MUSKEGON, Mich. - Terry Houghton, who was was hit in the head by a trailing horse after his mount clipped heels and threw him to the ground Aug. 25, is at home with his family in Livonia after a stay at a Muskegon hospital.

"He's fine now, but the doctors aren't ready to release him to ride," said his father, Ronnie Houghton. "They're saying a couple of weeks or longer until he can come back."

Houghton was six wins off the pace of Russell Baze, the national leader, until the accident. He was still in second place through last Sunday with 256 wins, 23 behind Baze.

COLUMBUS, Neb. - Jockey Armando Martinez reached 1,000 career wins Saturday evening to top off a big weekend at the Columbus Races.

Martinez rode four winners last Friday night to reach 999 wins. In Saturday's last race, Martinez sent Oberlin Yankee to the front in the mile and 70-yard event. He opened up seven lengths in midstretch and coasted home 3 1/4 lengths in front to record win No. 1,000.

The win streak boosted Martinez to a 42-37 lead over Alex Granda in the rider standings as Columbus enters its final weekend of racing.

In just six months of operation, the slots casino at Delta Downs in Vinton, La., has helped the small track overhaul its racing program. The 80-night Thoroughbred meet, which runs from Nov. 7 to March 23, is proof of that as Delta will offer a record $2.5 million in stakes led by the $500,000 Delta Jackpot for 2-year-olds on Dec. 21.

Purse distribution will also be an all-time high of $160,000 a day.

Trainer Kenny Smith's stable has been doing well the last month at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., but he has not. Smith recently had his tonsils removed, and has been slowly regaining his health.

"I've lost 40 pounds," said the trainer, who was at the Keeneland sale Wednesday.

Despite the physical setback, Smith is in good spirits because of horses like Big Hubie, who came within a nose of winning his fourth straight race Sept. 2 when he was edged by Rebridled in the $50,000 Barksdale Handicap at Louisiana Downs.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Trainer Laura de Seroux penciled two major Arlington expeditions into her agenda this season. Astra already has been to town, finishing second Aug. 17 in the Beverly D., and Azeri has a date in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

But de Seroux also has a lesser-known horse for Arlington, Little Treasure, who on Wednesday was on her way here from de Seroux's Southern California base. Little Treasure starts as the likely favorite Saturday in the Grade 3 Pucker Up for 3-year-old turf fillies.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Tails of the Crypt, who breezed seven furlongs in 1:27.80 Wednesday morning at Woodbine, was slated to ship out Thursday for the Grade 2, $200,000 British Columbia Derby, to be run Sept. 21 at Hastings Park.

Trainer John Ross had been on the fence about the 1 1/8-mile B.C. Derby but decided to send Tails of the Crypt after watching the colt work impressively under regular rider Jake Barton on the training track.

Since he was switched to the turf after coming to Bill Mott's barn, Patrol has done very little wrong. In four starts this year, the 3-year-old Patrol has won three times, including a $75,000 stakes at Delaware Park.

He does have a couple flaws, however.

Patrol must break cleanly and avoid overexerting himself when he makes his first start in five weeks in Friday night's $100,000 Rushing Man Stakes at The Meadowlands.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Northern Won, trained by Ellen Jackson, could be the colt to beat in Friday's Bay Meadows feature, a six-furlong maiden race for 3-year-olds and up.

Jackson has had Northern Won at her Victory Rose Thoroughbreds in Vacaville, Calif., since the horse was 2 months old.

In addition to running a breeding operation that includes the stallion Simply Majestic, Jackson also breaks yearlings and helps prepare horses to race.

Northern Won ran third, beaten a neck, in his Aug. 28 debut at Sacramento. He surprised Jackson in one regard.

Fastest qualifier Struttin to Beduino looks to have found a good spot for his second 2002 stakes win in the Grade 2, $64,800 MBNA America Central Challenge at Prairie Meadows on Friday.

The winner of the 440-yard stakes for 3-year-old and older horses qualifies for the Grade 1, $300,000 MBNA America Challenge Championship at Lone Star Park on Nov. 2.

Struttin to Beduino, winner of the Grade 2 Eastex Handicap at Remington Park on April 6, was the fastest qualifier by the closest of times when he won his trial by a nose over the second-fastest qualifier, Let the Straw Fly.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Don Winfree has seen and done enough in 31 years of training racehorses that his instincts are his guide.

Some trainers might have been tempted to get a good horse like Tenpins back into action as soon as possible after he recovered from an illness following his last start in June, but Winfree trusts what his experience tells him. He is secure in the knowledge that giving Tenpins virtually the entire summer off might very well return dividends this fall.