Henson Will Make The Call At Playfair

Veteran race caller Gary Henson, familiar for decades as the voice of Longacres, is the new track announcer at Playfair Race Course.

Henson, who was here briefly in 1997, most recently worked at Turf Paradise in Phoenix.

Opening night of the first thoroughbred racing season in Spokane in three years is Sept. 16.

Although Lilac City Racing Association officials are scrambling to fill their jockey colony, one big name is committed to the Spokane meeting, at least the early stages of it.

Gaylln Mitchell, who won both stakes races at Emerald Downs Sunday - the Longacres Mile and the Emerald Breeders Cup Distaff - will accept mounts on opening day in Spokane, Playfair general manager Ross Yearout said Monday.

Mitchell, leading rider at Playfair in the early 1990s, holds a slim lead in the race for the riding championship at Emerald Downs.

Projects are picking up at the 65-year-old Playfair facility. Sand will be added to the track this week in preparation for fall racing that ends in mid-December, Yearout said.

The infield tote board will be wired and connected this week.

Playfair is the site of a Sept. 3 jet sprint boat race. The 1,200 horsepower boats motor over canals in the infield. Simulcast wagering will be offered that day, in a more restricted space.

Golf

Mark Gardner of The Creek at Qualchan and Clint Wallman of the Wallman-Lindeblad Golf School are two strokes off the lead after the first day of the Club Professional Championship at the par-72 Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell, Mont.

Wallman and Gardner carded 2-under 70s. Indian Canyon’s Gary Lindeblad and David Christenson were five shots off the pace after shooting 73s.

Second-round play begins today.