Evangeline Downs may have lost its traditional closing-night Labor Day program to Hurricane Gustav, but the meeting posted all-time highs in average nightly handle, single-night handle, average field size, and purse distribution.

Handle for the 84-night meeting averaged $1.73 million, an increase of more than 3 percent from last year's record. Included in the total handle was the $2,444,675 bet on the evening of May 3, the date of this year's Kentucky Derby. That figure is the most money ever wagered here on a single program at the track.

Ellis Park officials said they were pleased with business at the 39-day meet that ended Monday despite a slight decline in daily all-sources handle.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - The long-standing tradition for the winning connections of the Puss N Boots Cup continued last Monday as trainer Tony Alderson and jockey Eldridge Lindsay jumped into the infield lake for a refreshing dip after 9-year-old Sandspit came home in front in the 1 1/16-mile turf event.

The race was named after the gelding Puss N Boots, who veered off the track and plunged into the lake during a race here in 1961.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Down to two horses and nearly out of the game, John Campo Jr. has apparently found a fresh start as he's become a private trainer for Paraneck Stable. Campo began working for Paraneck last month and ran his first horse for that outfit Friday when Run From Hell, a 57-1 shot, finished third in the ninth race at Belmont Park.

The $150,000 Sunday Silence for 2-year-olds at Louisiana Downs on Sept. 20 picked up a major player on Friday when trainer Mike Maker said Night Action is being pointed for the 1 1/16-mile turf race. Night Action won the $200,000 Cradle Stakes at River Downs in his last start Sept. 1, and will attempt to give Maker his second straight win in the Sunday Silence. The trainer took the race last year with Cherokee Triangle.

AUBURN, Wash. - Larry Pierce, who will be inducted into the Washington Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame on Sept. 14, recalled the day in 1964 when he began riding at Exhibition Park in British Columbia as the contract apprentice for brother trainers Roy, Troy, and J.D. Taylor.

Pierce had ridden at Northwest bush tracks the year before and he also rode briefly at Turf Paradise, but he felt his Exhibition Park debut marked the beginning of his successful career.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Cloudy's Knight was the toast of the town last fall after recording his first Grade 1 victory at the advanced age of 7 here at Woodbine in the Canadian International.

But the current version of Cloudy's Knight, who will run in Sunday's Grade 1, $750,000 Northern Dancer, seems to be a far cry from the horse whose career campaign also included a win here in the Grade 2 Sky Classic and a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Nijinsky en route to a Sovereign Award as Canada's outstanding turf horse.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Until recently, British Columbia had been immune to the economic downturn in North America the past couple of years. With commodity prices going in the tank, however, and the Vancouver real estate market starting to head south, it appears the local economy could be headed for hard times. Also, horse sales across North America have mostly been soft, and the recent sale in Washington was a disaster with more than 43 percent of the horses being bought back.

The Chris McCarron influence is starting to take hold at American racetracks. A second graduate of the North American Racing Academy won a parimutuel race when Michael James captured the first race Thursday night at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

McCarron, the retired Hall of Fame jockey who founded and oversees NARA in Lexington, Ky., was on hand when James, 22, guided Lady Phoenix to a neck victory in just his third career mount.

"I'm very proud of him, very excited to see the hard work we've put into the school coming to fruition," McCarron said.

MIAMI - Yesbyjimminy has won three straight races, earned triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in his last two starts, and dominated the Major Moran overnight stakes last month, so it was surprising to see him still hanging around town instead of looking for greener and more lucrative pastures up north.