois Stakes is the first of 35 points races toward the 2016 Kentucky Derby. Similarly, the Grade 2, $200,000 Pocahontas Stakes – the richest race of the September meet – is the first of 31 points races to the 2016 Kentucky Oaks. The winner of each 1 1/16-mile race will earn 10 eligibility points.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Todd Pletcher, already the sport’s all-time leading trainer in terms of purse money won, is closing in on the $300 million mark in earnings.

Through Wednesday, Pletcher’s horses have earned $299,257,161 in purses. That figure is $26 million more than D. Wayne Lukas, who ranks second in purse money won.

Pletcher has 3,844 wins from 16,794 starters. He enters the Belmont fall meet after winning his 12th Saratoga training title.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Thanks to a pair of supplemental nominations, Saturday’s co-feature, the $200,000 Temperence Hill Stakes at 1 5/8 miles on dirt, filled with four horses. It will go as the third race on the 10-race card, and show wagering will not be permitted.

V. E. Day, last year’s Travers winner, will seek to end a five-race losing streak in the Temperence Hill. Two starts back, V. E. Day finished second in the Grade 2 Brooklyn here at 1 1/2 miles and then came back to finish fifth behind Honor Code in the Whitney at Saratoga.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The European invasion that New York Racing Association officials had hoped would materialize for the Stars and Stripes card two months ago happened for Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park.

BOSSIER CITY, La. – The Pickett Factor was made a slight morning-line favorite over Allied Air Raid for the Grade 2, $400,000 Super Derby on Saturday at Louisiana Downs. Entries for the 1 1/8-mile race were taken Wednesday.

The field of seven also includes Prime Engine, the Washington invader who will break from the rail, and Mobile Bay, who will break from post 7 under Edgar Prado.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With its lone winner being the obvious exception, the Dale Romans stable was unusually quiet at Saratoga this summer when sending out just 12 starters.

The low profile was partly by design and partly forced by circumstance. Romans still is looking to assemble the caliber of horsepower that earned him the Eclipse Award for top trainer in 2012.

“We were in kind of a regroup mode after an active winter and spring, looking forward to what we hope will be a big fall – although winning the Travers sure was great,” said Romans.