Tuesday Sports in Brief
HORSE RACING
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Santa Anita has canceled racing indefinitely to re-examine its dirt surface after the deaths of 21 horses in the last two months.
Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of The Stronach Group, which owns Santa Anita, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that racing won’t be held this weekend, when two major races were scheduled: the San Felipe for 3-year-old Kentucky Derby hopefuls and the Santa Anita Handicap for older horses.
Ritvo wouldn’t speculate on when training and racing would resume. After this weekend, races were to be run again starting March 14 at the storied racetrack that will host the Breeders’ Cup world championships for a record 10th time this fall.
SOCCER
LONDON (AP) — FIFA’s cash reserves soared to a record $2.74 billion and revenue climbed to $6.4 billion in the four-year period covering the 2018 World Cup, The Associated Press has learned.
The robust financial results suggest FIFA has weathered the deepest crisis in its history, which erupted in 2015 when a United States-led criminal investigation led to the arrests and later convictions of high-ranking officials on corruption charges. FIFA President Sepp Blatter also was deposed as FIFA president in a financial misconduct case that left the governing body’s reputation in tatters and caused a backlash from sponsors.
MADRID (AP) — Ajax stunned Real Madrid 4-1 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Tuesday, eliminating the three-time defending champion 5-3 on aggregate in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
Ajax needed less than 20 minutes to reverse a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, with Hakim Ziyech scoring in the seventh minute and David Neres in the 18th.
Dusan Tadic, who set up both first-half goals, added to the lead in the 62nd, and Lasse Schone sealed the Dutch team’s triumph — and its first quarterfinal appearance since 2003 — with a free kick from a tight angle in the 72nd.
It was the fourth straight home loss for Madrid, something that hadn’t happened since 2004, and capped one of the worst weeks in the club’s recent history.
BASEBALL
SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow, keeping the six-time All-Star off the field for the entire 2019 season.
The decision was made after Perez received a second opinion Tuesday from Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ team physician. Perez hurt the elbow during a workout last week.
Perez hit just .235 last season, but he had 27 homers and drove in 80 runs while providing a solid and calming presence behind the plate. The MVP of the 2015 World Series, the 28-year-old Perez was being counted upon to help the rebuilding Royals take the steps necessary to return to the postseason.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — San Francisco Giants outfielder Cameron Maybin has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Arizona.
Police confirmed Tuesday that the 31-year-old was stopped last week in Scottsdale, which is the team’s home during spring training.
According to a police report, Maybin was detained around 2:30 a.m. Friday. An officer described him as smelling of alcohol and having bloodshot eyes.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees ace Luis Severino will miss opening day because of an inflamed right shoulder that caused him to be scratched from his first scheduled spring training start on Tuesday.
Severino won’t throw for two weeks, manager Aaron Boone said after a 5-1 win over Atlanta.
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Jessica Mendoza has been hired as a baseball operations adviser for the New York Mets while remaining a broadcaster for ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball.” The move is part of an increasing number of television commentators who also work for teams.
The Mets said Tuesday she will be involved in player evaluation, roster construction, technological advancement and health and performance.
NEW YORK (AP) — Mexican League baseball players will be eligible to sign with major league teams as free agents after they are 25 years old and have six or more years of professional league experience.
Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol announced a two-year transfer agreement Tuesday.
Mexican teams may release players to sign with MLB clubs before they have foreign professional status under the deal.
FOOTBALL
CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — Former Denver Broncos backup quarterback Chad Kelly has pleaded not guilty to first-degree criminal trespassing after being accused of entering a couple’s suburban home uninvited.
KDVR-TV reports that Kelly entered the plea on Monday in Arapahoe County District Court.
His next court appearance was set for April 23.
The Broncos waived the second-year pro after his Oct. 23 arrest.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Bryant Young has resigned as the Atlanta Falcons defensive line coach, saying he wants to spend more time with his family.
The Falcons have rehired Jess Simpson, who was a defensive assistant with the team in 2017, to coach the defensive line. Simpson was defensive line coach at the University of Miami in 2018.
In a statement released by the team on Tuesday, Young also cited health concerns as a reason to leave the Falcons.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — One-time NFL and Canadian Football League coach Marc Trestman will be the coach and general manager of the XFL’s Tampa Bay franchise.
The league announced the move Tuesday, with XFL Commissioner and CEO Oliver Luck calling Trestman “just the kind of offensive-minded coach whose style will fit the up-tempo, fast-paced game” the XFL plans to feature.
Trestman was coach of the Chicago Bears from 2013 to 2014 and won three Grey Cup championships as coach of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes (2009, 2010) and Toronto Argonauts (2017).
LAW
NEW YORK (AP) — Three men received prison sentences Tuesday in the widespread college basketball recruiting scandal that has tainted two dozen schools.
Former Adidas executive James Gatto, business manager Christian Dawkins and amateur league director Merl Code were convicted in October of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for funneling illegal payments to families of recruits to Louisville, Kansas and North Carolina State.
Gatto got nine months in prison; Dawkins and Code got six months each.
Prosecutors say coaches teamed up with Gatto and others to trade hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to influence star athletes’ choice of schools, shoe sponsors, agents and even tailors.
OBITUARY
GLASSBORO, N.J. (AP) — Professional wrestler King Kong Bundy has died at age 61.
Promoter and longtime friend David Herro says Bundy died Monday. Herro posted on Facebook : “Today we lost a Legend and a man I consider family.” The cause of death and other details were not disclosed.
Bundy, whose real name was Christopher Pallies, was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 6-foot-4 (1.93 meters), 458-pound (208-kilogram) wrestler made his World Wrestling Federation debut in 1981.
He was best known for facing Hulk Hogan in 1986 in a steel cage match at WrestleMania 2, which Hogan won. WWE said he was one of the “greatest … big men to lace up a set of boots.”
