HORSE RACING
Classic Empire retired to stud
The racing career of Classic Empire officially came to a close Wednesday when it was announced that the 2017 Arkansas Derby winner would retire to Coolmore's Ashford Stud. A fee will be set at a later date. Classic Empire had not raced since finishing second by a head to Cloud Computing in the May 20 Preakness Stakes. The Mark Casse trainee was expected to be among the favorites for the Belmont Stakes but was withdrawn due to an abscess in his right front -- an ailment that ultimately cost him the remainder of his multiple Grade 1-winning career. The hoof took longer than expected to fully heal and, according to Casse, led to the colt's back issues, similar to what he experienced when he was felled by an abscess earlier in the year following his third-place run in the Holy Bull Stakes. After recovering from that abscess, Classic Empire went through instances when he refused to train, prompting Casse to send the colt to Winding Oaks Farm in Florida where he was broken as a baby in an attempt to get him back on track mentally. That gamble paid off when he returned in April to win the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park by a half-length.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
Louisville fires Jurich
Louisville trustees have fired athletic director Tom Jurich in the wake of its involvement in a national federal investigation of college basketball. The bard of trustees voted 10-3 Wednesday to fire Jurich after 20 years as the school's athletic director. Jurich, 61, had been placed on paid administrative Sept. 27 by interim university President Greg Postel. Louisville's Athletic Association fired men's basketball coach Rick Pitino on Monday. Jurich shepherded Louisville's 2014 entry into the Atlantic Coast Conference. He also was responsible for facility upgrades and saw numerous sports thrive under coaches he hired. Vince Tyra was named acting athletic director Oct. 3.
Sandusky denied new trial
Jerry Sandusky lost a bid Wednesday for a new trial and a chance to convince a jury he is innocent of the child sexual abuse charges that landed him a decades-long prison sentence. Judge John Foradora ruled that he was denying Sandusky's request for a new trial and dismissal of the charges. The former Penn State assistant football coach's lawyers have 30 days to appeal the judge's decision to the Superior Court. Sandusky, 73, has consistently maintained he was wrongly convicted. He argued that he did not receive adequate representation at his 2012 trial and that prosecutors should have disclosed more details about changes to victims' stories. Sandusky has been serving a 30- to 60-year sentence. Eight of his accusers testified at trial, describing abuse that ranged from grooming and fondling to violent sexual attacks. The case, among the biggest scandals in college football history, led to major structural and procedural changes at Penn State. Sandusky spent three decades at the university as an assistant to Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno before retiring in 1999. The decision follows previous rulings against Sandusky by the state's Supreme and Superior courts.
GYMNASTICS
Maroney alleges abuse
Olympic medalist McKayla Maroney said she was molested by former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar from the time she was 13 to her retirement from the sport last year. Maroney, 21, posted a lengthy statement on Twitter on Wednesday that detailed the allegations of abuse. She said the abuse began at one of her first team training camps and also occurred before events at the 2012 Olympics. She and her teammates won gold for the U.S. in London and Maroney took an individual silver medal on the vault. Nassar is in prison in Michigan after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography. He is awaiting trial on separate criminal sexual conduct charges and has been sued by more than 125 women alleging abuse. Attorneys for Nassar had no comment. USA Gymnastics also had no immediate comment.
TENNIS
Top two women's seeds out
Kristina Mladenovic and Coco Vandeweghe were among six seeded players to make an exit from the Kremlin Cup on Wednesday in Moscow. The run of defeats left seventh-seeded Julia Goerges, the world No. 27, as the highest-ranked player remaining. Top-seeded Mladenovic landed only 49 percent of her first serves and was beaten 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 by Aliaksandra Sasnovich, while No. 2 seed Vandeweghe lost 7-5, 1-6, 6-2 to Lesia Tsurenko. Mladenovic and Vandeweghe had both received byes in the first round. Young Russian Natalia Vikhlyantseva put an end to the title hopes of her compatriot, third-seeded Elena Vesnina, winning 7-6 (3), 6-4. Fourth-seeded Anastasija Sevastova lost 6-4, 6-3 to Irina-Camelia Begu.
BASEBALL
Twins, Perkins part ways
The Minnesota Twins have told left-hander Glen Perkins they will decline their $6.5 million option on his contract for 2018 and pay him a $700,000 buyout. The Twins announced the decision Wednesday, moving Perkins closer to retirement. The 34-year-old three-time All-Star will become a free agent able to sign with any team, including the Twins, but he has said he's not interested in pitching elsewhere. Perkins played at Stillwater High School outside the Twin Cities and the University of Minnesota before the Twins drafted him in the first round in 2004. With 120 saves, Perkins is third on the franchise's all-time list. He pitched in only 10 games the last two seasons because of shoulder trouble. Perkins returned in August from an arduous rehabilitation over a 16-month absence.
BASKETBALL
Hayward surgery on hold
Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward sent a video message from his hospital bed before the team’s home opener Wednesday night, telling Boston fans: “It’s hurting me that I can’t be there.” The crowd at the TD Garden for the Celtics’ game against the Milwaukee Bucks cheered when Marcus Smart directed fans’ attention to the scoreboard, where Hayward appeared wearing a hospital gown and sitting up in bed. The arena hushed to hear the brief message, then erupted in another cheer when it was over. “What’s up, everybody? Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who’s had me in their thoughts and prayers,” Hayward said in the 30-second message.
“I’m going to be all right,” Hayward said. After signing with Boston in the offseason as a free agent, Hayward was injured in the sixth minute of his first game for the Celtics, crumpling to the floor Tuesday in Cleveland with a gruesome ankle injury. Boston Coach Brad Stevens said doctors confirmed that Hayward has a dislocated left ankle and broken tibia. Surgery will be necessary but it hadn’t been scheduled, Stevens said.
Green has MRI on knee
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green underwent an MRI exam Wednesday on his strained left knee and his status for an upcoming road trip is unclear. Green got hurt in the closing seconds of the third quarter of Tuesday's season-opening 122-121 home loss to Houston when he drove left to the basket, took an off-balanced shot and landed awkwardly. He came up hobbling and grabbing at his knee. Golden State missed his presence down the stretch and Green finished just shy of a triple-double with 9 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Gators' Sherit out for year
Florida defensive end Jordan Sherit had season-ending hip surgery, the latest setback for Coach Jim McElwain's team. Sherit injured his hip in the second half of a home loss to Texas A&M last Saturday and was eventually carted off the field. A fifth-year senior from Tampa, Sherit ranks sixth on the teams with 23 tackles and second with 2 ½ sacks. It's unclear how long Sherit will need to recover, but McElwain said, "it's a bad deal." The Gators (3-3, 3-2 SEC) also expect to be without safety Nick Washington (shoulder) and defensive back Quincy Lenton (knee) when they play third-ranked Georgia (7-0, 4-0) in nearby Jacksonville next week. McElwain said receiver Tyrie Cleveland, left tackle Martez Ivey, receiver Kadarius Toney, safety Chauncey Gardner and defensive end Jabari Zuniga are "very limited" in practice this week. Florida already has several players out for the season, including quarterback Luke Del Rio (broken collarbone), safety Marcell Harris (torn Achilles tendon) and receiver James Robinson (unknown heart condition).
GOLF
PGA Tour coming to Kentucky
The PGA Tour is bringing a regular tournament to Kentucky for the first time in nearly 60 years. The Barbasol Championship is leaving Alabama next summer for the Keene Trace Golf Club just outside Lexington. The tournament is July 19-22 and is held the same week as the British Open. As an opposite-field event, the winner does not get an invitation to the Masters and the prize fund is $3.5 million. The tournament began in 2015 at the RTJ Trail's Grand National in Opelika, Ala. Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville hosted the PGA Championship three times and the Ryder Cup in 2008. But the last regular PGA Tour stop in Kentucky was the Kentucky Derby Open from 1957 to 1959 where Gary Player won his first PGA Tour event in 1958.
Sports on 10/19/2017