Because of an oversight by officials at Delta Downs, Mr. Jester carried two fewer pounds than he should have under the conditions of the race in his victory in the $1 million Delta Jackpot for 2-year-olds on Dec. 5.
Mr. Jester won the 1 1/16-mile race under the weight he was assigned, 115 pounds, but he should have carried 117.
"It was missed," said Chris Warren, director of racing and simulcasting at Delta, in Vinton, La.
Daryl Wells, Woodbine's race caller from 1956 to 1986, died on Friday night of heart disease, He was 81.
Wells, who lived in Lewiston, N.Y., was a native of Victoria, British Columbia. In the 1940's, he moved to Hamilton, Ontario, where he worked in television and radio until Woodbine opened in 1956. His most famous call was the 1973 Canadian International, which was won by the great Secretariat in the final start of his career.
Wells is survived by his wife, Marian, and children Wendy, Dana, and Daryl Jr., who is the race caller at Fort Erie.
Journey Fever ($7) wore down Defuhr in the final furlong to win the $111,175 Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante for Illinois-bred 2-year-old fillies by a length. Longshot Zitlaly closed late for third nearly 11 lengths behind Defuhr.
Journey Fever covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.29. It was Journey Fever's first stakes win, and more than doubled her career earnings to over $131,000.
MIAMI - Gulfstream Park's 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 17 will likely be the next step for Second of June following his impressive victory in last Saturday's $100,000 What a Pleasure Stakes at Calder.
Second of June rallied from just off the pace to register a five-length win over Twice as Bad in the What a Pleasure. Silver Wagon finished another neck back in third while making his first start since winning the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga on Aug. 30.
ALBANY, Calif. - After more than three years, the long-promised equine hospital is a reality at Golden Gate Fields.
"We have a state-of-the-art facility," said F. Jack Liebau, president and general manager of Golden Gate Fields. "I think it will be a big benefit to northern California. It was well worth the wait. We appreciate everyone's patience."
There were delays in building the hospital, which was originally slated to be part of the barn area, which sits in the Berkeley city limits. Berkeley's restrictive building codes would not allow for construction there.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Valentine Dancer outfinished two game rivals in Super High and Cee's Valley Girl to win Sunday's $105,300 Cat's Cradle Handicap for California-breds at Hollywood Park.
The victory marked the second stakes win this fall for Valentine Dancer, who beat 3-year-old fillies in the Ramser Handicap on turf at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting in October.
The Cat's Cradle was Valentine Dancer's first stakes win against older fillies and mares.
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - Paul Jones, the nation's leading Quarter Horse trainer by money won, pulled upsets in the two richest races at Los Alamitos over the weekend, winning Friday's $1,367,650 Los Alamitos Million in the stewards' room with A Regal Choice and Saturday's $500,000 Champion of Champions with surprise winner The Down Side.
On Sunday, Heros Call, a Quarter Horse sired by the Thoroughbred Grand Slam, scored a convincing win for trainer Laura Pinelli in the $175,000 Marathon National at 870 yards.
ALBANY, Calif. - Jockey David Lopez suffered a mild concussion and was taken to Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley for a precautionary CT scan after falling when his mount, Italian Bar Road, propped badly in the lane in Sunday's seventh race at Golden Gate Fields.
OZONE PARK, NY - Sunday's nine-race card at Aqueduct was canceled due to a snowstorm. The track was closed for both live racing and simulcasting.
Track officials said Sunday's card, including the $75,000 Damon Runyon Stakes for New York bred juveniles, will be brought back and run on Wednesday.
The New York Racing Association has had to cancel parts or all of four racing cards since the inner track opened on Dec. 3. Two other cards in November were canceled due to high winds.