The total handle of $67,686,501 at the recently concluded Emerald Downs meet was up 4 percent compared to last year. The average daily handle of $1,301,663 was down 2 percent from the previous year but was up 15 percent from pre-COVID in 2019. Part of the reason for the increase in total handle was a 32 percent rise in ontrack wagering at the Auburn, Wash., track.

“We are pretty happy with how the meet went,” said Phil Ziegler, Emerald’s president. “A big positive is that we gave out more than $7 million in purses, which was an increase of 26.5 percent over last year.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike had his final pre-race breeze toward the Oct. 1 Lukas Classic, shipping in for a five-furlong workout well before dawn Wednesday under the Churchill Downs lights.

With regular exercise rider Gabriel Lagunes aboard, Rich Strike went in 1:01.40 over a fast track.

“Gabriel said it was like he was just galloping,” trainer Eric Reed said afterward.

The Assiniboia Downs meet has been extended an extra day following a recent cancellation, and closing day will now be Wednesday, Sept. 28.

The Winnipeg, Manitoba, track had an unexpected malfunction with a small section of the track lighting following the first race on Sept. 14. As a result, the remainder of the race card was canceled. The issue has since been rectified.

Cyberknife and Taiba, separated by a head in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park, head a field of 11 3-year-olds entered Monday for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx.

In addition to Cyberknife and Taiba, the field includes two additional Grade 1 winners - Zandon and White Abarrio.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The undefeated Fingal’s Cave, who was being considered for Saturday’s Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx Racing, will pass that race and will now target one of two races on the Oct. 30 New York Showcase Day program, trainer David Donk said Monday.

Donk elected to bypass a workout over the weekend for Fingal’s Cave saying the 3-year-old New York-bred filly was “a little too dull” in her training.

With Flightline booked to have his next start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Keeneland, several runners who finished well behind him in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar earlier this month will have the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes to themselves on Oct. 1 at Santa Anita.

Country Grammer, second by 19 1/4 lengths in the Pacific Classic, worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds on Sunday for the $300,000 Awesome Again. Royal Ship, third by 26 3/4 lengths in the Pacific Classic, went the same distance in 48.80, but is not a certain runner in the Awesome Again.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jockey Vince Cheminaud is quietly making a name for himself while trying to emulate what his fellow Frenchmen have accomplished in the United States.

Cheminaud, 28, bagged three wins from the first four cards at this 14-day September meet, good for a tie for second in the standings behind countryman Julien Leparoux (four wins). Leparoux, Prat, and Florent Geroux all have enjoyed tremendous success in this country after emigrating from France.

Edgeway, winner of the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for the second consecutive year at Del Mar last month, will not race again until the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 5 at Keeneland, trainer John Sadler wrote in a text message over the weekend.

The BC Filly and Mare Sprint may be Edgeway’s final start for Hronis Racing. Kosta Hronis said in a text on Monday that Edgeway is entered to be sold at auction at Keeneland in the days after the Breeders’ Cup, but a decision on whether she goes through the sales ring will be made at the last minute.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Hot Rod Charlie, the leading prospect for the Oct. 1 Lukas Classic at Churchill, has been on a steady work schedule.

Based at Keeneland since late June, the 4-year-old colt has breezed there the last five Saturdays for trainer Doug O’Neill, starting Aug. 20 and on through a six-furlong work in 1:12.80 last Saturday. Third in the Aug. 6 Whitney at Saratoga in his last start, Hot Rod Charlie will have a final pre-race work this coming Saturday. He has earned more than $5.25 million.

Average daily handle at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., during the track’s recently completed 60-day meet was up 14.8 percent compared to last year’s 55-day meet, according to figures generated by Daily Racing Form.

Total pari-mutuel handle for the meet was $218.5 million, a $44 million gain on the total handle last year, when $174.4 million was bet. Monmouth ran 606 races this year over a 60-day meet, compared to 555 races last year during a 55-day meet, and average handle per race was up 14.7 percent.