ELMONT, N.Y. - The retirement of Invasor and the disappointing performance by Corinthian in Saturday's Grade 1 Suburban Handicap left the East Coast handicap division thirsting for a leader.

Martini anyone?

Dry Martini, making his first start for trainer Barclay Tagg, won Saturday's Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows by 1 3/4 lengths, running 1o1/8 miles in 1:48.40 and earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 107. It was the 4-year-old gelding's third consecutive victory and sixth from 14 career starts.

CHICAGO - Ramsey Zimmerman's heart might be at Arlington, but his name sits atop the jockey standings at Lone Star Park in Texas.

The purse for this fall's Grade 2 Fitz Dixon Cotillion Handicap has been raised by $250,000, making it worth $750,000, as part of a series of purse increases announced Monday by Philadelphia Park.

In addition to the Sept. 22 Dixon Cotillion, designed as prep for the Breeders' Cup, four other stakes on the 2007 calendar will also get purse boosts. The My Juliet receives a $150,000 hike to $300,000, while the Gallant Bob goes from $150,000 to $200,000. Both races are Sept. 29.

Proven Cure, the 13-year-old gelding who was being pointed for Wednesday night's $50,000 Lone Star Park Turf Sprint, was not entered in the race because he is ineligible to start.

According to the Texas Racing Act, a horse older than 12 may not start in the state unless he has won a race in the past 12 months. Proven Cure just missed fulfilling the requirement, with his last win having come on April 22, 2006, when he won an overnight turf sprint stakes at Lone Star.

Voters in Hancock County, W.Va., approved a measure Saturday that will allow Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort to operate casino-type table games such as poker, blackjack, and roulette.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Any possible doubts of whether True Metropolitan was capable of competing with the best of his class in Ontario had to be permanently put to rest by his performance in Sunday's Grade 3 Dominion Day here at Woodbine.

With jockey Todd Kabel in the irons, True Metropolitan led throughout the 1 1/4-mile Dominion Day and showed true grit in prevailing by a half-length over the invading Mustanfar.

The Ron Geary era begins at Ellis Park when the Henderson, Ky., track opens a 46-day meet Wednesday.

The first week of the Ellis meet coincides with the final five-day stretch of the spring meet at Churchill Downs, marking a rare dates overlap on the Kentucky circuit. Officials with both tracks have said they intend to start their races at intervals that will make it easy for simulcast players to watch and wager on both tracks.

AUBURN, Wash. - Wild Cycle stalked the pace from the outside through six furlongs in 1:11, moved to take command entering the stretch and drew clear to win Sunday's $45,000 Tacoma Handicap at Emerald Downs for 3-year-olds by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:35.20 for a mile. Call on Carson got up for second after a poor break, while Mulcahy closed for third in the field of six.

It was all Aidan O'Brien at the Curragh on Sunday as the master Irish trainer swept the first three places in Sunday's Irish Derby after taking the first two spots in the Railway Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. - It appears as if trainer Todd Pletcher's 2-year-old crop is as strong as ever as he won both juvenile stakes run at Belmont Park on Sunday. Jockey John Velazquez was aboard both winners.

Ready's Image, equipped with blinkers for the first time, rolled to a 7 3/4-length victor over longshot Izzy Speaking in the $110,600 Tremont for males. An hour earlier, Glacken's Gal won a three-way battle for the lead then fended off a challenge from odds-on favorite Dubit in the stretch to win the $109,300 Astoria for fillies by two lengths.