SANTA ANITA CANCELS LIVE HORSE RACING
ANGELES» Santa Anita canceled LOS live racing Friday because of the coronavirus pandemic after instructions from the Los Angeles County Health Department. The track in Arcadia, California, was preparing to stage eight races when the cancellation was announced about 30 minutes before the first race.
The April 4 Santa Anita Derby scheduled has been postponed. The race is the West Coast’s major prep for the Kentucky Derby, which has been pushed back from May 2 to Sept. 5.
Santa Anita said there are no known cases of COVID-19 at the track, where 750 stable workers live and work to take care of over 1,700 horses on the grounds.
The track has been closed to the public, with only essential personnel allowed, since March 12.
NFL draft, from extravaganza to unadorned. An NFL draft handled remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic is the latest twist to an event that has become as popular as any pro football happening short of the Super Bowl.
Roger Goodell alerted NFL teams in a memo Thursday night that the dates of this year’s draft would remain April 23-25. The eight owners who comprise the NFL Management Council Executive Committee unanimously endorsed moving forward as planned. There has been chatter from some general managers about wanting it pushed back, and Goodell threatened disciplinary action against any teams publicly criticizing the decision.
Avs give AHL defenseman MacDonald two-year extension. A day after extending its top American Hockey League scorer in forward T.J. Tynan, the Avalanche on Friday extended the Colorado Eagles’ second-leading scorer in defenseman Jacob MacDonald. MacDonald, who leads all AHL defensemen with 16 goals, agreed to a two-year contract through the 202122 season. The two-way deal is on a prorated pay scale of $700,000 NHL/ $350,000 (2020-21) and $750,000/ $375,000 (2021-22), per a source.
House of Davis Love III destroyed by early morning fire.
ST. SIMONS The house of Hall of ISLAND, GA.
Fame golfer Davis Love III was destroyed by fire early Friday in a blaze that could not be controlled, even with 16 firefighters arriving within minutes, the fire chief said. No one from Love’s family was injured.
Love, a former PGA champion and two-time Ryder Cup captain, is one of the most prominent figures at Sea Island. It is part of the “Golden Isles” about 40 miles north of the Florida state line. He runs a PGA Tour event at Sea Island Golf Club, and the area is home to several PGA Tour players.
Jimmie Johnson prepares for future by entering IndyCar iRace.
Seven-time NASCAR CHARLOTTE, N.C. champion has joined the field for IndyCar’s inaugural online race as he contemplates driving in that series following his retirement from fulltime stock car racing.
IndyCar has followed NASCAR, IMSA and Formula One in setting up a virtual racing series to give fans content during the coronavirus pandemic that brought sports to a halt. IndyCar’s first race is Saturday and Johnson is the 26th driver to enter.
Johnson had his at-home simulator set for IndyCar and sports car racing to work on his skills even before the pandemic. Johnson raced in NASCAR’s inaugural iRacing event and was a bit of a laughingstock as his No. 48 Chevrolet was involved in several virtual crashes.
Les Hunter, star on Loyola Chicago championship team, dies.
CHICAGO» Les Hunter, a star on Loyola Chicago’s barrier-breaking 1963 NCAA championship team, died Friday. Hunter, 77, battled cancer.
Hunter helped Loyola — with four black starters — break down racial barriers and capture what remains the only NCAA Division I championship for an Illinois school by beating Cincinnati. The 6-foot-7 center from Nashville, Tennessee, averaged 17 points and 11.4 rebounds as a junior that season and followed that up by turning in 21.4 and 15.3 as a senior.