Baffert’s Nadal to miss Triple Crown

Nadal, one of trainer Bob Baffert’s early favorites for the rescheduled Triple Crown, injured his ankle after a workout Thursday at Santa Anita in California and is out of contention for the series.

The 3-year-old colt suffered a left front condylar fracture, Baffert said. He had surgery in which two screws were inserted in his ankle at the track’s equine hospital.

Baffert said Nadal could return to racing after a 90-day recovery period. But Nadal would miss the Belmont Stakes June 20, the Kentucky Derby Sept. 5 and the Preakness on Oct. 3. Baffert wasn’t sure if the colt’s owners would retire him.

College football

Georgia picked up another high-profile transfer to compete for its starting quarterback job, landing former Southern California starter JT Daniels. Daniels started for the Trojans in 2018, but lost his job to Kedon Slovis after going down in 2019 with a knee injury. Georgia is seeking a replacement for three-year starter Jake Fromm. Daniels, who entered the transfer portal in April, will battle for playing time with graduate transfer Jamie Newman, who left Wake Forest to play his final college season with the Bulldogs.

Golf

Two weeks before the PGA Tour is set to resume its schedule, John Deere Classic officials decided to cancel what would have been the fifth tournament back. The John Deere would have been July 9-12 in Silvis, Ill., the fifth PGA Tour stop under the revised schedule. The tour is not allowing spectators for at least a month, meaning the Deere could have been the first tournament that allowed fans. But officials noted an Illinois mandate that restricts gatherings to 50 people through the summer.

College basketball

Kentucky and Notre Dame begin a three-year series this fall between two of college’s winningest programs. Kentucky plays host Dec. 12 to Notre Dame in the first regular-season meeting between the schools since Notre Dame’s victory Nov. 29, 2012 at home. The Wildcats visit the Fighting Irish Dec. 10, 2022, and the teams will play at a neutral site to be determined Dec. 11, 2021.

Soccer

Two of Europe’s top leagues announced plans to restart their seasons next month, with the English Premier League set to go June 17 after a 100-day cessation from the coronavirus pandemic and Serie A, the top league in Italy, poised to return to play June 20. The plan calls for the FA Cup final Aug. 8.