HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Oaklawn Park canceled its live and simulcast racing for Friday due to a power outage in the area.

The track lost power shortly before 1 p.m. Central due to a downed transformer line across the street from the Hot Springs, Ark., track. Management was able to restore power to parts of the track and the tote system with a backup generator, but canceled the card at 1:35 p.m. after efforts to restore power in the area started causing generator surges at Oaklawn. First post for Friday had been scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

The 15th season at Emerald Downs will run April 9 to Sept. 26, pending approval by the Washington Horse Racing Commission. The 89-day meeting is highlighted by the Grade 3, $250,000 Longacres Mile, which will be run for the 75th time Aug. 22.

Racing will be held Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until June 10, when Thursdays will be added. On Aug. 26, racing will go back to a Friday to Sunday schedule for the rest of the meet.

The Emerald Downs stable area was to open on Friday, with training to begin Monday.

Delaware Park has managed to slightly increase the number of stakes it will offer this season by redistributing some significant chunks of money from two of its major races, most notably the Delaware Handicap.

In releasing its 2010 stakes schedule on Thursday, the track announced that its signature event, the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap, which had been worth $1 million since 2005, will have its purse reduced to $750,000. The Barbaro Stakes for 3-year-olds, which lost its Grade 3 status for 2010, had its purse reduced $50,000 to $100,000.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Pashito the Che has been one of the best sprinters on the East Coast over the past six months, and trainer Scott Lake predicts that the horse will only get better with the addition of blinkers.

Lake's theory will get tested right off the bat when Pashito the Che opens his 2010 campaign against This Ones for Phil and five others in Saturday's $200,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint at Gulfstream Park. Although the Sprint is for California-breds and Florida-breds, all seven in the field were bred in Florida.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jockey Richard Migliore will likely not ride again until Feb. 6 as the result of a mild concussion he suffered in a spill during the running of the first race at Aqueduct on Jan. 23.

Migliore said Thursday that he had visited a neurologist on Wednesday but did not receive clearance to ride. Migliore said that he would like to return to the saddle next Wednesday, but said that Feb. 6 is more likely.

"They like to wait two weeks generally from when it happens," Migliore said. "I'm a little disappointed because I feel pretty good."

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jim Cassidy's attention will be back to the sport of racing full-time this winter, which for him is something of a relief.

Cassidy ends a tumultuous term as president of the California Thoroughbred Trainers this week. Saturday, he starts stable star The Usual Q.T. in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Santa Anita.

WEEK OF WEATHER

Sooner or later, it was going to rain this winter at Santa Anita. Sooner or later, the "all-weather" surface would be tested by real weather. And when the first in a series of storms arrived late Sunday, Jan. 17, the track did not pass the test. Racing and training screeched to a halt for most of the week, forcing cancellations of three programs, including a holiday card scheduled for Monday, Jan. 18.

RECENCY REIGNS

The winners of the 72 races run over the first two weeks of the Oaklawn meet last started at an astounding 22 tracks. And the locations accounting for the most winners indicate recency of form and class were key components in succeeding during the first eight race dates in Hot Springs, Ark.

WHO'S HOT

John Velazquez

He regained the top spot in the jockey standings after winning seven races last week. Johnny V. posted three straight riding doubles from Jan. 20-22, completing the first of that trio after picking up the mount on impressive maiden winner Lentenor in the nightcap on the 20th. Velazquez won only two of those seven races for his main man, Todd Pletcher. He also picked up a pair for Peter Walder and one each for trainers Michael Matz, Nick Zito, and Greg DiPrima.

Danny Miller/Frank Calabrese

WHAT'S HOT

Aqueduct horses, baby!

Okay, the racing is on the cheap side during the dead of winter (who knew $7,500 basement claimers came in so many varieties?), but get this: Aqueduct's inner dirt track has been the stage for the fastest horses in the nation - and not just one or two, a whole slew!

Ripped from the of DRF's Leaderboard page:

The Paul Pompa Jr.-owned duo of Understatement (115) and Well Positioned (107) are currently the fastest older horses in the land based on their one-two finish in the .