Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux is among those intending to ride daily at the upcoming Kentucky Downs meet. Agent J.R. Pegram said from Saratoga this week that Desormeaux then will ride at Keeneland and Churchill afterward.

Kentucky Downs, located near the south-central town of Franklin, will be offering by far its biggest purses ever, with some $2.4 million spread over six days, thanks to the revenue stream being provided by Instant Racing gaming machines. The turf-only track will run on a new schedule of two Saturdays, Mondays, and Wednesdays from Sept. 8-19.

Groupie Doll, the only horse in the North American filly-mare sprint division to win two Grade 1 races this year, is definitely pointing to the premier race of the Presque Isle Downs meet, the $400,000 Masters on Sept. 8, after breezing a sharp five furlongs in 58 seconds early Friday at Churchill.

Trainer Billy Morey was thinking of the C.J. Hindley Humboldt County Marathon when he claimed Falling Knife for $25,000 at Del Mar on Aug. 9.

“It’s the only reason we claimed him,” said Morey, who made the claim for the Joseph P. Morey Jr. Revocable Trust.

On Sunday, he’ll see if the claim pays off when Falling Knife meets seven rivals in the $30,000, 1 5/8-mile race that closes the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale.

The quality of racing at Ferndale and Del Mar is separated by almost the distance between California’s northernmost and southernmost tracks.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario − It’s been said that turnbacks don’t often work on the turf, but Riding the River will try to buck the theory Sunday at Woodbine in the $200,000 Play the King Stakes.

A seven-furlong sprint, the Play the King is the prep for the $1 million Woodbine Mile on Sept. 16.

Riding the River has captured Grade 2 turf stakes in his last two starts, the one-mile King Edward and the nine-furlong Nijinsky, both under Todd Kabel. Trainer David Cotey said he is cautiously optimistic that the cutback in distance won’t be a hindrance to Riding the River.

COLUMBUS, Neb. – Diamond Joe will go for his eighth consecutive win when he faces four 3-year-old Nebraska-bred rivals in the $15,000 Columbus Breeders’ Special on Sunday at Columbus’s Agricultural Park.

AUBURN, Wash. – While a start in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile remains a possibility for Longacres Mile hero Taylor Said, the other nine participants in the Grade 3 race last Sunday at Emerald Downs will tackle less-ambitious projects when they return to competition this year or next.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Jeranimo makes his final start before the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 in Sunday’s $200,000 Del Mar Mile on turf. With a 10-week gap between races, the timing could not be better, trainer Mike Pender insists.

“His races are being spread apart now,” Pender said. “As he gets older, we’ve adjusted, reacting to him and letting him train us. He calls the shots at this stage.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario − Winless in seven starts last year in a hard-luck campaign, Grand Adventure returns for his first start since the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint when he runs in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Play the King Stakes.

A seven-furlong turf race, the Play the King attracted a competitive field of 11. Grand Adventure is listed at 12-1 in Woodbine oddsmaker Ernie Perri’s morning line.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In the past, Garry Simms might have said, “Sold.” But circumstances being what they are, Simms and his clients are holding tight to their pair of prized 2-year-olds with hopes of making a major splash next spring in the classic races at their hometown track of Churchill Downs.

FORT ERIE, Ontario – The Fort Erie backstretch consists of a number of small- to medium-sized outfits, one of which is headed by trainer Ken Albu, age 47, who has 14 horses in his barn.

Albu is a hands-on trainer and he, together with his wife Audrey and groom Todd Brown, handle every aspect of the training program.

“You have to economize and work as a team,” said Albu, “and the three of us entertain a busy schedule throughout the season, each doing his or her part to ensure success.”