In brief: Five-time Derby winner Hartack dies at age 74

Bill Hartack, a Hall of Fame jockey and five-time Kentucky Derby winner, died while on a hunting vacation. He was 74.

Hartack died Monday night in Freer, Texas, from natural causes because of heart disease, examiners said.

Hartack and fellow Hall of Fame rider Eddie Arcaro are the only jockeys to win the Kentucky Derby five times.

Hartack, considered among the fiercest riders in the game, rode until 1974 and had 4,272 wins from 21,535 mounts.

“Harness driver Tim Tetrick, 26, broke the single-season record with his 1,078th victory of the year at Dover (Del.) Downs.

College football

Ole Miss hires Nutt

Ole Miss will introduce Houston Nutt as its new coach today, ending a whirlwind hiring that began when he resigned at Arkansas on Monday and agreed to become the Rebels’ coach about four hours later.

Nutt agreed to a four-year deal that will pay him $1.7 million to start and increase by $100,000 each year.

“Arkansas running back Darren McFadden and quarterbacks Chase Daniel (Missouri), Dennis Dixon (Oregon), Matt Ryan (Boston College) and Tim Tebow (Florida) are the finalists for the Water Camp Football Foundation player of the year award.

“Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen led a field of five finalists for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant.

“Virginia exercised an option to add a year onto the contract of coach Al Groh, retaining him through 2011.

“South Florida accepted a bid to the Sun Bowl, while Connecticut accepted a bid to the Meineke Bowl.

“Boston College backup running back A.J. Brooks has been suspended indefinitely after allegedly beating a 20-year-old man on campus.

Miscellany

Lawsuit filed in wreck

Attorneys want a federal court to determine whether members of a university baseball team involved in a deadly bus crash earlier this year are entitled to insurance money.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of Bluffton University’s players and coaches seeks to confirm the bus driver and the busing company were covered in the March accident.

A charter bus carrying the team to spring training in Florida plunged off an overpass in Atlanta. Five students from the Mennonite school and the bus driver and his wife were killed.

“Two people in Lubbock, Texas, said Texas Tech basketball coach Bob Knight or his hunting companion hit them with birdshot on two occasions last month. Neither was injured, and no criminal charges were filed.

“British world 400-meter champion Christine Ohuruogu won her appeal against a lifetime Olympic ban for missing doping tests.

“Norwegian World Cup champion Aksel Lund Svindal crashed during downhill ski training at Beaver Creek, Colo., and was hospitalized with broken bones in his face and a deep cut on his buttock.

“A San Francisco yacht club won its court case against America’s Cup champion Alinghi, giving its sailing crew the right to race the Swiss in a head-to-head series for the cup in July if the sides can’t agree to a traditional regatta.