Rockchalk Jayhawk, who won the $35,000 Remington Green on turf by disqualification in his last start, will move back to the main track Saturday night at Remington in the $18,500 Tip Tap, a 1 1/16-mile overnight handicap. As the 123-pound highweight, he will spot his rivals four to 11 pounds. Don Pettinger has the mount for trainer Donnie Von Hemel.

Remington will close out its meet Sunday with the $75,000 MEC Mile for 2-year-olds. In addition to the purse, the winner will receive an all-fees-paid berth into the 2004 Oklahoma Derby.

NEW ORLEANS - Horses began arriving at Fair Grounds for the winter on Nov. 1. The track's aging blue barns, tucked between a cemetery and historic Gentilly Boulevard, have steadily filled, the sounds of morning training flowing into the surrounding neighborhoods again, as they do every fall.

But this is a different kind of season at Fair Grounds, one fraught with skepticism and uncertainty. There are few answers floating about, but many questions.

* In what state will Fair Grounds emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, for which it filed earlier this year?

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Two years ago, it was Belterra. Last year, it was Allamerican Bertie. This year, in what figures to be her third and final appearance at Churchill Downs on Thanksgiving weekend, Take Charge Lady might finally be able to turn back all challengers and secure a well-earned spot at the head of the proverbial table.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Van Berg legacy carries quite a bit of weight at Churchill Downs. Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg saddled Alysheba to win the 1987 Kentucky Derby and 1988 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill, and his 335 career wins are fourth-highest in Churchill Downs history.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Bossanova likely will try to play "catch me if you can" when he seeks his first graded stakes victory in Thursday's Grade 3, $100,000 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct.

The Fall Highweight ignites HolidayFest, a four-day period in which Aqueduct will host six stakes. The Fall Highweight, run at six furlongs, is the featured event on a nine-race Thanksgiving Day card that begins at 11 a.m. Last post is 2:37 p.m.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Bob Baffert is battling the flu, which may keep him home in Southern California this weekend. Unfortunately for Baffert's New York colleagues with designs on Saturday's Grade 1 Cigar Mile, his horse, Congaree, is doing just fine.

Congaree on Tuesday completed preparations for the $350,000 Cigar Mile by working four furlongs in 46.80 seconds at Santa Anita. It was the second fastest of 31 moves at the distance and should have Congaree primed to defend the Cigar title he won a year ago.

Magna Entertainment Corp. has decided to end its experiment with Instant Racing video gambling machines at Portland Meadows.

The machines, which offer wagering on replays of previously run but unidentified races, have been highly successful at Oaklawn Park.

About 20 machines were installed this past summer at nearby Multnomah Greyhound Park, like Portand Meadows owned by Magna Entertainment. After a slow start, the daily handle for those machines grew to about $1,500 per day.

NEW ORLEANS - Bonapaw was asleep in the dark corner of his stall Monday morning at Fair Grounds. The old man needs his rest.

Bonapaw is 7 and turns 8 in five weeks, but on opening day at Fair Grounds he will be asked to win the Thanksgiving Handicap for the third time in his illustrious career, something no horse has ever done. The Bonapaw of old was the horse to beat in Fair Grounds sprint stakes, but this time, Bonapaw must prove he still can run with the likes of Posse, the 3-year-old colt who will be heavily favored Thursday.

NEW ORLEANS - Meet-opening press conferences are supposed to showcase fluff. Welcome. We hope to have a great meet. See you out at the track.

But at Fair Grounds late Tuesday morning, at a press luncheon, the track's president and general manager, Bryan Krantz, found it impossible to sidestep the issues dogging his racetrack. At Fair Grounds right now, one does not go long without hearing the words "slots," "lawsuit," and "settlement," and they came up again Tuesday.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - It is usually Bobby Frankel who is the hunted, with everyone taking shots at him as he sends out the top choices in major stakes races. But on Thursday at Hollywood Park, Frankel will do the hunting with longshot Watchem Smokey.

Frankel will try to knock off California's best sprinter, Avanzado, who figures to be an overwhelming favorite in the $100,000 Vernon O. Underwood Stakes.