SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Mother Nature played the role of party pooper Wednesday as daylong rains dampened the mood on the 140th opening day at Saratoga.

The miserable conditions kept the crowd down to 18,127, compared with 30,052 who attended last year's opening day, run under pristine conditions. Wednesday, Saratoga's main track was labeled sloppy for all 10 races, and all five turf races were transferred to the main track. Last year, the main track was never labeled sloppy and only six races all meet long were moved from the turf to the dirt.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The first race on Thursday at Saratoga, a steeplechase event scheduled for 2 1/16 miles, has been canceled because of inclement weather that forced all of Wednesday's grass races off the turf, officials of the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday afternoon.

As a result, the Thursday card will begin with the originally scheduled second race, at its listed post time of 1:35 p.m. Eastern, followed by races 3 through 10, also with their original post times and numbers. Three turf races scheduled for Thursday will be run on the main track.

The Woodlands in Kansas City, Kan., will close its doors next month because the tax rate that has been established for its planned slots casino is too steep, according to the track's general manager, Jayme LaRocca.

The last day of greyhound racing and simulcast operations will be Aug. 23, and the Woodlands will not conduct its 26-day Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meet that was to open Sept. 20.

Fair Grounds has named Jason Boulet racing secretary at Fair Grounds beginning in September. Boulet has been racing secretary at Evangeline Downs since 2005.

Boulet, 39, has worked in horse racing since 1990, on the backstretch, in racing offices, and as a jockey agent. He worked at Fair Grounds from 2002-05 in various jobs, including racing secretary, just before Churchill Downs Inc.'s purchase of the track. He also served as assistant director of racing, stakes coordinator, and assistant racing secretary.

Total ontrack handle was up while all-sources handle was down at the recently concluded Belmont Park spring/summer meeting. With the cancellation of Sunday's final card, Belmont conducted 58 days of racing this year, compared with 59 cards in 2007.

Ontrack handle totaled $69,722,257 (for a daily average of $1,202,108), up 1.5 percent from the $68,718,518 (a daily average of $1,164,721) wagered in 2007.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - It seems the only thing hotter than the Louisiana weather these days is the stable of Brian House.

With a record of 8 wins from 24 starters, House entered this week in a tie for fifth in the trainer standings.

"Not bad considering the injuries we have had here this summer," House said Wednesday morning. "We have about 10 horses that are out right now, so we have been doing it with mostly second- and third-stringers."

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Trainer Toni Cloutier was relieved to see Ookashada win a $50,000 optional race going 1 1/16 miles last Sunday. It was the first win for Ookashada since the B.C. Cup Stellar's Jay on Aug. 6, 2007. It was also one of the most exciting races at Hastings all year, with the photo-finish camera separating Ookashada, Enforcement, and Seminole Brave.

Ookashada looked like he was going to finish out of the money at the top of the stretch, but with Mario Gutierrez aboard, he made a strong late move in the middle of the track and got up just in time.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Todd Pletcher will try to win the $1 million Haskell Invitational for a third straight year with a colt that consistently runs second.

Pletcher is pointing Atoned, owned by Cot Campbell's Dogwood Stable, toward the 3-year-old stakes that highlights the Monmouth Park meet on Aug. 3.

"I'm going to talk to Mr. Campbell again, but we spoke about it the other day and they are leaning towards running in the Haskell," Pletcher said Wednesday morning at Monmouth.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Jambalaya, whose comeback was put on hold recently, should be ready to resume training later next week.

A 6-year-old gelding who is trained by Catherine Day Phillips, Jambalaya last saw action when he won the Grade 1 Arlington Million last Aug. 11.

Sidelined by a deep bone bruise in his right front foot while preparing for an appearance in Belmont's Turf Classic Invitational, Jambalaya had a recurrence of that injury when he was training in Florida over the winter, and had just recorded his first breeze back here in June when a new problem surfaced.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - As a horse owner who lives within 20 miles of Saratoga Race Course, this time of year is always special to Roddy Valente.

"This is Christmas for me," Valente said on the eve of the opening of Saratoga's 140th season. "Six weeks of Christmas."