FORT ERIE, Ont. - For the second consecutive year, Fort Erie had significant gains in both ontrack and offtrack mutuel handle. The 116-day season ended Tuesday.
Ontrack wagering totaled $20,212,100, up 11 percent from last year's $18,303,198. There was $73,540,917 bet offtrack, a 28 percent jump from $57,684,820.
Last year, the first full season 1,200 slot machines were in place at the track, wagering had increased 9 percent ontrack and 37 percent offtrack.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - With many horsemen having their stall allotments cut in south Florida or deciding to ship elsewhere this winter, a cloud of uncertainty is hanging over Gulfstream Park as it prepares to open its meet on Jan. 3.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Mike Bell, the trainer who worked closely with the legendary Ruffian as Frank Whiteley's assistant, is dispersing his stable this winter to work with 2-year-olds in Camden, S.C.
Bell, whose old-school methods long ago earned him the admiration of many of his backstretch colleagues, said Friday at his Churchill Downs barn that he will work with about a dozen 2-year-olds at the Camden Training Center instead of maintaining a string of horses at his customary winter base at the Fair Grounds.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Last month, trainer Ben Feliciano Jr. had the option of shipping his talented sprinter Sassy Hound to New York for the Sport Page Handicap or staying home in Maryland to run in the Lite the Fuse.
He chose to stay in Maryland. It proved to be a mistake when, a few jumps out of the gate, Sassy Hound stumbled, spotting Disco Rico several lengths, and Sassy Hound ended up finishing third.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Manndar, who fractured the sesamoid bones in his left front ankle in a workout at Hollywood Park on Thursday morning, is scheduled to have surgery to fuse the joint on Monday, according to Manndar's trainer, Beau Greely.
"It will be fused together. Some screws will be put in," Greely said.
The surgery will be performed by Dr. C. Wayne McIlwraith, one of the nation's most respected surgeons, at his clinic in Cypress, Calif. "We're lucky that he's in town this week," Greely said.
GROVE CITY, Ohio - All eyes will be on Watch Me Fire when he heads a field of seven Ohio-accredited 2-year-olds in the $40,000 1 1/16-mile Ohio Freshman Stakes at Beulah Park on Sunday.
Watch Me Fire most recently finished second after setting a hot pace as the 6-5 favorite in the $75,000 Best of Ohio Juvenile Championship at Sunday's distance on Oct. 8. Trained by Bill Napier, he has a record of 2-2-0 from eight starts, including a victory in the Loyalty Stakes at Thistledown in August.
Voladora, a career winner of $546,622 who has spent much of the past three years ruling the Oklahoma filly and mare division, is expected to make the final start of her career in the $40,000 Ada Handicap at Remington Park in Oklahoma City on Sunday.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - While Ahead by a Century has made all of her 36 career starts here at Woodbine, she has taken a circuitous route to Sunday's Bessarabian Handicap.
Last week, Ahead by a Century was on the auction block at Keeneland, where she fetched $182,000 for her owner, Frank DiGiulio.
The buyer was Jeff Begg, of Ontario-based Windways Farm, and since Ahead by a Century had been nominated to the Bessarabian, she has found herself back at Woodbine with new trainer Malcolm Pierce and will make what probably will be her final start in the Grade 3 Bessarabian.
ALBANY, Calif. - Fancee Bargain comes off two second-place finishes in similar races and should be the favorite in Sunday's featured eighth race at Golden Gate. The one-mile first-level allowance race for fillies and mares drew a field of seven and will offer a purse of $32,000.
Fancee Bargain, trained by Art Sherman, was the 8-5 favorite last out on Oct. 31 at Bay Meadows. She sat just off the early pace in that mile race and rallied to finish behind Demo Memo. Her prior start came in September at Bay Meadows.
MIAMI - Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. had designs on next week's Grade 1 Cigar Mile for his handicap star Best of the Rest. Instead, he made a last-minute decision to forego the trip to New York and stay home for Sunday's $35,000 King Rex Handicap at Calder. The 1 1/8-mile King Rex drew a field of six older handicap runners.