Wallace Station captured the second leg of the $16,000 Don K Memorial Starter Handicap series for older horses on the turf Tuesday. The second leg of the five-race series was contested at 1 1/16 miles, which Wallace Station covered in 1:48.49 as the 2-1 second choice in the field of eight. He was ridden by Victor Lebron and returned $6.60.

Chip Hunter won his local debut and the 10th race of his career here in April and has now raced at all four of the state's tracks. On Friday, he will seek a repeat win in the evening's feature, a nonwinners-of-four or $30,000 optional claimer that drew a field of eight, including Gowden Mile and Welcome Back, the second- and third-place finishers behind Chip Hunter last month.

In a span of 24 hours, trainer Jerry Livingston and jockey Ry Eikleberry went from a heartbreaking loss to a triumphant victory.

In Saturday's 10th and final race, there were a few tense moments when Eikleberry was thrown from the Quarter Horse Brisco County Mounty in midrace. Trained by Livingston, Brisco County Mounty suffered an injury and was subsequently vanned off the course. Eikleberry lay motionless for nearly a minute before he recovered his wind and was helped to his feet.

Trainer Jon Arnett started where he left off last summer by winning nine races during the opening three-day weekend. The quick start included an impressive score by Vinny V. in Saturday's $20,000 Inaugural. Arnett is annually the top contender for leading trainer honors here, as his well-balanced stable of runners always arrives fit and ready.

* Trainer Tim Weeder, who campaigned in Oklahoma this spring, won the $15,000 Dash for Speed for Quarter Horses on Saturday with Chick Chasin Cowboy, who won the 330-yard dash by a half-length.

Catlaunch, the reigning Ohio-bred handicap horse of the year, will attempt to win his second straight Michael F. Rowland Memorial Handicap at Thistledown on Friday.

The $50,000 race honors the Thistledown riding champion who lost his life as a result of injuries suffered in a spill at Turfway Park in 2004.

Early in the week, trainer Graham Motion said he was running Independent George in the Sussex Stakes at Delaware Park on Wednesday as a prep for the $175,000 Presque Isle Mile on July 4. And a nice prep it was, as Independent George collared pacesetter Formal Decree a jump or two from the wire and won the $75,900 Sussex by a neck.

One year after the trainer Pete Anderson won the Ohio Derby with the only horse in his stable, Delightful Kiss, there is another feel-good story waiting to happen on the biggest afternoon of the season at Thistledown, just outside Cleveland.

Installed as the 2-1 favorite from post 1 at the Ohio Derby post position draw early Wednesday afternoon was Smooth Air, the pride and joy of 70-year-old trainer Bennie Stutts.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Santa Anita officials have canceled a plan to extensively water the track's synthetic surface this week in an attempt to simulate a severe rainstorm after being advised by Australian synthetic-track expert Ian Pearse to replace the asphalt base this summer in an effort to improve drainage.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After Ken McPeek took an indefinite leave of absence from training horses nearly two years ago, it would have been difficult for anyone to believe that his stable would come back as strongly as it has, as quickly as it has.

McPeek won with 17 of his first 38 starters this spring at Churchill Downs, making him the leading trainer as the 52-day meet nears its midpoint this weekend.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Storm Mesa put up the year's highest Beyer Speed Figure for a 3-year-old filly on Monday, when she earned a 108 for her win in the $100,000 Cinemine Stakes at Lone Star Park. She dominated by 13 1/2 lengths in her stakes debut, and covered the seven furlongs in a sharp 1:21.56.

"It was an extremely impressive race," said Bret Calhoun, who trains Storm Mesa for Richard L. Davis.