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Empire Maker entered in Jersey Derby

The Associated Press
| Sunday, May 25, 2003 4:00 a.m.
NEW YORK -- As Triple Crown hopeful Funny Cide continued his preparations for the Belmont Stakes by jogging around a wet Belmont Park racetrack Saturday morning, rival Empire Maker was suddenly entered in Monday's $100,000 Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park. Trainer Bobby Frankel , fearful his colt would not be properly prepared for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont because of continuing bad weather, made the decision to enter Empire Maker in the 1 1 1/16th-mile Jersey Derby when the race was moved off the turf. "You have to train him more than you would a horse coming out of the Preakness," Frankel said of his colt, who skipped the second leg of racing's Triple Crown after finishing second to Funny Cide in the Kentucky Derby. "I definitely haven't been able to do what I've wanted to with him," Frankel said. "I have to do something. This should get him where I need him." Frankel could scratch the colt if the track at Belmont becomes good enough for him to train over.

The New York State breeding program, already in its glory with Funny Cide going for a Triple Crown sweep, gained further stature yesterday thanks to Go Rockin' Robin . One of two state-breds in the field of six, Go Rockin' Robin came from off the pace for a six-length victory in the $200,000, Grade II Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park. In Inglewood, Calif., Azeri made a move on the first turn then easily won the $211,800 Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap by three lengths at Hollywood Park. BASEBALL San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds is expected to miss the next few games with tendinitis in his right knee. Bonds was injured in the fourth inning of Friday night's 10-7 loss at Colorado when he crashed into the outfield wall chasing a ball hit by Preston Wilson . COLLEGES In Minneapolis, Penn State was eliminated from the Big Ten baseball tournament, losing to Ohio State. The Nittany Lions stayed alive in the double-elimination tournament earlier in the day by defeating Michigan 3-2. In Chapel Hill, N.C., faculty leaders at the University of North Carolina formally have opposed the proposed expansion of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Ten members of the Faculty Council's executive committee Friday unanimously voted against ACC expansion. The resolution will be sent to Chancellor James Moeser and faculty groups at other ACC schools. In Edwardsville, Ill., Lock Haven's Nick Slotterback won the men's javelin competition at the NCAA Division II Championships with a throw of 218 feet, 6 inches. Slotterback is the school's second national champion (Matt Sauls, 800 meter run, 1999). Shippensburg's John Pacovsky finished fifth in the same event (209 feet, 10 inches). Clarion's Julie Evenoski (Neshannock) finished eighth in the women's javelin event (145 feet, 8 inches). FOOTBALL Wide receiver Shawn Jefferson agreed to a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions. Jefferson caught one touchdown pass for the Atlanta Falcons last season. HOCKEY The Dallas Stars will not make contract offers to forwards Ulf Dahlen and Kirk Muller , who can become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Dahlen, 36, is contemplating retirement and a return to his native Sweden, Stars general manager Doug Armstrong said. Muller, 37, came to the Stars in 1999. He had one goal and five assists in 55 games this season. He plans to test the free-agent market. RUNNING In Portland, Ore., Ana Guevara won the women's 400 meters at the Prefontaine Classic with both a meet and field record of 49.34 seconds. Cathy Freeman , the 2000 Olympic gold medalist at the distance, appeared to lose steam and finished fifth. In the other premier event at this meet, Kim Collins of St. Kitts won the men's 100; world record holder Tim Montgomery withdrew earlier in the week because of a foot injury. TENNIS In Madrid, Spain, top-seeded Chanda Rubin defeated Spain's Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to win the Spanish Open. In St. Poelten, Austria, top-seeded Andy Roddick defeated Russia's Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the Raiffeisen Grand Prix for his first ATP title of the year.


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