ELMONT, N.Y. - Handicappers may have viewed Indian Hawke as a suspicious drop-down when he showed up in a $30,000 claiming race at Saratoga after not racing in four months. But there were four parties interested in taking a $30,000 gamble and each put in a claim for the 4-year-old gelding.

STICKNEY, Ill. - Lyndie Wade, age 16, was galloping horses and dreaming of becoming a jockey last year at Louisiana Downs when another teenager, name of Joe Talamo, began winning races in bunches there.

"He won about 30 races at Shreveport, and I was like, 'Man, I want to be like that kid,'" Wade said.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Santa Anita officials found no faults in the Cushion Track surface during an inspection and extensive renovation on Monday and Tuesday, which followed the cancellation of training on Saturday because of poor drainage after overnight rain.

Track president Ron Charles said additional inspections of the surface will take place on Monday and after the conclusion of the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting on Nov. 4.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Keeneland customers love their traditions, one of which is seeing familiar faces aboard stakes winners. Through the years, jockeys named Brumfield, Day, and Sellers frequently won the biggest races, while in more recent years it has been Albarado, Prado, Leparoux, and Bejarano who tend to fare best.

But as the 17-day Keeneland fall meet passed the midway point Wednesday, the leading stakes jockey was none of the above.

As a college student, Jan Haynes would make regular trips to Louisiana Downs to play the horses. Now, she owns some of the quickest ones at the track. Haynes has a 38-horse stable that long ago locked up this year's owner title at Louisiana Downs, which closes its meet Saturday.

The title will be the first for Haynes, a wife, mother, real estate investor, and former nurse who claimed her initial horse in 2000. She has built a formidable barn since then, and her 60 wins from 215 starters so far this year rank her 17th among all owners in wins in North America.

Carters Cartel gets back on the path to chasing the $1 million Los Alamitos Cash Bonanza when he starts in the trials to the Grade 1, $1,157,700 Golden State Million on Friday night at Los Alamitos.

The Los Alamitos Cash Bonanza goes to the connections of a horse who can win the Grade 1 Ed Burke Memorial Futurity, the Golden State Million, and the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million on Dec. 14.

Kettleoneup overcame an outside post position and a dawdling pace to capture Tuesday night's $75,000 Autumn Leaves Stakes for fillies and mares at Mountaineer Race Track.

A 4-year-old daughter of Victory Gallop based at Churchill Downs with trainer Michael Tomlinson, Kettleoneup ($4.40) erased a three-length deficit in the final furlong of the 1 1/16-mile race to defeat 8-5 second choice Plaid by a half-length.

Trainer Chris Englehart and his son Jeremiah appear to have the two strongest candidates for horse of the year honors at Finger Lakes.

Sly Diamond Jim, unbeaten in six starts locally since coming to Chris Englehart's barn in late spring, and the older mare Hoosick Falls, a two-time stakes winner since coming under Jeremiah Englehart's care, are among six nominees for the award announced this week.

Sly Diamond Jim, a 4-year-old colt, has won at distances ranging from 5 1/2 furlongs to a mile and 70 yards while reeling off six consecutive wins in the allowance ranks.

Apparently, the 9-year-old Barron H isn't ready to retire any time soon. The veteran warrior registered his 18th victory in 70 starts in the fourth race at Turf Paradise last Friday.

Ridden by Chris Landeros for trainer Troy Bainum, the favored Barron H ($3.60) won in a hand ride by six lengths, covering the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.98.

"He's an old trooper and his record speaks for itself," Landeros said. "He just galloped for the fun of winning."

In addition to all those wins, Barron H has 17 seconds and 10 thirds, and has earnings of $383,318.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Ask and Honolulu, the first- and third-place finishers in the Cumberland Lodge at Ascot in England on Sept. 30, will renew their rivalry on this side of the Atlantic in Sunday's Grade 1, $2 million Canadian International at Woodbine.

Ask won the Cumberland Lodge, a Group 3 stakes run over 1 1/2 miles of good-to-soft going, by two lengths, with Honolulu beaten three-quarters of a length for second.

And while both colts should be well backed in Sunday's Canadian International over 1 1/2 miles of turf, it is Ask who should receive the most support.