Breeders’ Cup to cut co-funding of races

The Breeders’ Cup will slash $4.5 million in co-funding of stakes races at North American tracks in 2009 because of the economic downtown.

The cutback will affect 121 stakes races for Breeders’ Cup-nominated horses at about 40 racetracks, spokesman Jim Gluckson said Friday. The Breeders’ Cup kicked in extra purse money to what a track already offered for those races.

The reduction won’t affect the two-day Breeders’ Cup, scheduled for November at Santa Anita. The purse money of $25.5 million will remain the same as this year.

“Even with the difficult economic circumstances, the board was committed strongly to holding the line on championship purses,” said Greg Avioli, Breeders’ Cup president and chief executive.

Martin Panza, racing secretary at Hollywood Park, said the cutback would cost his track $400,000 worth of funding for six races during the spring-summer meeting, including the Shoemaker Mile, Gamely Handicap and Swaps Stakes.

Formula One’s governing body announced a series of cost-cutting measures, including longer-lasting engines, limits on expensive testing and cheaper, off-the-shelf engines for smaller teams because of the global financial crisis.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Syracuse hires Marrone as coach

New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Marrone has been hired as coach at Syracuse, returning to the school where he played to try to rebuild a program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2001. Marrone, 44, was a captain and three-year letterman at Syracuse in the mid-1980s.

Former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer has chosen not to accept a position as a special assistant to university President John Petersen, the university announced. . . . Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp insists he’s staying with the Longhorns and hasn’t interviewed for any other jobs, despite a report that he would be named the new coach at Auburn. Meanwhile, Iowa State Coach Gene Chizik is in the running for the Auburn job, Cyclones Athletic Director Jamie Pollard said.

Bowling Green hired former Tennessee offensive coordinator Dave Clawson as its head coach. . . . Army Coach Stan Brock was fired after two seasons and six days after the Black Knights were soundly beaten by archrival Navy. Brock’s teams were 6-18.

SOCCER

UCLA player finalist for award

UCLA women’s soccer player Christina DiMartino was named one of three finalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy, the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer.

The other finalists for the award, which will be given out Jan. 9 in St. Louis, are Kerri Hanks of Notre Dame and Casey Nogueira of NCAA champion North Carolina.

Brian Shriver scored less than four minutes in and North Carolina advanced to the NCAA men’s College Cup final by beating top-seeded and defending national champion Wake Forest, 1-0, at Frisco, Texas. The Tar Heels advanced to Sunday’s title game against Maryland, which defeated St. John’s, 1-0, in double overtime in the other semifinal.

Toronto FC acquired All-Star and Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for defender Julius James and allocation money.

GOLF

Sorenstam leads at Dubai Masters

Annika Sorenstam had an eagle and four birdies in a six-under-par 66 that gave her a one-shot lead after the second round of the Dubai Ladies Masters in the United Arab Emirates, her last tournament before retiring.

Sorenstam managed a bogey-free second round to sit at eight-under 136, one shot ahead of Nikki Garrett.

Jeff Sluman made a 35-foot birdie from off the green on No. 18 as he and Nick Price combined for an eight-under 64 that gave them a one-shot lead over Scott Hoch and Kenny Perry at the Merrill Lynch Shootout in Naples, Fla.

ETC.

Austria’s Raich wins super-combi

Benjamin Raich of Austria won the World Cup skiing super-combi on a tough course that Bode Miller couldn’t finish and gave Ted Ligety fits at Val D’Isere, France. . . . Max Elbin, the longtime head golf pro at Burning Tree who was president of the PGA of America when tournament players broke away to form the PGA Tour, died. Elbin, 88, died of heart failure, the PGA said.