Rachel Alexandra stakes out win

Horse racing: Rachel Alexandra kept cool on a wilting afternoon at Monmouth Park, defeating six rivals Saturday in the $400,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes for fillies and mares at Oceanport, N.J.

It was the second straight win for the reigning Horse of the Year following a pair of losses to start the season.

Rachel Alexandra beat the heat, in addition to the competition, as temperatures pushed into the upper 90s. Combined with the humidity, the heat index topped 100.

Calvin Borel was aboard for trainer Steve Asmussen as Rachel Alexandra beat second choice Queen Martha by three lengths.

It was a triumphant return to Monmouth where Rachel Alexandra beat the boys last summer in the $1 million Haskell Invitational, one of the key victories that propelled her to the championship in an 8-0 campaign.

Associated Press

Giants place Affeldt on DL

Baseball: San Francisco Giants left-hander Jeremy Affeldt (Northwest Christian HS) has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left oblique strain.

San Francisco recalled right-hander Joe Martinez from Triple-A Fresno to take Affeldt’s place.

Affeldt was injured while warming up in the bullpen Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks. An MRI showed a slight tear of the oblique, but Giants manager Bruce Bochy hoped he’d be able to return after the 15 days was up.

Affeldt is 2-3 with a 4.11 ERA and three saves this season, and has not allowed a run in 12 of his last 13 outings.

Without Affeldt, the Giants don’t have a left-hander in the bullpen.

Associated Press

Derby better than a movie plot

Soap box derby: Actor-director Corbin Bernsen is in Ohio filming the movie “Hill 25,” based on the Soap Box Derby, hoping to raise interest and preserve this wheeled slice of Americana.

He may have to tear up the script to match the real-life performance of 14-year-old Sean Brown at the 73rd annual race at Derby Downs in Akron.

The Spotsylvania, Va., boy won the Rally Super Stock Division, racing in a car that had been driven by his late sister Carol Anne.

She was 18 when she committed suicide last year on Easter Sunday.

Associated Press