HORSE RACING
Track agreement reached
Baltimore officials and the owners of the historic racetrack that hosts the Preakness Stakes have reached an agreement to keep the Triple Crown series' middle jewel in the city. The agreement, which is subject to approval of the General Assembly during its next session, ends a dispute between owner The Stronach Group and the city over the future of Pimlico Race Course. Located in northwest Baltimore, the second-oldest track in America has been home to the famed annual race since 1909, but it is in need of a major overhaul. Under the plan announced Saturday, The Stronach Group would donate the site to the city for community development in and around the track and an area hospital. The company would also build a new clubhouse, and the track would be rotated 30 degrees to the northeast to create parcels of land that could be sold for private development. The grandstand, whose dilapidated state forced the closure of 6,670 seats before this year's Preakness, would be demolished. The proposed agreement calls for training and stable operations to be consolidated at the Stronach track in Laurel, about 20 miles southwest of Baltimore.
Beach wins comeback
Richard Mandella experienced the highest high and lowest low at Santa Anita on Saturday, with Arkansas Derby winner Omaha Beach successfully winning his comeback after a six-month layoff while another of the trainer's horses died of a suspected heart attack. Former Kentucky Derby favorite Omaha Beach rallied to beat 1-5 favorite Shancelot by a head in the $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at the track in Arcadia, Calif. Hours earlier, Ky. Colonel dropped dead after a jog on the training track, Mandella confirmed to The Associated Press. It was the 33rd horse death at the track and second in Mandella's barn since December. Ky. Colonel, a 5-year-old gelding, was not involved in a timed workout before he collapsed. The horse will undergo a required necropsy to confirm the cause of death. Omaha Beach ran six furlongs in 1:08.79 and paid $7.20, $2.40 and $2.10 at 5-2 odds. It was the colt's fourth consecutive victory and first since the Arkansas Derby on April 13.
FOOTBALL
Beckham, Humphrey fined
Cleveland Browns star Odell Beckham Jr. was fined $14,037 by the NFL for unsportsmanlike conduct after he fought with Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey last week. Beckham and Humphrey were flagged after they tangled in the third quarter of Cleveland's 40-25 victory. Humphrey, who played Beckham aggressively the entire game, was also assessed the same $14,037 penalty. The league decided not to levy fines for fighting on the players. First-time offenders are fined $35,096, according to the league's fine schedule. Humphrey and Beckham began shoving on a running play before grabbing each other's face masks and going to the ground. Humphrey pinned the Browns wide receiver and appeared to choke him before being pulled off. On Friday, Beckham said he would appeal the fine. He'd been fined previously for a fight with former Carolina cornerback Josh Norman and could have been fined up to $100,000 for a second offense. Browns center JC Tretter was also fined $14,037 for unsportsmanlike conduct after coming to Beckham's rescue. He is appealing. Beckham was not fined for any uniform violations. He criticized the league's arbitrary handling of what he believes are inconsequential wrongdoings.
GOLF
Na matches career low
Kevin Na matched his career-low Saturday with a 10-under 61 on a day of low scoring in Las Vegas to build a two-shot lead over Patrick Cantlay in the PGA Tour's Shiners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. Na was pumping his fist after every putt down the stretch at the TPC Summerlin, which yielded six scores of 63 or better. Na, who lives in Las Vegas, set the tournament's 54-hole record at 22-under 191. Cantlay was staying with him until he failed to get up-and-down on the reachable par-4 15th and made bogey from the bunker on the par-3 17th. He closed with a 15-foot birdie putt for a 63. Pat Perez had a 62 and was four shots behind. Sam Ryder (64) and Lucas Glover (66) were another shot back.
Green leads by 1
Jaye Marie Green opened with eight birdies in 10 holes and made two big putts late for a 7-under 64 that gave her a one-shot lead Saturday going into the final round of the LPGA Tour's Volunteers of America Classic at The Colony, Texas. The final full field of the LPGA Tour season presents a big chance for Green and the three women right behind her, all looking for their first LPGA victory. Green made a long par putt from just off the 16th green, followed with an 18-foot birdie on the 17th hole and reached 14-under 199. Knight, a rookie who grew up in Texas, birdied the last hole at Old American Golf Club for a 67 to get into the last group. Katherine Perry (66) and Brittany Altomare (68) were two shots behind. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) had an eagle on No. 15, four birdies and two bogeys for a 4-under 67. She was tied for 16th at 5-under 208. Maria Fassi (Razorbacks) had 5 birdies, 2 bogeys, 3 double bogeys and 1 triple bogey for a 6-over 77. She was tied for 58th at 1-over 214.
TENNIS
Djokovic advances
Novak Djokovic has been in dominant form at the Japan Open. That bodes well for the top-ranked Serb's chances of winning the gold medal at next year's Olympics. Playing on the same court that will host the tennis tournament at the Tokyo Olympics, Djokovic beat third-seeded David Goffin 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday to reach his fifth final this season, a showdown with Australian qualifier John Millman, who beat Reilly Opelka 6-3, 7-6 (4). Goffin was the only former champion in the draw. He lost to Nick Kyrgios in the 2016 final before defeating Adrian Mannarino for the title in 2017.
Thiem, Barty in finals
Top seeds Dominic Thiem and Ashleigh Barty are through to the finals of the China Open in Beijing. Austrian Thiem will face Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. In the women's tournament, Australian Barty meets two-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan, who downed defending champion Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets. Thiem dropped the first set to Russia's Karen Khachanov, but came roaring back to win 2-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5. Third-seeded Tsitsipas fought past Germany's second-seeded Alexander Zverev 7-6 (6), 6-4. Barty advanced with a three-set victory over Kiki Bertens.
MOTOR SPORTS
Custer wins at Dover
Cole Custer raced to his seventh Xfinity Series victory of the season Saturday at Dover International Speedway in Delaware. Custer, 21, proved he's the driver to beat as NASCAR's second-tier series gets set to move into the next round of playoffs. John Hunter Nemechek, Brandon Jones, Ryan Sieg and Justin Haley were eliminated from championship contention. Custer, Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick have combined to win 19 of the 29 Xfinity Series races. Custer, Bell and Reddick are joined in the next round by Michael Annett, Justin Allgaier, Noah Gragson, Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe. Allgaier finished second at Dover, followed by Cindric, Haley and Briscoe. The next round starts in two weeks at Kansas Speedway.
Sports on 10/06/2019