ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Who is worthy of the title of Canada's horse of the year for 2002?

That will be one of the more difficult decisions facing the Sovereign Award voters, who had received their ballots Wednesday and must have them filled out and returned by Friday.

The 69 voters, split almost evenly between Ontario and western Canada, will submit their three choices for horse of the year, for eight equine divisional titles, and for owner, trainer, jockey, apprentice jockey, breeder, and broodmare.

Anderson, Ind. - Apprentice jockey Rafael Bejarano continues to extend the apprentice record for wins in a season at Hoosier Park following his riding triple on Monday. He eclipsed Tommy Pompell's mark of 41 wins set in 1997 and has continued to win at a solid pace.

Hugh Robertson took sole possession of second-place in the trainer's standings by winning four races last Saturday. In addition to winning the featured Crafty Drone Stakes with the filly My Girl Lisa ($5.80), Robertson also saddled Bet on Joe ($4.60) to win the featured allowance. His other winners were 2-year-old Tyler's Jewel ($9.40) and Fearless Floyd ($6.40).

Michael Reavis retained a commanding lead atop the standings through Sunday's card with 14 winners, eight more than Robertson.

Robert Hindman of Grand Island, Neb., a long-time owner and breeder, died of pancreatic cancer at NHS Clarkson Hospital in Omaha on Nov. 12 at the age of 64.

Hindman raced more than 120 horses alone or in partnerships under the names Long Shot Stables and Grand Island Racing Stables. Hindman moved to Grand Island in 1968 and began his career in racing in 1974 by winning with Patois, who was his first runner.

Deshawn Parker had to settle for second-best behind Dana Whitney in the jockey standings at Mountaineer Park's summer meet, but it looks like Parker is on his way to winning the first riding title of his career this fall.

Parker rode 10 winners last week to extend his lead to 11 over Whitney at the current meet. Parker has teamed with leading trainer Gary Johnson for 11 wins at the fall meet. Parker has also won 11 races for trainer Michael Pappada.

The first stakes of Sunland's winter-spring meet is the $50,000-added Princess on Friday, a six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. The field of 10 mixes untested youngsters who have won maiden races impressively with several stakes winners.

Steve Asmussen sends owner Steven Baker's Kentucky shipper Valid Pulpit, who hasn't won a stakes but still has the highest earnings in the field at almost $50,000. In eight career starts she has a win and four seconds. Most recently, she was runner-up in an allowance at Churchill.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - It has been 363 days since Ubiquity pulled off his stunning upset in the Grade 2 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs. It has been even longer since Balto Star won a race on dirt.

Yet, these two horses will be the central figures in a $58,000 allowance race Thursday, which serves as Aqueduct's feature. The nine-furlong race, which could yield a starter or two for next month's $100,000 Queens County Handicap, drew a field of seven.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Del Carroll believes there was more than one injustice during Breeders' Cup weekend in Chicago.

On the day before the Breeders' Cup - and the now infamous pick six scandal - Carroll sent out Tap the Admiral in the $100,000 John Henry Handicap at Arlington Park. Though Tap the Admiral finished first, he was disqualified for alleged interference in the stretch with Riddlestown. The call was questioned by many observers who felt that Riddlestown initiated the contact.

HOUSTON - Leo's Last Hurrahy, who successfully mastered two turns Saturday night with a convincing win against open company in the $150,000 Sam Houston Texan Juvenile, will skip the inaugural running of the $275,000 Great State Challenge Juvenile at Sam Houston on Dec. 7. Instead, Leo's Last Hurrahy will be freshened for a 3-year-old campaign at Fair Grounds that his connections hope will include the Grade 2, $750,000 Louisiana Derby on March 9.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - John T. Ward Jr. did not necessarily expect Booklet to win the feature race Tuesday at Churchill Downs. After all, "you can only train a horse so much" following a six-month layoff, said Ward.

So after Booklet led most of the way to win the $52,025 feature, Ward and his wife, Donna, were all smiles. Booklet, ridden by Pat Day, dug in to turn back Dash for Daylight, then Rock Slide, to prevail in his first start since finishing 12th in the May 18 Preakness. He paid $4.20 as favorite.

"I liked the way he pinned his ears," said Donna Ward.