TRAINER IS BANNED FROM BRITISH RACES
The image of Grand National-winning trainer Gordon Elliott seemingly posing for a photo while sitting on a dead horse provoked horror and led to the Irishman being banned on Monday from entering runners into British races.
Elliott, one of the sport’s most celebrated figures in Britain and Ireland, apologized while confirming the authenticity of an undated photo that was shared across Twitter on Saturday, showing him sitting on a horse that had just died of a heart attack after a training run.
One of his most highprofile employers,
Cheveley Park Stud, said it was “truly horrified” by the image and bookmaker Betfair dropped Elliott as an ambassador, saying his actions were not consistent with its “values.”
They were sentiments echoed by the body that runs British horse racing in a scathing statement.
“People who work in our industry believe their values — of caring for and respecting our horses — have been deeply undermined by this behavior,” the British Horseracing Authority said.
The BHA said it was “appalled” by the image and imposed the temporary block on Elliott training horses in British races while he is investigated by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.
In an interview with The Racing Post published on Monday, Elliott accepted his actions were “indefensible.”
Local colleges
To the surprise of no one, USD was selected to finish first in the Pioneer Football League Preseason Coaches’ Poll for the 10th straight season. USD was selected to finish first with all six possible first-place votes and maximum 36 points.
The San Diego State women’s golf team is in a four-way tie for 12th place after the first day at the 15school Bruin Wave Invitational on the par-72, 6,273yard Saticoy Country Club course in Somis. Bernice Olivarez Ilas navigated the wind the best for the Aztecs, firing a 6-over 78 and is tied for 16th after 18 holes.
Soccer
Everton ended its worst home run since 1958 by beating Southampton 1-0 in the English Premier League and keeping its Champions League dream on track.
AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is out again with injury and could miss his side’s Europa League match against Manchester United. Ibrahimovic had to come off on Sunday in the second half of a 2-1 win at
Roma after injuring a muscle in his left thigh.
L.A. Galaxy midfielder Efrain Alvarez was left off the United States 31-man training roster ahead of Olympic qualifying for North and Central America and the Caribbean after being included by both the Americans and Mexico on preliminary squads.
Sports and courts
Catalan police arrested four people — including former team President Josep Maria Bartomeu — after raiding Barcelona’s stadium in a search and seizure operation, adding to the club’s turmoil less than a week before it holds presidential elections. The operation was related to last year’s “Barcagate,” in which club officials were accused of launching a smear campaign against current and former players who were critical of the club and then-President Bartomeu.
Tennis
Novak Djokovic is gaining on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the Grand Slam standings, and he’s already caught Federer in another significant statistic: As of Monday, Djokovic has been No. 1 in the ATP rankings for a total of 310 weeks. That equals Federer’s career record for most time spent atop the rankings. And no matter what happens over the next week, Djokovic is assured of breaking Federer’s mark on March 8.
Federer is withdrawing from this month’s Miami Open so he can spend extra time preparing to “work his way back out on tour,” his agent said.
In the WTA rankings, American teenager Coco Gauff, who turns 17 on March 13, rose from No. 52 to a career-best No. 38 by making it to the semifinals in Adelaide after going through qualifying.
Jennifer Brady lost her first match since the Australian Open final, falling to Anett Kontaveit 6-1, 6-2 in the first round of the Qatar Open in Doha.
Top-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova was knocked out of the Lyon (France) Open in the opening round by 139th-ranked Clara Tauson. Tauson won convincingly 6-3, 6-4, showing a better second serve.
Also
The American Hockey League named San Diego Gulls defenseman Jamie Drysdale as the league’s Rookie of the Month for February. Drysdale, 18, registered four goals and five assists for nine points in 11 games from the San Diego blue line, tying for the team scoring lead.
Four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird re-signed with the Seattle Storm for what will be her 20th season with the team.