A look around the racing world. Zayat Stables retired Eskendereya on Friday, 12 days after a leg injury knocked him out of the favourite’s role for the Kentucky Derby. Ahmed Zayat’s Zayat Stables will retain a significant ownership stake in the three year-old Giant’s Causeway colt in partnership with Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stables—the owner of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and majority owner of reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.

Stud plans for Eskendereya, who is out of Aldebaran Light, by Seattle Slew, were not announced. Zayat said in a press release that he and Jackson “are looking for the best stud farm for Eskendereya and will work to develop the best progeny for American racing.”

This year’s catalogue of Barrets May Sale cover features 2010 Gulf News Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) winner Kinsale King. The five year-old Yankee Victor gelding out of the Woodman mare Flaming Mirage sold for $67,000 at the 2007 Barretts May sale. There are 68 horses in the catalogue that previously have been purchased at auction, and they cost an average price of $40,608, a 37.4% decline from last year.

What’s happening in Japan? Danon Chantilly showed his brilliant on Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse with a record-setting victory in the $1,904,348 NHK Mile Cup (Jpn-G1). The Fuji Kiseki colt closed with a powerful rush from near the back of the 18-horse field to win by 1 1/2 lengths under Katsumi Ando, completing 1,600 meters (7.95 furlongs) in a course-record and Japanese-record time of 1:31.40.

In Australia, trainer Bart Cummings, 12-time winner of the Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1), has been released after spending three weeks in the hospital recovering from a chest infection. Cummings, 82, was admitted to a private hospital in Sydney after complications following bout of influenza, according to the Sydney Daily Telegraph.

“I’m feeling a lot better,” Cummings told the paper. “I reckon in another week or ten days I’ll be back to normal and back to the track.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Leading jockey Danny Nikolic has been charged with several offences amidst an investigation concerning some of his rides. Nikolic faces nine charges, four of which relate to bets laid against his rides following a probe initiated by Internet bookmaker Betfair. The 35-year-old jockey could be banned from the sport if he is found guilty of the most unpardonable charges against him.

“I’ve been trying to keep as focused as I can,” Nikolic told Sky Racing. “These are very bad charges to be laid upon you—but I can’t really comment now that I’ve been charged.”

The harshest charge accuses Nikolic of speaking on his mobile phone to bettors who allegedly later bet on the jockey’s horses to lose on Betfair.

The investigation began in January, when Nikolic refused to give his mobile phone to stewards so they could check his contacts after the jockey was beaten on a 3-to-5 favourite in a maiden race at Mornington. Nikolic maintains his innocence.

In 2006 in England, Kieren Fallon, a six-time champion jockey, was charged with conspiracy to defraud as part of a protracted and much-publicized investigation into alleged race fixing. That probe was prompted by alleged irregular betting patterns on Betfair. Fallon, who missed many months of riding pending a trial, later was cleared of the charges in December 2007.

In Argentina, South America’s all-time flamboyant jockey, Brazilian Jorge Ricardo, booted home seven winners from his 12 mounts on Monday’s 13-race card at Hipodromo Palermo in Buenos Aires. Ricardo has ridden 10,759 winners through Tuesday and trails Northern California-based Racing Hall of Famer Russell Baze by 142 wins as the world’s leading active jockey.

Ricardo, who became the first jockey in history to reach 10,000 wins in January 2008, missed more than 200 days of competition last year to undergo chemotherapy for lymphoma.

Five of Ricardo’s seven wins Monday came from his highly successful association with leading owner Ricardo Benedicto’s Stud Rubio B and trainer Juan Javier Etchechoury. Three of those victories came aboard US-bred horses campaigned by the leading stable the last three seasons in Argentina.

Now this one is interesting for those who keep close track on female jockeys. Female jockeys returned to raise breast cancer awareness at non-descript entry-level allowance race on the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) undercard on Friday at Pimlico Race Course carrying an extra layer of both competitiveness and emotion as eight retired female jockeys competed to raise breast cancer awareness.

As part of the entire day’s festivities, the Maryland Jockey Club has pledged to raise a minimum of $100,000 for Komen for the Cure.

As part of its “The People’s Race” brand for the Preakness Stakes (G1), Maryland Jockey Club is calling it “The People’s Pink Party.”

“Being a breast cancer survivor and bringing awareness to breast cancer and hopefully giving women who are either newly diagnosed or have just been recently diagnosed or are 20-year survivors [hope] that life doesn’t end with a diagnoses is what’s so special about this,” said Cooksey, who in 1985 became the first female jockey to ride in the Preakness when sixth aboard Tajawa. “There’s always hope, and there’s always a new day, and you just have to make the most of each one.”