NEW YORK - When Churchill Downs Inc. begins its new policy on Wednesday to close betting approximately one minute before horses enter the gates, other track operators will be watching carefully to see if they should follow suit.

Closing weekend at Delaware Park will also mark the end of an era.

Jockey Mike McCarthy, the dominant rider at Delaware for the last seven seasons, will retire this Sunday when the meet ends.

Since moving his tack from Philadelphia Park in 1996, McCarthy, 39, has been king of the hill. Heading into the final week of the season, McCarthy is on his way to finishing as the track's leading rider for the sixth time in seven years.

Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., increased purses this meet to build momentum for next year, when slot machines will be installed, and the move paid off. The track reported gains in attendance and handle during its 80-day meet, which closed Sunday.

Louisiana Downs handled an average of $2,300,807 a day on its races this season, a 9 percent increase over the same meet a year ago. Daily attendance rose 6 percent to 3,542, while purses averaged $187,639 a day during the summer meet, which ran through Sept. 22, up nearly 32 percent from summer 2001.

SAN MATEO, Calif. - The total all-sources average daily handle for the 50-day Bay Meadows fall meet increased 0.6 percent, largely owed to an 8.2 percent increase in northern California offtrack wagers, including advance deposit wagering. The track did not release dollar amounts.

Ontrack handle declined by 7.5 percent, while out-of-state handle declined by 1.9 percent.

Ontrack attendance fell by 3 percent, largely the result of a 53.8 percent drop on the first three Fridays of the meeting when day cards were substituted for night cards.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - When entries are drawn Wednesday for Saturday's Grade 1 De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park, Xtra Heat's name won't be among the list of runners. Trainer John Salzman confirmed Monday that Xtra Heat will make her next start in the $75,000 Garland of Roses Handicap over Aqueduct's inner track on Dec. 14.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Acting Deputy seeks her fifth consecutive win and leaves the claiming ranks in Wednesday's $67,600 Woodbine headliner, a seven-furlong allowance for fillies and mares.

Acting Deputy's streak began at Fort Erie on Sept. 8, when she graduated with ease in her third career outing. She doubled up in a nonwinners-of-two allowance two weeks later, earning an impressive 81 Beyer Speed Figure, an effort that swayed trainer Chris Tuttle to try Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Parose has been pure gold for owner John Atto and trainer Sandy McPherson since they claimed him for $62,500 on the final day of the 2001 Woodbine meeting.

The latest dividends were returned Saturday when Parose, enjoying the best campaign of his career at age 8, rallied for his second stakes win of the year in the Woodbine Slots Cup.

"He got a very contested pace to run at," said McPherson. "That's always good for a horse with his running style."

Parose has won 3 of 8 starts this year with four seconds and a third, and has banked $283,790.

After running an opening quarter in a blazing 20.92 seconds, Mick ($9) went on to a 1 3/4-length win over Kwik Kountry in the $30,775 Clever Trevor for 2-year-olds at Remington Park. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to favorite Mav Cat.

ANDERSON, Ind. - Maggie's Dream stayed perfect this year with her fourth win in the $42,500 Richmond Stakes and Imageofhope won the $43,100 Gus Grissom. The two Hoosier Park 1 1/16-mile races are for Indiana-breds sired by registered Indiana stallions - the Richmond for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, the Grissom for males.

ALBANY, Calif. - Onslaught ($8.40), beaten by a neck in three straight stakes races, used a new strategy to win the $60,600 Camilla Urso Handicap by a half-length at Golden Gate.

Onslaught had lost by a neck twice to Channing Way and to Bullish Miss in her last start while stalking. This time, she took the lead out of the gate, dueling with Fertile through the opening half-mile of the six-furlong race for fillies and mares. Fertile edged ahead at the top of the lane, but Onslaught responded to the left-hand whip of Chad Schvaneveldt and regained the lead.