ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Rain has cost Ioya Two dearly at the Arlington meet, but Saturday it is snow she might have to contend with.

Winter blew into Chicago this week, just in time for Arlington's final weekend. Cold weather is expected to continue through Sunday, and for Ioya Two and her connections, that means the chance of the Estrapade Handicap being rained off turf has diminished. But don't underestimate the strength of Ioya Two's connection to the rain gods - when she enters, things get wet.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The racing world returns to normal Sunday at Santa Anita. Trainer Bobby Frankel, scheduled to start six horses in Breeders' Cup races Saturday at Belmont Park, has only one horse for the Grade 3 Carleton F. Burke Handicap at Santa Anita. One might be enough.

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board will consider granting Delta Downs in Vinton, La., a license to operate slot machines during a special meeting in Baton Rouge, La., on Tuesday. But the track's request will not be heard without opposition, as some area riverboats plan to contest the number of slot machines proposed for operation at Delta Downs.

Boyd Gaming, which owns 11 casino entertainment properties, including the Stardust in Las Vegas, purchased Delta Downs in May, and has proposed 1,709 slot machines be installed at the track.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Four jockeys who have combined for more than 17,000 wins have been named finalists for the 2002 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award - Russell Baze, Robbie Davis, Larry Melancon, and Ray Sibille. The annual award, presented by Santa Anita, recognizes jockeys "whose careers have reflected credit on themselves and their sport."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A 2-year-old champion could be crowned at Woodbine when unbeaten Rare Friends clashes with El Soprano in Sunday's $250,000 Coronation Futurity, the country's richest race for Canadian-bred juveniles.

Rare Friends has won all four of his starts on the front end for trainer Bob Tiller. Perhaps his best effort was two starts ago in the seven-furlong Simcoe Stakes, in which he shrugged off an early challenge before cruising to an easy 2 3/4-length triumph in 1:24.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Heading into the final week of racing at Hastings Park, David Wilson holds a three-win advantage over Mark Patzer in the jockey standings.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Fitness will be at a premium during the early stages of the 80-day Portland Meadows season that opened Saturday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Not since the fall of 1999 has there been a leading trainer at a Churchill Downs meet.

Co-leading trainers, yes. But a trainer who could claim an outright title? Not since Bobby Barnett overtook Paul McGee in the final few days to win the fall 1999 crown has anyone gone solo.

Spring 2000 resulted in a tie between D. Wayne Lukas and Dale Romans. Fall 2000 ended in a tie between Elliott Walden and Bernie Flint. Spring 2001? Another tie, this one between Romans and Flint.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Take a long, last look, or at least take a picture. The Churchill Downs that racing fans have come to know and love - and sometimes hate - will no longer exist in its current form after the fall meet ends Nov. 24.

A two-phase, $127 million facelift will get under way when the meet ends. When the massive project is completely finished in time for the 2005 Kentucky Derby, Churchill will have a dramatically different look, though one that retains certain traditions, such as the famed Twin Spires.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Shine Again got the better of Dream Supreme in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga in August and did it again Friday in the $150,000 First Flight Handicap at Belmont Park.

Shine Again, under Jean-Luc Samyn, outgamed Dream Supreme, the 4-5 favorite, in the final yards of the seven-furlong First Flight, a Grade 2, to win by a head. It was another three lengths back to Kalookan Queen in third in the six-horse field of fillies and mares.