FOOTBALL
Source: Peterson to sit out
The Minnesota Vikings will open their optional team practices this week without Adrian Peterson. The star running back has told Coach Mike Zimmer that he will not attend the three days of team work that begin Tuesday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Sunday night. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue. Peterson did attend the optional workouts last summer while Zimmer was orienting himself in his first months on the job, but has skipped them in the past. This time, however, it could cost him a $250,000 workout bonus and comes in the context of his expressed unhappiness with the organization. Peterson has made it clear through his representatives this offseason that he would like to play elsewhere next season because he does not believe the Vikings showed enough support of him while he was dealing with child abuse charges last season.
HORSE RACING
Belmont awaits Pharoah
American Pharoah is scheduled to arrive at Belmont Park on June 2, a day earlier than originally planned. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner galloped 1 3/16 miles at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on Sunday. Assistant Jimmy Barnes said trainer Bob Baffert is scheduled to be at Churchill Downs on Tuesday to determine the workout routine for American Pharoah. American Pharoah will attempt to become the 12th Triple Crown winner on June 6 and first to sweep the Derby, Preakness and Belmont since Affirmed in 1978.
Ashleyluvssugar rallied to win the $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes for 3-year-olds by a halflength Sunday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Hall of Famer Gary Stevens, Ashleyluvssugar ran 11/2 miles on turf in 2:30.10 and paid $3, $2.20 and $2.10 as the 1-2 favorite. Brazil-bred Ganesh returned $3.20 and $2.60, while Going Somewhere was another half-length back in third and paid $3 to show in his U.S. debut. The victory, worth $120,000, increased Ashleyluvssugar’s career earnings to $455,504, with six victories in 11 starts.
TRACK AND FIELD
Bolt set to get on track
Usain Bolt said he is not worried by Justin Gatlin’s fast times and is using this season to get into shape ahead of the world championship in Beijing after his injuries last season. The Jamaican great was talking Sunday in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava two days before he runs the 200 meters at the Golden Spike meet there. The six-time Olympic champion said his focus this season is “on trying to get back into shape, get a lot of races on my belt before the world championship.” Tuesday’s event will be his second 200 after clocking 20.20 in Jamaica in April. Bolt said he is feeling better than a month ago and his coach expects an unspecified fast time in Ostrava.
MOTOR SPORTS
Rosberg king of Monaco
Nico Rosberg won the Monaco Grand Prix for the third consecutive year after a late crash involving teenager Max Verstappen undid Lewis Hamilton’s bid for a fourth victory of the season. Hamilton looked set to take his 37th career victory after leading from the start, until Verstappen, 17, rammed his Toro Rosso into the back of Romain Grosjean as he tried to overtake the Lotus driver. That meant a safety car had to come out at the start of the 64th lap, and when Hamilton was then called in for a pit stop, he suddenly found himself behind both Rosberg and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. When the safety car finally went off track, Hamilton had only a few laps to try and get past Vettel and Rosberg on the most difficult track to overtake on F1. It was Rosberg’s second victory of the season, and he became the first driver since Ayrton Senna to win the Monaco race three consecutive times. The others to do it were Frenchman Alain Prost and Briton Graham Hill.
BASEBALL
Yankees honor Williams
Derek Jeter made his first public appearance at Yankee Stadium since retiring to help celebrate the retirement of Bernie Williams’ No.51. Jeter was introduced after former teammates Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera on Sunday night, earning a standing ovation from fans before to the game against Texas. The five led the Yankees to four World Series titles in a five-year span from 1996-2000. After Williams retired, the core four won another championship in 2009. Williams unveiled the new No. 51 sign in Monument Park, the Yankees’ 18th retired number. Posada’s No. 20 is to be retired Aug. 22 and Pettitte’s No. 46 the next day.
BASEBALL
Hamilton to bat second, play left field for Rangers
Josh Hamilton is getting another shot at redemption in baseball with an unlikely journey that has led him back to the Texas Rangers.
After leaving for a big free agent contract with the Los Angeles Angels, the 2010 American League MVP had struggles on and off the field.
Hamilton, out of the majors since shoulder surgery in February, is now set for a Rangers reunion in Cleveland. That comes exactly four weeks after the Angels finalized a trade to basically give him back to their AL West rivals for little in return less than halfway into a $125 million, fiveyear deal.
“I’ve always wanted to play the game the right way. Play hard, give what you have, leave it out there. If you do that, then you don’t have to answer to anybody,” Hamiltons said Saturday, when his stint at Class AAA Round Rock ended with a rained-out game. “Hopefully, people in my career have enjoyed watching me play.”
Hamilton will start in left field and likely will hit second or fifth in the batting order, according to Manager Jeff Banister.
Banister said his plan was to “open our arms and love him up and give him a great big hug and welcome him in, and then treat him like he’s one of 25, just like we do everybody else.”
Banister intends to speak with Hamilton before today’s game.
“Don’t be more than who you are. Just be you,” Banister said of his message. “There are 24 other players out there that are going to play for you, with you, around you and support you. Do the same for the them. Just fit in.”
During Hamilton’s first stint in Texas, after 19 home runs and 47 RBI in his 2007 rookie season with Cincinnati, the outfielder was an All-Star in each of his five seasons (2008-12) and was the AL MVP the same season the Rangers went to the first of consecutive World Series.