Marlins Man’s filly wins division of Sire Stakes
AUTO RACING: Kevin Harvick held off defending champion Martin Truex Jr. to win the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway . ... Denny Hamlin passed Joey Logano coming out of the final turn to win the Xfinity race at Darlington . ... Lewis Hamilton won the pole at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, breaking the Formula One record held by childhood idol Michael Schumacher with his 69th career pole position . ... Alexander Rossi edged Scott Dixon with a trackrecord time of 1 minute, 22.4639 seconds to win the IndyCar pole at Watkins Glen International.
COLLEGES: Arkansas F Arlando Cook was arrested in Fayetteville, Ark., on accusations of first-degree assault, public intoxication and disorderly conduct.
CYCLING: Polish rider Rafal Majka won the mountainous 14th stage of the Spanish Vuelta, while Chris Froome maintained his overall lead.
GOLF: Jon Rahm made five birdies and an eagle over his last 10 holes for a 5-under 66 and a two-shot lead halfway through the Dell Technologies Championship in Norton, Mass. He was at 9-under 133, two shots clear of Paul Casey, Adam Hadwin, Kyle Stanley and Kevin Streelman. Dustin Johnson had two double bogeys and shot a 72, and is five shots behind Rahm in the FedEx Cup playoffs event . ... Stacy Lewis led by three after three rounds of the LPGA Cambia Portland Classic. She had eight birdies in a 7-under 65 to reach 17 under . ... Scott McCarron shot a 6-under 64 for a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the PGA Tour Champions’ Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary. Miguel Jimenez and Kevin Sutherland were tied for second.
NFL: The Broncos agreed to terms with Brock Osweiler to return as their backup QB. Provided he passes his physical Monday, Osweiler, cut by the Browns, will serve as Trevor Siemian’s understudy. The Broncos needed him because Paxton Lynch will miss a month or more with a sprained throwing shoulder . ... The Patriots traded third-string QB Jacoby Brissett to the Colts for WR Phillip Dorsett. The Colts activated QB Andrew Luck from the physically unable to perform list, though owner Jim Irsay said he didn’t expect Luck to play in Week 1 . ... The Broncos released three-time Pro Bowl S T.J. Ward with a year left on his contract . ... The Browns pulled off a trade with their chief rivals, acquiring WR Sammie Coates from the Steelers for a sixth-round pick in 2018 . ... QB Geno Smith completed a remarkable comeback from major knee surgery and made the Giants’ roster as Eli Manning’s backup . ... The Cowboys cut QB Kellen Moore, completing undrafted rookie Cooper Rush’s surprising rise to the backup job behind Dak Prescott. ... The Eagles are going with only two QBs after releasing Matt McGloin and Dane Evans, even though backup Nick Foles (elbow) didn’t play in the exhibition season . ... The Bears cut veteran WR Victor Cruz.
SOCCER: Two first-half strikes by Francisco Alarcon helped Spain beat Italy 3-0 in Madrid and left Spain in control of Group G in World Cup qualifying . ... Barcelona said it rejected a last-minute offer from Liverpool to sell midfielder Philippe Coutinho for $237 million.
HALLANDALE — Laurence Leavy — known as Marlins Man for his ability to be seen on TV at major sports events in a bright orange Marlins jersey — had one of his biggest wins as a horse owner Saturday at Gulfstream, but he wasn’t there to see it or be seen.
Leavy’s Starship Bonita surged to the front in midstretch of the Susan’s Girl division of the Florida Sire Stakes then had to hold on desperately as a furious stretch rally by Saratoga invader Dessert Honeys came up a head short.
It also was a big day for jockey Emisael Jaramillo. Starship Bonita was his fifth winner of the day.
Leavy, who opted to attend the Florida State-Alabama game in Atlanta, monitored the race on his phone. “I’m screaming,” Leavy, an attorney, said by phone. “No, no no. She’s moving too soon. Wait! She’s stopping. No, wait. She’s coming again. Oh it’s a photo. Oh, she won.””
Go Astray, who led all the way in the 6-furlong Desert Vixen, the first phase of the Sire Stakes, led through the first 6 furlongs of the Susan’s Girl but couldn’t get the 7th furlong and faded to third.
Starship Bonita, fourth in the Desert Vixen, was allowed to go off at 14-1. She might not have been such a longshot if bettors knew she previously had been troubled by back issues, which trainer Steve Dwoskin said were alleviated by acupuncture treatments since the Desert Vixen. “The doctor told me she would run better.”
Dwoskin recommended that Leavy purchase Starship Bonita at the March Ocala sales. “She was my pick of the litter. I told Mr. Leavy to buy this filly for any price.” She went under the hammer for $72,000. Starship Bonita more than paid for herself in running 7 furlongs in 1:25.43 to earn the $120,000 first money.
There was a lesser upset in the open Affirmed division. Soutache, a 4-1 shot who was one of four entered by trainer Ralph Nicks, outfought World of Trouble in the final yards, setting a stakes record 1:22.46 in the process under Eric Cancel, who came south from Saratoga for the mount.
Soutache’s more heralded stablemate, 6-5 favorite Phantom Ro, who won the first round Dr. Fager, left his race at the starting gate. As he was loaded he lunged though the starting gate. An assistant starter grabbed him before he got away, but the damage had been done.
Phantom Ro ran with the leaders to the turn but the extra effort and expenditure of adrenaline took its toll, Nicks felt. An assistant trainer and trainer for 28 years, he said, “I’ve only had one horse break through the gate and win.”