Barbaro could be released from hospital soon

Barbaro’s long hospital stay finally may be winding down.

While refusing to give a timeline, the Kentucky Derby winner’s surgeon said Wednesday that Barbaro is making good progress in his recovery.

“His departure from here depends on many things,” said Dean Richardson, chief surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa. “In my mind’s eye, he can leave in the not so distant future.”

Richardson has been cautious in his updates since Barbaro was admitted for what doctors described as “life-threatening injuries” after breaking down at the Preakness in May.

Barbaro’s weight fluctuates, Richardson said, but that is common with hospitalized horses. He said the colt’s appetite, vital signs and blood work are good and that the horse’s coat “looks beautiful.”

“As soon as we believe he can be managed as well somewhere else, he will go somewhere else,” Richardson said.

The New York Racing Assn., trailing in the campaign to run New York’s thoroughbred racing, took legal action to keep the Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga race tracks even if it loses the state franchise.

NYRA sued the state over its attempt to award the franchise for the next 20 years to another private organization.

NYRA contends the state’s plan is unconstitutional and unenforceable because NYRA owns the tracks. The state insists NYRA simply operates the state-owned tracks under the franchise it has held since 1955.

SOCCER

Irvine’s Heinrichs is stepping down

Former U.S. women’s coach April Heinrichs is leaving her coaching job at UC Irvine to join the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Heinrichs, who guided the American women to a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics, will be a team leader in the USOC’s sports performance department.

She took the Irvine job in January and the UCI women struggled through a 3-13-1 season after going 2-13-1 the previous year. Heinrichs was the women’s national team coach from 2000 to 2005.

Juergen Klinsmann is not ruling out a return to Germany as coach of the national team, but it won’t be any time soon.

Klinsmann coached Germany for two years and stepped down in July after leading the host nation to a third-place finish at the World Cup. Last week, he failed to come to an agreement to become the U.S. coach.

Klinsmann lives in California and has not made a public appearance in Germany since the World Cup.

One should “never say never,” Klinsmann told the weekly Die Zeit when asked if he could see himself returning to Germany and working as coach again, even of the national team.

But “at the moment” it was out of the question.

The 2007 Major League Soccer Cup will be played at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, bringing the title game to Washington for the third time, an official within the league told the Associated Press.

MISCELLANY

Bobcats, Sting association is ending

The Charlotte Sting was turned over to the WNBA on Wednesday after Charlotte Bobcats’ officials said they would no longer operate the team.

The league is now in negotiations to sell the team, one of the league’s original franchises.

Fred Whitfield, sports and entertainment president of the Bobcats, said since management was restructured, “we have made the decision to focus all of our resources and efforts on the operation of the Charlotte Bobcats.”

The WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx hired former Timberwolves assistant Don Zierden as coach.

White men dominate the leadership positions in college sports, with women and minorities making only slow progress moving into the top jobs, according to a study by the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport.

Former athletes who were victims of East Germany’s systematic doping program will get a one-time payment as compensation for health problems and give up any other legal action.

According to an agreement signed in Berlin, the 167 recognized victims will each receive $12,210 by the end of February.

Former Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton landed a full Nextel Cup ride, signing a deal to drive the State Industries-sponsored No. 4 Chevrolet for Morgan-McClure Motorsports.

Rok Flander and Isabella Dal Balcon won World Cup parallel giant slalom snowboard races at San Vigilio Di Marebbe, Italy.

Eldar Roenning won the men’s 15-K World Cup cross-country classic race at Cogne, Italy.

The French resort of Val d’Isere will play host to two World Cup women’s downhill races and one slalom next week, the International Ski Federation announced. The downhills will take place Tuesday and Wednesday with the slalom closing the event Thursday.

PASSING

Former NBA player Arizin dies at 78

Paul Arizin, an early pioneer of the jump shot who helped lead the Philadelphia Warriors to the 1956 NBA championship and was chosen one of the 50 greatest NBA players, died Tuesday night at his home in suburban Philadelphia. He was 78. Section B