NYRA Might Maintain Control of State Tracks

The New York Racing Assn. has begun to reform itself and could continue to hold the lucrative franchise operating the state’s thoroughbred tracks under a federal deal that dismisses a criminal indictment, federal officials said Tuesday.

Federal and state officials investigating corruption, mismanagement, tax evasion, money laundering and other allegations against the NYRA said new management had worked to weed out corruption. As part of the deal, the NYRA, which runs Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga, will pay $3 million in fines and cover the cost of the investigation.

Alan Hevesi, the state comptroller whose audits uncovered misuse of millions of dollars, said the progress did not necessarily mean the NYRA would extend its control of the state franchise to run racing in New York, which expires after 2007.

NYRA agreed to the fine a year ago and pledged to adopt anti-corruption reforms to avoid prosecution on fraud charges involving mutuel clerks who admitted in 2003 to operating an identity-theft and tax-evasion scheme at NYRA race tracks.

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Sheik Mohammed of Dubai, on a spending spree at the Keeneland September sale in Lexington, Ky., paid $9.7 million for a yearling colt. Only two yearlings have ever sold for more.

In fierce bidding with representatives from Coolmore Stud in Ireland, the sheik landed the horse, who is a son of Storm Cat, the world’s highest-priced stallion, and Tranquility Lake, who won graded stakes on both grass and dirt in California.

The unnamed colt was consigned to the auction by Mill Ridge Sales on behalf of Marty and Pam Wygod of Rancho Santa Fe.

The record for a yearling at auction was set in 1985, when the late Robert Sangster and partners bought a son of Nijinsky II at Keeneland for $13.1 million. Named Seattle Dancer, he started five times, won twice and earned $152,413.

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Bellamy Road, the beaten Kentucky Derby favorite owned by New York Yankee boss George Steinbrenner, is out for the year after suffering an injury to his right front foot in the Travers Stakes on Aug. 27. Bellamy Road will recuperate in Ocala, Fla.

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Tennis

Thomas Johansson beat Jonas Bjorkman, 6-4, 6-3, at the China Open in Beijing. It was the former Australian Open champion’s first victory over his fellow Swede in three years.

Top-seeded Mariano Puerta beat Janko Tipsarevic, 7-5, 6-2, in the first round of the BCR Open at Bucharest, Romania.

Puerta, who lost to Rafael Nadal in the final of this year’s French Open, has 26 of his 31 victories this season on clay.

Ekaterina Bychkova ousted Sania Mirza, 6-3, 6-2, in the first round of the Wismilak International at Bali, Indonesia.

Alicia Molik of Australia claimed her first singles victory since April, having recovered from a virus that affected her balance and vision. She defeated Mariana Diaz Oliva, 7-6 (6), 6-3.

The Lawn Tennis Assn. put the Queen’s Club in London up for sale in a bid to help develop British tennis, which hasn’t produced a Grand Slam champion in 28 years.

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Golf

Vijay Singh will complete the four-man field for the Grand Slam of Golf. He joins British Open and Masters champion Tiger Woods, U.S. Open winner Michael Campbell of New Zealand and PGA champion Phil Mickelson in the 36-hole event, Nov. 22-23 at Poipu Bay Golf Course in Kauai, Hawaii.

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Auto Racing

Reigning Busch Series champion Martin Truex Jr. was penalized $10,000 and docked 25 points by NASCAR for using an obscene gesture during Friday night’s race at Richmond International Raceway.

The punishment tightens Truex’s hold on the Busch points lead -- he now has only a 69-point advantage over Clint Bowyer with seven races left.

Formula One’s ruling body said it would soon publish new rules for the 2008 season in an effort to slash the budgets of top teams to $120 million from more than $360 million.

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Pro Basketball

Charlotte forward Sean May had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to remove torn cartilage and will not be ready to play when training camp begins next month. May, the former North Carolina standout selected 13th overall in the NBA draft, is expected to be ready for Charlotte’s Nov. 2 season opener.

Denver re-signed DerMarr Johnson, who started 40 games last season at shooting guard and played in 71 games, averaging 7.1 points and 2.1 rebounds.

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Soccer

The U.S. women’s team will play Australia and Mexico in October. The Americans will face Australia at Fullerton on Oct. 16 and Mexico at Charleston, S.C., on Oct. 23.

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Jurisprudence

Connecticut point guard Marcus Williams was given 18 months’ probation and ordered to perform 400 hours of community service for his role in the theft of four computers from a campus dormitory in June.

Under the accelerated rehabilitation program for first-time offenders, Williams will have no criminal record if he successfully completes his probation.

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Miscellany

The United States defeated Taiwan, 5-4, in its last group match and will meet defending champion Cuba in a quarterfinal game of the Baseball World Cup at Amsterdam.

Former New York Jet Joe Klecko accidentally hit and killed a 65-year-old man while driving on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx, police said. Klecko, 51, was heading south when he struck Ray Peterson. No charges were filed.

Former Pittsburgh Steeler lineman Terry Long died in June at age 45 from a brain inflammation that resulted, in part, from repeated head injuries suffered while playing football, a coroner’s report said.

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Mike Penner is on vacation.