September 2, 2007

Briefs | Lawyer Ron dominates at Saratoga

Horse racing

Lawyer Ron takes Grade I Woodward by 8-¼ lengths: Lawyer Ron supplied a spectacular encore Saturday at Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The 4-year-old colt, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, won the Grade I Woodward by 8-¼ lengths over 13-1 shot Sun King. Lawyer Ron ran 1-1/8 miles in 1 minute, 48-3/5 seconds and paid $3.50 to win in the $500,000 race.

Lawyer Ron triumphed by 4-¾ lengths in the Grade I Whitney at Saratoga on July 28, earning an automatic berth in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 27 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

"I think he's arguably one of the top older horses in training," Pletcher said.

Diamond Stripes was third in the Woodward and in the Whitney.

Earlier on the Saratoga card, Midnight Lute — co-owned by former Mount Vernon resident Mike Pegram — beat Benny the Bull by 2-¼ lengths to take the Grade I Forego.

Midnight Lute, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, covered 7 furlongs in 1:21. The 4-year-old colt paid $7.20 to win in the $250,000 race. High Finance, favored at 2-1, was eighth in the field of 10.

Midnight Lute is a son of Real Quiet, who won the 1998 Kentucky Derby for the Pegram-Baffert owner-trainer combination.

Olympics

103-year-old woman's torchbearer application is rejected: A 103-year-old Beijing woman has had her application to be a torchbearer for next year's Games turned down, a state newspaper reported.

Cao Zuozheng had applied through her residential community to the local government office, which passes on qualified applications to a higher office.

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"We appreciate Cao's wish. But in reality she won't be a torchbearer due to her health condition," Li Hua, director of the Jingshan subdistrict office, told the China Daily.

Li said her office forwarded one of the eight recommendations it received.

"The one we have finally chosen is a Beijing model worker," the newspaper quoted her as saying.

Xiao Xinhua, the youngest of Cao's four children, said she had not told her mother of the decision because "it will be a shock to someone who has such a great passion for the Games."

Xiao said her mother started exercising in 2004 to get in shape to become a torchbearer and that she had no health problems.

The newspaper said an 89-year-old man from Chongqing had already been selected as a torchbearer.

The 85,132-mile, 130-day relay is to begin March 25. Organizers have already started recruiting the required 21,880 torch carriers.

College baseball

Horton agrees to five-year deal: George Horton, 53, previously Cal State Fullerton's coach, was hired by Oregon to restart its program.

"This is a tremendous day for the University of Oregon," athletic director Pat Kilkenny said.

Horton signed a five-year contract that will pay a base salary of $150,000 a year, and an additional $250,000 annually derived from radio and television contracts, as well as shoe and apparel contracts with Nike. The length of the deal is subject to approval from the Oregon University System chancellor.

Oregon's program was discontinued after the 1981 season, and it is the lone Pac-10 school without a team. The school announced two months ago that it would revive baseball, drop wrestling and add competitive cheer. The baseball Ducks plan to begin play, with limited scholarships, in 2009.

Horton was 490-212-1 in 11 seasons at Cal State Fullerton, leading the Titans to the College World Series six times and winning the 2004 title.

Triathlon

Fernandes prevails: Vanessa Fernandes of Portugal won her first world title, finishing in 1 hour, 53 minutes, 27 seconds in Hamburg, Germany.

Cycling

Bennati wins first stage: Lampre-Fondital rider Daniele Bennati of Italy won the opening leg of the Spanish Vuelta, covering 95 miles in and around Vigo in 3 hours, 43 minutes, 9 seconds.

Seattle Times news services