BAFFERT’S TAIBA WINS $1M PA. DERBY

Taiba won the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby by three lengths on Saturday for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Ridden by Mike Smith,

Taiba ran 11⁄8 miles in 1:48.67 and paid $4.80 to win.

It was Baffert’s fourth win in the Grade I event at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa. He also won in 2014, 2017 and 2018. Smith won the race for the third time, all aboard Baffert horses.

Zandon finished second and Cyberknife was another 33⁄4 lengths back in third.

Taiba was coming off a second-place finish in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth in July. The colt was 12th in the Kentucky Derby.

Baffert said Taiba will be pointed toward the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic in November. The colt has three wins in five starts this year.

Tennis

Filling in for the retired

Roger Federer at the Laver Cup, 2021 Wimbledon finalist

Matteo Berrettini posted a victory for Team Europe when he edged Team World’s

Felix Auger-aliassime 7-6 (11), 4-6, 10-7. Novak Djokovic played for the first time since winning Wimbledon in July and beat Frances Tiafoe 6-1, 6-3. Djokovic then teamed with Berrettini to win a doubles match that gave Team Europe an 8-4 lead heading into today’s final day of the event.

• Rising teenager Zheng Qinwen continued her winning run at the Pan Pacific tournament by beating the sole remaining seed Veronika Kudermetova 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 in the semifinals in Tokyo. In another Chinese-russian matchup, unseeded Liudmila Samsonova overcame

Zhang Shuai 7-6, 6-2.

Motorsports

Brad Keselowski won his first pole as an owner-driver at NASCAR’S highest level. A week after Chris Buescher drove RFK Racing other car to victory lane, Keselowski won the pole for today’s race at Texas Motor Speedway that will start the round of 12 in NASCAR’S Cup Series. Joey Logano, who is second in the standings, will start on the front row beside Keselowski. Playoff contender William Byron starts third, while points leader Chase Elliott starts sixth.

• Noah Gragson opened the NASCAR Xfinity playoffs by winning his fourth race in a row at Texas Motor Speedway. The victory for Gragson locked up the first spot in the round of eight.

Basketball

A person familiar with the situation says Pelicans guard CJ Mccollum agreed to a two-year, $64 million contract extension that runs through the 2025-2026 season.

• A person familiar with the negotiations tells AP that Cavaliers forward Dean Wade has agreed to terms on a three-year, $18.5 million contract extension with Cleveland.

• A’ja Wilson scored 20 points to help the U.S. beat China 77-63 in the women’s World Cup. The U.S. now has won 25 consecutive World Cup games since losing in the 2006 semifinals to Russia. The Americans advanced to the quarterfinals and are one win away from matching their record 26-game run from 1998-2006.

Locally

Kyle Vassell and Elijah Martin scored in the first four minutes and San Diego Loyal FC held on for a 2-1 victory at Las Vegas in USL Championship play.

• The San Diego State men’s golf team won the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate by eight strokes in Albuquerque, N.M. Leading host New Mexico by five strokes heading into the final round, the Aztecs shot a 1over to finish at 16-under 848.

• Led by 15 kills apiece from Grace Frohling and Katie Lukes, fourth-ranked University of San Diego women’s volleyball hung tough for its eighth straight win, taking down Loyola Marymount 3-2 at home.