Horse Racing:
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has arrived at Saratoga Race Course, walking off a horse van and into his new surroundings for a few days before running in the Travers Stakes.
American Pharoah left California on Wednesday morning, arrived at the airport in Albany, New York, about 2 p.m., and was met at the barn on the Saratoga backstretch by more than 100 fans, reporters and the mayor of Saratoga. A police escort accompanied the van from Albany to the Spa.
A fan left a dozen roses in a vase on a table in the courtyard by American Pharoah's barn.
The first Triple Crown winner in 37 years is the 1-5 favorite in a 10-horse field for the Travers on Saturday. He is trained by Bob Baffert.
If American Pharoah starts, the Travers purse increases $350,000 to $1.6 million, with the winner earning $850,000.
Meanwhile horse racing fans are invited to Saratoga today to see the return of champion Funny Cide, the first New York horse to win the Kentucky Derby in 2003.
MLB:
In baseball, in the American League, Toronto gained a 2 game lead in the AL East over New York after beating Texas 12-4, Houston tripled up the Yankees 6-2, Boston blanked the White Sox 3-0, Baltimore won against Kansas City 8-5, Minnesota bested Tampa Bay 5-3, Detroit shut out the Angels 5-0, and it was Seattle over Oakland 8-2.
In the National League, the Mets took a 6 ½ game lead over Washington after being Philadelphia 9-4, San Diego edged the Nationals 6-5, Colorado doubled up Atlanta 6-3, the Dodgers beat Cincinnati 7-4, Pittsburgh topped Miami 7-2, St. Louis bested Arizona 3-1, and it was San Francisco over the Cubs 4-2.
In interleague play, Cleveland tripled up Milwaukee 6-2.
According to documents obtained by The Associated Press through a records request, the Pawtucket Red Sox made a revised proposal for a stadium in Providence earlier this summer. State officials say negotiations continue, but two months after the team's ownership group presented a revised term sheet for the stadium plan, no details have been released.
Don Orsillo is out as the Boston Red Sox's television play-by-play voice after this season. Orsillo wasn't offered a new contract with NESN, and will be replaced by Dave O'Brien. Orsillo first broadcast Red Sox games on NESN in 2001 and became the full-time play-by-play man in 2005 when the network acquired rights to all local telecasts.
NFL:
Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora has retired as a member of the New York Giants. Umenyiora signed a one-day contract yesterday and announced his retirement after 12 NFL seasons, the first 10 with New York and last two in Atlanta. He won two Super Bowls with the Giants.
The New England Patriots have acquired tackle Michael Williams in a trade with the Detroit Lions in exchange for an undisclosed future draft pick. The Lions took Williams in the seventh round of the 2013 draft, but he has not played in an NFL game.
The Patriots have released rookie defensive back Jimmy Jean. The Pats signed Jean as a rookie free agent out of Alabama-Birmingham in May. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder, played both safety and cornerback over two seasons at University of Alabama-Birmingham.
Rex Grossman has been signed by the Atlanta Falcons to compete for the backup quarterback job behind Matt Ryan. Grossman, who hasn't thrown an NFL pass since 2011, helped Chicago go 13-3 in 2006 and reach the Super Bowl. He's 26-22 in his career since getting drafted in the first round 12 years ago.
Johnny Manziel's elbow soreness isn't going away, and the Browns quarterback will likely sit out Saturday's exhibition at Tampa Bay. Manziel didn't throw at practice again after an MRI showed no structural damage. Coach Mike Pettine acknowledged for the first time that the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner has dealt with elbow issues since high school. Manziel's elbow problem flared up Sunday on a long throw, forcing off the field for the final 30 minutes of practice.
The St. Louis Rams could be a little closer to returning to Los Angeles after Missouri's legislative budget leaders said they oppose spending taxpayer money on a new football stadium. House Budget Chairman Tom Flanigan sent a letter Wednesday to Gov. Jay Nixon warning that he will block any effort to put money in the state budget for payments on a new stadium unless the Legislature or voters first approve the additional debt. Nixon and the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority are working to piece together money for a new stadium as a counterproposal to efforts by Rams owner Stan Kroenke to move the team to the Los Angeles area.
Olympics:
Los Angeles' 2024 Olympics plan has stalled amid questions about potential runaway costs and the impact on neighborhoods already strangled by traffic and congestion. The City Council had been expected to vote on a proposal to give Mayor Eric Garcetti broad authority to execute agreements linked to the bid. But the vote has pushed backed until at least Friday, 2 1/2 weeks before a Sept. 15 deadline for the USOC to enter a bid with the IOC for the 2024 Games.
Tennis:
Seventh-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland beat France's Alize Cornet 6-4, 6-2 yesterday to advance to the Connecticut Open quarterfinals. Second-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic beat American Madison Keys 4-6, 6-1, 6-2; third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark outlasted Italian qualifier Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (9-7), and Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic topped Ukraine's Olga Savchuk 6-4, 6-1.
MLS:
The Chicago Fire beat New York 3-2 last night to end the Red Bulls' six-game undefeated streak. Kennedy Igboananike broke a tie in the 73rd minute with his second goal of the game. New York has not won in Chicago since 2005.
NHL:
The New Jersey Devils have hired Andy Schneider as an amateur scout and Patrick Rissmiller as a development coach. Schneider joins the Devils after serving three seasons as a scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Rissmiller joins the Devils following a 13-season professional playing career.
Longtime Chicago Blackhawks right wing Ron "Chico" Maki has died at 76. Maki appeared in three All-Star games during a 15-year NHL career spent entirely with the Hawks. He helped Chicago reach the 1971 and '73 finals after appearing in one playoff game with the 1961 Stanley Cup champs. Maki had 143 goals and 435 points in 841 regular-season games from 1961-76.
NBA:
Former Boston Celtics forward Lou Tsioropoulos has died at the age of 84. Tsioropoulos was a member of Kentucky's 1951 NCAA national championship team and the unbeaten '53-54 squad. He went on to win two NBA titles with the Celtics. Family members say he died on Saturday in Louisville of natural causes. A private memorial services was held there yesterday.
NCAA:
On the Ivy League campus of Dartmouth College, even the football tackling dummies are smart. The team introduced a new MVP as the first practice of the season got underway yesterday. Not a most valuable player, but a "Mobile Virtual Player" — a padded, remote-controlled figure designed to allow players to make full contact while minimizing head and neck injuries.
Little League:
Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, and Japan have advanced to the bracket championship games at the Little League World Series.
Lewisberry shut out Pearland, Texas, 3-0 to earn a meeting against either Pearland or Bonita, California, in Saturday's United States championship game.
Japan moved on with a 5-4 decision over Venezuela and will take on Mexico or Venezuela for the International title.
The World Championship game is Sunday.
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