Nominations for the 72nd running of the Grade 2, $300,000 Ohio Derby don't close until May 23, but there already has been a strong response from trainers, according to Bill Couch, director for racing and racing secretary at Thistledown. Couch said he has five possibles for the June 2 derby, including two starters from the Kentucky Derby - fifth-place finisher Sedgefield, trained by Darrin Miller, and the Doug O'Neill-trained Liquidity.

A show of horsemanship skills, a charity event, and a T-shirt give away highlight the Mother's Day weekend at River Downs.

The 19th annual performance of the Cincinnati Theraputic Riding and Horsemanship program - formerly the Cincinnati Riding for the Handicapped - takes place 11 a.m. Saturday in the paddock. The program is a nonprofit organization serving local children and adults with disabilities in a comprehensive recreational and theraputic horseback riding program.

One longshot can go a long ways at Prairie Meadows. Fergies Our Man won Monday's fifth race at 21-1 and keyed the biggest pick four payoff in Prairie Meadows history. One winning ticket collected the entire pool of $12,348.65. The other winning horses in the bet were On Track in the second race at 7-1, Ruby's Red Socks in the third at 9-2, and Dicey Cat in the fourth race at 2-1. The previous pick four record was $5,040.90, set in 2005.

Great Lakes Downs raised the curtain last Saturday on what may be the last act in its nine-year drama. Magna Entertainment, which operates the western Michigan oval, has said it probably will not open the facility in 2008. The live races started after the Kentucky Derby simulcast in front of the largest Derby crowd ever at the track. Many stayed around for the eight-race opener.

Fairmount Park

Jockey Joe Patin has returned to riding after a lengthy suspension by the Louisiana State Racing Commission for a violation of its substance abuse policy. His suspension began in October 1999 and the commission reinstated his license in late April.

Patin won with his first mount back at April 25 at Evangeline aboard Mr Forestrey.

"I can't describe the feeling," Patin said. "To be away for so long and win with my first mount back, I'm overwhelmed."

The 2-year-old Quarter Horse filly First Dashin Bye set a track record for 330 yards at Delta Downs on Saturday night when she ran the distance in 16.52 seconds to capture the $210,000 Louisiana Lassie Futurity. The race is a restricted Grade 2. First Dashin Bye earned a speed index of 104.

The second leg of Nebraska's racing season opens Friday as Lincoln State Fair begins a 37-day meet that runs through July 15.

Racing is conducted on a Friday through Sunday basis in May, then shifts to a Thursday through Sunday schedule beginning June 7. Additional racing days include Memorial Day on May 28 and Wednesday, July 4. Post time is 6:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays and holidays. The Saturday night post will be a shift from last year when the track raced during the afternoon.

CHICAGO - Lewis Michael is known for being the older full brother to 2-year-old filly champion Dreaming of Anna as much as for his accomplishments as a racehorse in his own right. That's partly because Lewis Michael always seems to have encountered one very sharp rival when he has stepped into graded stakes races, but in his next start, Lewis Michael could turn out to be the one to beat.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Although Saturday was not a banner day for any of the four California-based 3-year-olds that ran in the Kentucky Derby, two - Tiago (seventh) and Great Hunter (13th) - might rejoin the Triple Crown trail for the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

The California contingent, which also included Liquidity (14th) and Stormello (19th), returned Monday to its home base at Hollywood Park, and early indications are all four came out of the Derby in good shape.