Hollywood Park to host Oak Tree

Hollywood Park announced on Thursday that it will host the Oak Tree meet traditionally run at Santa Anita beginning Sept. 30.

The Oak Tree Racing Assn. decided to move from its home since 1969 in Arcadia across town to Hollywood Park because of uncertainty about the condition of the main track at Santa Anita.

The 42nd Oak Tree meet will run through Oct. 31 in Inglewood. Hollywood Park’s autumn meet will open Nov. 4.

The highlight of the Oak Tree meet is expected to be undefeated Zenyatta making her 19th career start at her home track.

The 1 1/16-mile race Oct. 2 has been restored to its original name, the $250,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes.

It was scheduled to be named the Zenyatta Stakes for the first time this year, but she returned to racing after her owners changed their mind about retiring the 6-year-old mare. Zenyatta has already won the Grade 1 Lady’s Secret twice.

SOCCER

Beckham sees return to Galaxy

David Beckham, who has missed the entire season for the Galaxy after tearing his Achilles tendon in March while on loan to AC Milan, hopes to play on Sept. 11 when the Galaxy play the Columbus Crew in Carson.

Beckham, 35, said on the Galaxy’s website: “I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully will play in part of the game here against Columbus. I’ll be on the bench, and hopefully I’ll get on the field for 15-20 minutes. That’s what I’m looking at.”

The Galaxy have won only three of their last 10 MLS games, and their lead has dwindled to three points over Real Salt Lake for the top record in the Western Conference.

— Barry Stavro

HOCKEY

Sharks sign goalkeeper NiemiThe San Jose Sharks signed the goalie who helped knock them out of the playoffs, agreeing to a one-year, $2-million deal with Antti Niemi.

Niemi joins fellow Finnish goaltender Antero Niittymaki in San Jose as the replacements for longtime starter Evgeni Nabokov.

Niemi, 27, played all but one period of the Blackhawks’ run to the Stanley Cup title, going 16-6 with a 2.63 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and two shutouts.

The Colorado Avalanche signed restricted free-agent forward Chris Stewart to a two-year deal.

The 22-year-old led Colorado with 28 goals and ranked second in points with 64 over 77 regular-season games in 2009-10.

The Montreal Canadiens re-signed restricted free-agent goalie Carey Price to a two-year contract.

Price, 22, will start the upcoming season as the team’s No. 1 goalie. He split the duties last season with Jaroslav Halak, who has since been dealt to the St. Louis Blues. Price was 13-20-5 in 41 games.

Hurricane Earl has prompted PGA Tour officials to bring tee times forward by 40 minutes for the first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship on Friday at TPC Boston. The first groups will tee off at 7 a.m. Eastern time because officials are fearful that heavy rain will disrupt play later in the day.

ETC.

Hurricane pushes up tee times

Italian teenager Matteo Manassero shot a seven-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre, Switzerland.

British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, returning to action for the first time since the PGA Championship, shot a 71 with four bogeys and four birdies.

Seattle Storm forward Lauren Jackson was selected the WNBA’s most valuable player for the third time in her career.

Jackson was honored before Game 1 of Seattle’s best-of-three Western Conference final against defending champion Phoenix. Also, the Storm’s Brian Agler was named the league’s coach of the year.

Jackson, a 6-foot-5 forward from Australia, averaged 20.5 points and 8.3 rebounds while helping the Storm to a 28-6 record — tying the record for the most wins in a season.

Jackson, joins Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie as the only three-time selections.

The Atlanta Hawks signed free agent center Etan Thomas to add bulk in the frontcourt.

The University of Iowa will extend Kirk Ferentz’s contract with the intention that he serve as the head coach of Iowa’s football program for more than two decades.

Ferentz is starting his 12th season as Iowa’s head coach. The extension puts him under contract through the 2020 football season.