TORONTO, Ontario - Headed by the Grade 3 Canadian Derby on Aug. 24, a 32-race stakes schedule worth a record $1,625,000 will be offered at Northlands Park in Edmonton, Alberta, this year.

The total stakes money available over the 68-day meeting, which runs from June 21 through Oct. 19, represents an increase of almost 18 percent over last year's stakes program.

Alan Bott, racing secretary at Northlands, said revenues from the province's slot machine program provided the money for the stakes increases.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Trainer Gary Johnson notched his 21st local training title April 29 when he sent out 12 winners from 92 starters to win the Summit meet, the first of four meets to be held at Thistledown this year. Johnson's title tied him with Shirley Girten for having led the trainer standings the most times at Thistledown.

Penn National-based trainer Todd Beattie has a knack for developing young horses.

Several years ago, Beattie had Fiesty Countess, a multiple stakes-winning filly that he sold for a price in the mid-six figures. Last season, owner Tom McClay's Beau Surprise won 8 of 11 starts, including five stakes, under Beattie's guidance.

McClay and Beattie also have Osway, winner of the $71,000 Pennsylvania Futurity last fall and the favorite in Friday night's $30,000-added Danzig Stakes at Penn National.

Jeanies Rob much prefers six furlongs, but the 6-year-old horse easily adapted to a shorter distance when he rallied behind a fast pace to win last Saturday's first stakes of the season at Mountaineer Park, the $75,000 Panhandle Handicap.

Trained by Alan Sobol and ridden by Luis Gonzalez, Jeanies Bob ($9.20) covered five furlongs in 58.07 seconds and earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

By winning for the 12th time in 33 lifetime starts, Jeanies Rob surpassed $320,000 in earnings.

MUSKEGON, MICH. - Less than two weeks into the fourth season of racing at Great Lakes Downs, two riders are dominating the standings. Last year's champion, Terry Houghton is tied with the 2000 top jockey, Freddie Mata, with 10 wins each. Mata, with 42 mounts, six fewer than Houghton, visited the winner's circle five times Saturday evening.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Jockey Dan Beck escaped serious injury Sunday in a mishap in the starting gate as the field loaded for the seventh race at Fonner Park.

His mount, Mission North, became unruly and launched Beck into the adjoining stall. He was taken from the track by ambulance and held at a local hospital overnight for observation while complaining of difficulty breathing. Beck will miss the track's closing weekend but is expected to ready for next Friday's opening weekend at Lincoln's State Fair Park.

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Carmelo Mendoza, who for several years was assistant to trainer Ronnie Ward at Fairmount Park, struck out on his own this season and is off to a rousing start, winning with six of his first 24 starters here. Last Friday, Mendoza had two winners at Sportsman's Park before adding another one at Fairmount that evening.

LAFAYETTE, La. - Ricky Faul rode seven winners during a four-day race week that concluded Monday night and now finds himself atop the rider standings at Evangeline Downs with 19 victories.

C.J. Woodley, in front for most of the meet, continues to be selective in the number of mounts he accepts and is now tied for second with 17 victories while winning at a more than 20 percent clip. Jamie Theriot was aboard six winners last week and also has 17 victories.

Remington Park in Oklahoma City has made adjustments to its two richest Thoroughbred stakes, the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby and DeBartolo Memorial Breeders' Cup Handicap, for its upcoming meet that runs 76 days, from Aug. 10 to Dec. 23.

The purse for the Oklahoma Derby has been reduced from $300,000 to $250,000, but it will be an added money race this year. So if 10 horses were to start, for example, the purse would swell back up to $300,000. The 1 1/8-mile race is scheduled for Aug. 25.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It was a long time coming but owner George Farr now has plenty to celebrate after Gonetofarr, trained by Reade Baker, gave him his first stakes win at Woodbine in last Sunday's Fury.

And while the winner's share of $98,100 was nice enough in its own right, Farr can dream of an even bigger payday in the $500,000 Labatt Woodbine Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies here June 8.