ARCADIA, Calif. - After the trouble he has caused around trainer Peter Eurton's barn this week, Star Nichols needs to win Saturday's $200,000 California Cup Classic at Santa Anita just to redeem himself.

When Star Nicholas was leaving the main track after a gallop on Tuesday, he unseated exercise rider A.C. Valenzuela, who broke an ankle in the spill, Eurton said.

"Something spooked in front of him and he dropped his shoulder," Eurton said. "He [threw off] Valenzuela and then stepped on him. A.C. said it was the first time he'd been hurt in 20 years."

STICKNEY, Ill. - Okay, so it's not an international event. But the horses in Saturday's $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup, a complex mix, are coming from all over this country.

The Hawthorne racing office generally was busy Wednesday taking entries for Saturday's card; 104 were entered on a 10-race program, which has the $100,000 Carey Memorial and the $100,000 Indian Maid as supporting stakes for the Grade 2, 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup. And the Gold Cup itself got swept along in the action, with 11 names passing the entry box early Wednesday afternoon.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Two races into his career, John Scott, a 2-year-old trained by Carla Gaines, has developed a predictable style: Drop to the back of the field and roar through the stretch to win a sprint.

That's how he won a maiden race over 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 2 and a month later the six-furlong I'm Smokin Stakes for statebreds. Looking forward, those wins might as well be ancient history.

The late John Gaines is said to have joked once that the secret to success in the horse business is to buy what Arthur Hancock can't sell. It was more than 20 years ago that Hancock, a prominent breeder and owner in Kentucky, was unable to move a dark bay colt by Halo at two separate auctions. He ended up racing Sunday Silence in partnership, and in 1989 the horse reeled off wins in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Breeders' Cup Classic.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Arlington Park narrowly boosted average daily attendance figures during its 2009 meet, which ended Sunday, but in the matter of taking bets, Arlington went the way of the racing industry in general: Down.

Despite racing 98 days compared to 96 in 2008, total handle declined from $411,949,372 to $389,087,878. Average daily all-sources handle fell 7.4 percent, down from $4,291,139 to $3,970,284 this year.

PHOENIX - You can understand if Jerry Simms has a bit more jump in his step these days. That's because the owner of Turf Paradise has a sense of optimism as his Phoenix track kicks off its 155-day meet Friday.

Simms saw his track hold its own last year, navigating its long meet with some success, despite the dire economic situation.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Sunday is closing day at Louisiana Downs, and it will officially mark the end of an era. For the first time since the 1997 season, neither Cole Norman nor former Norman assistant Jorge Lara will be crowned training champ.

Norman saw his nine-year domination atop the standings that began in 1998 come to an end following his conviction in 2007 of negligent homicide in a traffic accident in February of that year. Lara inherited many of Norman's owners and won the trainer's title in 2007 and 2008 before running out of momentum this season.

Hoosier Park's racing event of the year had a cloud of uncertainty hanging over it until Wednesday, when entries were drawn for the Grade 2, $500,000 Indiana Derby.

The sun came shining out when 15 horses were entered in the 1 1/16-mile race, the premier event of Hoosier Park season.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Marchfield, Canada's champion older male last year who was heading for an appearance in the Oct. 17 Canadian International, is through for at least the season after being injured while training here Tuesday morning.

"He was galloping, and when a horse kind of galloped past him, he started bucking," trainer Mark Casse said. "He's always bucking, but when he did this time he came down wrong.

"His rider felt something and pulled him up right away. Otherwise, it might have been fatal."

Marchfield underwent surgery Tuesday night.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Remember when the New York Racing Association hoped the Beldame could be the race of the year, pitting superstars Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta against each other?

Well, that pipe dream was crushed long ago. Still, the race had potential with Grade 1 winners Icon Project and Music Note expected to square off. That match-up was nullified Wednesday when the connections of Icon Project announced their filly would skip the Grade 1, $600,000 Beldame to run in the Grade 1, $500,000 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 11.