Here and There...

Because of snow, Suffolk Downs announced it will be closed until March 17. Over a foot of snow has falled in the Boston area and more is forecast for tonight....Two state legislatures, in Kentucky and Nebraska, have joined the National Racing Compact. Seven states have adopted legislation in regard to the group's national owner's license, and 15 states now recognize the license...The Random House publishing company announced Thursday the official release of "Seabiscuit: An American Legend." Authored by Eclipse Award-winning writer Laura Hillenbrand, the book was described by Jonathan Karp, Random House vice president, as "the best true story I have had the privilege to edit in my twelve years at Random House." The book that details the lives of the superstar horse, his trainer, and jockey, has received favorable reviews from the New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, The Economist, Chicago Tribune, Wall Street Journal, and New York Post. Sports Illustrated's William Nack, bestselling author Stephen Ambrose, and columnist Andy Beyer have also written favorably about the book, which is the subject of a forthcoming Universal Pictures movie... Jockey Chris Rosier won the first race of his career Thursday at Oaklawn Park. The son of former jockey Charles Rosier and nephew of former rider Dan Rosier, guided Lady Silk to victory in the second race of the day. Rosier, who will be 20 on March 20, has been galloping horses for about three years and competed in some training races at the Fair Grounds...Video clips of the March 5th preview for the 2001 Barretts March Sale of Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training to be held March 13th are now on-line at: http://www.barretts.com/preview/premar01.htm. The second training previews will be held starting at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 11th....Vic Stauffer was named track announcer at Hollywood Park. Stauffer, 41, has 16 years experience at several major racetracks, succeeded Tom Durkin as track announcer at Gulfstream Park in 2000. He will be in place when Hollywood Park's 66-day meet, 2001 Spring/Summer Meeting begins April 20....Entries for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Day of Champions race card will be taken March 12. The seven-race card will be run March 19, with first post at 1:30 pm. More than 440 three-year-olds have been kept eligible for the pair (separate divisions for colts and fillies) of $100,000 OBS Championship Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth, and the two six furlong $50,000 OBS Sprints. Three-year-olds who have gone through the ring at an OBS auction who were not kept eligible may be supplemented at entry time. In addition, 59 horses were nominated this past Monday to the three supporting races on the card, the $35,000 Florida Thoroughbred Charities Stakes, $35,000 Florida Breeders' Distaff Stakes and the $10,000 SunTrust Starter Handicap. ...The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association announced its 2000 champions. The winners are: Flame Thrower, 2-year-old male; Stormy Pick, 2-year-old filly; Trippi, 3-year-old colt and sprinter; Plenty of Light, 3-year-old filly; Yankee Victor, older male; Beautiful Pleasure, older female; Ladies Din, turf runner. The Florida-bred champions, along with their breeders, owners, and trainers, will be honored March 19 at the FTBOA awards dinner. The Florida-bred Horse of the Year and Breeder of the Year will be announced at that time. ...Xtra Heat, who won the Dearly Precious Stakes Feb. 17, has been added to the Equine Spectrum online auction scheduled for March 15. The 3-year-old filly, selling as a racing or broodmare prospect, is by Dixieland Heat -- Begin, by Hatchet Man. She has won 10 of 11 starts and $358,380. The auction site is equinespectrum.com