MUSKEGON, Mich. - Jockey Terry Houghton, hospitalized a year ago with a serious concussion, is back in the saddle, at least in the mornings, at Great Lakes Downs. The veteran rider has been exercising mounts with an eye toward a return to competition in the near future.
"I'm just going to see how it's going, but I feel great," Houghton said Wednesday morning from his Hazel Park, Mich., home. "I'm playing it by ear right now.
"I got on eight one day," Houghton said. "I've worked six so far."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Atto Mile, which has attracted some talented European invaders since being launched in 1997, will be without an overseas representative this year.
A total of 10 Europeans, including five from the stable of trainer Aidan O'Brien, were among the 44 nominees to the Grade 1 Atto Mile, a $1 million turf race for 3-year-olds and up here Sept. 14.
Up until Wednesday morning, Woodbine officials had been hopeful that Domedriver, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Mile at Arlington Park, would be the marquee name in this year's Atto Mile.
MIAMI - Seven weeks ago Silver Wagon departed south Florida for Saratoga with little fanfare, an unheralded maiden who finished second in his only start. On Thursday, the son of Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Wagon Limit returned home here at Calder as the toast of the backstretch and one of the top-ranked 2-year-olds in the country, following his victory over the previously undefeated Chapel Royal in Saturday's Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga.
Miss Photogenic will be trying to keep up appearances when she goes for her third consecutive win in the 11th race Friday at Louisiana Downs. An overnight handicap for fillies and mares, the race will be run over 6 1/2 furlongs and carries a purse of $32,000.
Miss Photogenic started her streak July 18 with a front-running win in a money allowance. She returned Aug. 2 and used stalking tactics to win another money allowance. In both races, Miss Photogenic went off at odds of more than 6-1.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The blue Godolphin signs are still prominently displayed at trainer Eoin Harty's Arlington barn, but this is a different Godolphin operation than the one that first came to Arlington in 2001.
For starters, the horses do not even run for Godolphin any more: They start in the name of Darley, a sort of proving ground for Godolphin horses. And the Darley horses have run more this year - and won more this year - than during Godolphin's first two seasons at Arlington.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Printemps is in the twilight of a successful North American campaign. Two other Group 1-winning imports from South America, Eclipse de Luna and Kiana, are about to start their second acts. Those three, along with graded stakes performers Adoration, Rhiana, and Royally Chosen, make Thursday's featured $75,000 Piedra Foundation Stakes a significant cut above the usual weekday offerings at Del Mar.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Now that Gary Stevens can breath easier, it's time to come back to the races. Tuesday morning at Del Mar, Stevens said he was going to begin riding again on Friday, less than three weeks after being injured in a terrifying accident in the Arlington Million.
Stevens thought he would be out for about a month after being injured, but was not surprised he is ready to come back sooner. He has been injured often enough to know he comes back faster than expected.
"Usually with a jock when they say it's four weeks, it's two," Stevens said.
DEL MAR, Calif. - It wasn't the competition nor the distance that concerned trainer Darrell Vienna. All he wanted for Joey Franco was an outside draw for Monday's $250,000 Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap. When Joey Franco landed post 6 for the Grade 2 race, Vienna was elated. "I was so happy with the draw, because it's hard to get trapped," he said.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The steady stream of horse vans returning to Belmont Park from Saratoga tied up traffic in the backstretch on Tuesday morning, but the scene on the main track and training track was much quieter.
Heavy rain kept horse traffic to a minimum on both tracks. Only one horse, the Neil Howard-trained Oneofacat, worked on the main track, which was listed as sloppy. No horses worked on the training track.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Canterbury Park's 2003 meeting concluded Monday with record gains in attendance and handle.
Ontrack live attendance was 302,771, up 14 percent from last year's attendance of 265,363. Daily average attendance was 4,806, a 10 percent increase over the previous year.
