Horsemen reverse field on casinos

The Maryland Jockey Club is offering a unique promotion at this week's Howard County Fair in West Friendship. For the first time, the Pimlico/Laurel tracks are staffing a booth in the fair's main Exhibition Hall featuring nightly autograph and picture-taking sessions with many of the sport's best-known jockeys. A life-size model horse equipped with racing paraphernalia will also be on display.

Riders taking part will include Mark Johnston, Larry Reynolds, Mario Pino, Albert Delgado, Steve Hamilton, Donnie Miller Jr., Frank Douglas, Joe Rocco, Juan Umana, Jeff Carle, Allen Stacy, Lillian Kuykendall and Franciso Maysonett.

Linda Wright, manager of the MJC's gift stores, has designed a )) horse racing coloring book that will be distributed free to children. There will also be numerous other prizes and giveaways.

Miscellaneous

The latest comeback attempt of former Maryland-bred champion Gala Spinaway was short-lived. The 7-year-old broke a bone in the pastern of his left foreleg at Laurel Park on Friday and will require at least six months of stall rest. But the injury to the multiple stakes winner doesn't appear life-threatening. Trainer Graham Motion was bringing the horse back to the races after he failed in an attempt at a stud career. . . . Motion has taken over the training of several horses for Adelaide Riggs of Woodbine. . . . Trainer Carlos Garcia said he will either run Primer Stakes winner Count on Numbers next month in the Cowdin Stakes at Belmont Park or opt for the Bernard P. Bond Stakes at Pimlico. . . . The Green Willow Farm stallion Hay Halo scored a unique triple on Friday; his daughters, Hay Gammy, Lunar Antics and Hay Let's Dance, finished 1-2-3, respectively, in a maiden allowance race at Pimlico. . . . The Tydings Commission will hold its second casino gaming hearing on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Tysar Auditorium in Van Munching Hall at the University of Maryland in College Park. The panel will hear sentiment from southern Maryland and Washington area residents concerning their views on legalizing casino gaming in the state.