In brief: Webb sets meet record at Drake Relays

Alan Webb shattered one of Steve Scott’s prized marks Saturday, and showed why he’s ready to take on an ever bigger challenge – Scott’s 25-year-old American record in the mile.

Webb broke Scott’s meet record in the mile at the 98th Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, by more than 3 seconds, finishing in a 2007 world-best 3 minutes, 51.71 seconds.

Jeff Hartwig also broke a meet record, with the 39-year-old pole vaulter clearing 19 feet, 0 3/4 inches, but Webb’s spirited effort was all the buzz for a sellout crowd of 14,000.

“It’s very important, because Steve Scott is next on my list,” Webb said. “This is one of his records, but there’s another one of his I’d like to have as well.”

That, of course, is Scott’s American mile record of 3:47.69, set in 1982.

Webb, who won the 1,500 in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials before faltering in Athens, missed most of last season because of injuries. He responded by starting his season earlier than ever, and so far the results have been positive.

Tennis

Nadal, Canas advance

Two-time defending champion Rafael Nadal beat fifth-seeded David Ferrer 7-5, 6-1 for his 71st straight win on clay and a place in the Open Seat Godo final at Barcelona, Spain, against Guillermo Canas.

Nadal exploited Ferrer’s second serve for 10 winners in the opening set of the all-Spanish semifinal. He broke Ferrer three times in the second set.

The 12th-seeded Canas beat Agustin Calleri 7-6 (1), 6-7 (5), 6-2 in an all-Argentine match to advance to his second straight final. He lost to Novak Djokovic at the Sony Ericsson Open earlier this month.

Horse racing

Flying First Class wins

Flying First Class took control early and pulled away to win the $100,000-added Derby Trial by 3 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The 3-year-old colt, ridden by Mark Guidry, covered 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:29.28 and paid $15.20, $8.80 and $5.20.

Boxing

Diaz adds another belt

WBA lightweight champion Juan Diaz added the WBO belt to his collection when Acelino Freitas’ corner stopped the title unification fight at the end of the eighth round at Mashantucket, Conn.

Diaz improved to 32-0, winning his second world title at the age of 23 with the dominating performance against Freitas (38-2), a four-time world champion. David Diaz (WBC) and Julio Diaz (IBF) also hold lightweight titles.

“German Felix Sturm regained his WBA middleweight title from Javier Castillejo, unanimously outpointing the veteran Spaniard in Oberhausen, Germany.

Baseball

Brawl leads to injuries

Two Washington Nationals minor leaguers were hospitalized with injuries from a benches-clearing brawl during a game between the Potomac Nationals and the Winston-Salem Warthogs in Washington.

Catcher Brian Peacock went on the disabled list with hairline fractures to vertebrates in his lower back. Right-handed pitcher Clint Everts, the fifth overall pick in the 2002 amateur draft, got a concussion during the fight, which happened Thursday night.