Overanalyze rallies to win Arkansas Derby

Overanalyze stormed down the home stretch to pull away and win the $1-million Arkansas Derby on Saturday at Hot Springs, Ark.

The colt, trained by Todd Pletcher, trailed with a second group for much of the race before charging ahead after the final turn in the 1 1/8-mile race.

Overanalyze overcame the lead pack and held off Frac Daddy and Carve to earn Pletcher his third win in the Kentucky Derby prep race, his first since winning back-to-back Arkansas Derby races in 2000 and 2001.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Overanalyze paid $9.40, $5.60 and $4.60. Frac Daddy paid $16.80 and $11 for finishing second, while Carve paid $8.60 in third. Overanalyze clocked 1 minute 51.94 seconds.

Pre-race favorite War Academy, trained by Bob Baffert, backed out of the gate before the race and pulled up on the back stretch.

Overanalyze had raced only once previously this year after a stellar 2-year-old campaign that included three wins in five starts.

Overanalyze earned 100 points in the race for a spot in the Kentucky Derby; Frac Daddy earned 40 and Carve 20.

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In the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Lexington, Ky., Java’s War came on in the backstretch to edge Palace Malice for his first Grade I stakes victory. Java’s War earned 100 more points in the Road to the Kentucky Derby standings after starting the day with 22, placing him in the mix for the 139th running on May 4 at Churchill Downs. Java’s War covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.27 and paid $11.20, $5.60 and $4.

Isner, Almagro reach final

John Isner, seeded fifth, of the U.S. got his big serve working after a slow start to reach the final of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship with a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over defending champion Juan Monaco of Spain at Houston.

He will next play Spain’s top-seeded Nicolas Almagro, who needed only 58 minutes to beat American wild-card Rhyne Williams, 6-2, 6-1.

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At Casablanca, Morocco, unseeded Tommy Robredo of Spain and No. 2-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa rallied to semifinal victories, setting up a title match in the Grand Prix Hassan. Robredo knocked off No. 1 Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2; and No. 3 Martin Klizan of Slovakia, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

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At Katowice, Poland, No. 1-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic and No. 2 Roberta Vinci of Italy, reached the final with straight-set wins.

Illinois give Groce a raise

Illinois gave Coach John Groce a one-year contract extension through 2017-18 and raised his salary $200,000 a year to $1.6 million a year.

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Trey Burke of Michigan on Monday will announce his decision on whether to make himself available for the NBA draft.

Wigan reaches FA Cup final

Millwall fans fought among each other at Wembley Stadium at London, overshadowing Wigan’s 2-0 victory to reach the FA Cup final for the first time in its 81-year history. Wigan will play Manchester City or Chelsea next month in the final. No injuries were reported.

Flanagan a favorite at Boston Marathon

In the Boston Marathon on Monday, three-time Olympian Shalane Flanagan, 31, of Marbelhead, Mass., is considered the best U.S. hope. No American man or woman has won the Boston race since Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach in 1985.

U.S. figure skaters prevail

Ashley Wagner and Gracie Gold finished on the podium in the free skate to help the United States win the figure skating World Team Trophy at Tokyo.

Wagner, fourth after the short program, received 188.60 points for her routine to Samson and Delilah to finish second. Gold was third with 188.03 points. Akiko Suzuki of Japan won the women’s free program with 199.58 points.

The United States, which won the inaugural World Team Trophy in 2009, entered the final day of competition leading in the overall standings and finished with 57 points. Canada was next with 51, two points ahead of Japan.

Etc.

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard Josh Akognon to finish out the season. ... Director of enforcement David Didion is leaving the NCAA to take a job in the compliance office at Auburn.