ALTOONA, Iowa – Prairie Meadows closes its inaugural Quarter Horse meet with Iowa Champions Night on Saturday. The night features five stakes races for Iowa-bred horses.

The $68,200 Jim Bader Futurity at 350 yards showcases nine of the state’s 2-year-olds. Hadleybestoned has been perfect so far in his young career, winning his first two races.

“I aim my horses towards the Iowa meet,” trainer Tony Jones said. “I knew when he came up here that I had him where I wanted him to be physically and mentally.”

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Aces N Kings, unbeaten in five starts including his last two in turf stakes, will put his perfect record on the line in Saturday’s $100,000 Sunday Silence Stakes at Louisiana Downs. The 1 1/16-mile turf affair for 2-year-olds is one of seven stakes that will support the 31st running of the Super Derby.

AUBURN, Wash. – The grand experiment – Quarter Horse racing at Emerald Downs – will get its first lab test Saturday in the 350-yard Muckleshoot Tribal Dash/John Deere Bonus Challenge, the 11th and final race on the meeting’s penultimate day. First post is 2 p.m. Pacific.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Barbara Minshall did not have unrealistic expectations heading into last Sunday’s Woodbine Mile, which had attracted a field of 13, including four Grade 1 stakes winners. But, Minshall admitted to some disappointment after watching Auteur finish 11th while beaten ninth lengths at odds of 60-1.

“I know it was a tough spot, but I think my horse needed to be more forwardly placed,” said Minshall, who trains the Kentucky-bred 4-year-old Auteur for Bruce Lunsford. “I was disappointed that he didn’t get to run his race.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Hollywood Hit ($3) gamely held off a rallying Tend to take the $100,400 King Corrie Stakes on Wednesday night at Woodbine.

Essence Hit Man broke on top in the six-furlong dash, and led through a sizzling quarter in 21.59 seconds, with Hollywood Hit pressing him along the inside. Essence Hit Man opened up a clear lead at the three-eighths pole, and got the half-mile in 44.35.

Del Mar will make a retroactive purse payment of approximately $850,000 to $900,000 this fall to owners who had horses earn prize money in overnight races for the recently concluded meeting, the track announced earlier this week.

The payment is expected to be distributed in November, according to director of racing Tom Robbins. He said the exact amount of the retroactive payment has yet to be finalized. The meeting ended on Sept. 8.

Presious Passion’s comeback race against token opposition didn’t exactly inspire confidence that the 7-year-old is ready to resume facing top-shelf competition.

Running for the first time since June in an optional claiming race on Wednesday at Delaware Park, Presious Passion finished fourth, beaten nearly 2 1/2 lengths as the 4-5 favorite.

His performance didn’t really answer many questions for trainer Mary Hartmann, who was on hand to watch the 1 1/16-mile race.

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Hurricane Ike touched down in Louisiana late Wednesday morning and shortly afterward was made the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby. He is the speed of a six-horse field that also includes the undefeated Golden Moka and fellow Southern California invader Distorted Economy.

AUBURN, Wash. – Ricky Frazier will finish the 2010 Emerald Downs meeting Sunday with another riding title, his fifth in seven seasons. The Northwest’s preeminent jockey has made it look easy, building a 111-88 lead over runner-up Juan Gutierrez, but looks can be deceiving – there was nothing easy about it.

Beginning with Saturday’s card, the New York Racing Association has increased purses by 13 percent for the remainder of the Belmont Park fall meeting. The meet, which opened Sept. 11, runs through Oct. 31.