NEW ORLEANS - Having just broken his own record for wins in a season during 2008, trainer Steve Asmussen has hit the slow-mo button to start 2009. This is evidenced by the fact that Asmussen entered horses in only 10 of the 11 races Saturday at Fair Grounds. Say what, Steve? Nothing for the $5,000 nonwinners-of-two Louisiana-bred claimer to begin the afternoon?

Churchill Downs will again offer three separate pools for its Kentucky Derby Future Wager this year but will scale back the Kentucky Oaks future wager to one pool, the company announced on Tuesday.

The pools for the Derby wager will be offered Feb 12-15, March 12-15, and April 2-5. The Kentucky Derby is scheduled for May 2 this year.

Jockey Jon Court plans to ride at the Oaklawn Park meet that opens Jan. 16, and the move could mean a year-round return to the Midwest for the rider, who is now based in Southern California.

"I would like to see it," Court said Tuesday. "I've got family there, and we do miss the Midwest. We got out here, got comfortable, came with a five-year goal, and achieved that.

"This is something we've been discussing over a period of time."

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - An Argentine restaurant named Las Brisas caters to a racetrack crowd on the oceanside boardwalk in nearby Hollywood, the most overt sign being the terrific memorabilia on the walls. Ken McPeek has taken notice of a photo from Gulfstream Park in 1999 that shows Lemon Drop Kid winning what appeared to be an everyday allowance race on a January afternoon.

Golden Gate Fields closed its Tapeta surface to training on Monday and Tuesday to perform routine maintenance, said the track's general manager, Robert Hartman.

Hartman said he had received complaints from some trainers of a recent increase in injuries while racing or training on the surface. One trainer, Bud Klokstad, said that three of his horses have been taken out of training because of injuries on the Tapeta since the meet opened Dec. 26, and that he didn't have any such injuries on the surface last year.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - When a 3-year-old puts together a three-race winning streak and/or registers an impressive speed figure he becomes fodder for Kentucky Derby discussion.

But the connections of Haynesfield - a 3-year-old who has three straight victories and one triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure - will let everybody else do the talking for now. As far as Derby discussions among themselves go, they claim none has taken place.

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., on Friday will lift its ban on shippers from Fair Grounds, Delta Downs, and Evangeline Downs that was established last month in response to a Fair Grounds-based horse testing positive for equine herpesvirus on Dec. 24.

There will, however, be special conditions in place for horses shipping into the stable area from south Louisiana, said David Longinotti, assistant general manager for racing at Oaklawn.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Ontrack attendance is up, but handle is down through the first nine days of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, track officials said Sunday.

Through Sunday, ontrack attendance was up 4 percent compared to the 2007-08 meeting, track president Ron Charles said. All-sources handle figures, including satellite and account-wagering sources, showed a decline of 8 or 9 percent, Charles said. Detailing the figures, Charles said that out-of-state handle was down 12 to 13 percent, and account wagering, through Internet and telephone sources, was down 7 percent.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Less than 24 hours after Notonthesamepage dominated the Spectacular Bid Stakes on Saturday's opening-day program, a decision has already been reached on where the speedy 3-year-old will start next. And, under the circumstances, the choice was really a no-brainer.

"He'll run in the Fountain of Youth," trainer Wesley Ward said Sunday morning.

STICKNEY, Ill. - Typically, it becomes more and more difficult for an allowance horse to win races as they rise through their conditions. That has not been the case with Hurta, who continues to come on strong - just as the Chicago racing season is coming to an end.