NEW YORK - The Boss is back in the Kentucky Derby picture.
After a decision to switch trainers in January, Yankees boss George Steinbrenner has himself a Derby hopeful in Bellamy Road, the early 2-1 favorite for Saturday's $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
Steinbrenner fired trainer Michael Dickinson after Bellamy Road's only loss and sent the colt to two-time Derby winner Nick Zito. The horse made his first start for Zito last month and won by 153/4 lengths in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park.
Next up: seven rivals in the 11/8-mile Wood, New York's major prep race before the Derby on May 7.
BACK ON TRACK: Rockport Harbor jogged a mile at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., four days after a baseball-sized blood clot was discovered on the right side of his neck. Winner of four of five starts, Rockport was considered an early favorite for the Kentucky Derby.
SOCCER; Extremists cause concern
Security at Wednesday's Champions League match between Juventus and Liverpool in Turin, Italy, will be increased after Italian extremists circulated threats against English fans on the Internet. The so-called "Ultras" are calling for retaliation for the 1985 tragedy when 39 people, mostly Juventus fans, died in a stampede blamed on Liverpool fans at the Champions Cup final in Brussels. Before Tuesday's first-leg quarterfinal in Liverpool, Juventus fans made obscene gestures and shouted threatening slogans. Liverpool won 2-1. At least 4,000 Liverpool fans are expected to travel to Turin.
SCANDAL: Thijs Waterink, captain of third-division SC Paderborn 07, became the first player suspended in connection with a German match-fixing scandal. He was banned for six months for taking $12,900 before a 4-2 German Cup win over top-division SV Hamburg in August. He distributed the money to teammates.
TENNIS: Davenport frolics before rain
Lindsay Davenport needed just 55 minutes to beat Kveta Peschke 6-2, 6-2, before rain postponed most of the afternoon matches at the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island. No. 5 seed Venus Williams and Marta Domachowska were tied at one set each before the stoppage. The match between second-seeded Serena Williams and former Bausch & Lomb champion Mary Pierce also was postponed.
VALENCIA OPEN: Alberto Martin halted Gustavo Kuerten's comeback from a hip injury with a 6-2, 6-0 second-round win in Spain. Rafael Nadal also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
ET CETERA
SHOW JUMPING: Irishman Cian O'Connor won't appeal the decision to strip him of his Olympic gold medal following his horse's positive drug test. His gold will go to silver medalist Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil.
HIGH SCHOOLS: A Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons senior was hospitalized after she was hit on the head with an 8-pound shot put during practice before a track meet. Fire-rescue workers said Mona Hassan, 17, did not lose consciousness and was awake and alert.
CURLING: The United States clinched a berth in next year's Olympics with a 7-6 win over New Zealand at the world championships in Victoria, British Columbia. The Americans, who earlier lost to first-place Norway 6-3, are tied for third in the preliminary round of the 12-team tournament.
