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

'JOCKEYS ACROSS AMERICA IX' SET FOR JULY 5

The Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund will hold its ninth annual 'Jockeys Across America Day' with fund-raisers at 80 North American tracks on Saturday, July 5, to raise funds for injured or disabled jockeys. The MacBeth Fund was established 'to aid injured and disabled riders' in 1987 and named in honor of jockey Don MacBeth, who died of cancer on March 1 of that year. Since its inception, over 800 injured North American riders have been aided by the $2.4 million donated by the Don MacBeth Memorial Fund.

'This is our most important fund-raiser all year because it raises the most money and it involves the most people,' said jockey Chris McCarron, who co-founded the fund with his wife Judy and comedian Tim Conway. 'Fund raising gets harder all the time because of increasing competition for the charitable dollar, but I know it's beneficial because people who have been helped by the MacBeth Fund are thanking me all the time.'

Jockeys will help raise money for the charity through their participation in such events as poster signings, autograph sessions, watermelon feasts, bake sales, clothes sales, golf and fishing tournaments, fashion shows, jockey foot races, jockey dunk tanks and tug-of-war contests between jockeys and trainers and owners. Penny Chenery, the owner of 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat, will sign autographs and other Secretariat memorabilia Saturday at Araphoe Park, in Aurora, Colo.

Donations may be made to: The Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund, 505 South Beverly Dr., Suite 1019, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Tony DeFranco, the MacBeth Fund administrator, at (818) 789-2419.

STEVENS O.K. AFTER SURGERY

Jockey Gary Stevens underwent a 45-minute arthroscopic procedure on his right knee Monday, June 30, and is expected to return to riding within two weeks. Dr. James Tibone, a knee specialist at the Kerlan-Jobe Medical Center, operated on Stevens, who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes aboard Silver Charm. Stevens has had his share of injuries. In 1985, he broke his shoulder and tore knee ligaments during a morning workout. He missed the 1987 Breeders' Cup after breaking his right ankle. A 1989 spill broke his wrist while in 1990, broke he an elbow. A shattered thumb in 1993 and another shoulder operation last year to repair damage suffered in the 1985 spill are but some of the injuries the 34-year-old has suffered.

JOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP A BIG HIT AT LONE STAR PARK Gary Stevens edged Chris McCarron, 14-12, to win the inaugural National All-Star Jockey Championship at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie, Texas, Friday, June 27. Twelve jockeys, including seven Hall of Famers, competed in the four-race event, which was witnessed by a Friday-record crowd of 15,220. An auction and a contribution of one percent of the handle on the four races by the track raised nearly $50,000 for the Jockeys' Guild Disabled Jockeys Fund with Texan Leland Cook's bid of $9,000 for the autographed silks worn by Eddie Arcaro aboard 1945 Kentucky Derby winner Hoop Jr. topping the auction.

'I think this is a great concept and I'd like to see a series of races like this,' said Stevens. Kent Desormeaux added, 'We could make it a jockeys' Skins Game.' Track president Robert Kaminski promised the event would become an annual affair.

AMERICA'S DAY AT THE RACES PICKS UP THREE MORE TRACKS

America's Day at the Races, spearheaded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to showcase the sport of Thoroughbred racing on Labor Day, has been joined by the three DeBartolo Racing tracks: Thistledown, in Cleveland, Ohio; Louisiana Downs, in Bossier City, La.; and Remington Park, in Oklahoma City, Okla. America's Day at the Races, which now has 18 participating tracks, will be telecast on espn2 and will feature a 'Coast-to-Coast Triple,' three stakes races emanating from Monmouth Park in New Jersey, Arlington International Racecourse in Illinois and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in California, which will be linked in a national Pick-3 wager. Co-sponsors of the telecast also include the Breeders' Cup and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

SARATOGA, DEL MAR OPEN JULY 23

Two of the nation's most popular racetracks will open their gates for their 1997 season Wednesday, July 23: Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. The highlight of the 36-day Saratoga meeting will be the $750,000 Travers Stakes Saturday, Aug. 23, which is expected to attract Triple Crown rivals Silver Charm, Touch Gold and Free House, among others. Del Mar's big event is the $1 million Pacific Classic, which is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 9. Last year, a record crowd of 44,181 turned out for the Pacific Classic when Dare and Go upset Cigar, who was attempting to win his 17th consecutive race.

LLEWELLYN NAMED TO NYRA BOARD

J. Bruce Llewellyn, a member of President Clinton's Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, has been elected to the Board of trustees of the New York Racing Association. Llewellyn is the chairman of the Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company and serves on the board of directors of Chase Banking Corporation, Coors Brewing Company, Teleport Communications Group and Essence Communications. He is also the chairman of the United States Small Business Advisory Council.

'I was asked to get involved with NYRA's board of trustees because they felt my experience in business would be effective,' said Llewellyn. 'I believe that Thoroughbred racing has entertainment aspects and assets that we can capitalize on for the good of everyone.'

NAMES BOOK IS AVAILABLE

The 1997 edition of 'Registered Thoroughbred Names' is now available from The Jockey Club. Containing more than 507,000 active names, the book is also accessible on-line at: www.equineonline.com.

THIS DATE IN RACING HISTORY

July 4, 1954: Two-year-old Ribot won his first race, the Premio Tramuschio. He concluded his career in 1956, with 16 wins in as many starts.

July 4, 1972: Two-year-old Secretariat, ridden by Paul Feliciano, ran fourth to winner Herbull in his racing debut, blocked badly throughout the race, at Aqueduct. It was the poorest placing of Secretariat's career.

July 4, 1976: Charlie Whittingham swept the top three spots in the American Handicap at Hollywood Park with his trainees King Pellinore, Riot in Paris and Caucasus. On July 26, he repeated the feat in the Sunset Handicap, with Caucasus first, King Pellinore second and Riot in Paris third.

July 4, 1978: Trainer D. Wayne Lukas won his first $100,000 stakes race over the turf, taking the American Handicap with Effervescing, ridden by Laffit Pincay Jr., at Hollywood Park.

July 5, 1991: Jockey Ray Sibille won his 3,000th career race, aboard Sporting Surf at Pleasanton.

July 6, 1975: Locust Hill Farm's undefeated filly Ruffian engaged Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure in a match race at Belmont Park. Racing on the lead, Ruffian sustained a severe leg injury and was pulled up by jockey Jacinto Vasquez. The filly was euthanized the following day when efforts to save her proved futile.

July 6, 1977: In the second of their 10 meetings, Alydar defeated Affirmed to win the Great American Stakes at Belmont Park. This was the first of Alydar's three victories over Affirmed.

July 7, 1934: Mary Hirsch became the first female to be licensed as a Thoroughbred trainer, in Illinois. Hirsch subsequently was licensed in Michigan that year and two years later, on April 9, she was licensed by The Jockey Club to train in New York.

July 10, 1982: Landaluce, a two-year-old daughter of Seattle Slew, won the Hollywood Lassie Stakes by 21 lengths under the guidance of Laffit Pincay Jr. She ran the six-furlong race in 1:08, just 3-5 of a second off the track record at Hollywood Park.

RACING ON TELEVISION

July 5, Racehorse Digest, 5:00-5:30 a.m., ESPN
July 5, 2Day at the Races, 4:30-5:00 p.m., ESPN2
July 7, 2Day at the Races, 12:00-12:30 a.m., ESPN2
July 9, Racehorse Digest, 3:30-4:00 p.m., ESPN
July 10, Racehorse Digest, 3:00-3:30 a.m., ESPN

Stars and Stripes B.C. Handicap, 3&up;, $200,000, 1 1-2 Miles Turf, Grade III, Arlington
Awad, who has won only one race since the 1995 Arlington Million, looks to return to prominence at the scene of his biggest victory. Chief Bearhart, winner of the King Edward Breeders' Cup Handicap at Woodbine and Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland in his last two starts.

Suburban Handicap, 3&up;, $350,00, 1 1-4 Miles, Grade II, Belmont
After snapping his four-race losing streak in the Massachusetts Handicap, last year's top three-year-old, Skip Away, goes for second win in a row. He will face Formal Gold, who won the Brooklyn Handicap at Belmont, June 14, and was second in the Massachusetts Handicap. Formal Gold defeated Skip Away in the Feb. 8 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. Also expected to run is Will's Way, who was third in Mass 'Cap and owns a win over Skip Away in last year's Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Others entered are: Instant Friendship, Natural Selection, Gator Dancer and Ormsby.

Lone Star Park Handicap, 3&up;, $200,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Lone Star
A field of eight, led by a pair trained by Bob Baffert, is entered. Isitingood, whose last win was in Lone Star's Texas Mile on April 20, heads the field. He defeated Skip Away in the Texas Mile but has been disappointing in his last two races, the Metroplitan Handicap at Belmont Park and the Pimlico Special. Baffert's Argentinian import Lord Jain (ARG) will be making his third start in the U.S. while Zarb's Magic won two straight at Lone Star before unsuccessfully trying the turf in his last start.

American Handicap, 3&up;, $150,000, 1 1-8 Miles Turf, Grade II, Hollywood

Lamplighter Handicap, 3yo, $100,000, 1 1-16 Miles Turf, Grade III, Monmouth

Poker Stakes, 3&up;, $75,000, 1 Mile Turf, Grade III, Belmont

Dwyer Stakes, 3yo, $150,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Grade II, Belmont
Some of the future stars meet some of the near stars in the Dwyer. Three lightly raced and undefeated colts, Tale of the Cat, Banker's Gold and Behrens, make the race an intriguing matchup. Tale of the Cat won his two races at Monmouth Park by a combined 15 3-4 lengths while Banker's Gold has won four close races, including the Grade II Peter Pan Stakes, May 18. Behrens has taken his two starts easily. Richter Scale won the Derby Trial by five lengths and was a close fourth to older horses in the Metropolitan Handicap, May 26, at Belmont. Other possbile starters include Tampa Bay Derby winner Zede, Remsen Stakes victor The Silver Move, and Tejano Couture, among others.

USA Stakes, 3yo, $150,000, 1 1-16 Miles Turf, Lone Star
Anet, winner of the Lone Star Derby, takes to the turf to meet P.T. Indy, second in his last two tries. P.T. Indy is trained by Richard Mandella, who has taken the top three positions in two $1 million races this year. The two have met once before with P.T. Indy thrashing Anet in the Pirate Cove Stakes. Feb. 28, at Santa Anita Park.

Calder Turf Sprint, 3&up;, $150,000, 5 Furlongs Turf, Calder

Heartland Sprint Handicap, 3&up;, $75,000, 6 Furlongs, Prairie Meadows

Landaluce Stakes, 2yo fillies, $100,000, 6 Furlongs, Grade II, Hollywood

Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks, 3yo fillies, $200,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Grade II, Monmouth

Round Table Stakes, 3yo, $100,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade III, Arlington

Hollywood Oaks, 3yo fillies, $200,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade I, Hollywood

Pucker Up Stakes, 3yo fillies, $125,000, 1 1-8 Miles Turf, Grade II, Arlington

Tom Fool Handicap, 3&up;, $150,000, 7 Furlongs, Grade II, Belmont

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