Dave poked a nose in front in a four-horse blanket finish Sunday to win the $112,800 Ashley T. Cole Handicap at Belmont Park. Alan Garcia was aboard as Dave rallied on the far outside to edge Al Basha with Spurred third. Red Zipper, the 2-1 favorite, was fourth in the head-bobbing conclusion to the stakes for New York breds.
Rags to Riches to rest. Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches injured her right front leg and will miss the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, but could return next year, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday. The popular 3-year-old filly sustained a hairline fracture of the pastern while finishing second to Lear’s Princess in Saturday’s $250,000 Gazelle Stakes at Belmont Park.
Although everyone in NASCAR’s Chase for the Nextel Cup championship would love to get off to a great start in the 10-race playoff, Jimmie Johnson has proven that it isn’t a necessity.
One year ago, Tony Stewart was on the outside looking in.
Ksistof Lavrinovic scored 19 points Sunday to lead Lithuania over defending champion Greece 78-69 in the bronze-medal game at the European Basketball Championship. Lithuania also qualified for next year’s Beijing Olympics by finishing third. Later Sunday, Spain played Russia in the final. Both teams have already qualified for the Olympics.
Tim Hudson held Washington to seven hits in a complete game, the first by an Atlanta pitcher this season, and the Braves topped the Nationals 3-0 on Sunday to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive. Hudson (16-8) broke a three-game losing streak and needed only 100 pitches for his 10th career shutout and 21st complete game.
The Mariners decided to pull Horacio Ramirez from the starting rotation on Sunday, just one day after he lasted only four batters in a 6-2 loss to Tampa Bay. “Maybe he needs to take a step back and take a deep breath,” Seattle manager John McLaren said before Sunday’s game against the Devil Rays. “The Yankees did it with (Mike) Mussina and we’re doing it with him.
Tampa Bay running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams was active for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints, despite being limited in practice all week because of bruised ribs. Buccaneers cornerback Brian Kelly sat out the game with a strained groin, and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter — still learning the Bucs’ defense after signing as a free agent near the end of the training camp — was…
