LITTLE ROCK — HORSE RACING It's a Bird handlers contest ruling
Attorneys representing the owner and trainer of disqualified Oaklawn Handicap winner It's a Bird petitioned the Pulaski County Circuit Court on Tuesday to reverse the Arkansas Racing Commission's July 29 decision.
It's A Bird won the $500,000 Grade II Oaklawn Handicap on April, but traces of the banned substance naproxen were detected in post race urine samples and the commission ruled July 29 to disqualify It's a Bird and place him last.
The verdict cost owner Edmund Gann his $300,000 share of purse money, and trainer Marty Wolfson was fined $500.
The lawyers for Gann and Wolfson, Q. Byrum Hurst Jr. and Jeffrey Pence, argue in the petition that the "final decision is in violation of the statutory provisions governing thoroughbred racing, is contrary to the Arkansas Racing Commission's medication rules, is based on errors of fact and law, is not supported by substantial evidence, is arbitrary, capricious and characterized by an abuse of discretion, and violates both state and federal due process of law embodied in the United States and Arkansas constitutions."
Hurt and Pence have asked the court for a stay of enforcement of the decision and a judgment reinstating It's a Bird's placement in the Oaklawn Handicap and the purse money and rescinding the fine.
MOTOR SPORTS
Louisiana driver fined for altering Topless tire
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series has fined Chris Wall of Holden, La., for chemically altering tires he used in qualifying at the Comp Cams Topless 100 at Batesville Motor Speedway on Aug. 14.
Series officials sent a confiscated tire to an independent testing laboratory, which determined the tire had been chemically altered to enhance its performance.
Holden finished 10th in the feature race Aug. 15, which paid $2,800. Holden had to repay his winnings and was fined $1,500 and $450 for the lab's testing fees. He also was docked 300 points in the series standings.
SWIMMING Team Arkansas AAU national champion
Team Arkansas won the AAU Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa, earlier this month, finishing in front of second-place Missouri and third-place Florida for the title.
The Arkansas team, one of 32 to compete, was made up of 24 members of the El Dorado Health Works Hurricanes, 9 swimmers from the Central Arkansas Swim Club and 3 from Searcy's Sharks. The swimmers qualified for the national meet at the state meet in Paragould.
Members of the team, coached by Farrin Cain, Patrick Bass and Ruby McDiarmid, were Allie Rogers, Meg Tolbert, Amy Tolbert, Brooke Shalkowski, Clair Shalkowski, Isabella Gati, Everett Gati, Lydia Conley, Katherine Conley, Gabie Gauthier, Courtney McDiarmid, Hyden McDiarmid, Hudson McDiarmid, Collin McDiarmid, Sara Sixby, Morgan Lee, Jacob Boshears, Joseph Boshears, Noah Blake, Robert Anaya, Alec Howell, Aston Howell, Will Rothwell, Dalton Walthall, Devin Hopper, Robert Dean, Blake Eddleman, Austin Bennett, Allison Greene, Carly Wills, Audrey Guyett, Monica Guyett, Nicole Guyett, Justine Tazelaar, Mason Nelson, Brooke Smothers, Lee Smothers, Tyler Latimer, Austin Gray and Gladys Rivas.
VOLLEYBALL
Bucur, Fielder named preseason All-Sun Belt UALR senior Anita Bucur and Arkansas State sophomore Cayla Fielder have been named to the All-Sun Belt Conference preseason team.
Bucur averaged 3.22 kills last season and led her team in attack percentage at .345. Fielder averaged 2.47 kills and led her team with 103 blocks.
The Trojans were picked to finish third (57 points) in the West Division in the preseason poll, while the Red Wolves were picked fourth (51). New Orleans was chosen to win the division, receiving 87 points in the poll. Florida International (72) was picked to win the East.
FOOTBALL
Central Arkansas 12th in FCS coaches' poll
Central Arkansas finished the 2008 season ranked 12th in the Football Championship Subdivision coaches' poll, and that's where the Bears will start this season.
The preseason poll was released Tuesday and has UCA ranked as the top team in the Southland Conference. The Bears finished 6-1 against Southland competition last year and 10-2 overall. McNeese State is the next-highest Southland team in the poll, ranking 15th, while Texas State is ranked 21st. Appalachian State tops the poll.
UCA also had two players selected as College Sporting News preseason FCS All-Americans and two honorable mentions. Defensive end Larry Hart, the 2008 Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year, made the first-team defense, and defensive tackle Taylor Scott was a third-team choice. Fullback Nick Cowger and offensive tackle Lane Freiwald received honorable mention.
Sports, Pages 23 on 08/26/2009