Dan Weaver

1. They're off and running! Fans at Coeur d'Alene Greyhound Park root home the winner in a horse race being simulcast from across the country, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review 2. A horse racing fan at Coeur d'Alene Greyhound Park watches a close finish develop during a simulcast race.

Randy Favaro ponders his future with Edmonton. File/The Spokesman-Review

Babcock

Hoopfest 1996. Former Eastern star Ronn McMahon was one of the many entertaining attractions at Hoopfest. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

Jackie Jones

They're no longer the midwestern surprise. Team State Farm finally has a reputation to match its success. As defending champion of the Action Sportswear 6-foot-and-over open division, the team is a monument to company solidarity - three State Farm agents and a policy holder.

The Spokane Chiefs don't expect all-star goaltender David Lemanowicz to return to junior hockey, the club's general manager said Friday. Recently signed by the NHL Florida Panthers, Lemanowicz is expected to land somewhere in that team's organization, Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz said. Lemanowicz' Calgary agent, Art Breeze, said the 20-year-old goalie from Vancouver signed a multi-year deal "with an upside value of $1.6 million (Canadian)."

Parry Shockey

A new court at Chief Garry Park donated by Hoopfest is proving popular with the neighborhood players. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

Goaltender Aren Miller, who spent the year as a backup to David Lemanowicz, was the first of the Spokane Chiefs to go in Saturday's National Hockey League draft. Miller, 18, went to the Detroit Red Wings as the 52nd pick, the last selection of the second round. While Miller celebrated in St. Louis, Lemanowicz had reason to smile back home in Vancouver after signing with the club that drafted him ninth last year, the Florida Panthers.

Summer and the horses debuted together Thursday in an opening day at Emerald Downs that for race fans signaled the end of a 3-1/2-year winter. The kickoff of 100 days of racing at Emerald Downs - the first racing day in Western Washington since the 1992 closure of Longacres - was by any measure a smash.

Spokane's Chad Little earned $529,056 in Busch Series last year. File/The Spokesman-Review

The long-awaited opening of Emerald Downs, the country's newest thoroughbred race track, will go off Thursday without a Spokane audience. An official at Playfair Race Course said that, as contractual matters stand, the Spokane track will not serve as an off-track betting site when Thursday's inaugural race at Emerald Downs is conducted.

Spokane Chiefs assistant coach Parry Shockey has interviewed for the head coaching job with the Western Hockey League Lethbridge Hurricanes. Contacted Monday at a WHL scheduling meeting in Saskatoon, Bryan Maxwell, Hurricanes director of hockey operations, said, "We've talked to Parry, but not everything has been finalized." The job opened after Maxwell - who doubled as Hurricanes coach last season - was suspended in the wake of a March 23 brawl that involved him and referee Brent Reiber. The league fined Maxwell $1,000 and stripped him of his coaching position for one season.

The Spokane Chiefs may have forward Jan Hrdina for another year, Hrdina's agent said Monday. Hrdina, the Pittsburgh Penguins' fifth-round draft choice a year ago, is waiting to resume negotiations with the NHL club through his agent, Rich Winters. Hrdina is ineligible to go back through this month's draft, Winters said, leaving him with two options - sign or return to Spokane.

Sean Gilliam, shown maneuvering against Tri-City, figures in Detroit's plan. File/The Spokesman-Review

1. Klemm 2. Jon Klemm was the first to greet Peter Forsberg after his second-period goal last Wednesday put the squeeze on Detroit. Photo by Associated Press

Jared Hope, a skilled forward who lost most of his Western Hockey League season to complications from a second concussion, was drafted Thursday by the expansion Edmonton (Alberta) Ice. Hope may not be the only player the Spokane Chiefs lose to the new WHL team. The dispersal of 20-year-olds - the over-age draft - is next month, shortly after the June 22 NHL Entry Draft. The Chiefs have eight 19-year-olds on their roster. Although at least two - Jason Podollan and Sean Gillam - aren't expected back, Spokane almost certainly has a numbers problem. The Chiefs can carry only three over-age players.

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe announced Tuesday an agreement in principle to operate Playfair Race Course. Sonny Bargala, secretary of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribal Council, was in Spokane Tuesday to sign the letter of intent with Playfair owner Jack Pring. The Tribe agreed to lease the Spokane track for four years plus an option year for undisclosed terms.

The Spokane Chiefs will probably lose two players to the Western Hockey League's newest team, the Edmonton Ice. The first is likely to go in the May 23 WHL expansion draft. A second could also wind up in Edmonton in late June, in the WHL overage draft. The Ice will look closely at players the Chiefs leave unprotected, Edmonton general manager Bob Tory confirmed Tuesday.

Spokane fans cheer Jason Podollan one last time. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Wheat Kings 3, Chiefs 0. Joe Cardarelli (leg up) of the Chiefs shoots toward Brandon goaltender Jody Lehman while Andrei Lupandin (2) provides defensive pressure. Brandon won best-of-seven series 4-1. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Chiefs coach Mike Babcock hopes to turns things around at the Arena. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

1. Jan Hrdina, right, of the Spokane Chiefs tries to shake loose from Brandon's Peter Schaefer before Spokane ties up the WHL championship series. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. Adam Magarrell, second from right, draws a crowd after scoring for Spokane. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review