MIKE SMITH

Oilers Avalanche Hockey Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith (41) gives up a goal to Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon as Nazem Kadri (91) watches during the third period in Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Western Conference finals Thursday, June 2, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) (Jack Dempsey)TAMPA, Fla. — (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche got a key player back with the return of center Nazem Kadri for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. Kadri been out since injuring his thumb when he was boarded by Evander Kane in Game 3 of Colorado’s four-game sweep over the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final. Point played in the first two games of the Final after missing 10 straight due to a right leg injury. Avalanche left wing Andre Burakovsky (hand) missed his second straight game and was skating and getting treatment in Denver on Wednesday.

The Colorado Avalanche got a key player back with the return of Nazem Kadri for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

APTOPIX Avalanche Oilers Hockey Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon (29) and Gabriel Landeskog (92) celebrate a goal on Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith (41) as Cody Ceci (5) defends during third period NHL hockey conference finals action in Edmonton, Alberta, on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) (Jason Franson)EDMONTON, Alberta — (AP) — Artturi Lehkonen scored 1:19 into overtime, and Colorado rallied to beat the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 Monday night, completing a four-game sweep in the Western Conference final and sending the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2001. Colorado will take on the winner of the Eastern Conference final between the New York Rangers and two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. But the Oilers stormed back and forced overtime when Kassian scored at 16:38 and tied it at 5-all. I basically had an empty netter in front of me, so tap it in.”NOTES: The Colorado Avalanche were without the injured Nazem Kadri.

Avalanche Oilers Hockey Colorado Avalanche left wing J.T. Compher came out of the penalty box to give Colorado the lead with 7:18 left and the Avalanche beat the Edmonton Oilers' 4-2 on Saturday night to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice for Colorado, Mikko Rantanen had an empty-netter with 30 seconds left, and Pavel Francouz made 27 saves. Game 4 is Monday night in Edmonton, with Colorado a game away from advancing to the Stanley Cup final. Only four NHL teams have ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a seven-game series.

Nathan MacKinnon scored late in the third. This game was a departure from a high-scoring Game 1 in which there were 14 goals and 84 shots. Francouz grew stronger with every save he made as he stepped in for Darcy Kuemper, who left Game 1 with an upper-body injury. To slow down the speedy MacKinnon, Edmonton shadowed him virtually at all times. Colorado and Edmonton turned in about as entertaining first period as possible for no goals scored.

Nazem Kadri had three assists in a 2:04 span in the second period, backup Pavel Francouz stopped 24 shots for his second career playoff shutout and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Utah County Sheriff, Utah County AttorneyA wild QAnon conspiracy theory that has followers convinced progressives rape and eat kids has bubbled into a small county in Utah.Utah County Attorney David Leavitt, who is running for re-election, is calling for the immediate removal of the county sheriff, Mike Smith, over a bizarre report implicating Leavitt in a “ritualistic” sex ring known for “cannibalizing young children.” The 151-page report, which was released by the sheriff Wednesday among law e

Oilers Avalanche Hockey Colorado Avalanche left wing J.T. Compher scored twice, Cale Makar had a goal and two assists and the Colorado Avalanche held off the Edmonton Oilers 8-6 on Tuesday night in a fast-paced, no-lead-felt-safe Game 1 of the Western Conference final. Edmonton and Colorado scored six times over a 6:43 span — nearly a goal a minute. Kuemper left the game in the second period as well, after surrendering three goals on 16 shots. After Cogliano's goal gave Colorado a 7-3 lead late in the second, it looked like the game might be in hand.

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Joe Thornton’s career may be over.

Flames Oilers Hockey Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, second from left, celebrates his goal against the Calgary Flames with teammates during the first period of Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs second-round series Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Edmonton, Alberta. Evander Kane scored his NHL-leading 11th and 12th goals of the postseason, and Zach Hyman added a goal for Edmonton. He has 25 points in 11 playoff games for the Oilers, who earned a third straight victory over their provincial rival. With the Oilers wobbling, Nugent-Hopkins poked in his fourth goal of the playoffs from in front of Markstrom. The goal was the third-fastest in Oilers’ playoff history, just short of McDavid (19 seconds in 2020) and Fernando Pisani (16 seconds in 2006).

APTOPIX Oilers Flames Hockey Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman celebrates his goal against the Calgary Flames during the third period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs second-round series Friday, May 20, 2022, in Calgary, Alberta. Oilers goalie Mike Smith, pulled early in the last game, made 37 saves for the win and assisted on Draisaitl’s insurance goal. The best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal heads to Edmonton’s Rogers Place for Sunday's Game 3 and Tuesday’s Game 4. Edmonton scored its first power-play goal of the series midway through the second period to send the game into the third deadlocked 3-3. Hyman celebrated an Oilers goal with just over four minutes left in the opening period, but officials waived it off.

Oilers Flames Hockey Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, right, celebrates his goal against the Edmonton Oilers with forward Johnny Gaudreau during the third period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series Wednesday, May 18, 2022, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP) (Jeff McIntosh)CALGARY, Alberta — (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk had his first career playoff hat trick and the Calgary Flames beat the Edmonton Oilers 9-6 Wednesday night in Game 1 of their second-round series. Game 2 is Friday at the Saddledome before the series heads to Edmonton for Sunday’s Game 3 and Tuesday’s Game 4. The Flames scored twice in a 25-second span in the first minute and led 3-0 by 6:05 when Smith was replaced by Koskinen. ... Game 1 was the highest scoring playoff game involving Calgary and Edmonton, surpassing the previous high of 12 goals scored in Game 3 of the 1983 Smythe Division final.

The New York Rangers will play the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the NHL playoffs.

Cody Ceci also scored and Mike Smith made 28 saves for his second shutout of the playoffs for the Oilers, who last won a Game 7 in 1998 and celebrated their first playoff series win since 2017. There was no scoring in a tense opening period, with the Oilers putting 10 shots on Quick, while the Kings sent seven on Smith. Quick came into the game with a 4-0 career record in Game 7s. The Oilers will now advance to play either Calgary or Dallas, who are going to a Game 7 of their own on Sunday. Notes: Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse returned after serving a one-game suspension in Game 6 for head-butting Phillip Danault in Game 5.

Kings Oilers Hockey Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault, (24) celebrates his goal with teammate right wing Arthur Kaliyev, left, as Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith looks away during the third period of Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 10, 2022 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP) (Jeff McIntosh)EDMONTON, Alberta — (AP) — Adrian Kempe scored 1:12 into overtime to give the Los Angeles Kings a 5-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night for a 3-2 lead in the first-round playoff series. Kempe muscled his way past his defender and wrapped a shot around Edmonton goalie Mike Smith to secure the victory. The result means the Oilers need a win in Game 6 in Los Angeles on Thursday to stave off elimination. Kempe also scored and had an assist for the Kings in regulation.

The Los Angeles Kings rebounded from back-to-back blowout losses to even their first-round playoff series with a 4-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4.

The last three runnings of the Kentucky Derby have been anything but normal.

Evander Kane picked up his first hat trick in a Stanley Cup playoff game, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman each had two goals, and the Edmonton Oilers dominated the Los Angeles Kings for the second straight game, posting a 8-2 victory in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.

(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) (Frank Gunn)So much for the notion that goals are hard to come by in the playoffs. If the opening night of the chase for the Stanley Cup is an indication of what’s to come, the NHL is in for another wildly unpredictable postseason. The St. Louis Blues blanked the Minnesota Wild 4-0, with Marc-Andre Fleury giving up four goals on 31 shots. Monday night was also a busy night for officials, who doled out 48 penalty minutes in Blues-Wild. The Blues not only ranked second in the NHL during the regular season with the 27% success rate on their power play, they set a franchise record for that efficiency.

(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) (Frank Gunn)So much for the notion that goals are hard to come by in the playoffs. If the opening night of the chase for the Stanley Cup is an indication of what’s to come, the NHL is in for another wildly unpredictable postseason. The St. Louis Blues blanked the Minnesota Wild 4-0, with Marc-Andre Fleury giving up four goals on 31 shots. The opening-night scoring barrage came after a regular season in which teams combined to average 6.29 goals per game — up from 5.87 the previous year. Monday night was also a busy night for officials, who doled out 48 penalty minutes in Blues-Wild.

So much for the notion that goals are hard to come by in the playoffs.

Zandon and filly Nest are the morning-line favorites for the 148th Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

Triple Crown Lookahead Horse Racing FILE - Jockey Mike Smith talks with trainer Bob Baffert after winning the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs, Friday, May 3, 2019, in Louisville, Ky. The Kentucky Derby leads off the first Triple Crown season in decades without the chance of Bob Baffert officially winning one or more of the three races. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan, File) (Gregory Payan)The Kentucky Derby leads off the first Triple Crown season in decades without the chance of Bob Baffert officially winning one or more of the three races. Baffert-trained Justify won it on the way to sweeping the Triple Crown in 2018 after racing just three times before the first Saturday in May. Crown Pride would be the first Japan-based horse to win any Triple Crown race.

The Kentucky Derby leads off the first Triple Crown season in decades without the chance of Bob Baffert officially winning one or more of the three races.

Trainer Steve Asmussen tells Daily Racing Form Midnight Bourbon died after "an acute gastrointestinal situation."

The NCAR fire prompted evacuations in south Boulder and pre-evacuation warning for Eldorado Springs. The fire, which ignited Saturday, burned to within 1,000 yards (914 meters) of homes on the west end of Boulder, said Mike Smith, incident commander. Fire managers hoped to allow more people back into their homes Sunday as the area becomes safe, officials said. “Today was a good day,” Smith said during a Sunday afternoon briefing as a helicopter flew in the background. We continue to work on the team building and work with our partners to make sure that we're as dialed as we can be.

The NCAR fire prompted evacuations in south Boulder and pre-evacuation warning for Eldorado Springs. The fire, which ignited Saturday, burned to within 1,000 yards (914 meters) of homes on the west end of Boulder, said Mike Smith, incident commander. The evacuation area was reduced late Saturday to cover about 1,700 people and 700 residences, down from about 8,000 homes earlier in the day. Fire managers will allow more people back into their homes Sunday as it becomes safe, officials said. We continue to work on the team building and work with our partners to make sure that we're as dialed as we can be.

Edmonton captain and reigning league MVP Connor McDavid has been placed on on NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list.

Breeders Cup Horse Racing Mike Smith, left, rides Corniche to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile race at the Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, Calif., Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. Trainer Christophe Clement snapped an 0-for-41 slump in the Breeders' Cup when 9-2 shot Pizza Bianca went from last to first in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf. It was the 12th Cup win for Ortiz and fifth for Ward. The filly, running against colts for the third straight time, improved to three wins in five starts for Stonestreet Stables' Barbara Banke, recently named the first woman chair of the Breeders’ Cup board of directors. Echo Zulu became the early favorite for the 2022 Kentucky Oaks with a dominant win in the $2 million Juvenile Fillies.

Corniche won the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 1 3/4 length at Del Mar, stamping the colt as the early favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, where his trainer, Bob Baffert, has been banned.

Right now, a child under 12 can't get a COVID vaccine unless they're part of a clinical trial.

Classier held off favored stablemate Defunded by a nose to win the $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby on Sunday, giving embattled trainer Bob Baffert a 1-2 finish in a race he’s won five years in a row and six of the last seven. Classier broke sharply under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith and dug in when challenged by 3-5 favorite Defunded at Los Alamitos in Orange County. Defunded returned $2.10.

Essential Quality wore down pacesetter Hot Rod Charlie in the stretch and crossed the finish line first in the Belmont Stakes.

Fort Worth police confiscated 17 guns, filed 19 new felony charges and made 24 arrests — 14 of which were gang members — between May 10 and 18.

Rombauer sprung an upset to win the Preakness Stakes at odds of 11-1.

Preakness Stakes Horse Race A woman wears a face covering to protect against the spread of COVID-19 during the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 15, 2021, in Baltimore. Hand sanitizer stations are available around Pimlico Race Course, which feels empty compared to the usual crowd for the race. Medina Spirit is currently the 3-1 second choice and fellow Bob Baffert-trained Concert Tour next at 4-1. The Preakness is back to its usual spot on the calendar in the middle of May but without the usual frenzy in the hours leading to the race. Baffert's Kentucky Derby-winning Medina Spirit was cleared Friday to run in the Preakness after undergoing three rounds of prerace testing.

Preakness Horse Racing Preakness entrant Midnight Bourbon works out during a training session ahead of the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in Baltimore. Midnight Bourbon is the 5-2 favorite with just over three hours to go before the Preakness after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit opened as the 9-5 morning line favorite. Steve Asmussen-trained Midnight Bourbon finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby ridden by 2018 Triple Crown-winning jockey Mike Smith, who switched mounts to Concert Tour. Irad Ortiz Jr. is set to ride Midnight Bourbon in the Preakness. Baffert's Kentucky Derby-winning Medina Spirit was cleared Friday to run in the Preakness after undergoing three rounds of prerace testing.

The conversation this week should be about how Medina Spirit ran a sensational race at the Kentucky Derby, raving about how the horse’s rags-to-riches story is just the type of feel-good tale that the world needs in some brutally difficult times.

Preakness Horse Racing Preakness entrant Midnight Bourbon, right, walks on the track during a training session ahead of the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in Baltimore. Midnight Bourbon was installed on the morning line as the third betting choice at 5-1 behind 9-5 favorite Medina Spirit and 5-2 Concert Tour. That's why he doesn't think Midnight Bourbon should be dismissed as a Preakness contender. Irad Ortiz will be aboard Midnight Bourbon only because Smith chose Concert Tour instead. “I would suggest that Mike thought he had a better chance to win on Concert Tour than Midnight Bourbon and that’s why he chose it,” Asmussen said.

Midnight Bourbon and Concert Tour are the biggest challengers in the Preakness to Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit.

The Kentucky Derby is back in its traditional spot on the sports calendar — the first Saturday in May.

(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS – UCLA has made more trips to the Final Four than any program but North Carolina. AdThey were clinging to a 50-49 lead when Michigan called a timeout with 19 seconds to go, intending to set up the game's final shot. The buzzer sounded and UCLA began to celebrate, only for the officials to put a half-second back on the clock. They were 3 of 11 beyond the arc, shot 39% overall and couldn't make one at the end. UCLA won a regional semifinal in 2006 and the Bulldogs returned the favor in the 2015 regional semifinals.

The evening's most telling stat was points in the paint: Michigan 50, Florida State 28. Other lowlights for the Seminoles:— 14 turnovers, including 10 in the first half that led to 16 Michigan points. Adding to the trouble, Walker, the team's leading scorer this season, rolled his ankle at the 14-minute mark of the second half. FSU went on a mini-tear when Osborne and Polite made back-to-back 3s to trim Michigan's lead to five early in the second half. Driving the lane and making the extra pass underneath, the Wolverines made 11 of their first 13 shots in the second half.

Michigan guard Eli Brooks celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of a second-round game against LSU in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium Monday, March 22, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)Michigan's second-round game against LSU was intense from the start. One player for the Wolverines seemed calm and steady — guard Eli Brooks. In fact, Brooks' coach — Fab Five standout Juwan Howard — played a big role in setting that trend. Oregon's three senior starters — Chris Duarte, LJ Figueroa and Eugene Omoruyi — combined for 61 points in a second-round win over Iowa.

2 Michigan wrapped up the Big Ten title with a 69-50 victory over rival Michigan State on Thursday night. The Wolverines won it again in 2014. Aaron Henry scored 14 points for Michigan State (14-11, 8-11), which will finish with a losing conference record for the first time since 1993. Michigan State went 0 for 9 from 3-point range, its first game without a 3 since Nov. 15, 2013 against Columbia, according to Sportradar. MOTIVATIONAL VIDEOFormer Michigan State star Draymond Green made an appearance in a pregame video the Wolverines watched.

(AP Photo/Peter Morgan, FileARCADIA, Calif. – Stewards at Santa Anita have dismissed complaints filed by the California Horse Racing Board involving the post-race drug tests of Triple Crown winner Justify and another horse in 2018, both of whom were trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. Stewards John Herbuveaux, Ron Church and Kim Sawyer issued their ruling on the combined cases late Wednesday after hearing evidence and testimony via video on Oct. 29. The CHRB had sought the disqualifications of Justify from his victory in the 2018 Santa Anita Derby and Hoppertunity from his win in the Tokyo City Cup the following day. Baffert has said that neither horse was administered scopolamine, which is sometimes used to treat mild colic and spasms. The racing board had filed the complaint against Justify as part of a settlement of a lawsuit filed by Mick Ruis, the owner-trainer of Santa Anita Derby runner-up Bolt d'Oro.

A passing car's headlights illuminate a darkened Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. Hurricane Zeta passed through Wednesday leaving much of the city and metro area without power. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)NEW ORLEANS – A fast-moving Hurricane Zeta barreled northeast Thursday morning after ripping through Louisiana and Mississippi where storm-weary residents were advised to stay indoors overnight while officials assessed the havoc the storm had wrought. Signs outside bars and restaurants swayed back and forth in the wind and palm trees along Canal Street whipped furiously. On Tuesday, Zeta raked across Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, toppling trees and briefly cutting power to more than 300,000 people but causing no deaths.

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)NEW ORLEANS – The Latest on Zeta (all times CDT):10:45 p.m.WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has declared an emergency exists in Mississippi and ordered federal assistance be expedited to aid state, local and tribal efforts to recover from Hurricane Zeta. — In Bay St. Louis in Mississippi, former mayor Les Fillingame said Hurricane Zeta was “very intense” when it blew through. ____10 p.m.MIAMI — Hurricane Zeta is weakening further but remains a still-dangerous storm as it barrels across Mississippi into the U.S. Southeast. — Louisiana's governor says Hurricane Zeta has caused extensive structural damage to businesses and homes in hard-hit areas of the state's southeast. School officials are calling off school because of the fear of rain, wind and power outages from Hurricane Zeta as it makes its way inland.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn stands with Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank before the first half of an NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Atlanta. Quinn was hired by the Falcons in 2015 after a highly successful run as Seattle’s defensive coordinator, highlighted by two straight trips to the Super Bowl. After going 8-8 his first season, Quinn guided the Falcons to one of the greatest years in team history. The Falcons made the playoffs again the following year, losing to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia, but never seemed to fully shake their Super Bowl debacle. Dimitroff kept his job when Smith was fired at the end of the 2014 season after two straight losing campaigns.

SYDNEY – A senior Australian government minister on Sunday warned foreign journalists working in the country they might come under the scrutiny of federal agencies if they provide a “slanted view” of Australian affairs. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton made the comments during a television interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp., referring to journalists reporting to “a particular community.”While he didn’t mention China, Dutton's comments come after the evacuation from China last week of Australian journalists Bill Birtles and Mike Smith, who sheltered in Australian diplomatic compounds after being questioned by police. Australian Cheng Lei, who works as a business anchor for CGTN, China’s English-language state broadcaster, earlier was taken into custody. “If people are here as journalists and they’re reporting fairly on the news, then that’s fine,” Dutton told ABC TV's Insiders program. “Australia’s actions in organizing the two journos to hide in the embassy completely exceeds the scope of consular protection and in fact is interference in a Chinese legal case,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.

Kentucky Derby entry Tiz the Law runs during a workout at Churchill Downs, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. The Kentucky Derby still has horses Tiz the Law is the biggest favorite in 31 years but just about everything else makes the 146th edition unlike any other. Quietude cant hurt, said Barclay Tagg, trainer of 3-5 favorite Tiz the Law. Tiz the Law won the Travers by 5 1/2 lengths over the same distance at Saratoga a month ago. A win by Tiz the Law would make Tagg the oldest trainer to win a Derby at age 82.

What happened next set horse racing off on a year-long odyssey of chaos. From a historic DQ to doping, lawsuits to a global pandemic, and then a Triple Crown turned upside down. What happened next set horse racing off on a yearlong odyssey of chaos: from a historic DQ to doping, from lawsuits to a pandemic, and now a Triple Crown turned upside down. Instead of leading off on the first Saturday in May, the Kentucky Derby shifted to Labor Day weekend. Who would have ever thought youd run the Kentucky Derby with no fans? Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith said.

(AP Photo/Gregory Payan, File)Jockeys riding in the rescheduled 146th Kentucky Derby have to arrive by Monday and then quarantine upon returning to their home tracks, just one of many changes forced by the coronavirus pandemic. Initially, Churchill Downs had proposed an arrival date of Aug. 24 nearly two weeks before the Derby on Sept. 5. Smith will bolster his trip to the Derby with a riding assignment the following weekend at Kentucky Downs near the Tennessee border. Smith will be joined by some other Derby jockeys. Their coronavirus tests from Churchill Downs will be honored at the southern Kentucky track.

FILE - In this Feb. 20, 2020, file photo, Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith warms up for the team's NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets in Edmonton, Alberta. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press on Sunday, July 5, that the NHL and NHL Players Association have agreed on protocols to resume the season. Daly said the sides are still negotiating a collective bargaining agreement extension. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP, File)The National Hockey League and NHL Players Association have reached a tentative agreement to return to play this season and extend their collective bargaining agreement. Training camps would open July 13 and games would resume Aug. 1 if approved by the leagues board of governors and players executive committee and full membership.

The climax to the 14-race showpiece is Saturday's $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, a one-and-a-quarter-mile dirt dash which often decides the best of a generation. If you've never been to Santa Anita and you sit in the grandstand and you have those beautiful mountains in the background, it's like a painting. Another highlight is the $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf over one-and-a-half miles on grass, which has become a successful hunting ground for the cream of European talent. Winning a Breeders' Cup race is the pinnacle, according to Smith, who became only the 13th jockey to clinch the Triple Crown when he rode Justify for Baffert in 2018. "The Stronach Group and Santa Anita safety measures put horse and rider safety above all else," it said in a statement last month.

(CNN) - Triple Crown winner Justify tested positive for drugs in California weeks before he won the Kentucky Derby last year, The New York Times reported. If the state's horse racing officials had followed the rules, the failed drug test would have disqualified the 3-year-old chestnut colt from the famous derby, the paper said in the explosive report Wednesday night. Justify won the Santa Anita Derby on April 7 last year, then failed the drug test after that race, according to the paper. Just over two weeks later, on May 5, Justify won the Kentucky Derby, the first of the three races that make up the Triple Crown. "In addition, I had no input into, or influence on, the decisions made by the California Horse Racing Board," Baffert said.