Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron, who missed most of last season with a concussion, was released from the hospital Sunday after being diagnosed with another concussion.

Bergeron spent the night at Massachusetts General Hospital and underwent extensive testing, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said in a statement. Bergeron was placed on injured reserve, meaning he is out of action for a minimum of one week.

“When examined this morning, his condition had improved greatly over last night, and he was released from the hospital,” the statement said. “There is no timetable for his return to the ice.”

Bergeron was injured in Saturday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Bergeron collided near center ice with Carolina’s Dennis Seidenberg and went to the ice, face-first. He remained down for several minutes while he was cared for by doctors and looked wobbly when he got to his skates and was helped to the locker room.

“He got dinged pretty good,” said Bruins coach Claude Julien, who spoke to Bergeron after the second period. “He was speaking to me and then I took off and coached the third period.”

Bergeron’s 2007-08 season ended after 10 games following a hit from behind into the boards by Philadelphia’s Randy Jones. He was close to returning during the playoffs, but the Bruins were eliminated in seven games in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens.

Bergeron returned for training camp and played in 30 of Boston’s first 31 games. But he had yet to regain his scoring touch, totaling four goals – one in his last 19 games.

His teammates went to St. Louis to play the Blues on Sunday night, but their thoughts were with Bergeron.

“We know what’s at stake and our prayers are with him, that’s for sure,” goalie Manny Fernandez said Saturday. “We hate to see a guy like that go down again.”

Pioneer of the Nile overtook I Want Revenge to win $750,000 CashCall Futurity by a nose at Hollywood Park on Saturday.

Pioneer of the Nile, ridden by Garrett Gomez, fought off 6-1 shot I Want Revenge in deep stretch to win the 28th running of the Grade I event for 2-year-olds.

Trainer Bob Baffert, who has saddled three Derby winners, equaled the record of four Futurity victories set by D. Wayne Lukas. The Futurity has been a launching pad for six Kentucky Derby winners since being inaugurated in 1981.

Pioneer of the Nile, owned by Ahmed Zayat, covered 1 1-16 miles in 1:41.95 to earn his second win in five starts.

I Want Revenge finished a length clear of Chocolate Candy in third, while Bittel Road was another two lengths back in fourth. Azul Leon finished fifth in the field of 11, followed by Axel Foley, Mark S the Cooler, Hype, Frumious, J P Jammer and Ventana.

Pioneer of the Nile banked $400,000 to boost his earnings to $544,200 as he returns to Bafferts Santa Anita base to begin preparation for his 3-year-old campaign.

IT WOULD be insulting to a great horse to suggest that this Friday at Kempton Park represents Kauto Stars Waterloo. If he wins his third King George VI Chase, he will emulate Desert Orchid and Wayward Lad, worthy company for any chaser. Of course the great Dessie went on to win a fourth.

However, with three defeats in his past four outings, most recently at Haydock Park, Kauto Star is returning to the scene of his most impressive triumph with a point to prove.

The doubters think his best days are behind him. He was trounced by Denman in the Gold Cup, beaten at Aintree and only returned to anything like his old imperious self on his seasonal debut at Down Royal. Deep down, Paul Nicholls, the ebullient champion trainer and the geldings stoutest defender, must be beginning to wonder.

More worrying than the slip that caused Sam Thomass unseating at Haydock was the fact that Kauto Star was being pushed hard to win a race that, by rights, he should have strolled. Nicholls firmly believes that Kauto would have won at Haydock, and that if he had, there would not be all the fuss and nonsense about him now.
More encouragingly, the news from Ditcheat is that Kauto is flying up the newly surfaced gallops and is ready to defend his title on Boxing Day.

In hindsight, Haydock might have come a bit quick for him after Down Royal, Nicholls explained. We might have ridden him a bit differently too. He got beat, but to say he blundered away his chance wasnt right. He slipped. Hes schooled since, so he got over that quick. If hed fallen and gone upside down, it might been a bit different.

Nicholls regards Kempton as home ground for his former Gold Cup winner. Tony McCoy knew from four fences out that he was beaten on Exotic Dancer, so casually did Kauto Star destroy the field a year ago. Kauto may tolerate Cheltenham, but he seems to relish the flatlands of Kempton Park, where speed rather than outright stamina is the key. Edredon Bleu, a confirmed two-miler, won a King George over three, and Kauto Star retains at least some of the pace that won two Tingle Creek Chases.

The great thing about Kempton is that they go a great gallop, so youve got to have plenty of speed and youve got to stay, says Nicholls. It plays into his hands. Everything about the race suits him, so hes got every chance. If he wins it, he wins it; if not, hes still been an amazing horse. If he is on the decline – and I dont think he is – so what? Hes been awesome.

No less than Kauto Star, Nicholls is being judged by different standards these days, with every success or failure magnified. Sir Alex Ferguson, one of his owners, could have told him about the lonely lot of the champion.

However, Ruby Walsh is back in harness, stabilising the confidence of the whole yard at Ditcheat after the well-publicised mishaps of Thomas, his deputy for the past month.

Ruby makes mistakes but he doesnt get the same stick that Sam got, says Nicholls. Hes got that much more experience. Hes been through the ups and downs. Sams doing that now and hell come back stronger. But its good to have Ruby back.

It would be equally good to have the old Kauto Star back too.

The art of hurdling is alive and well. Just follow the signs out of Lambourn towards Seven Barrows, the home of Nicky Henderson, who dominated an augmented card at Ascot yesterday and revived a craft many presumed was lost.

By the end of the afternoon, Henderson had secured a 103-1 hat-trick in the three major races, with Binocular, Punchestowns and Sentry Duty earning his owners more than a quarter of a million pounds and pushing his own tally for the season beyond 1m. Not bad for a man in his 30th season as a licensed trainer. Mindful of the ammunition at his disposal for the money-spin-ners at the Cheltenham Festival, William Hill reopened the book on the trainers title with Henderson at 5-2. Paul Nicholls, the reigning champion, is still heavily odds-on.

The belated surge of success might even surprise the 58-year-old trainer, but in Binocular he has unearthed a hurdler who is rekindling memories of the great See You Then, winner of three successive Champion Hurdles in the 1980s. It was not just Binoculars electric turn of speed in the Boylesports.com International that impressed but also his effortless hurdling. Like all great hurdlers, the four-year-old gains ground in the air. Its natural, said Henderson. You cant really teach that. Hes just got a way of getting from A to B over a hurdle without losing momentum.

Not all Champion Hurdlers are blessed with such ability – Persian War, for one – but Binoculars hurdling ability and decent turn of foot have pushed Hendersons young star into hot favouritism for the Champion Hurdle in March. Though a uniform 6-4 seems short, the fact that Katchit, the defending champion, trailed home fourth and Crack Away Jack, another live contender, was last, lent some semblance of logic to the odds. Katchit, the superhero of a season ago, has currently lost his cape and will not, according to trainer Alan King, appear again until the Festival. Last years gallantry clearly took a lot out of the little bay.
Trying hard to hide his true feelings about Binocular, Tony McCoy spoke calmly about improvement and going the right way. But the champion could not resist one great line, aptly summing up Binoculars talent and the BBCs reduced coverage of racing in one neat phrase. The best chance of getting to see Binocular on BBC is to watch Top Gear, he said.

But this is the horse McCoy has been seeking through a career of unprecedented brilliance. McCoy has won his Champion Hurdle, on Martin Pipes Make A Stand, but he has yet to find a horse to match his own enduring status in the sport. Hes as exciting as they come, he said quietly, which is about as good as it gets for a man with 13 titles. Half an hour later, Henderson was back in the winners circle, trying to be in two places at once as Punchestowns franked his promise in the BGC Long Walk Hurdle, a regular trial for the World Hurdle, with Duc De Regniere, his second string, a respectable distance away in second. I hate running two of our horses against each other, said Henderson. When you finish first and second you feel youve robbed one of your owners.

He felt much the same when he travelled to Ireland to buy Punchestowns. If Id have driven up the road, I wouldnt have bought him, he said. He was lame, but wed come such a long way and they said he was sound.

Luckily, both sets of owners are long-standing patrons of the yard, so there were no hard feelings. To be fair, the writing was on the wall for all of Punchestowns rivals a long way out as Barry Geraghty, with a nonchalant turn of the head, cast his eye over a posse of labouring challengers and did everything but stifle a yawn. Everyone else, including McCoy, who was hard at work on Duc de Regniere, was competing for second. Inglis Drever, who has won three World Hurdles, is still on the injured list and is liable to be retired, but a match between the old champion and the young pretender would be one to savour in the spring.

In contrast, Sentry Duty had to be hard driven by Geraghty to complete the hat-trick in the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle. Outdone for once on a major Saturday, Nicholls responded with a double on the undercard. The rivalry between champion trainers, reigning and past, promises to enliven the new year.

The Pipe stable has won three of the past four runnings of the Ladbroke Hurdle (2,45) and can enhance its record in the valuable race through Mamlook at Ascot today. Two of those three successes have been gained with perceived second strings and, while his highly-rated stablemate Ashkazar is a much shorter price, the value lies with Mamlook at the 28-1 offered by the sponsor and William Hill.

Mamlook seems to reserve his best for this track, easily winning a competitive handicap over course and distance in April and then beaten just a head by Missoula back on the Flat in the Ascot Stakes at the royal meeting in June.

Unsuited by much softer ground on his return to jumps at Cheltenham, he should find conditions more to his liking here – the times yesterday suggested that the ground on the hurdles course is good – and is fancied to bounce back to form.

Ashkazar is much respected. As short as 14-1 for the Champion Hurdle, he showed classy form last season, winning the Imperial Cup at Sandown before finding only Crack Away Jack too good at the Cheltenham Festival. He is far from weighted out of things from a 12lb higher mark.

Efforts to save the boylesports.com International Hurdle (1.40) from Cheltenham’s abandoned card a week ago have been rewarded with a cracking field, with Binocular strongly fancied to come out on top. Heavy ground there would probably have stretched his stamina, but this surface should be much more to his liking and he can cement his position at the head of the Champion Hurdle market.

Lough Derg landed the BGC Long Walk Hurdle (2.10) 12 months ago and is likely to again make a bold bid from the front. However, preference is for Elusive Dream. He finished ahead of Lough Derg over shorter here last time, when the pair were third and sixth behind Chomba Womba. Both should appreciate this stiffer test, but Elusive Dream remains open to plenty of improvement and can confirm his recent superiority.

Nicky Henderson holds a strong hand, saddling both Punchestowns and Duc De Regniere. The former is well worth this elevation in grade after being most impressive in a handicap at Cheltenham and is much respected, as is Duc De Regniere, who has also looked a potentially top-class stayer since returned to hurdles this season, most recently proving five lengths too good for Mobaasher.

The BGC Silver Cup Handicap Chase (1.05) features the long-awaited return to action of Trabolgan, the 2005 Hennessy winner. He has not raced since then, however, and preference is for Nicky Henderson’s other runner, Oedipe.

He was below par when tenth in the Hennessy three weeks ago, weakening after a mistake four out, but remains well weighted to judge by an impressive win at Aintree in April and is worth another chance.

Alan King’s team of hurdlers for Cheltenham in March took clearer shape yesterday with two progressive winners at Ascot but the trainer was downbeat about prospects for the horse that has won championship events for him at the past two Festivals.

Katchit, whose lion-hearted victories in the Triumph and Champion Hurdles have endeared him to the racing public, has his third run of a thus far unproductive season in the rescheduled Boylesports.com International Hurdle today. His trainer, however, is far from positive.

He’s not exactly burning up the gallops, King said ruefully. I think he’s got a bit relaxed, which sometimes happens when they get older. His work has been adequate but without the zip he had in the past. He’s just going through the motions and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t concern me.

Coming from a trainer in the form of his life, this was a significant admission and could see Katchit sent off at even bigger than the 5-1 generally available yesterday, even in a field limited to five by the defection of all four Irish-trained entries.
Another trainer lacking confidence for the race is Paul Nicholls, the champion, who gives the latest Triumph winner, Celestial Halo, his first run of the season. I’d have fancied him a bit if it had gone ahead on deep ground at Cheltenham but this will be different, Nicholls said. In truth, I don’t have enough good hurdlers at home to compare him with.

Nicholls, though, was dismissive of suggestions that his yard is out of form after a week that has included a string of beaten favourites. Some of them shouldn’t have been the price they were, he said. Apart from Silverburn, who obviously has something wrong, most of them have run as well as we expected.

That remark included Fistral Beach, a chaser in waiting and overhauled close home by Midnight Sail in the opening novices’ hurdle yesterday. King believes the winner could end up in the three-mile Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival.

Greater anticipation will surround Medermit, who belied a price of 14-1 to edge out Dee Ee Williams in a thrilling renewal of the grade two Mitie Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle. Despite a generous gallop set by Golan Way, all eight runners could have been covered by a picnic rug as they turned for home and the front two – both now 12-1 for the Supreme Novices’ at Cheltenham – were split by a short-head at the line.

I don’t have many winners at that kind of price these days but I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t think he was pretty good, King said. Nick Gifford, who trains the runner-up, was far from disconsolate. I’m not often that chuffed in defeat but he’s confirmed his form and I don’t think they went quick enough for his liking.

The first two could meet again in the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown early next month, although King fears it may come too soon for Medermit. I’m also tempted to run Walkon in the Tolworth and take advantage of the allowance for juveniles, he explained.

Deep Purple validated the lofty opinion his trainer, Evan Williams, has of him when making all in the other feature race, the grade two BGC Noel Novices’ Chase. He’s seriously good and I think he’s the forgotten horse, Williams said, a view that will not be altered by a disdainful quote of 25-1 for the Arkle.

The day had a poignant winner in Baseball Ted, named by the owner, Alan Peterson, after his father. He was the most capped British baseball player and a leading administrator, Peterson explained. He died three years ago today.

Miss Singhsix overtook 17-10 favorite Carmel Coffee in the late going Friday to win the $43,400 feature race at Hollywood Park by 1 3/4 lengths.

Miss Singhsix, ridden by Alex Solis and carrying 118 pounds, covered 1 1-16 miles in 1:42.36. The 9-5 second favorite in a field of six paid $5.20, $2.60 and $2.20. The win was the third in eight lifetime starts for Miss Singhsix and was worth $25,000, raising the career earnings of the 3-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Singspiel to $112,038.

Carmel Coffee returned $3 and $2.60. Sheza Maneater, third in the allowance optional claiming race for fillies and mares, paid $3.20 to show.

Rafael Bejarano rode three winners on the eight-race card and has clinched the riding title with three days remaining in the 40-day Autumn Meet. Bejarano will become the third jockey to sweep the five major Southern California meetings, joining Hall of Famer Chris McCarron (1983) and Patrick Valenzuela (2003).

Rules restricting the use of anabolic steroids in racehorses will go into effect in New York as of Jan 1, the state’s racing and wagering board announced on Thursday.

The rules, similar to those adopted in more than 20 states this year, will allow the therapeutic use of one of four anabolic steroids as long as they are administered at least 30 days before a race. All other anabolic steroids will be banned.

New York is the last of the three states hosting races in the Triple Crown series to formally adopt rules restricting steroids. Both Kentucky, where the Kentucky Derby is run, and Maryland, where the Preakness Stakes is run, passed the rules earlier this year.

The four anabolic steroids that will be allowed to be administered are stanozolol, boldenone, nandrolone, and testosterone. Only one will be allowed to be present in a horse’s postrace urine sample, as long as its concentration is below a specific threshold level determined to be immaterial to a horse’s performance.

The biggest cinch following the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile was that Midshipman would be taken from this country by Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stable to prep for the Kentucky Derby in Dubai. It was a tough, but not unexpected, loss for Bob Baffert, who trained Midshipman. But when you train for Sheikh Mohammed, those are the rules.

Baffert might not be able to replace that likely champion, but days following the Breeders’ Cup, he rejoined forces with owner Ahmed Zayat, who had removed his horses from Baffert’s care earlier in the year. Among the horses Zayat turned over to Baffert was Pioneerof the Nile, who had finished fifth in the BC Juvenile, just 2 3/4 lengths behind Midshipman, while trained by Bill Mott.

Baffert had a spot all picked out for the new arrival.

“I put him in Midshipman’s old stall, before it had a chance to get cold,” Baffert said Thursday morning. “He looks like a Derby type to me. At least we can still dream in Technicolor.”

On Saturday, Pioneerof the Nile will make his first start for Baffert in the Grade 1, $750,000 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park, and he just might end up the lukewarm favorite in a wide-open field of 12. But the race could fall any number of ways, and there are enough horses who various running styles to ensure a truly run race.

The Futurity, at 1 1/16 miles, is the eighth of 10 races scheduled for the next-to-last day of the meet. The card also includes the Cat’s Cradle Handicap for California-bred fillies and mares, as well as a couple of good allowance races, one that features stakes winners Great Hunter, Lang Field, Mr. Chairman, and Zappa.

Baffert has won the Futurity three times, with Captain Steve, Point Given, and Real Quiet, each of whom used the Futurity as a launching pad. Giacomo was second in this race in 2004, Brother Derek won it three years ago, and Into Mischief and Colonel John ran one-two last year. More often than not, the Futurity is a preview of coming attractions.

“If you run well in Futurity, you know you’ve got a shot at the Derby,” Baffert said.

Pioneerof the Nile has turned in several strong works at Santa Anita for the race. He drew well, landing post 5, and he has picked up jockey Garrett Gomez, the nation’s leading rider.

“He’s doing good. He’s trained well,” Baffert said. “He came in in good shape. That helps. He’s a big, long-striding horse. He can run all day. When he starts to run a mile and an eighth and farther, that’s when he’ll separate himself.”

Baffert is also sending out Ventana, who finished in a dead heat for third Nov. 23 in the Hollywood Prevue, a seven-furlong prep for the Futurity.

“He’s got the speed to be out there. Maybe he can carry it all the way,” Baffert said. “My horses have two different styles.”

Trainers Doug O’Neill and Todd Pletcher also have two runners apiece in the race.

Pletcher will run Bittel Road and Hype, both of whom have raced exclusively on turf. They finished second and third, respectively, behind Mr. Rod in the Generous Stakes here Nov. 29.

Bittel Road has finished first or second in 4 of 5 starts, his lone clunker coming in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Pletcher said Bittel Road left his race in the paddock that day.

“There were too many horses in too small an area with too many people in there,” Pletcher said. “He ended up too close to the pace. He never really settled.

“It hasn’t been a problem before or since.”

Hype also has proven consistent, finishing in the money in all four of his races.

Pletcher said both colts have trained well on the synthetic surface at Santa Anita, where Pletcher has his California string with assistant Michael McCarthy.

“It’s worth taking a shot in what appears to be a wide-open race,” Pletcher said. “It’s $750,000, Grade 1. There’s a tremendous amount of upside.”

O’Neill has the bookends, with Azul Leon starting from the rail and Mark S the Cooler in the outside post.

Mr. Rod led from start to finish in the Generous and figures to be part of a lively pace with Ventana and Frumious, who has won three straight on Golden Gate’s synthetic surface.

Chocolate Candy and J P Jammer ran one-two Nov. 8 in the Real Quiet, the 1 1/16-mile prep for the Futurity.

I Want Revenge defeated maidens last time in his fourth start, but his first around two turns. He is improving.

Axel Foley, an import from England, has won once in two starts, both at seven furlongs. He blew out three furlongs in 35.60 seconds on Thursday morning at Hollywood Park. The time was the best of five at the distance.

Rosemary Homeister Jr notched her 2,000th career victory Thursday at Tampa Bay Downs when she rode Rustyshouldrun ($8,40) to a 1 1/4-length win in the seventh race.

Homeister, 35, who began her career in south Florida in 1992, has had nearly 15,000 mounts, which have earned a total of more than $34,482,000 in purses.

Homeister ranks as racing’s third-winningest female jockey in races won, behind Julie Krone (3,704) and Patti Cooksey (2,137). She won the Eclipse Award as top apprentice in 1992. Homeister retired from race-riding in the fall of 2004 but returned to competition in mid-2006.

“It felt like it took forever to get that last win.” Homeister said. “I can’t even explain the feeling – it’s like winning your first race.

“My next goal is to be second leading female rider in the country, but I don’t know if I’ll ever catch Julie Krone.”