Hall of Fame Jockey Stevens Is Set to Retire

Jockey Gary Stevens, a member of racing’s Hall of Fame since 1997 and a three-time winner of the Kentucky Derby, will announce his retirement Friday at Churchill Downs, sources close to him said Wednesday.

He is scheduled to ride Purim in the $500,000 Clark Handicap on Friday at the Kentucky track. His final mount is expected to be Stream Cat in the Kentucky Jockey Club on Saturday.

Friends said the 42-year-old jockey, who has 5,005 wins to his credit, has asked those closest to him to come to Louisville for the official announcement.

Jockey agent Ron Anderson, who worked for Stevens for more than nine years, said Stevens called him early this week to say he was quitting.

“He didn’t say what he was going to be doing,” said Anderson. “I hope for his sake that he has a game plan....

“He’s definitely been one of the great riders of our generation.”

Stevens retired once before, announcing on Dec. 26, 1999, that he was quitting because of chronic knee pain. He returned to ride 10 months later.

Stevens has talked about training and shown interest in acting. He received good reviews for his work as jockey George Woolf in the movie “Seabiscuit” a couple of years ago.

“He’ll be a great loss to the game,” said owner Bob Lewis, who won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness with Stevens aboard Silver Charm. “We’re certainly going to miss him.”

The son of a former trainer (Ron Stevens) and the younger brother of jockey (Scott), Stevens quit school to begin riding at 16 and won his first race on Lil Star, which was his first mount, on May 16, 1979.

After riding in Idaho, he became a star at Longacres in Washington before moving to Southern California more than 20 years ago.

It was locally where he had his greatest success. He was the leading rider at 15 meets during his career, led North American riders in earnings in 1990 and 1998, won the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top jockey in 1998, and became the youngest rider to surpass $100 million in career earnings in 1993.

In addition to his three Kentucky Derby wins -- besides Silver Charm he also won with Winning Colors in 1988 and Thunder Gulch in 1995 -- Stevens won the Preakness twice, the Belmont three times, had eight Breeders’ Cup victories, four Santa Anita Handicaps and a record nine Santa Anita Derbies.

-- Bob Mieszerski

The Monrovia-based Jockeys’ Guild asked a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Wednesday to prohibit the labor organization’s former management team from cashing about $217,000 in checks drawn against its Bank of America account.

The lawsuit, filed amid an ongoing congressional investigation, also states that the FBI has begun looking into the troubled union’s recently ousted management. The suit alleges that former President and Chief Executive L. Wayne Gertmenian and other former managers failed to clear the checks with the Guild’s treasurer.

The checks were written on Nov. 15, the day the Guild’s board of directors voted to replace Gertmenian’s team with a new slate of officers. Gertmenian did not return a call seeking comment.

-- Greg Johnson

GOLF

Wie Opens With a 73 in Men’s Tournament

Michelle Wie made two superb late birdies for an opening-round 73 in the men’s Casio World Open in Kochi, Japan.

Trying to make the cut for the first time in six attempts against the men, Wie, 16, is five strokes behind clubhouse leader Toshimitsu Izawa.

“I wanted to be a little bit higher but considering I struggled in the middle I’m pretty happy where I stand,” Wie said.

BASEBALL

Cubs, Howry Agree on $12-million Deal

Reliever Bobby Howry agreed to terms on a $12-million, three-year contract with the Chicago Cubs.

Howry, a 32-year-old right-hander, spent the last two seasons with the Cleveland Indians and was 7-4 with a 2.47 earned-run average last season.

Catcher Chad Moeller agreed to terms on a $700,000, one-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.

MOTOR RACING

USAC Turkey Night Grand Prix at Irwindale

The U.S. Auto Club’s 50th annual Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix will be held tonight at Irwindale Speedway.

The winners of the last four Turkey Night events -- Bobby East in 2004; Dave Steele in 2001 and 2003, and Michael Lewis in 2002 -- will compete.

Also scheduled to drive are Wally Pankratz, who will be making his final Southern California appearance, and Josh Wise, the USAC national midget champion.

MISCELLANY

Nalbandian Commits to UCLA Tennis Event

David Nalbandian, who defeated No. 1-ranked Roger Federer on Sunday in the final of the Tennis Masters Cup at Shanghai, has committed to the 2006 Countrywide Classic to be played July 24-30 at UCLA.

-- Lisa Dillman

David Foster of Talega Golf Club in San Clemente has been named president of the Southern California Professional Golf Assn.

The organization named Jamie Mulligan of Virginia Country Club in Long Beach as golf professional of the year and John Mason of Encinitas Ranch Golf Club as teacher of the year.

PASSINGS

Browns’ Hall of Fame Center Frank Gatski Dies

Hall of Fame center Frank Gatski, a powerful blocker who played in 10 consecutive championship games for the Cleveland Browns, died Tuesday in Morgantown, W.Va., according to his son-in-law, James Giuliani.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame lists Gatski’s age as 83, but Giuliani said family members are not certain what year he was born.