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Adu gets first pro workout

BRADENTON - Freddy Adu sat on a golf cart, fiddling with his cell phone and waiting for the start of his first professional soccer practice.

"You think they would have called me," the 14-year-old joked Monday.

Adu's first official day with D.C. United began with almost an hour wait for his teammates. It ended with the first pick in last month's MLS draft pulling a water cooler from the 75-minute workout.

"I'm the new guy. I'm going to do that. If I don't do it, I know I'm going to hear from the guys," Adu said. " ... You go in, you're a rookie, you do all that stuff. I'm not complaining. Whatever it takes to help the team out, I'll do it."

The 5-foot-8, 140-pound forward walked to the workout at IMG Academies, where he has lived the past two years while attending school and training with the U.S. under-17 national team.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time," Adu said of the MLS practice. " ... I just wanted to kick it off right. I was stretching the whole time. And I never stretch. But I was thinking, I've got to be ready. I got out there and everything went great."

Adu, who will graduate from high school next month, will be the youngest player in MLS history. D.C. United scrimmages against the U.S. men's national team Wednesday.

Michael Rowland, a jockey with almost 4,000 victories, died from injuries sustained in a spill at Turfway Park last week. He was 41. Rowland, who died at University Hospital in Cincinnati, fell Wednesday after his mount, World Trade, broke a front leg and collapsed on the first turn of a $13,900 claiming race. Rowland, with 3,998 career victories, was the winningest jockey at Thistledown and won 29 meet titles at the track near Cleveland.

RECORD: Thoroughbred trainer Steve Asmussen set a North American record for wins in a day, getting 10 Saturday. Asmussen, who had winners at five different tracks, eclipsed the mark of eight set by J.C. Williams at Waterford Park on Feb.24, 1979.

Goran Ivanisevic, 32, makes a comeback today at the Milan Indoors after missing much of the past year because of injuries (elbow and knee, shoulder surgery). The 2001 Wimbledon champion, who received a wild card, hardly has played since beating Pat Rafter in the Grand Slam final three years ago.

RUSEDSKI HEARING: Greg Rusedski appeared before an independent anti-doping panel in a bid to avoid a suspension for a positive drug test. Rusedski would not comment on the eight-hour hearing in Montreal, and lawyer Mark Gay told reporters "nothing today." Rusedski, who tested positive for nandrolone at an Indianapolis tournament in July, could face a two-year ban.

GOLF: Michelle Wie, 14, turned down a sponsor exemption to play in the Canadian Women's Open in Ontario in July because of previous commitments.

GREYHOUNDS: Two tellers and a track regular were convicted of conspiracy in Fort Lauderdale in a scheme to shield bettors from taxes on $2.4-million in winnings. Hollywood Greyhound Track employees Thaer Ayoub and Cindi Smith were convicted with patron Warren Miller, who became known as a "10-percenter" for listing himself as a winner in exchange for a payoff of up to 10 percent.