JERRY BAILEY SIGNS WITH TALENT AGENCY

Jerry Bailey has signed with Athletes and Artists, a New York-based talent firm that will represent the Hall of Fame jockey in all of his off-track business activities, including broadcasting, marketing and publishing. Bailey, the regular rider of superstar Cigar, has been an articulate spokesman for the racing industry and currently serves as president of the Jockeys' Guild of America. In addition to riding Cigar, Bailey won his second Kentucky Derby earlier this year aboard Grindstone and has won four of the past five Breeders' Cup Classics. In his 22-year career, Bailey has ridden the winners of more than $115 million.

KEENELAND SALES POST GAINS

The first three days of the 11-day Keeneland September Yearling Sales have posted big gains over the same period last year. So far a total of 816 horses have been sold for $88,081,800, an average of $107,943. Last year's figures for the same period, a total of 881 horses had been sold for $82,094,00, an average of $93,183. The sales topper thus far is a colt sired by Gone West that was purchased for $1.4 million. The sale concludes Sept. 19.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE TODAY AND PAT DAY MAKE

Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day and trainer Niall O'Callaghan will appear in promotional segments for NBC's Today Show. The segments were filmed Tuesday, Sept. 10 at Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky., and will air separately later this month or in early October during the morning news program. The Today Show, hosted by Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric, has an audience of approximately four million viewers.

CIRCUS CIRCUS BIDS TO PURCHASE PRAIRIE MEADOWS FOR $400 MILLION

Circus Circus Enterprises, the Las Vegas-based gaming company, unveiled a proposal to purchase Prairie Meadows Racetrack in Altoona, Iowa, for as much as $400 million. Under the proposal announced Tuesday, Sept. 10, the casino company would purchase the racetrack, which has been operating an on-site 1,100 slot machine casino since April 1, 1995, for $250 million. Polk County, which owns the track, could also receive an additional $100 million or more in future years. Circus Circus also plans to invest $75 million for a hotel, racing improvements and an expanded slot machine and simulcasting facility. Circus Circus would lend the purchase price to the Racing Association of Central Iowa, the non-profit group that has the gambling license. In exchange for half of the track's profits, the facility would be managed by Circus Circus.

Among the highlights of the Circus Circus proposal are a guarantee of $10 million of casino revenues to purses in 1997, with that figure increasing by $2 million annually to $20 million in the year 2002. With the addition of revenue from parimutuel wagering, all of which would go to the racing operation, purses would total approximately $13.5 million next year and an estimated $27 million in 2002. The plan also calls for improvements to the Prairie Meadows facility, which was opened in March 1989, including new barns, a training track, new paddock and jockeys quarters and a seven furlong turf course to be built within the one-mile dirt track.

An immediate decision is not expected; representatives of the nine- person RACI Board have indicated they would entertain offers from other gaming interests. Most board members would like a referendum to gauge public sentiment before making any decision on the future of the track. In July 1996, Prairie Meadows boasted a $4.3 million profit and a projected year-end profit as high as $89.3 million.

THE JOCKEY CLUB RELEASES 1994 BREEDING STATISTICS

The Jockey Club today released breeding statistics for the 1994 breeding season. A total of 5,889 Thoroughbred stallions were bred to 60,868 mares which resulted in the birth of 39,015 live foals in 1995. The figures represent an overall average live foal percentage of 64, an increase of three percent over last year's figures. Roger Shook, director of registration services for The Jockey Club, credits the jump to an increase in stallion book size (the number of mares bred to a stallion).

'The average stallion book size of the breed is going up,' said Shook. 'Typically, larger books generate higher live foal percentage returns.'

The number of stallions bred decreased by seven percent and there was a decline of 1.8 percent in the number of mares bred in 1993. The Jockey Club stressed that the statistics should not be taken as representing the fertility record of any one stallion. The average live foal percentage should also not be confused with the registered foal percentage, which has remained relatively constant at 55 percent for many years.

Thoroughbred breeding activity in Kentucky outpaced all other states. Florida moved into second-place, followed by California, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Maryland, Washington, New York and Illinois.

KENTUCKY HORSE PARK TO HOST MOUNTED POLICE COLLOQUIUM

The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., will host the Mounted Police Colloquium, a four-day event for mounted police units from cities all over the country, Sept. 16-19. The colloquium features seminars for mounted officers, demonstrations and a timed competition for mounted police and their horses. Timeless Prince, a former racehorse who is now a member of the St. Paul, Minn., mounted police unit, will be at the Horse Park with Officer Curt Sandel. In his days on the track, Timeless Prince won 16 races and more than $326, 000.

TRF AUCTION AT BELMONT ON SATURDAY The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, which provides homes for retired Thoroughbred racehorses, will hold its annual auction of racing memorabilia on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Belmont Park, Elmont, N.Y. Among the items to be auctioned are several items of superstar Cigar memorabilia, the 1995 Breeders' Cup saddle cloth worn by Serena's Song, a Tiffany bowl donated by The Meadowlands and two Breeders' Cup tickets. Would-be bidders may preview the items beginning at 9:30 a.m. The auction will begin at 10:00 a.m. There will also be a tag sale of books, photos and posters. Organizers hope to raise more than $10,000 for the foundation. Catalogues may be obtained at all Belmont Park information booths.

CHURCHILL IS GOING TO THE DOGS FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Churchill Downs will host the Kentucky Humane Society's annual Doggie Derby and Furry Fair on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Doggie Derby is the name of the sixth annual pet walkathon, a one-mile pledged walk for pets and their owners in the Churchill infield to raise money for the Humane Society. Following the walk, participants can take part in a variety of special events, including 'Stupid Pet Tricks,' the 'Creatures Features Contest' to be judged on the largest ears, longest tail and biggest grin, and the 'Doggie Derby Hat Contest' for the most outrageous canine chapeau. Other games and special events include 'Find the Flea,' 'Pet Jeopardy, ' 'Cat Stand It' and 'Kitty Litter Scoop.'

NEW BOLTON CENTER HOSTS OPEN HOUSE

The University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine will host an open house at the New Bolton Center, the school's large animal hospital in Kennett Square, Pa., on Saturday, Sept. 21. The public is invited to tour the center's state-of-the-art George D. Widener Hospital for large animals, which features surgical suites, pool recovery, ultrasound, scintigraphy, neonatal intensive care and intensive care units. Children are encouraged to bring their torn, tattered and worn stuffed animals to the 'Stuffed Animal MASH Tent,' where a surgical team of veterinary students will repair them. The tent will simulate real surgical techniques and a moderator will be on hand to explain all of the procedures. There will also be several canine demonstrations and an exhibition by veterinarians in the Sports Medicine Section of the hospital, who will use real horses to demonstrate the Jeffords Treadmill, a high-speed treadmill that is used to diagnose performance problems in equine patients. The open house is free and is the public's only opportunity to tour the center. It will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The New Bolton Center is located on Route 926 in Kennett Square. For additional information call (610) 444-5800 extension 2182.

EQUIBASE AND TRA UNVEIL INTERNET LINK FOR RACE LATE CHANGES The Thoroughbred Racing Associations and Equibase Company, the Thoroughbred industry's central database of racing information, announced a new communications link for the transmission of program changes between simulcast host tracks and receiving sites. The new service, developed by Equibase, creates special 'National Simulcast Late Changes' pages on the Internet's World Wide Web. Late scratches, rider changes, overweights or any other program amendments can be posted by the host tracks under strict security through the Equibase web server, enabling immediate access by receiving sites through the Equibase home page on the World Wide Web at www.equibase.com.

Initially the web site will list changes for each track separately through hyperlinks, but development plans also call for the imminent introduction of a chronological, up-to-the-minute scrolling pages listing the latest changes from all Thoroughbred tracks around the country.

DERBY-WINNING OWNER TO RECEIVE HONORS

W.T. Young, owner of Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone and Belmont Stakes victor Editor's Note, has been selected as this year's honoree by the Thoroughbred Club of America. Young will receive his award at the club's annual testimonial dinner at Keeneland Racecourse on Friday, Nov. 8. Young's stable, Overbrook Farm, ranks second nationally with 1996 earnings of close to $4 million.

RACING ON THE AIR

Sept. 14 'Racehorse Digest' 6:00-6:30 a.m. ESPN
Sept. 14 Woodward Stakes and Man o' War Stakes, Belmont, 4:00-5:00 p.m. ESPN
Sept. 15 West Virginia Breeders Classic, Mountaineer, 2:00-2:30 p.m. ESPN
Sept. 15 Woodbine Million, Woodbine, Futurity and Matron Stakes, Belmont, 4:00-5:30 p.m. ESPN
Sept. 18 'Racehorse Digest' 3:30-4:00 p.m. ESPN
Sept. 19 'Racehorse Digest' 2:30-3:00 a.m. ESPN

RACING TO HISTORY

Sept. 12, 1970: Nijinsky II won the St. Leger Stakes and became the 15th winner of England's triple crown. He is the last horse to have won the English triple.

Sept. 12, 1973: Fully recovered from a virus that had beset him at Saratoga, Secretariat worked five furlongs in :57 as his last preparation for the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap.

Sept. 13, 1974: D. Wayne Lukas won his first Thoroughbred stakes victory, saddling his own three-year-old colt, Harbor Hauler, in the second division of the Foothill Stakes at Pomona Race Track to earn $6,312.

Sept. 13, 1989: Jockey Pat Day won eight of the day's nine races at Arlington International Racecourse. In his only loss, Day finished second on Wayne's by George.

Sept. 14, 1853: West Australian won the St. Leger Stakes by three lengths and became England's first Triple Crown winner.

Sept. 15, 1922: Actor, producer, director and pony boy Jackie Cooper was born in Los Angeles, Calif.

Sept. 15, 1973: Secretariat won the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap in the then-world record time of 1:45 2-5 for 1 1-8 miles. He defeated his stablemate, Riva Ridge, by 3 1-2 lengths. The winner's share of the purse, $150,000, made Secretariat a millionaire.

Sept. 16, 1972: Sent off at odds of 1-5, Secretariat won the Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park by 1 3-4 lengths, creating a minus show pool at the track of $4,985.

Sept. 16, 1991: Jockey Jose Santos won his 2,000th career victory, aboard Sunny Sara at Belmont Park.

Sept. 17, 1973: Penny Chenery announced that Secretariat would make his inaugural start on the turf in the Oct. 8 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park.

Sept. 18, 1920: Carrying the top weight of his career, three-year- old Man o' War won the Potomac Handicap, conceding 24 pounds to his nearest rival, Paul Jones, and 30 pounds to second-place finisher, Wildair.

Sept. 18, 1940: Thoroughbred owner and Jockey Club Chairman Ogden M. 'Dinny' Phipps was born in New York, N.Y.

Sept. 18, 1943: The U.S. Army occupied the grounds of Hollywood Park as part of the war effort.

Sept. 19, 1943: Rider Eddie Arcaro returned to racing after a 12- month suspension that resulted from his attempt to injure a fellow rider in the Cowdin Stakes the previous year.

Sept. 19, 1942: Alsab, runner-up in the 1942 Kentucky Derby, beat 3- 10 favorite Whirlaway, the 1941 Triple Crown champion, by a nose in a $25,000 match race at Narragansett Park. The match was arranged after Alsab was scratched from the Narragansett Special, a race won by Whirlaway one week earlier. Narragansett's president, James Dooley, offered to contribute the track's share of the mutuel handle, plus breakage, to the Army and Navy Relief Funds, making attendance at the race a patriotic gesture. Alsab and Whirlaway met twice more that year, with Whirlaway winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 3, and Alsab besting him in the New York Handicap on October 10.

Sept. 20, 1965: Jockey Jorge Velasquez made his American racing debut, riding for owner Fred W. Hooper, at Atlantic City Racecourse. He won with his first mount, aboard Keypoint, in the sixth race, at 8- 1 odds.

Sept. 20, 1976: Two-year-old Seattle Slew made his racing debut, winning a six furlong maiden race by five lengths at Belmont Park. His zesty workouts prior to the race made Seattle Slew the 2-1 favorite and he was the public's choice in both his subsequent races that year. After only three starts (including the Champagne Stakes) in the space of 27 days, Seattle Slew was voted champion two-year-old colt for 1976.

Sept. 20, 1980: Before a crowd of 23,000 spectators, four-year-old Spectacular Bid won the Woodward Stakes in the world's richest walkover. To the surprise of trainer Bud Delp and owners Harry, Teresa and Tom Meyerhoff, 'Bid' was awarded only $73,300, which was half of the winner's share of the purse, but all that was allowable under the NYRA's rules. There had not been a walkover in a major U.S. stakes race since Coaltown won the Edward Burke Handicap on April 23, 1949.

Sept. 21, 1940: For the first time in the history of photo finishes a triple dead heat for first place was recorded. It happened at Willow's Park, Victoria, British Columbia.

Sept. 21, 1951: Jockey Eddie Delahoussaye was born in New Iberia, La.

Sept. 22, 1988: Stuart Symington Janney Jr., owner of Ruffian, died at age 81.

Sept. 24, 1921: Broadcaster and Thoroughbred owner Jim McKay was born in Philadelphia, Pa.

Ruffian Handicap, 3&up; (f&m;), $250,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Grade I, Belmont
The Ruffian features Serena's Song as she runs against females after two straight races against males. A win would put her over the $3 million dollar mark in earnings. Yanks Music is making a bid to become champion three-year-old filly in her first start against older fillies after Grade I victories in Mother Goose and Alabama Stakes. Twist Afleet is a Grade I stakes winning sprinter and she tries to stretch out in the Ruffian. Clear Mandate won the Grade I Shuvee Handicap at Belmont.

Man o' War Stakes, 3&up;, $400,000, 1 3-8 Miles Turf, Grade I, Belmont
The Man o' War may help decide a leader in the race for champion grass horse honors. Mecke and Awad finished one-two in the Grade I Arlington Million. Raintrap (GB) won this year's Grade I San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita. Flag Down won the Grade II Bowling Green Handicap at Belmont in July. Diplomatic Jet won the Grade I Early Times Manhattan Handicap at Belmont in June. Marlin (IRE) tries older horses after beating three-year-olds in the Grade I Secretariat Stakes at Arlington.

Woodward Stakes, 3&up;, $500,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade I, Belmont
Horse of the Year Cigar will make his first start since his record- tying 16-race win streak was broken in the Pacific Classic. Cigar is the defending Woodward champion as he became the first horse to sweep the Woodward, Jockey Club Gold Cup and Breeders' Cup Classic, all run at Belmont, in 1995. Smart Strike has won six in a row, including the Grade I Iselin Handicap at Monmouth in his last start. L'Carriere won the Grade III Saratoga Cup last time out at Saratoga and was second to Cigar in the 1995 Breeders' Cup Classic and third to Cigar in the Dubai World Cup. Eltish was second in the Iselin and third to Cigar in the Arlington Citation Challenge. Petionville, winner of the 1995 Ohio Derby, is also expected to run.

Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Sprint Handicap, 3&up;, $200,000, 6 furlongs, Bay Meadows
The Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Sprint will feature horses looking at the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Track Gal is a speedy filly with a career record of 11 for 16 and has beaten males twice before including last year's Grade III Ancient Title Handicap. Paying Dues is five for nine lifetime including a win in this year's Grade II Los Angeles Handicap. Concept Win and Gold Land have won graded Southern California sprint stakes and are dangerous on their best days.

La Senorita Stakes, 2yo fillies, $75,000, 1 Mile Turf, Retama

Phil D. Shepherd Stakes, 3&up;, $75,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Fairplex

Seaway Stakes, 3&up; (f&m;), $75,000, 7 Furlongs, Grade IIC, Woodbine

Weekend Delight Stakes, 3&up; (f&m;), $75,000, 6 Furlongs, Turfway

Matron Stakes, 2yo fillies, $150,000, 1 Mile, Grade I, Belmont
D. Wayne Lukas has trained seven of the last 13 winners of the Matron, and he has a good chance of adding to that with Sharp Cat. She was bought for $900,000 as a two-year-old and started paying off that by winning the Grade II Del Mar Debutante. Storm Song rallied to take the Grade II Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga. Fabulously Fast held on gamely for third in the Grade I Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga in only her second career start.

Futurity Stakes, 2yo, $150,000, 1 Mile, Grade I, Belmont
The Futurity is for horses looking for the coveted title of two-year- old champion. Smoke Glacken is the East's leading candidate for that crown after a nine-length victory in the Grade I Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga and a previous victory in the Grade II Sapling Stakes at Saratoga. All Chatter won the Grade II Saratoga Special last time out. Harley Tune ran second in the Sapling. Shammy Davis and Night in Reno look to step up after winning allowance races.

Woodbine Million, 3yo, $1,000,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade I, Woodbine
The Woodbine Million may decide the three-year-old male championship in both the U.S. and Canada as the top two American horses, Skip Away and Louis Quatorze, and the top two Canadian horses, Victor Cooley and Stephanotis, once again do battle. Skip Away won the Grade II Ohio Derby and the Grade I Haskell Handicap before finishing third in the Grade I Travers Stakes. Louis Quatorze won the Preakness Stakes and Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes before a second place Travers finish. Odyle won the Grade II San Felipe Stakes before injury caused him to miss the Triple Crown. Victory Speech won a pair of Grade II stakes for trainer D. Wayne Lukas, the Swaps and Dwyer Stakes. Victor Cooley won the Queen's Plate, the first race of the Canadian Triple Crown, at Woodbine in July. Stephanotis beat Victor Cooley in the Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, at Fort Erie.

Jerome Handicap, 3yo, $150,000, 1 Mile, Grade II, Belmont

Play the King Handicap, 3&up;, $75,000, 7 Furlongs Turf, Woodbine

Summer Stakes, 2yo, $100,000, 1 Mile Turf, Grade IC, Woodbine

Swoon's Son Stakes, 3&up;, $100,000, 1 3-16 Miles Turf, Grade III, Arlington

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