In brief: Filly captures Woodward Stakes
Horse racing: Rachel Alexandra can handle older men, too.
The sensational 3-year-old filly became the first female to win the prestigious Woodward Stakes on Saturday in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., holding off Macho Again by a head and leaving six others in her wake.
She beat 4-, 5- and 6-year-olds in an electrifying race before a cheering crowd of 31,171 at Saratoga Race Course for her ninth consecutive victory, all but clinching Horse of the Year honors.
“She was ready,” said co-owner Jess Jackson, who called the ride “perfect.” “Those were a lot of big animals she was running against, but she showed her spirit. She showed her class. She didn’t give up. That’s my Rachel.”
Rachel Alexandra dueled early with 2008 Belmont Stakes winner Da’Tara before taking the lead along the backstretch. She set a blistering early pace while being pushed throughout – 22.85 at the first quarter; 45.41 at the half mile – and covered the 11/8 miles in 1:48.29.
•Sea The Stars wins Irish Champion Stakes: Sea The Stars won the Irish Champion Stakes by more than a length for a fifth straight Group 1 victory.
The 4-6 favorite pulled away from Fame And Glory in the 11/4-mile race in Leopardstown, Ireland. Fame And Glory was second and Mastercraftsman third in the field of nine.
Roddick upset, Oudin still alive at U.S. Open
Tennis: Melanie Oudin is still a kid from Marietta, Ga., enjoying the trip of her life in the Big Apple, playing foosball in the players’ lounge and using words like “amazing” and “cool” as she works her dizzying way through the draw at Flushing Meadows. Oudin’s latest win was the biggest so far: She knocked off three-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 Maria Sharapova 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 to reach the U.S. Open’s fourth round.
Several hours later, another unheralded American who has lived in Georgia pulled off another upset of a past U.S. Open champion: 55th-ranked John Isner pounded 38 aces and eliminated No. 5 Andy Roddick 7-6 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 5-7, 7-6 (5) to reach the fourth round at a major tournament for the first time.
Continuing the upset trend, top-ranked Dinara Safina lost to 72nd-ranked Petra Kvitova in a late match.
O’Hair, Furyk share Deutsche Bank lead
Golf: Sean O’Hair and Jim Furyk set the pace at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston and brought Retief Goosen along for the ride. That threesome combined to make 17 birdies and one eagle, finishing two rounds at a combined 34-under par.
O’Hair ran off six birdies and an eagle during an eight-hole stretch in the middle of his round for a 7-under-par 64, giving him a share of the lead with Furyk, who had six birdies to offset a few mistakes for a 67.
They were at 12-under 130.
•Pettersen takes 5-shot lead in Canada: Suzann Pettersen moved into position to end her 43-tournament winless streak, shooting a 5-under 66 at windy Priddis Greens to take a five-stroke lead into the final round of the Canadian Women’s Open in Priddis, Alberta.
The tall Norwegian had a 14-under 199 total after opening with rounds of 65 and 68.
Angela Stanford was second after a 69, and Karrie Webb (65) was another stroke back.
•Loren Roberts leads at Pebble Beach: Loren Roberts closed on his second straight Champions Tour title, shooting a 6-under 66 at Pebble Beach to take a two-stroke lead over Mark O’Meara in the Walmart First Tee Open.
Roberts, coming off a one-stroke victory over O’Meara last week in the Boeing Classic in Snoqualmie, Washington, had seven birdies and a bogey to finish at 12-under 132. He opened with a 66 on Friday.
U.S. comes back to beat El Salvador
Soccer: The United States moved into prime position to qualify for its sixth straight World Cup, rallying from an early deficit to beat El Salvador 2-1 in Sandy, Utah, on first-half goals by Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore.
Duggan leads U.S. to title game
Hockey: Meghan Duggan scored three goals and Jessie Vetter made 19 saves to lead the United States into the championship game of the Hockey Canada Cup with a 4-0 victory over Finland in Vancouver, British Columbia.