Mott trainee Art Collector wins
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Art Collector came into the Pegasus World Cup Invitational with more winnings than any of the other 11 horses in the field.
And he left with the biggest prize of all.
The 6-year-old made a big move around the outside and pulled clear of the field in the stretch to pull off an upset win in the $3 million Pegasus at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The win pushed his career earnings to about $4.1 million, and was his 11th victory in 21 career starts.
He was one of only two horses that entered the Pegasus with more than $2 million in earnings; Cyberknife was the other. But Cyberknife wasn't close to the front in his final race before being retired to stud, and Art Collector looked much the best.
“I don’t have the words to put it together,” jockey Junior Alvarado said. “It’s just been unbelievable. I’m just so glad I got a chance to ride this horse, a very good horse I’ve been following for quite a while. I guess it was just the perfect time and we got it done today.”
Alvarado had never ridden Art Collector, who was sent off at 15-1 odds. But he does ride quite a bit for winning trainer Bill Mott, and the duo struck gold again Saturday with a perfect effort — winning by 4 1/2 lengths.
Defunded, at 5-2, was second. Stilleto
Boy, sent off at 45-1, was third.
Chock, Bates win dance title
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Madison Chock and Evan Bates have conceptualized their free dance this season as fire and air — the first cannot survive without the second. And, it's fitting because the duo has fueled U.S. ice dancing over the past decade.
Chock and Bates defended their ice dancing title Saturday at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, scoring 137.85 in the free dance for a top total score of 229.75.
Trailing the champions by more than 22 points in the total score, Caroline Green and Michael Parsons earned the silver medal with a free dance score of 126.06 for their program set to “Rhapsody in Blue,” while Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko, who were fourth after the short program, scored 121.08 and moved up a spot to take the bronze.
Parker to sign with Aces
LAS VEGAS — Former MVP Candace Parker announced on social media Saturday that she would sign with the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
Parker spent the past two seasons playing for her hometown Sky, leading Chicago to the WNBA championship in 2021. She posted on Instagram that Chicago would always be her home, but "my family’s home is on the west coast. She also won a championship playing for the Los Angeles Sparks.
Manchester United advances
MANCHESTER, England — Casemiro was a serial winner with Real Madrid and on Saturday he kept Manchester United’s trophy hunt going strong in the FA Cup.
The Brazil international struck twice in four second-half minutes as United won against second-division Reading 3-1 and progressed to the fifth round.
Rangers sign five players
ARLINGTON, Texas — Veteran right-hander Ian Kennedy and outfielder Clint Frazier were among five players the Texas Rangers signed late Friday to minor league contracts that included invitations to major league spring training.
Left-hander Danny Duffy, righthander Reyes Moronta and outfielder Travis Jankowski also got invitations to spring training in Arizona.
The 38-year-old Kennedy returns to Texas after going to 4-7 with 10 saves and a 5.36 ERA in 57 relief appearances for Arizona last season. Frazier played for the New York Yankees from 2017-21.
Jankowski batted .164 with two RBIs and three stolen bases over 44 games between the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners in 2022.