LOUISVILLE, Ky. - John Veitch, who earned widespread fame as the trainer of Alydar in the late 1970's and who has worked in a variety of capacities in the racing industry since then, will begin a new career as chief steward for the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority when Ellis Park opens its summer meet Wednesday in Henderson, Ky.
Veitch, 60, said he has "always respected and admired the people in the stewards' stand, so it pleases me very much to have made it to this level."
CHICAGO - Asked to do something different, Straight Line failed and Smoke Smoke Smoke succeeded, but it is Straight Line who may quickly swing back into action, while Smoke Smoke Smoke will slow down, or even stop, during the rest of the racing season.
The two 3-year-olds both shipped out of Arlington last weekend for stakes races, with Straight Line in a far more prominent spot. Sent off the 5-2 second choice in the Ohio Derby, he pressed the pace and took the lead, but failed to stay the 1 1/8 miles and tired to fifth.
PLEASANTON, Calif. - An old pro and an up-and-comer head the field for Friday's feature at the Alameda County Fair.
Palmeiro, a 7-year-old stakes winner, has seen better days. But he's going in good form right now as he runs for a tag in the $25,000 optional claimer at one mile and 70 yards.
Callfire, 4, seeks his second career victory as he runs without a tag under the first-level allowance conditions of the race.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - With few of the 10 entrants having experience on the grass, Friday's $32,500 allowance feature, for Louisiana-breds at five furlongs on turf, could produce some interesting results.
is likely to be favored off the strength of a second-place performance at a similar distance over the Fair Grounds turf course earlier this year. Carson Coded led most the way before being outfinished by Sidebuster, who went on to win his next start.
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan - Both scheduled cards last weekend at Marquis Downs were scrapped due to heavy recent rainfall that caused a 25-foot-long hole in the track near the finish line.
The track began work on the surface on Monday. The two lost days are likely to be made up as Thursday night cards on the last two weekends of the meet.
Live racing is scheduled to resume Friday night with the feature being the $6,000 Saskatoon Handicap, originally scheduled for Canada Day, with seven 3-year-olds competing over six furlongs.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Cesario was not the only filly who made a splash on turf over the holiday weekend. Victory Lap earned a Beyer Figure of 105 for her 14 1/4-length romp in Saturday's $100,000 , her fifth straight victory. The Beyer matched the number earned by Cesario in the Grade 1, $750,000 American Oaks at Hollywood Park.
It has been two weeks since racing resumed at Evangeline Downs following extensive work on the track surface, and the reviews are starting to come in. The cushion, which jockeys claimed was inconsistent, was evened out, and that seems to have corrected the problem.
"It was really uneven in places before," said jockey Michael Wright. "Some spots were really deep, and others were as hard as cement.
"They made some real progress. The former surface seemed to be especially bad from the three path to the five lane, but they have fixed that. It also seems to be rather honest."
The seemingly annual deadlock over Minnesota's budget at the state capitol has resulted in a temporary shutdown of non-essential state services and has left Canterbury Park officials hopeful that the track's racino proposal will come to fruition. Leading members of the Minnesota House and Senate have been negotiating with Gov. Tim Pawlenty, but Democratic Party members, led by Sen. Dean Johnson, still oppose the racino.
Old Man's Delite captured Nebraska's longest race last Sunday, when he won the State Fair Marathon Series finale by 3 1/2 lengths, his first win of the year. Claimed for $2,500 by Steve Hall at Fonner Park this spring, Old Man's Delite won Sunday's two-mile endurance test, run under starter handicap conditions, after finishing second and third in shorter legs of the series. His last out came in the 1 3/8-mile leg, where he tired to last. He was up to the task Sunday, finishing in 3:29.40, the second-fastest time ever recorded for the distance here.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Late-runner Give Faith will try to mow down the speed in Friday's Woodbine feature, a $62,800 first-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up.
Give Faith has a decided edge in the Beyer Figure department in this 6 1/2-furlong sprint. He didn't win until his 10th start here Nov. 14, after which he spent the winter at Aqueduct with trainer Gary Contessa.
