News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc. (TRC) (212.371.5911..)

SILVER CHARM BACK IN TRAINING

Silver Charm, winner of the first two legs of the Triple Crown, is back in 'light training,' according to trainer Bob Baffert. Silver Charm has not run since the June 7 Belmont Stakes and has not had a serious gallop since a five-furlong workout at Santa Anita on July 12. A low-grade infection was detected and Baffert put the colt on the shelf. He is aiming for a return in the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita. Silver Charm will make a public appearance at Del Mar. Sept. 1, as part of America's Day at the Races. The colt, along with other Del Mar favorites, will be paraded between races on the racetrack and in the paddock.

DIANE NELSON TO RECEIVE GOVERNOR'S AWARD

Jockey Diane Nelson will receive the 1997 Governor's Award as the Distinguished Woman in Racing. Libby Pataki, wife of New York Governor George Pataki, will present the award at a breakfast in the Executive Mansion, Friday, Aug. 22, at 9:30 a.m. The Women In Racing Breakfast was inaugurated in 1995 to acknowledge the influence that women have had and continue to have in racing. Nelson won five meet titles at Rockingham Park in Salem, N.H. before moving to New Jersey and then to New York.

BREEDERS' CUP PICK 6 ANNOUNCED

A Pick 6 and superfecta wagering are new for this year's Breeders' Cup Championship, to be run Nov. 8 at Hollywood Park. The Pick 6 will include the final six Breeders' Cup races (all but the Juvenile Fillies) and will be a $2 wager. One-dollar superfectas, in which the first four horses must be selected in the correct order, will be on the Sprint, Mile, Turf and Classic.

The seven Breeders' Cup races will be preceded by a Hollywood Park stakes races and followed by two more stakes. Post time for the first Breeders' Cup race, the Juvenile Fillies, is 1:55 p.m. (EST).

SINGSPIEL MUST BEAT GENTLEMEN TO BE THE BEST

European star Singspiel (IRE) must master America's best Gentlemen (ARG) before he can be crowned world champion, according to English handicapper Nigel Gray, who has weighted the pair equally at 131 pounds. 'I have put Singspiel up three pounds to 131,' said Gray. 'Singspiel beat Siphon a length and a quarter in the Dubai World Cup while Gentlemen beat the same horse by four lengths in June in the Hollywood Gold Cup over the same trip.

LADBROKE BUYS GOLDEN GATE FIELDS

Ladbroke Racing California, which runs Golden Gate Fields, in Albany, Calif., announced that a final agreement has been reached with Catellus Development Corporation to complete its purchase of the racetrack's 225-acre property. Major renovations, estimated at $15-$20 million are also planned. 'We believe that this investment speaks clearly of our commitment to live racing in California,' said John Long, president and COO of Ladbroke Racing Corporation. Future projects include restoration of aging barn facilities on the 56-year-old site, as well as major emphasis on making the facility a 24-hour simulcast location.

August 23, 1974: Frank Whiteley-trained Ruffian won the Spinaway Stakes by 13 lengths at Saratoga Racecourse, ending her two-year-old season with a 5-for-5 record. Ruffian was subsequently voted champion juvenile filly of 1974.

August 24, 1968: Carrying 134 pounds, Dr. Fager set the world record for a mile in the Washington Park Handicap at Arlington Park. The time for his 10-length victory was 1:32 1-5. The previous record was 1:32 3-5, set by three-year-old Buckpasser on June 25, 1966 at Arlington Park.

August 24, 1989: Jockey Larry Snyder won his 6,000th career race, aboard a filly named Speedski, in the first race at Louisiana Downs. Snyder was the sixth rider in history to accomplish that feat.

August 25, 1987: Julie Krone won her 1,000th career race, aboard Tiger Higgins in the second race at Monmouth Park.

August 26, 1953: A syndicate headed by Howard E. Booker of San Francisco,unveiled a proposal for an off-track betting system in New York. Booker's group, planning to use Western Union to compile off-track bets, sought to establish 139 betting offices, to be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

August 26, 1972: Secretariat won the Hopeful Stakes by five lengths at Saratoga Racecourse, for his second stakes win in as many tries.

August 27, 1953: The Thoroughbred Racing Associations denounced a plan for off-track betting in New York. John A. Morris, the TRA president, declared: 'Although it could mean increased profits for the race tracks, off-course betting would inevitably subordinate racing and bring on an adverse public reaction which would kill a traditionally great sport and an economically significant industry.'

August 28, 1988: After riding Precisionist in the Cabrillo Handicap at Del Mar Racetrack, 33-year-old Chris McCarron became the fifth and youngest jockey to surpass $100 million in career earnings.

August 29, 1987: Charlie Whittingham became the first trainer to surpass 500 stakes wins when he sent Ferdinand to victory in the Cabrillo Handicap at Del Mar Racetrack.

August 29, 1993: Laffit Pincay Jr., 46, became the second rider in North American racing history to ride 8,000 winners when he rode El Toreo to victory in the seventh race at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Bill Shoemaker was the first to hit 8,000, a feat he accomplished in 1981 at age 49.

Aug. 23, Racehorse Digest, 5:30-6:00 a.m., ESPN
Aug. 23, Racing to the Breeders' Cup, 4:30-5:30 p.m., ESPN
Travers Stakes, Saratoga
Aug. 24, Racing to the Breeders' Cup, 4:00-5:30 p.m., ESPN
Arlington Million, Arlington
Beverly D, Arlington
Aug. 27, Racehorse Digest, 3:30-4:00 p.m., ESPN
Aug. 28, Racehorse Digest, 3:00-3:30 a.m., ESPN
Aug. 30, Racehorse Digest, 5:30-6:00 a.m., ESPN
Aug. 31, 2Day at the Races, 6:30-7:00 p.m., ESPN2

King's Bishop Stakes, 3yo, $150,000, 7 Furlongs, Grade II, Saratoga
Tale of the Cat, who was fourth to Touch Gold, Free House and Anet in the Grade I Haskell Invitational Handicap in only his third career start, will take on Jim Dandy Stakes runner-up Glitman and Housebuster Stakes winner Captue the Gold.

Philip H. Iselin Handicap, 3&up, $250,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Grade II, Monmouth
Skip Away and Formal Gold meet for the fifth time this year in the Iselin, with each finishing ahead of the other twice. Other contenders include Distorted Humor and Wild Deputy, who finished first and second, respectively, in the July 26 Salvator Mile Handicap at Monmouth; and multiple graded stakes winner Pyramid Peak, sixth in the Whitney in his last start.

Travers Stakes, 3yo, $750,000, 1 1-4 Miles, Grade I, Saratoga
Awesome Again, winner of three straight races including the Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes and Canada's Queen's Plate, heads the field. Behrens, trained by H. James Bond, whose Will's Way won last year's Travers, was fourth in the Jim Dandy after winning all three of his career starts, including the Grade II Dwyer Stakes. Others entered include: Deputy Commander, second to Free House in the Grade II Swaps Stakes; Affirmed Success, third in the Jim Dandy; Affairwithpeaches; Blazing Sword; Cryptocloser; and Twin Spires.

El Joven Stakes, 2yo, $100,000, 7 1-2 Furlongs Turf, Retama

Miami Breeders' Cup Handicap, 3&up, $200,000, 1 1-8 Miles Turf, Calder

Osunitas Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $100,000, 1 1-16 Miles Turf, Del Mar

Arlington Million, 3&up, $1,000,000, 1 1-4 Miles Turf, Grade I, Arlington
The strongest turf race of the year is shaping up. Sandpit (BRZ) has not won since the Jan. 20 San Marcos Handicap but has a second and two thirds on the dirt to Gentlemen (ARG), Singspiel (IRE) and Siphon (BRZ), probably the three top horses in the world. Awad will be making his 65th start and is coming off of a win in the Grade I Sword Dancer Invitational at Saratoga. The late closer will be charging alongside Ops Smile, who took the Grade I Manhattan Handicap at Belmont two starts back. Allied Forces has been shuttling between Europe, Dubai and the U.S. but found time to win the Group 2 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17. He took a pair of Grade II races to end 1996, the jamaica handicap at Belmont and the Pegasus Breeders' Cup at The Meadowlands. Chief Bearhart was named Canada's top turf horse of 1996 and has two wins and two seconds in four starts this year, all in Grade III races. Geri was a Grade I winner on the dirt and scored a six-length win in his turf debut on June 14. He was second in the Grade I Caesars International Handicap, trying to chase a front-runner loose on the lead. Marlin won the Grade II Sunset Handicap on July 20 and won the Grade I San Juan Capistrano Handicap in April. Percutant (GB) was a group winner in France and was third to Marlin in the Sunset. Labeeb (GB) has been next-tol-last and last in his previous two starts but had four wins and a second in the five races before.

Beverly D Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $500,000, 1 3-16 Miles Turf, Grade I, Arlington
A strong field is shaping up for the Beverly D, with stakes winners from four countries expected to run. Lighly raced Group 1 winner Always Loyal is 3-for-4 lifetime with her only loss coming in her last race, the French Oaks. Dance Design (IRE) was Ireland's two-year-old champion in 1995 and is coming off three straight stakes wins. English champion Donna Viola (GB) has won half of her six U.S. starts and has won graded stakes in the U.S., Ireland, France and England. Escena's only turf start was a win in the Grade I Ramona Handicap, Aug. 2 at Del Mar, where Donna Viola was third. Maxzene is 8-for-12 on the turf and has won a pair of Grade II stakes in her last two starts. Memories of Silver was beaten by Maxzene in her last start but has been out of the money only once in eight career turf starts, the 1996 Breeders' Cup Mile.

Arlington Sprint Breeders' Cup Sprint, 3&up, $150,000, 6 Furlongs, Arlington

Secretariat Stakes, 3yo, $400,000, 1 1-4 Miles Turf, Grade I, Arlington

Del Mar Debutante, 2yo fillies, $250,000, 7 Furlongs, Grade II, Del Mar

Saratoga Cup Breeders' Cup Handicap, 3&up, $300,000, 1 1-4 Miles, Grade III, Saratoga