Social Inclusion arrives for Preakness
BALTIMORE — Social Inclusion has arrived at Pimlico Race Course in preparation to take on Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome in the Preakness.
Social Inclusion finished third in the Wood Memorial in his most recent race. He arrived from Florida by van Thursday. His 85-year-old trainer, Manny Azpurua, was on hand to greet the colt. Social Inclusion is to gallop today.
California Chrome went for a 1 ½-mile gallop at Churchill Downs on Thursday and is expected to fly to Baltimore on Monday.
A maximum of 14 horses can start in the 1 3/16-mile race May 17, but it appears California Chrome won’t face that many challengers.
Ride On Curlin is the only other Derby horse who will try the Preakness. He finished seventh last weekend. Others under consideration include Pablo Del Monte, Kid Cruz, Bayern, Dynamic Impact, Ring Weekend and filly Ria Antonio.
Mourinho fined after sarcastic praise for referee
LONDON — The English Football Association has fined Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho 13,000 pounds ($16,900) for bringing the game into disrepute with sarcastic comments about match officials.
The FA announced the fine Thursday evening.
Following Chelsea’s 2-1 Premier League defeat to Sunderland on April 19 — which saw his assistant Rui Faria sent to the stands and later given a six-match stadium ban — Mourinho sarcastically described referee Mike Dean’s performance as “unbelievable” and “fantastic.” He was equally sarcastic about the performance of referees’ chief Mike Riley.
The FA found that Mourinho’s comments, in themselves, did not question the officials’ integrity but amounted to disrepute and improper conduct.
The loss ended a 77-game undefeated run for Mourinho at Stamford Bridge during two different spells in charge of Chelsea.
US women’s soccer team ties Canada
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Sydney Leroux scored in the 78th minute to help the U.S. women’s soccer team tie Canada 1-1 on Thursday night in an exhibition game.
Leroux kicked Canadian Rebecca Quinn’s crossing header into the corner past goalkeeper Erin McLeod.
Kadeisha Buchanan scored for Canada in the first half. Canada failed in its bid to beat the United States for the first time since 2001.
McLeod made two big saves, stopping Heather O’Reilly in the first half and Abby Wambach off a header in the second.
By wire sources