Deron will be back with Nets, especially if Dwight joins

Peter Vecsey
Follow Peter on Twitter

HOOP DU JOUR

Soon after Bruce Ratner bought the Nets and revealed intentions to relocate from New Jersey to Brooklyn, he asked whether I’d attend more or fewer home games.

It’d be impossible to show up less than zero. Not that it mattered anyway, I told Ratner. “I’ll be retired by the time your dream becomes reality.”

As it turns out, I’ll be correct by just a few months.

Still, the chances I’ll show up in November for opening night are a tinge greater if Dwight Howard is the Nets’ centerfold vs. Brook Lopez, and Deron Williams is their lifeguard.

NETS FREE-AGENCY TRACKER

Then again, I promise to get there early and leave late if I know Sandy Koufax, Don Newcombe, Carl Erskine, Ralph Branca, Tom LaSorda, Don Zimmer, Roger Craig, Vin Scully, Rachel Robinson and Joan Hodges — or just the wives of Jackie and Gil — are going to bless the occasion with their revered presence.

OK, so what are the odds Dwight and Deron become made members of the Nets?

First, let’s get this straight: Deron’s free-agent decision will not be based on whether or not Dwight joins him through an exchange program with the Magic.

Will the Nets do everything from their control tower to make Dwight land on their runway? Of course! Everyone knows what it will take to acquire his all-league services. We also know Dwight has eyes only for globally connected Nets czar Mikhail Prokhorov.

What’s more, Magic GM Rob Hennigan has been lopping off heads of front-office personnel and scouts since he was hired. Now it’s the players’ turn to be guillotined, presumably starting with Dwight.

Question is: Does any other team have more eye candy in its goodie bag than the Nets? The Lakers boast Andrew Bynum, also entering the last year of his contract, but neither team seems to want the other’s basket case. Moreover, Howard doesn’t seem especially eager to join forces with Kobe.

Within the last few days, the Rockets have provided a flurry of fantasy by obtaining first-round picks. They now own Nos. 12, 16 & 18. Supposedly, GM Daryl Morey is trying to convert those water-view lots into beachfront property in tonight’s draft, and then package it with two or three players for Howard.

There are two slight problems with this speculated strategy: Howard has given no indication Houston is even a blip in his living/playing plans; and starting from scratch, as the Magic appear set on doing, loses a little something in translation when the swap must include either Kevin Martin ($12.4 million) or Luis Sola ($9.4M/$10.2/$11.0).

Didn’t David Stern make it perfectly clear (by now, at least) how stupid it would’ve been for the Hornets to surrender Chris Paul for a 3 or 4 season sentence of mediocrity by assuming engorged contracts owned by players good enough to get the Rockets shut out of the playoffs?

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Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, Bruce Ratner, Nets, Peter VecseyFollow Peter, Sandy Koufax, Carl Erskine, Ralph Branca, Brook Lopez, Don Newcombe, Joan Hodges, Roger Craig, Vin Scully

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Monticello Results

WEATHER Clear TRACK Fast

FIRST-mile; pace; $4400; cond

OFF: 12:54 TIME: 1:57.3

7

BdByNmdSu(WPrkrJr)

26.20

13.80

6.10

3

May Day Jojo (G Annaloro)

9.20

4.90

1

Hot Pistol (J Marohn Jr)

2.20

* Perfecta (7-3) $180.50 * Trifecta (7-3-1) $381.50 * Superfecta (7-3-1-2) $1,729.00

SECOND-mile; pace; $2200; cond

OFF: 1:13 TIME: 1:59.1

4

FrbrthnDrgon(GMrtn)

2.70

2.20

2.10

5

Song oftheSouth(MMerton)

7.50

3.70

3

Electric Energy (R Harp)

3.80

Scr: Richess King.

* Perfecta (4-5) $19.60 * Trifecta (4-5-3) $102.50 * Daily double (7-4) $31.20 * Superfecta (4-5-3-1) $449.50

Winner picked by Little

THIRD-mile; pace; $4000; cl($2600)

OFF: 1:31 TIME: 1:57.4

3

Wild Artist (M Forte)

6.90

2.80

2.50

6

GnAndVrmouth(KDIBndtto)

4.10

4.10

1

Bullee N (W Parker Jr)

3.00

* Perfecta (3-6) $51.50 * Trifecta (3-6-1) $162.50 * Pick 3 (7-4-3) $101.00 * Superfecta (3-6-1-4) $1,413.00

FOURTH-mile; pace; $3000; cond

OFF: 1:48 TIME: 1:56.2

2

SccssfllyRch(WPrkrJr)

6.60

4.10

2.60

1

Bud (K DI Benedetto)

3.30

2.10

5

Court Jester (G Merton)

2.30

* Perfecta (2-1) $17.80 * Trifecta (2-1-5) $47.40 * Pick 3 (4-3-2) $46.20 * Superfecta (2-1-5-3) $200.50

FIFTH-mile; pace; $3000; cond

OFF: 2:07 TIME: 1:58.1

5

Arts Day (G Merton)

7.10

3.20

4.20

2

MtVernonHnover(MMrton)

4.80

5.70

4

Paulimony (J Taggart Jr)

13.40

* Perfecta (5-2) $24.40 * Trifecta (5-2-4) $169.00 * Pick 3 (3-2-5) $129.50 * Superfecta (5-2-4-3) $724.00

SIXTH-mile; pace; $2200; cond

OFF: 2:27 TIME: 1:58.4

1

FrStrzzLfty(KDIBndtt)

3.50

2.60

2.10

4

Comanche Hall(WParkerJr)

5.00

4.00

3

Safe Sex (C Poynton)

7.40

* Perfecta (1-4) $14.80 * Trifecta (1-4-3) $104.00 * Daily double (5-1) $12.60 * Pick 3 (2-5-1) $52.00 * Superfecta (1-4-3-7) $1,566.00

Winner picked by Little

SEVENTH-mile; pace; $10000; cl($4400)

OFF: 2:47 TIME: 1:58.1

2

DlcoTross(KDIBndtto)

10.60

4.20

4.00

6

Jezal Theory A (J MarohnJr)

8.80

6.90

3

Windsun Fire N Ice (G Annaloro)

7.10

* Perfecta (2-6) $65.00 * Trifecta (2-6-3) $358.50 * Pick 3 (5-1-2) $55.50 * Superfecta (2-6-3-1) $645.00

EIGHTH-mile; pace; $3000; cond

OFF: 3:06 TIME: 1:58.1

3

SndrHnover(MMrton)

11.20

4.50

3.00

2

Mr Delite (J Devaux)

3.40

2.50

6

Briars Return (J Taggart Jr)

4.40

Scr: Fischers Majorrisk.

* Perfecta (3-2) $52.50 * Trifecta (3-2-6) $228.50 * Pick 3 (1-2-3) $61.50 * Superfecta (3-2-6-4) $1,604.00

NINTH-mile; pace; $2200; cond

OFF: 3:23 TIME: 1:58.4

7

MxmumVkng(GAnnlr)

15.00

5.60

4.00

5

Five Somewhere (JMarohn)

3.60

2.30

1

Tross The Way (C Stratton)

2.80

* Perfecta (7-5) $33.60 * Trifecta (7-5-1) $101.50 * Daily double (3-7) $50.50 * Pick 3 (2-3-7) $521.00 * Superfecta (7-5-1-4) $288.50

TENTH-mile; pace; $3800; cond

OFF: 3:42 TIME: 1:57.4

3

FrdomSoldr(MMrton)

21.00

5.70

3.20

6

Election Day (M Forte)

3.30

2.40

2

Art Glass (W Parker Jr)

2.20

Scr: Life of Ease.

* Perfecta (3-6) $182.50 * Trifecta (3-6-2) $349.00 * Pick 3 (3-7-3) $2,094.00 * Superfecta (3-6-2-4) $1,823.00

ELEVENTH-mile; pace; $3800; cond

OFF: 4:00 TIME: 1:58.1

5

SnpOutOfIt(JTggrtJr)

63.50

18.40

6.30

2

Fuguzzi (K DI Benedetto)

4.40

2.10

3

Million Dollar Bay (J Marohn Jr)

3.20

Scr: Ittakestwobaby.

* Perfecta (5-2) $186.50 * Trifecta (5-2-3) $915.00 * Pick 3 (7-3-5) $1,478.00 * Superfecta (5-2-3-1) $2,032.00

TWELFTH-mile; pace; $4000; cl($2200)

OFF: 4:17 TIME: 1:58.0

3

DvcGftedIndd(JDvux)

5.40

2.90

2.60

1

Syncros Z Tam (M Merton)

2.50

2.20

4

Savvy Hawk (M Forte)

3.30

Scr: Aristotle.

* Perfecta (3-1) $13.80 * Trifecta (3-1-4) $59.00 * Pick 3 (3-5-3) $386.00 * Superfecta (3-1-4-2) $119.00 *

ATTENDANCE N/A.

HANDLE $548,227.

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Trifecta, J Marohn Jr, Superfecta, pace, pace

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Tony Parker could miss Olympics due to eye injury suffered during Drake/Brown fight

PARIS — NBA star Tony Parker may miss the London Olympics after almost losing his eye in a fight involving singer Chris Brown and members of hip-hop star Drake's entourage.

Parker's cornea was scratched in the fight, and the San Antonio Spurs guard revealed he had to have an operation to remove a shard that had "penetrated 99 percent" of his left eye.

"I almost lost my eye," Parker said in an interview posted on his website Sunday.

He did not join the rest of France's team Wednesday and will see a specialist in New York when he is cleared to take long-haul flights after July 5.

AP

Tony Parker.

"I'm seeing a specialist in New York with the hope of being given the all clear to play in the Olympic Games," Parker said. "Spurs are very worried.

"Anything can happen, including me being out of the Olympics. The decision doesn't belong to me anymore. It's in the hands of the doctor and San Antonio."

Parker said he has been having hallucinations and been unable to leave his hotel room for eight days because of the risk of infection. He also has to apply five different products into his eye every two hours.

"Fear sets in," Parker said of being told he would have to undergo surgery. "An eye is so fragile. ... I couldn't believe it. But that's life. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I didn't have luck, but I came out well from my misfortune. It could have been worse. The rest of my career is not in question. I just have to wait for the injury to heal itself."

Despite being unable to play, Parker will spend the rest of his time in France with the French squad in Pau.

France's first game at the Olympics is against the United States on July 29.

Chris Brown, his girlfriend and his bodyguard were among eight injured during the fight inside the W.i.P club in SoHo on June 15. Police say members of Drake's entourage stopped Brown as he was leaving. The fight escalated and bottles were thrown.

Parker is suing the New York City club for $20 million.

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Debbie Little at Monticello Graded Entries

Best Bet: Wilson Jay N(7th)

FIRST: mile; pace; $3000; cond

2 Cardine Hanover

(MForte)

1-3-2

5-2

5 Bet On Lindy

(JTaggartJr)

3-2-2

3-1

3 Jennys Tune

(GAnnaloro)

8-4-1

10-1

1 Jamacianme Wild

(JDevaux)

6-3-6

5-1

4 Mcdonna

(WParkerJr)

5-2-2

4-1

6 CommunitySpirit

(JMarhnJr)

4-1-2

7-2

7 WestrnDncng

(KDIBenedett)

6-6-1

8-1

SECOND: mile; trot; $3000; cond

5 Fair Lady J

(MForte)

1-2-2

5-2

1 Tornado Alley

(CPoynton)

2-4-1

9-2

2 Hey Nugget

(WParkerJr)

2-1-6

4-1

3 Indian Hill Laser

(JDevaux)

4-8-6

10-1

4 Auro Hanover

(JTaggartJr)

3-6-7

7-2

6 Roman Holiday

(SMcaleese)

6-8-6

12-1

7 Caviar Kid

(KDIBenedetto)

7-6-2

3-1

8 Ol Blue Eyes

(JMarohnJr)

6-3-6

6-1

THIRD: mile; pace; $4000; cl($2200)

1 BlueridgeMgdlen

(WPrkerJr)

3-5-5

5-2

4 Top Executive

(MMerton)

3-3-3

3-1

5 Velvety Smooth

(JMarohn)

6-4-4

7-2

2 Fifth Street

(JTaggartJr)

6-4-6

6-1

3 Stirling Beauty

(WHarmon)

5-3-4

5-1

6 Ges Jody

(KDIBenedetto)

6-5-3

4-1

7 Shezaflamintower

(RHarp)

4-7-8

12-1

8 Elles Boy

(JDevaux)

4-4-3

10-1

FOURTH: mile; pace; $2200; cond

2 Shania Twain

(GAnnaloro)

3-4-6

5-2

4 East Coast Girl

(WParkerJr)

4-1-6

7-2

1 NF Wind Chimes

(MForte)

3-7-4

9-2

3 Mary Lou

(JMarohnJr)

3-5-7

4-1

5 Yes We Did

(JTaggartJr)

7-6-3

6-1

6 JimisLittleWng

(KDIBendett)

1-7-2

3-1

7 La Pensee Du Jour

(RVinci)

4-5-5

10-1

8 Jolene Watts

(JDevaux)

6-7-6

12-1

FIFTH: mile; pace; $4000; cl($2600)

2 Pascals Wager

(JDevaux)

2-6-3

3-1

1 Early Morning

(MMerton)

2-2-3

5-2

4 WeShallSeeN

(KDIBendetto)

1-3-4

4-1

3 Summer Vacation

(TFinch)

8-6-2

12-1

5 Urbani

(RHarp)

5-7-1

10-1

6 Kewlgurl

(GAnnaloro)

3-7-4

5-1

7 Windy City Paige

(MForte)

2-2-3

9-2

SIXTH: mile; pace; $2200; cond

3 Moonlit Tori

(WParkerJr)

5-4-4

5-2

6 Whiskey Gal

(KDIBenedetto)

2-6-6

3-1

2 Mare Supply

(MForte)

6-3-7

9-2

1 Destiny Dream

(MMerton)

7-7-6

10-1

4 Lei Day

(JDevaux)

6-6-5

5-1

5 Olady Be Good

(JTaggartJr)

8-4-8

4-1

7 Thatcher

(GAnnaloro)

8-6-7

10-1

8 Lightning Madison

(TFinch)

5-4-6

8-1

SEVENTH: mile; pace; $3000; cond

5 Wilson Jay N

(GMerton)

1-1-1

5-2

6 Smarty Merit

(JDevaux)

4-2-4

5-1

2 Always Right

(GAnnaloro)

5-4-3

8-1

1 Ehi Guaglione

(WBailey)

3-5-2

9-2

3 Ooby Dooby

(JCarrubba)

3-4-4

4-1

4 AllamericanMster

(WPrkrJr)

4-2-6

3-1

7 ComeHmeHoney

(JMarhnJr)

3-8-4

10-1

8 Shotgun Wedding

(KTorro)

7-7-6

12-1

EIGHTH: mile; pace; $3800; cond

7 Winsmith Molly

(JTaggartJr)

2-2-1

7-2

4 ThingsLeftUnsaid

(JMarhnJr)

7-2-1

5-2

2 SensationalAgain

(WPrkerJr)

2-4-5

5-1

1 BlindSpotHanover

(CStrattn)

8-4-4

9-2

3 Studio Queen

(GMerton)

6-8-8

3-1

5 Not Thinking

(MForte)

7-3-7

8-1

6 Aunt Faith

(KDIBenedetto)

1-1-6

10-1

NINTH: mile; pace; $4000; cl($2600)

1 Badlands Power

(GMerton)

1-2-1

5-2

7 Bouncy Three

(JMarohn)

1-4-1

3-1

6 Kyrah Can

(CStratton)

3-2-1

7-2

2 Winsmith Jen

(WParkerJr)

2-6-7

6-1

3 Blue Mermaid

(JMarohnJr)

4-5-2

4-1

4 Model Magnate

(JCarrubba)

7-2-3

10-1

5 Jessalilmixup

(KDIBendetto)

2-8-8

9-2

8 PembrokeBoogie

(ASchwrtz)

5-6-1

12-1

TENTH: mile; trot; $3800; cond

2 Strongbow

(JTaggartJr)

2-3-4

5-2

5 Four Starz F

(WParkerJr)

5-2-1

7-2

3 My Man Ben

(GAnnaloro)

6-5-5

4-1

1 Broadway Line

(WBailey)

5-1-4

6-1

4 Cimmaron Hall

(MForte)

4-7-7

10-1

6 Majesticly Unique

(JMarohn)

7-4-1

9-2

7 Majestics Joy

(KDIBendetto)

6-5-5

12-1

8 R George

(RHarp)

6-1-6

3-1

ELEVENTH: mile; pace; $3000; cond

1 Dntmkemelgh

(KDIBenedett)

1-1-5

5-2

5 Kz Bezz

(CPoynton)

1-3-4

7-2

2 Romi Mystic

(JMarohnJr)

3-1-1

3-1

3 Jm Dancing Star

(GMerton)

5-8-3

4-1

4 Dixie Allstar

(JTaggartJr)

7-4-1

9-2

6 My Fanny

(GAnnaloro)

5-1-4

10-1

7 Nice Big Star

(MMerton)

5-6-5

8-1

8 Admirals Chance

(MForte)

8-3-5

12-1

TWELFTH: mile; pace; $2200; cond

4 Classy Ivory

(JTaggartJr)

4-5-3

5-2

2 Isnt She Lovely

(CStratton)

3-3-8

3-1

1 CruisenChick

(KDIBendetto)

6-8-6

7-2

3 Eden First

(MForte)

7-5-5

8-1

5 Mindexy

(MZuccarello)

5-5-6

5-1

6 Roll The Di

(MMerton)

4-8-dnf

4-1

7 Biding Her Time

(JDevaux)

8-6-7

12-1

8 True Gritty

(RVinci)

7-4-4

10-1

THIRTEENTH: mile; pace; $3800; cond

4 Minx

(JMarohnJr)

4-1-5

5-2

6 Now It Begins

(MForte)

3-1-1

4-1

5 Sixth Sense

(KDIBenedetto)

4-3-2

3-1

1 The Filly Princess

(MMerton)

2-6-5

6-1

2 Blissful Erin

(WParkerJr)

7-8-6

8-1

3 Everymileamemry

(JTggrtJr)

5-7-3

9-2

7 Jordans Jewell

(JPrimeau)

5-5-2

10-1

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Thunder GM: Jackson, Van Gundy will not be next coach

Oklahoma City — General manager Sam Presti dismissed reports that 11-time NBA champion Phil Jackson or former New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy could be the next coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, saying an extension with Scott Brooks is a top priority.

“To me, it’s rubbish,” Presti said Sunday when asked about an ESPN report that Jackson and Van Gundy were being considered as options if Brooks couldn’t be re-signed.

Brooks led Oklahoma City to the NBA Finals last season, but his current contract runs out at the end of the month. He has overseen a steady development since taking over the Thunder early in the 2008-09 season.

After winning 23 games that first season, Brooks took Oklahoma City to the playoffs in 2010, then to the Western Conference finals in 2011 before this season’s five-game loss to the Miami Heat in the finals.

Jackson is retired but has left the door open to returning in the right circumstances. Van Gundy is now a commentator for ESPN and ABC.

“Scotty is an integral part of our organization and critical to our success,” Presti said. “We value him greatly and we’re looking forward to having those (contract) conversations, as he said, in the coming days.

“He’s been integral to our success. We wouldn’t be the situation that we’re in without him and his commitment to our organization and our players.”

While Presti put Brooks’ contract negotiations at the top of his list, it’s an expansive list of issues to tackle after coming within three wins of a championship.

Sixth Man of the Year James Harden, NBA blocks leader Serge Ibaka and backup point guard Eric Maynor are eligible for contract extensions this July, although all are already signed for next season. Veteran contributors Derek Fisher and Nazr Mohammed are set to become unrestricted free agents, along with reserve Royal Ivey.

That’s a lot of pieces to try and fit into a financial puzzle that already includes the high-dollar, long-term contracts of All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

“We’ve got to be able to build a team that can win year in and year out, and those are the challenges that have to be balanced,” Presti said. “We love the group we have and we’re going to work tirelessly to see if we can make it work here but we understand that there are some inherent challenges and that’s part of the new (collective bargaining) system.”

Presti wouldn’t say if the franchise was open to exceeding the salary cap and paying the league’s luxury tax in order to keep the roster together.

“What I can tell you is that we’re going to do everything we can to make it work. We’re going to put everything toward it,” Presti said.

Each of the players facing contract decisions expressed an interest in returning to the Thunder. A day earlier, Maynor openly discussed the potential that the players would need to “sacrifice” to make it work. Harden said he loved playing for Oklahoma City and suggested the possibility of a dynasty being built by the Thunder.

“Those guys obviously care a lot about the organization, they care a lot about playing here and, I think, very much about winning. But at the end of the day, those are personal decisions,” Presti said.

“We’re not ones to judge anyone in those respects. We’re going to do what we can to try to make it work for them and to make it work for us.”

Since relocating from Seattle in 2008, the Thunder have largely been able to grow with young talent playing on less expensive rookie contracts. As the team has grown older and more successful, the cost of doing business has grown.

“The challenges of that, quite frankly, are the challenges you have when you’re a good team,” Presti said, “and the decisions that you have to make, especially under a new system, as we try to learn that system and understand it and ultimately make some decisions about what we feel like is the best way to build a team in Oklahoma City that’s capable of competing year in and year out and giving ourselves a chance to win both in the in short and long term.”

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Oklahoma City Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Jeff Van Gundy, OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma City, Van Gundy, NBA, Scott Brooks online, General manager Sam Presti, Phil Jackson, Presti, New York Knicks, ESPN

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Yonkers Results Thursday

FIRST-mile pace; $11,500; claiming

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 7:12 TIME-28.3; 58.1; 1:26.0; 1:56.0

7

Late Flyin N (C Manzi)

8.90

5.40

3.30

1

MarieTheArtist(LStalbaum)

4.10

3.60

2

Wizzard Queen (D Dube)

4.10

* Exacta (7-1) $40.60 * Triple (7-1-2) $140.00Scr: Our Girls Chance N.

SECOND-mile trot; $19,250; claiming

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 7:27 TIME-28.1; 58.4; 1:27.4; 1:56.3

6

BennsSurThng(TButr)

5.80

2.80

2.40

4

Ringside Lauryn(GBrennan)

3.40

2.10

2

Rev It Now (C Manzi)

2.80

* Exacta (6-4) $12.20 * Triple (6-4-2) $38.80 * Daily double (7/6) $34.00

THIRD-mile trot; $19,000; cond

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 7:48 TIME-29.1; 1:00.1; 1:29.2; 1:58.2

3

Cc Mister C (D Dube)

5.90

3.80

2.40

5

Kristal Dream (G Brennan)

3.20

2.50

7

Elias Joy (J Bartlett)

3.20

* Exacta (3-5) $21.00 * Triple (3-5-7) $79.50Scr: Bossi Corner.

FOURTH-mile pace; $13,000; cond

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 8:05 TIME-27.4; 57.2; 1:26.3; 1:55.2

8

Park Avenue (TButer)

2.90

2.90

2.20

1

Latin Lyric (J Gregory)

6.10

4.20

2

Ms Graywalls (J Stratton)

5.60

* Exacta (8-1) $13.20 * Triple (8-1-2) $88.50 * Pick 3 (6/2,3/8) $34.00

FIFTH-mile trot; $19,000; cond

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 8:26 TIME-28.3; 59.1; 1:28.3; 1:57.1

4

E L Rock (G Brennan)

2.30

2.50

2.20

1

Stand Guard(MMacDonald)

3.90

2.90

7

Mugshot Jess (C Manzi)

6.20

* Exacta (4-1) $5.90 * Triple (4-1-7) $44.80 * Superfecta (4-1-7-2) $217.50

SIXTH-mile pace; $11,500; claiming

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 8:49 TIME-29.0; 58.0; 1:27.0; 1:55.4

4

AlbertStreetA(DDube)

5.90

3.90

2.40

1

Wicked N Rude (S Smith)

2.80

2.30

3

Hanks Kid (J Pantaleano)

2.30

* Exacta (4-1) $11.80 * Triple (4-1-3) $38.00 * Pick 4 (2,3/8/4/4) $52.50Scr: Nf Sinfull.

SEVENTH-mile pace; $19,000; cond

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 9:15 TIME-28.1; 58.1; 1:26.2; 1:55.2

4

BrtashRedcot(TButer)

3.80

2.40

2.10

5

Whatrugonnado(LStalbum)

4.20

2.40

2

Dysnomia Blue Chip (G Brennan)

2.20

* Exacta (4-5) $15.80 * Triple (4-5-2) $42.60 * Pick 3 (4/4/4) $16.20

EIGHTH-mile pace; $17,000; claiming

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 9:34 TIME-27.4; 56.4; 1:25.1; 1:53.3

1

Spudcam (G Brennan)

3.30

2.10

5

Windsong Fortune (J Bartlett)

2.50

3

Honeys Dragon (D Dube)

2.50

* Exacta (1-5) $5.10Scr: Allamerican Fargo, Western Comfort, Goose Creek.

NINTH-mile pace; $18,000; claiming

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 9:59 TIME-28.3; 59.0; 1:27.0; 1:55.0

6

AllStrDrgon(GBrennn)

5.70

3.70

3.00

7

Courser Hanover (T Buter)

7.40

5.20

1

Indian Giver N (J Gregory)

4.20

* Exacta (6-7) $20.40 * Triple (6-7-1) $71.00Scr: Very Upset Richie.

TENTH-mile pace; $19,000; cond

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 10:17 TIME-27.1; 55.1; 1:23.3; 1:53.2

3

SadesPlace(JPntleno)

17.00

10.40

4.20

1

Stormunn (T Buter)

3.90

3.90

4

Hot List (C Ryder)

5.30

* Exacta (3-1) $59.00 * Triple (3-1-4) $265.50 * Superfecta (3-1-4-2) $1,337.00 * Pick 3 (1,4/4,6/3) $38.80 * Pick 4 (4/1,2,4,8/4,6/3) $86.50Scr: Kayla's Dream.

ELEVENTH-mile pace; $14,500; cond

TRACK: CONDITION-FT OFF: 10:35 TIME-27.3; 56.3; 1:24.2; 1:53.1

7

MovingArt(GBrennan)

6.80

3.10

2.90

2

Nora Lee (T Buter)

2.10

2.10

3

Hannah Isabel (J Bartlett)

3.10

* Exacta (7-2) $15.00 * Triple (7-2-3) $42.20 * Superfecta (7-2-3-4) $170.00 * Late double (3/7) $48.40

Total Handle-$468,092.

Follow @NYP_Sports

CONDITION-FT, C Manzi, J Bartlett, J Bartlett, J Bartlett, D Dube, D Dube, G Brennan

Nypost.com

Hedgie’s debt bet a $$ mill

A small New York hedge fund has found a new way to profit from the unfolding Greek economic tragedy.

Greylock Capital Management — whose founder Hans Humes helped fashion the Greek bailout earlier this year — has just landed a $100 million investment from an unnamed Scandinavian foundation.

The cash will push the assets at Greylock past the $500 million mark.

Greylock’s profile rose earlier this year with Humes’ involvement on the Greek creditors’ committee.

The Midtown Manhattan fund, which buys distressed emerging-market debt, had already profited from the Athens meltdown by buying severely discounted Greek debt last fall.

Humes’ purchase price was below the 25 percent payout engineered in the March Greece restructuring — allowing Greylock to pocket the difference.

Greylock’s fund fell 5.28 percent in May — partly as a result of a weakening in the Greek bonds — to cut its year-to-date gain to 3.49 percent.

Despite the bonds’ recent decline, Humes is still bullish on Greece.

The money manager thinks the country should be given a break and allowed to operate on a much longer fiscal leash.

“It doesn’t look like austerity works,” he said. “You’ve got to ease up.”

“If you want to buy something, buy Greek bonds,” said Humes. Since the election, the bonds have rallied by 20 percent to yield about 25 percent.

That compares with the 6.5 percent offered by 10-year Spanish government bonds.

Hans Humes, Midtown Manhattan fund, Greek bonds, Greylock, New York hedge fund

Nypost.com

Downgrade doom: Moody’s service steamrolls 15 large banks

Wall Street’s day of reckoning is upon it.

The credit rating of Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse was cut three notches and 14 other banks’ ratings were lowered as part of a review of the financial sector.

The downgrades by Moody’s Investors Service, in the works for several months, may force banks, including Citigroup, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley, to pay more to borrow money and could cut into profits.

“All of the banks affected by today’s actions have significant exposure to the volatility and risk of outsized losses inherent to capital markets activities,” said Moody’s Managing Director Greg Bauer in a statement accompanying the agency’s 25-page report.

Morgan Stanley, which had been one of the financial firms expected to be hit with a three-notch downgrade — the largest Moody’s said it would undertake — suffered just a two-level cut of its unsecured debt rating, to Baa1 from A2.

Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman had petitioned doggedly to get the ratings firm to give it extra credit for moves it had made to bolster its liquidity and stabilize its business — including its relationship with large Japanese bank Mitsubishi UFJ, which owns a 22 percent stake in the bank.

That said, Morgan Stanley still bristled at Moody’s action.

“We believe the ratings still do not fully reflect the key strategic actions we have taken in recent years,” a Morgan Stanley spokeswoman said.

BofA’s long-term debt rating dropped one peg, from Baa1 to Baa2, while, Barclays Capital, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase saw two-notch downgrades.

Banks were largely irked at the moves and blasted the agency.

“Moody’s approach [to ratings] is backward-looking and fails to recognize Citi’s transformation over the past several years,” the bank said.

Still, most believe that the moves made yesterday by the firm won’t necessarily have a significant impact on the industry since the cuts have been under review for months.

“These cuts have been baked into the market for months,” said Nancy Bush, financial analyst at SNL Financial.

For Credit Suisse, run by American-born Brady Dougan, the three-notch downgrade of its senior debt, to A1 from Aa1, was a big blow to the bank chief.

The Swiss central bank recently spotlighted Credit Suisse as an institution that needs to raise capital faster amid European fiscal concerns.

Banking stocks, battered over the past several weeks, rose in after-hours trading.

Morgan Stanley shares gained 3.4 percent, while BofA, JPMorgan and Citi each gained about 1 percent.

mark.decambre@nypost.com

Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, Credit Suisse, Citigroup, Citi, Moody’s Investors Service, Bank of America, credit rating, day of reckoning, James Gorman ebook download, JPMorgan Chase, Greg Bauer, ratings, Mitsubishi UFJ, Swiss banking, downgrade, downgrade, Barclays Capital

Nypost.com

Capital One card is No. 1 — in complaints

Maybe it shouldn’t be in your wallet.

Capital One, the lender known for its aggressive attempts to woo new credit-card customers with its “What’s in your wallet?” ad campaign that features Vikings and like-minded actor Alec Baldwin, accounts for 20 percent of card complaints, according to a study by the new federal consumer watchdog.

For now, the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data only goes back to June 1. But via a public records request, Reuters obtained a fuller data set: all credit card-related complaints filed between the CFPB’s opening on July 21, 2011 and May 15 of this year.

The data show that of the 13,502 complaints filed in that period, 2,713 were lodged against Capital One, which has less than 6 percent of the US credit-card market by purchase volume.

That was about 300 more than the next-closest complaint subject, Citigroup, which has a market share of about 9.5 percent. US Bank had the lowest number of complaints among top-10 issuers: just 2.1 percent of the total.

In the most recent period, after June 1, Capital One’s numbers actually ticked up slightly — it accounted for 22 percent of all issues raised in the period.

“Our goal is to exceed customer expectations,” a Capital One spokeswoman said.

Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters. Click For Restrictions

Capital One, Alec Baldwin, US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, complaints, aggressive attempts

Nypost.com

Hondo: Phil fills the bill

Semi-sizzling Hondo posted another gain in light betting last night as his bullishness on the Tigers was rewarded with a victory that slashed the deficit to 1,270 crosettis.

Today, wrapping things up early with a Stadium matinee, Mr. Aitch will hop on Hughes & Co. to humble Hanson – 10 units.

-$

John Kerry reportedly will play the role of Mitt Romney in Obama’s mock debates. That seems like a terrible case of miscasting – Kerry’s mopey horse face is way too long and morose for the role . . . Roger Clemens owes absent-minded Andy Pettitte a huge debt of gratitude for forgetting at trial what Clemens said he misremembered in the first place . . . Memo to Angry Alec Baldwin (from photographers everywhere): FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, MAN, MEDICATE NOW!!!

hondo@nypost.com

Follow @NYP_Sports

Semi-sizzling Hondo, Mitt Romney, Hughes & Co., Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Angry Alec Baldwin, the Tigers

Nypost.com

Spotify with free i-apps

Music-subscription service Spotify is rolling out a free mobile radio service for Apple’s iPad and iPhone.

Spotify, backed by the major music labels and entrepreneur Sean Parker, had charged $10 for mobile access to its app. The hope is that the free service, supported by ads, will entice consumers to upgrade to the premium paid tier.

Spotify, which offers a $5-a-month version stripped of ads, has signed up 3 million paying users since its December launch in the US.

Spotify, free mobile radio service, free service, Sean Parker, mobile access

Nypost.com

Former Jets RB Tomlinson to retire today

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who spent the past two seasons with the Jets, will retire today.

The Chargers announced yesterday they would re-sign Tomlinson, who spent nine years with the team, today and he would then announce his retirement.

Tomlinson is the fifth-leading rusher in NFL history and was the MVP in 2006. He finished with 13,684 yards and 145 touchdowns.

The Chargers and Tomlinson had a acrimonious split in 2010 and he signed as a free agent with the Jets. Tomlinson, who turns 33 this week, ran for 914 yards in his first season with the Jets and helped them get to the AFC Championship. His production dipped last season as his role decreased. He carried the ball 75 times for 280 yards and dealt with knee problems.

After the season, Tomlinson said he would like to keep playing if the right situation presented itself.

Follow @NYP_Sports

LaDainian Tomlinson, Tomlinson, the Jets, Chargers, AFC Championship

Nypost.com

Americans on a major roll after Simpson's U.S. Open win

SAN FRANCISCO -- In a little more than six months, they shared the stage in a playoff, became fast friends through their faith and then partners in the Presidents Cup.

Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson are linked again in ways they never imagined.

Major champions.

Simpson joined the most important fraternity in golf Sunday at The Olympic Club with a flourish of birdies and a steady diet of pars at the end. The last one came from a delicate chip out of a hole in the rough to 3 feet that wound up being the decisive stroke in the U.S. Open.

On a leaderboard loaded with possibilities, his name did not stand out. Simpson was playing in only his fifth major, and his second U.S. Open. He had missed the cut in his last two tournaments. And he was six shots out of the lead when he walked off the fifth green with his second bogey of the day.

Some four hours later, Simpson sat in the clubhouse with his pregnant wife, Dowd. They tried to take their mind off the finish by watching videos of their young son, James, who stayed behind in North Carolina. She squeezed tight on his hand as they watched Jim Furyk hit into the bunker on the 18th to eliminate his chances, and then Graeme McDowell miss a 25-foot birdie putt that would have forced a playoff.

"If I was honest with you, I believed in myself (that)I could win a major, but maybe not so soon," Simpson said. "And I just gained all the respect for the guys who have won multiple majors because it's so hard to do. The level of pressure is so much greater than a regular event."

"I probably prayed more the last three holes than I ever did in my life," said Simpson, a religion major at Wake Forest.

It was Simpson who called over to Watson, their caddies and their wives to huddle under an umbrella on the green at Royal Melbourne for a quick prayer after they won a match that set the tone in the Presidents Cup.

They are nothing alike. Watson manufactured a swing on a public course in the Florida Panhandle and doesn't have a formal teacher. Simpson grew up at a country club and even played Augusta National when he was a teenager. Watson speaks his mind. Simpson is more reserved.

Watson and Simpson traded text messages the morning of the final round last year in New Orleans. Watson wound up beating him in a playoff, but the relationship took root. When it became clear they would qualify for the Presidents Cup, they asked U.S. captain Fred Couples if they could be partners. They won three of their matches.

Couples was wandering around Olympic and watched it unfold.

Follow @NYP_Sports

Next >

1

2

Bubba Watson, Cup.Webb Simpson online, Simpson

Nypost.com

Hughes lifts Yankees to 7th straight win

WASHINGTON — This city has plenty of lawyers, guns and money. History, museums and narcissistic politicians are abundant, too.

What the nation’s capital didn’t have last night was an answer for the blistering Yankees.

The hottest team in the NL was no match for the best of the AL at a sold-out Nationals Park where the Yankees hung a 7-2 loss on the hosts in front of a crowd that included many Yankees fans in the 41,406.

The Yankees’ season-high seventh straight victory is the longest active streak in the majors and hiked their record to 39-23.

Coupled with the Orioles losing to the Braves, the Yankees’ win increased the AL East lead to 1 1/2 games.

Reuters

PHIL UP THE TANK: Phil Hughes, who allowed one run on six hits over six Innings while striking out nine, delivers a pitch during the third innings of the third inning of the Yankees' 7-2 victory over the Nationals lst night. Hughes won his fourth straight decision and has not lost since May 17.

The Yankees have won 12 of their last 14 games and are 8-2 in interleague play.

The hot stretch has been fueled by strong starting pitching. In the 14 games the starters are 11-1 with a 2.40 ERA.

Phil Hughes improved to 7-5 with his fourth straight victory. Hughes hasn’t lost since May 17 at Toronto.

YANKEES BOX SCORE

“You don’t want to be the one who lets it down,’’ said Hughes, who went six innings, gave up one run and two walks. He fanned a season-high nine and it was the first time in 13 games he didn’t surrender a home run.

Gio Gonzalez started the game for the Nationals with an 8-2 record and a 2.35 ERA. Nevertheless, it was more of the same for the lefty against the Yankees.

In six innings, Gonzalez allowed three runs and five hits. The former A’s hurler has dropped his last five decisions to the Yankees and is 1-5 with a 6.75 ERA.

Curtis Granderson homered and doubled in two runs. It was Granderson’s 20th homer of the season.

David Robertson worked the final frame. It was his first outing since injuring a left rib cage muscle May 11.

For the first six weeks of the season manager Joe Girardi’s starters weren’t awful but very inconsistent. Lately, they look like five Cy Young candidates.

“I think they were better than the way they were pitching,’’ said Girardi, who bagged his 500th win as a manager (421 with the Yankees). “They seem to be pitching the way they are capable of.’’

Staked to a 2-0 lead in the third when Alex Rodriguez, who tied Jimmie Foxx for sixth place on the all-time RBI list at 1,924, and Nick Swisher delivered RBI singles, Hughes faced his biggest challenge in the home half of the frame.

Consecutive singles by Steve Lombardozzi and 19-year-old stud Bryce Harper which went off Hughes’ foot, were followed by a fly ball out and a walk to Adam LaRoche that loaded the bases.

“I made a horrible pitch and hung a curveball,’’ Hughes said of the 0-2 pitch Michael Morse laced to center or an RBI single.

Hughes rebounded to induce Ian Desmond to bang into a 6-4-3 double play and kill the rally.

Four runs in the seventh put the game away for the Yankees who were helped by Desmond’s throwing error. Granderson supplied a two-run double to left field and Derek Jeter (2-for-5) drove in a run with an infield single that Desmond committed a throwing error on and allowed a second run to score. Granderson added his 20th homer in the ninth.

As for Hughes turning around a 1-5 start, Girardi has noticed a big difference.

“The last seven or eight starts he has been tremendous, good command of the fastball and expanding [strike zone] with breaking ball and that has been the key,’’ Girardi said. “This is as good as we have seen him.’’

Phil Hughes, the Yankees, lawyers, guns and money, Yankees, straight victory, the Nationals, Joe Girardi

Nypost.com

Verdict will move defendants to seek deals

John Crudele

Who’s next?

If you are employed on Wall Street and happen to be dishonest, then you are probably pretty nervous right now after the quick-decision conviction of former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta for insider trading.

By someone else’s count there are 120 cases of insider trading pending around the country, many in the jurisdiction of Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara, who prosecuted both Gupta and his pal, Raj Rajaratnam.

Rajaratnam was convicted of getting tips from Gupta. Raj made millions, while Rajat scored brownie points with his friend, who was the head of the Galleon hedge fund. Raj is serving his 11-year sentence in a federal prison in Massachusetts. Now, Rajat will also be imprisoned.

You can expect many of those 120 other defendants to now seek deals. The mood in America today is decidedly anti-Wall Street, and anyone foolish enough to take his case to trial will not only face huge legal fees but also juries that simply aren’t very sympathetic.

Gupta didn’t have a chance. Even if the handsome, sophisticated and rich 63-year-old former head of McKinsey & Co. had testified on his own behalf, jurors are no longer swayed by the argument that it was illogical for someone like Gupta to have cheated to make money he didn’t need.

Americans have experienced Wall Street greed firsthand and none of the financial crimes we’ve seen over the past many years are very logical.

Gupta faces a possible 25 years in prison. In all likelihood, Judge Jed Rakoff, who defended inside traders when he was a lawyer, will sentence Gupta to less than the maximum. Rakoff, according to a former prosecutor I know, is known for giving sentences below the federal guidelines.

Even so, Gupta will likely be imprisoned right after he is sentenced, even if he decides to appeal. That could be the end of it, except that Gupta has one card he could play.

As a director of Goldman, Gupta was a fly on the boardroom wall at a time of chaos in the financial markets. He could easily snitch about what that company was up to and win himself a handsome reward — part of his life back.

It’s possible that Goldman did nothing wrong, in which case the card Gupta is holding is really a joker. But federal investigators are actively looking into Goldman’s actions during the 2007 and 2008 financial crisis. And until that investigation is complete, Gupta’s card is aces.

Gupta had better hope he can barter information that investigators consider valuable for precious time off his sentence.

Gupta could soon be the one deciding who is next.

john.crudele@nypost.com

Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta, Raj Rajaratnam.Rajaratnam, Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara, insider trading, Wall Street, federal prison

Nypost.com

Hollywood Graded Entries

Post Time: 10:00 p.m.

FIRST-6 fur; $22,000; clm($30,000; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

5 R Doubleday(L),118

B Blanc

3-x-x

5-2

6 VaadkaLogic(L),118

VEspnz

5-2-10

3-1

1 ZambraMora(L),118

MGarci

x-x-x

10-1

2 Nicole'sMark(L)111

VBednr

x-x-x

10-1

3 AwesomekayleL118

MPedrz

8-x-x

5-1

4 HeartofaMadmL116

GGomz

2-8-2

5-1

7 QuietSunshineL118

JTalam

9-x-x

7-2

SECOND-1 1/16 miles; $50,000; mdn; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

4 MySamurWrrrL112

EFlores

5-2-7

2-1

6 MajesticMmntL117

AQnnz

3-8-7

5-2

1 Rocabar(M),117

MGarci

8-x-x

12-1

2 AwesmAddrssL117

VEspnz

6-x-x

6-1

3 AnabaaPremmL124

JVldvJr

7-2-8

3-1

5 StarsandMonsM117

JTalam

7-x-x

4-1

THIRD-6 1/2 fur; $23,000; clm($12,50); 3YO

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

2 ISenseYourLckL120

MGarci

2-2-2

2-1

4 AttacktheJack(L120

EMldnd

1-4-11

5-2

1 BabyndsnwshsL118

CSthrln

6-3-10

8-1

3 Dustin'sMagic(L118

JTalam

3-4-5

7-2

5 RagginWood(L),118

S Arias

4-4-5

15-1

6 Real Dream(L),118

JVldvJr

4-4-5

6-1

7 J Louie(L),118

JRosari

1-7-7

10-1

8 FootnotedsclsrL116

VEspnz

5-7-5

20-1

FOURTH-1 1/16m; $17,000; clm($8,0); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

5 Life Is aRock(L),120

ADlgdll

5-5-2

9-2

1 CelesticNight(L)120

MGarci

9-1-2

3-1

2 Chazmule(L),120

J Scott

8-5-9

30-1

3 Hasty Trend(L),115

EFlores

5-4-7

5-1

4 Nonsense(L),124

EMldnd

3-7-1

6-1

6 FrwrdCmmtmntL12

CSthrln

1-5-4

6-1

7 ColoursofthglnL124

MGtrrz

1-3-1

5-1

8 Polly'sDancer(L120

ABison

6-4-8

10-1

9 WildRevenge(L)122

ACstnn

4-11-6

15-1

10 HonourFamily(L113

VBednr

10-10-4

15-1

FIFTH-6 fur(T); $52,000; alw; 3up(f)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

10 ChurchAvenueL120

DFlores

1-2-1

3-1

8 DarlingDodie(L),117

RBejrn

3-3-1

7-2

1 SweetBaguetteL122

MGarci

6-3-4

12-1

2 Luckyvic(L),122

CSthrln

1-3-2

12-1

3 Cactus Flyer(L),115

EFlores

5-8-3

20-1

4 SaturdyNtWshL117

MPedrz

1-7-5

15-1

5 GoldentochfGnL122

JVldvJr

4-1-4

8-1

6 Grasp(L),122

MGtrrz

3-3-2

20-1

9 PrincessSuncsL124

JRosari

4-6-3

9-2

11 Tasty Treat(L),115

JTalam

2-2-1

5-1

SIXTH-6 fur; $20,000; clm($16,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

3 J J's Jaguar(L),119

MGarci

7-1-x

7-2

13 Romaine(L),122

KKriggr

1-9-x

9-2

1 AragornSwordL122

CSthrln

5-5-1

15-1

2 WheelsofJusticL120

ABison

12-10-1

20-1

4 Father Pabst(L),122

MGtrrz

8-7-1

20-1

5 Depth(L),115

EFlores

4-5-6

15-1

7 SmartHombre(L122

JSteinr

4-1-5

12-1

9 WarrensCncptL120

EMldnd

3-6-4

6-1

11 Lincecum(L),124

JVldvJr

3-6-6

20-1

12 Good Lite(L),117

ADlgdll

7-2-2

8-1

14 Navy SealSix(L),119

MPedrz

1-3-4

15-1

SEVENTH-6 1/2 fur; $55,000; alw; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

4 Bet OnVictor(L),120

MGtrrz

3-1-3

3-1

2 Shrug(L),120

GGomz

2-4-9

5-2

1 ClosetotheEdgL120

MPedrz

1-5-1

4-1

3 C J Russell(L),120

JTalam

5-5-2

6-1

5 Sinai(L),120

RBejrn

4-2-6

7-2

6 Batti Man(L),120

DFlores

5-6-1

5-1

EIGHTH-6 fur; $19,000; clm($20,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

9 Willie Brown(L),118

AQnnz

5-10-8

8-1

13 SmokenLegacyL118

JRosari

x-x-x

5-2

1 Chapito(L),118

MGarci

4-9-6

15-1

2 Dr. Evil(L),118

ADlgdll

6-9-3

15-1

3 RobertoRobertL118

S Arias

x-x-x

30-1

4 DutchCourage(L118

JHerrer

3-7-5

15-1

5 I'maHummer(L)122

ABison

4-6-x

12-1

6 Yard Dog(L),124

EMldnd

x-x-x

20-1

7 DestinedJornyL115

VBednr

10-5-4

30-1

8 WarrensWscSnL113

EFlores

11-5-x

20-1

11 Classical Hy(L),118

KKriggr

2-4-x

7-2

12 HiddenQuest(L),118

MPedrz

2-2-3

3-1

3upPN Horse online, 3upPN Horse, fur, Nicole'sMark, Horse

Nypost.com

Derby entrants to be rated on points system

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Churchill Downs simplified the path leading to the Kentucky Derby on Thursday, announcing a new points system pegged to three dozen races that will set the field for the country’s most famous thoroughbred race.

The track scrapped a more complicated system in place since 1986 based on graded stakes earnings that determined which horses reached the Derby starting gate. The discarded system was tied to 185 stakes races worldwide that confounded many casual fans, track officials said. The Derby is limited to 20 horses.

“Our goal is to create a compelling story ... that all culminates on the first Saturday in May,” track President Kevin Flanery said. “It’s easy to understand for the horsemen, for the hardcore fan and for the casual fan.”

The points system will set the fields for the 2013 Derby and Kentucky Oaks, a race for 3-year-old fillies run the day before the Derby at Churchill. The Oaks field of up to 14 starters will be based on points earned from 35 designated races.

Derby hopefuls can start accumulating points as 2-year-olds, but the greatest number of points will be awarded for the traditional Derby prep races in the weeks leading up to the Run for the Roses.

Those races include the Florida Derby, Louisiana Derby, Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby, Arkansas Derby and Blue Grass Stakes.

“We have really ... respected the traditions and the history of racing in the United States and the path to the Kentucky Derby,” said Flanery, who discussed the change following the annual shareholders meetings for the track’s parent, Churchill Downs Inc.

The top four finishers in the 36 races will receive points on a sliding scale. Victories in those key Derby prep races will be good for 100 points, compared with 10 points for wins in 19 races typically run late in the 2-year-old and early 3-year-old seasons.

Another eight races during the 3-year-old campaign are good for 50 points per victory. Those races include the Risen Star, Fountain of Youth, Gotham, Tampa Bay Derby, San Felipe, Rebel, Spiral and Sunland Derby.

All the designated races cover at least one mile, and all are run on dirt or synthetic surfaces with one exception — England’s Royal Lodge, which is run at one mile on the turf at Newmarket. The Derby is a 1 ¼-mile race.

Churchill Downs is calling the new points system the “Road to the Kentucky Derby.” The goal is to spur more fan interest leading up to the Derby, Churchill officials said.

“We’re implementing a more fan-friendly, cohesive and simplified system that should create compelling drama and appeal to a wider customer base,” Churchill Downs Inc. Chairman and CEO Bob Evans said in a statement.

This year’s Derby, the 138th rendition, drew a record crowd of 165,307. All-sources handle for the 13 Derby Day races at Churchill totaled a record $187 million. This year’s Oaks drew its second-largest crowd of 112,552.

Churchill said it will review which races are tied to the Derby entry points system each year. Flanery said he could foresee adjustments being made and acknowledged the series could easily be tied to as many as 40 races.

The top 20 point earners will earn spots in the Derby if more than 20 horses enter the race. At least 20 horses have entered the Derby every year since 2004 and in 12 of the past 14 years. Up to 24 horses may enter the race and four horses can be listed as “also eligible” and would be ranked in order, the track said. They could join the field if any horses scratched leading up to the race.

The new system will allow fillies to earn their way into the Derby, Flanery said, but they’ll have to compete with the boys in the lead-up races. He noted that the Derby’s three female winners — Regret, Genuine Risk and Winning Colors — all ran against the boys before the Derby.

Any points earned by a filly in pursuit of a Derby start could be credited to her point total for a berth in the Oaks, track officials said.

Long-shots will still be part of the Derby as well with the new points system, Flanery predicted.

If two or more horses have the same number of points, the tiebreaker to get into the Derby or Oaks would be based on earnings in non-restricted stakes races, whether graded or not, the track said.

Churchill Downs, Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs Inc., points system, points system, points system, LOUISVILLE, Ky., stakes races, stakes races, Derby, Kevin Flanery, Flanery, Flanery, track officials, track officials, traditional Derby prep races

Nypost.com

Manhattan baseball star signs with Orioles organization

Manhattan College star baseball player Anthony Vega is going pro.

The junior center fielder, taken in the 30th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft last week by the Orioles, has signed a professional contract and will forego his final year of eligibility, the school announced Wednesday.

Vega, who helped lead the Jaspers to a second straight MAAC tournament title and its fourth berth into the NCAA tournament, is the first Manhattan player to sign with a MLB franchise since Archbishop Molloy alums Matt Rizzotti and Nick Derba and Jesse Darcy and Josh Santerre all did so in 2007.

Vega, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound Patchogue, L.I., native, was an All-MAAC first team selection, leading the Jaspers in batting average (.326), runs scored (41), triples (4), total bases (108), stolen bases (32) and slugging percentage (.476). He’ll start his professional baseball career with Baltimore’s short-season Class A affiliate the Aberdeen IronBirds.

mraimondi@nypost.com

MLB, Anthony Vega, Josh Santerre, Jesse Darcy, the Orioles, junior center fielder, Nick Derba, Jaspers, Matt Rizzotti, Manhattan College, professional baseball, MAAC, professional contract, NCAA tournament

Nypost.com

Mets shortstop Tejada's stay on DL a long stop

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There is still no indication the Mets will see Ruben Tejada anytime soon.

What the Mets eventually thought would be a two-week trip to the disabled list with strained right quadriceps has turned into 37 days and counting as the shortstop prepares to begin a running program in Port St. Lucie.

“Maybe it was worse than we thought in the beginning,” manager Terry Collins said before Tuesday night’s 11-2 win over the Rays.

BOX SCORE

Tejada is slated for running drills today, but will not be tested on the bases immediately. Ronny Cedeno (calf) also remains on the DL, keeping journeyman Omar Quintanilla entrenched as the starting shortstop.

“We miss [Tejada] a lot,” Collins said. “Omar has come up and done a good job, Ronny did a good job, we have caught the ball, but Ruben is an offensive force, and right now it’s obvious we’re missing that.”

***

Jon Rauch said he was amused by the personal attacks directed toward him on Twitter after he surrendered the game-winning homer to the Yankees’ Russell Martin on Sunday.

The veteran reliever re-tweeted some of the venom, including a message that told Rauch to kill himself.

“If you’re going to be bold enough to say that kind of stuff and stand behind it, I’m going to let everybody see it,” Rauch said. “It gives people a lot more insight to what we go through as players and people that are in the public eye.”

Josh Thole was on Twitter last year, but closed his account because of personal attacks.

***

Jenrry Mejia will begin pitching from the bullpen at Triple-A Buffalo. He has been placed on a two-week schedule after which he will be evaluated for a possible promotion to the Mets as a reliever.

Mejia, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, had been working as a starter in the minors since last month to build up innings.

The right-hander worked as a reliever for the Mets in 2010 before becoming a starter late in the season.

***

REO Speedwagon will perform a concert after Friday night’s Reds-Mets game at Citi Field as part of a Friday Night Postgame Concert Series. Tickets are on sale at Mets.com or by calling (718) 507-TIXX.

***

Ramon Ramirez (hamstring) has begun long-tossing. Justin Turner (ankle) is taking batting practice, but still not running the bases.

mpuma@nypost.com

Ruben Tejada, Ronny Cedeno, Mets, the Mets, the Mets, manager Terry Collins, Omar Quintanilla, ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Russell Martin

Nypost.com

Judges must explain Pacquiao-Bradley scoring; Arum wants inquiry

The executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission will review a video of Saturday night’s controversial fight between Manny Pacquiao and Tim Bradley with the three judges who scored the bout, but promoter Bob Arum took the proceedings a step further yesterday.

Arum submitted a formal request to the Nevada Attorney General’s office for a full inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the scoring.

“The public has a right to know,” Arum said in a statement released by Top Rank. “The fighters have a right to know. The only way to restore fans’ confidence in boxing is by letting an independent body investigate every detail of the fight, no matter how big or small.”

Getty Images

FIGHT FLUB: Manny Pacquiao (right) throws a punch to the head of Tim Bradley during Saturday’s controversial WBO welterweight title bout.

Keith Kizer of the Nevada Athletic Commission told The Post judges C.J. Ross, Jerry Roth and Duane Ford will convene in his office in Las Vegas sometime in the near future to watch the 12-round WBO welterweight championship and discuss why they scored each round the way they did.

Kizer — who said he doesn’t plan to impose any disciplinary action against the judges — said he asked all three to gather as a group in light of the controversy that has erupted over Bradley being awarded a split decision when most ringside observers thought he had lost. Roth scored the bout 115-113 for Pacquiao, while Ross and Ford saw Bradley a 115-113 winner. The Post scored the bout 116-112 for Pacquiao.

Kizer said he has spoken with each of the judges individually and encouraged them to meet as a group.

“They want to review the fight, and I want to review it with them,” Kizer said. “It’s something I’ve done before. It’ll be almost like a training session we all can learn from.”

Despite the outcry over the decision that resulted in Pacquiao’s first loss in seven years, Kizer said the judges won’t be disciplined.

“There’s no wrong-doing that would merit discipline,” Kizer said. “The judges are the final decision-makers. They’re very experienced and very good judges. There’s no call for discipline on this and there’s no basis to overturn their decision.”

In separate interviews with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Ford, 74, and Roth, 71, defended their scorecards.

“I thought Bradley gave Pacquiao a boxing lesson,” Ford told the newspaper. “I thought a lot of the rounds were close. Pacquiao missed a lot of punches and I thought he was throwing wildly.”

Roth, the lone judge to score the fight for Pacquiao, said: “I’m looking for effective aggressiveness. I thought Pacquiao won a lot of the early rounds and I thought Bradley came on in the end. That’s why I gave Bradley the last three rounds. But I still thought Pacquiao had done enough to win.”

Ford has been a judge since the 1970s and often conducts seminars on judging, sponsored by the Association of Boxing Commissioners. In fact, it was Ford who conducted a seminar in Hawaii earlier this month that was attended by Al Bennett, one of the three judges put on indefinite suspension in New Jersey after Paul Williams was awarded a controversial majority decision against Erislandy Lara last July in Atlantic City.

Reached yesterday at his home in Avenel, N.J., Bennett told The Post, “Somebody needs to put [Ford] in a class. They robbed Pacquiao.”

Conspiracy theorists have little to go on. There was no significant late action on Bradley. The final betting line -450 to +350 for Pacquiao was the same as it was after the weigh-in Friday.

“We took normal [underdog] money the day of the fight,” said Jay Rood, the VP of Race and Sports at MGM Resorts. “From my standpoint the action was pretty light.”

A Bradley victory also seems to compromise what would be the biggest fight in boxing history should Pacquiao face Floyd Mayweather either this fall or next spring.

It would make more sense if the fight were fixed in Pacquiao’s favor, something that was floated when the Filipino earned a majority decision over Juan Manuel Marquez last November.

If there’s a lesson to be learned it’s not to promote a rematch before the first fight has even taken place. Rematch clauses within contracts are not uncommon, but Bradley took the unusual measure of waving an oversized ticket to the rematch during the Wednesday press conference before Saturday’s fight. It was a publicity stunt conjured by Top Rank’s publicity team to raise awareness of Bradley.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, has the right to invoke the rematch tentatively set for Nov. 10. But Top Rank is still trying to gauge whether a rematch would sell in light of the controversy.

george.willis@nypost.com

Manny Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Tim Bradley, Nevada Athletic Commission, Top Rank, Duane Ford, Jerry Roth, promoter Bob Arum, Ford

Nypost.com

The Post's All-Bronx softball honors

Bronx softball is on the upswing.

The perfect example for that is Preston, which won CHSAA Bronx/Westchester and advanced to its first Archdiocesan final since 2004, where it almost knocked off Staten Island powerhouse St. Joseph by the Sea. Cardinal Spellman had one of its best years recently, finishing second in Bronx/Westchester.

The PSAL was wild as usual, with Adlai Stevenson winning the Bronx A division title, but Clinton advancing further in the playoffs, into the quarterfinals. Morris made the PSAL Class B championship game.

In the Ivy League, Fieldston won a share of the division title and advanced to the NYSAISAA semifinals. Horace Mann, though, knocked the Lions off, making their third straight NYSAISAA finals.

William Thomas

Fieldston's Kate Miller is The Post's All-Bronx softball Player of the Year.

Robert Cole

Preston's Rachel Mazza is The Post's All-Bronx softball Coach of the Year.

All-Bronx softball Player of the Year: Kate Miller, Fieldston

Miller was already the best position player in the city and an incredible defensive shortstop. This year, she added pitching – where she never played before – to her repertoire, getting tips off YouTube and becoming pretty effective in the circle. That just speaks to how gifted the Princeton-bound Miller is as an athlete.

This year, she finished her incredible career by helping to lead Fieldston to a share of the Ivy Prep League title and a trip to the NYSAISAA semifinals.

“I never expected anything less for her,” Fieldston coach Stefanie Gozdziewski said of Miller playing at Princeton. “I knew she would be able to play D-I. She really stepped it up and proved herself.”

All-Bronx softball Coach of the Year: Rachel Mazza, Preston

Mazza knew she had something special in this young group and just had to bring the potential out of them. She played as challenging a schedule as anyone in New York City and her team even exceeded her expectations.

“Did we expect championship?” Mazza said of this year. “They made us believe. We could only get better. They’re so young.”

The Panthers reclaimed the CHSAA Bronx/Westchester title, picked up a win over CHSAA city champion Molloy and lost a heartbreaking, 1-0 game to St. Joseph by the Sea in the program’s first Archdiocesan final since 2004. The best is still yet to come for Mazza and this group.

“I knew they had the talent to do it,” Mazza said. “This year I really focused on the mental game. I tried to get it into their heads that they had to stay mentally in the game.”

FIRST TEAM

CF Keyana Brown Wiggins, Stevenson

A phenomenal athlete, Brown Wiggins excelled in just about every aspect of the game this year. The senior had 33 RBIs, 23 stolen bases and slugged .770 to lead Stevenson to its first PSAL Bronx A title since 2005.

Next >

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2

Rachel Mazza, Kate Miller, PSAL, Fieldston, NYSAISAA, Adlai Stevenson, CHSAA, CHSAA, Cardinal Spellman, Bronx softball, Ivy League, Staten Island powerhouse St. Joseph, Keyana Brown Wiggins

Nypost.com

Rangers mull Rad alert

Larry Brooks
Follow Larry on Twitter
Blog: Slap Shots

SLAP SHOTS

The Rangers’ interest in Alexander Radulov, as reported by The Post last Sunday, is conditional. General manager Glen Sather and the front office are weighing the prodigal Nashville winger’s upside against alternatives who might be available to fill the club’s need for an impact player up front, most notably including Rick Nash, Bobby Ryan and impending free agent Zach Parise.

But though the Blueshirts don’t appear ready to pull the trigger, we’re told there is at least one other team closer to committing to a deal for the rights to Radulov — who, all things being at least somewhat close to equal (with all things meaning, money), seems to prefer continuing his career in the NHL as opposed to returning to the KHL.

The argument against acquiring Nash is the same now as it was in the days preceding the February trade deadline — the overwhelming cost of his contract, which runs through 2017-18 at a charge of $7.8 million per season against a cap that will be recalibrated and might decrease beginning next season, plus the cost in terms of assets the Blue Jackets continue to demand in return for a player with no big-game record in nine NHL seasons.

Understand: Even if the Players’ Association eventually does accede to the owners’ expected request to reduce its cut of hockey-related revenue from 57 percent, there essentially is no chance the union will accept a rollback, meaning large contracts such as Nash’s could eat a greater percentage of a team’s cap over the next couple of years than over the past season or two.

This, too, about the Rangers: Though it is believed the club is focused on adding a winger of some renown, the organization’s most critical offseason analysis of personnel will center on young centers Derek Stepan and Artem Anisimov, following twin playoff disappointments.

If the front office isn’t confident Stepan — who was never quite consistent enough throughout his sophomore year in a top-six role and whose play deteriorated as the playoffs evolved — or Anisimov — who spent nearly all season on the wing anyway, and whose play was erratic throughout — can provide meaningful production as the second-line pivot, then the search for help might be better retrained down the middle.

Which means Ryan Getzlaf most certainly would become an object of desire should the Ducks engage in discussions about moving the first-line pivot with one year at $5.325 million remaining on his contract before he goes free, and so would Jordan Staal, if the Penguins opt to move the center who has one year at $4 million remaining before he can hit the open market (under current regulations).

Should the Rangers sign impending Wisconsin free-agent defenseman Justin Schultz (and no one is suggesting they are front-runners, much less a lock), that’s the day Michael Del Zotto eminently would become more of a trade chip.

* Though general managers expressed near universal distaste for the current choked-up state of the game, in which more and more teams pack their defensive zones inside out while adopting shot-blocking as a primary focus, there apparently is no appetite for adopting the “no sliding” rule that would eliminate much of the problem.

Imagine if the NBA allowed its players to kick their legs out to block passes, or if the NFL allowed defenders to face-guard receivers. That’s the NHL not only allowing guys to slide in front of shots, but encouraging it.

* There is a precedent for a team trading a suspended over-35 player to create cap space to a club willing and eager to accept the hit, so the Bruins (under current regulations) presumably could deal Tim Thomas if the goaltender does in fact sit out next season, but it’s one that could cost Boston if that’s the route taken by GM Peter Chiarelli.

When the Devils sent the suspended Vladimir Malakhov (and his $3.6 million hit) to the Sharks in order to get under the cap days before the 2006-07 season, they had to surrender their first-round pick to San Jose in order for GM Doug Wilson to make the deal, in which he sent little of value other than relief back to Lou Lamoriello.

A floor team likely would have interest, but the definition of the floor might change under the new labor agreement, where actual payroll would become the floor rather than potential cap dollars, including unreachable bonuses and off-roster buyouts.

Had those conditions been in place last year, anyone believe Nino Niederreiter would have spent the season wasting away — uh, sorry; learning how to be a pro — on the Island?

This just in: Ray Bourque thinks Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Justin Williams and Simon Gagne should ask Ed Snider for the parade route in Philadelphia.

larry.brooks@nypost.com

Alexander Radulov, Rick Nash, NHL, NHL, Derek Stepan, Rangers, front office, front office, Larry BrooksFollow Larry, Artem Anisimov, Bobby Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf, the Players’ Association

Nypost.com

Tomorrow’s Parx Entries

All Horses appear in post position order

FIRST-5 fur; $30,000l; clm($12,500); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Seattle Louie(L),117

J Bisono

1-5-5

Farro

3-1

2 HammerngBcky(L),114

Y Ortiz

6-6-5

Nunez

10-1

3 Two Brash(L),119

C Orm

6-3-5

Taylor

6-1

4 Winning Drive(L),119

C Cruz

2-4-6

Wlhelm-S

8-1

5 Dalkeith Ridge(L),117

KMcMngll

4-2-5

Nicholsn

10-1

6 Henceforth(L),119

ARodriguz

5-4-1

McClelln

2-1

7 Surprise Storm(L),114

K Pellot

5-6-5

LeBarron

7-2

SECOND-5 fur; $17,000; clm($10,000); 3,4&5YO

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Elizabeth Lane(L),116

J Acosta

6-x-x

McMahn

7-2

2 Chasemyblswy(L),116

R Rosado

3-2-5

Estrada

2-1

3 OhRamblinRose(L),116

K Frey

2-2-6

Sleeter

5-2

4 Rabiosa(L),111

A Suarez

6-10-6

Servis

8-1

5 Ivy Girl(L),123

M Rosario

6-4-8

Guerrero

6-1

6 Cuvee Jones(L),116

A Arroyo

9-6-5

Lynch

10-1

7 Lock the Door(L),116

J Burke

6-5-8

Curry

20-1

8 Don'tmessw'los(L),123

C Orm

7-4-5

Herlnge

30-1

THIRD-1 mile; $23,000; clm($7,500); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Grandstander(L),119

R Chiappe

5-8-5

Serey

15-1

2 NaughtyandBld(L),119

KMcMngll

4-6-6

Farro

10-1

3 Jersey Brother(L),119

A Castillo

6-8-5

Aristone

8-1

4 Perky Juge(L),114

C Esquilin

1-8-12

Aristone

3-1

5 Believe in West(L),119

L Rivera,Jr

8-9-6

Harvatt

15-1

6 Dance Safely(L),119

L Flores

8-4-4

Landicini

5-2

7 AwesomeReviw(L),119

R Rosado

6-6-6

Chacon

12-1

8 Bona Fide(L),119

F Garcia

1-6-3

Vera

7-2

FOURTH-6 1/2 fur; $30,000; alw; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Top the Podium(L),121

A Castillo

2-1-3

Lake

3-1

2 BrandonsBeach(L),119

E Rivera

5-3-6

Sketcey

12-1

3 Don's Honour(L),118

A Suarez

1-1-4

Estrada

6-1

4 FreudianDilmm(L),119

FPnnngtn

4-6-2

Doran

2-1

5 Quepos(L),119

E Trujillo

2-2-2

Huston

7-2

6 Sweet Bernie(L),121

O Chavez

1-3-3

Margott

10-1

7 Esporon(L),119

R Moya

2-5-5

Moya

8-1

FIFTH-1m&70yds; $24,000; clm($12,500); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Adelicate Miss(L),123

J Flores

8-9-2

Curry

6-1

2 Marciannie(L),119

R Rosado

6-1-5

Chacon

8-1

3 Raiders Fan(L),123

RMontanz

2-2-5

Aristone

7-2

4 Angel's Vision(L),123

KMcMngll

4-3-6

Castillo

10-1

5 NanseeyonHvn(L),119

SBermudz

3-7-4

Scanlan

9-2

6 RageofAquaris(L),123

RAlvardJr

3-4-2

Servis

2-1

7 Sister Friend(L),123

K Frey

8-11-6

Amthor

20-1

SIXTH-5 1/2 fur; $47,000; alw; 3up(f)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Villette(L),111

S Elliott

1-1-x

Servis

7-2

2 Ms. Lydian(L),118

J Bisono

5-3-2

Nunn

6-1

3 LaddertotheMn(L),118

R Rosado

1-3-2

Noble

8-1

4 J K L's Legacy(M),111

KCarmoch

1-x-x

Servis

5-2

5 True Feelings(L),111

FPnnngtn

2-5-2

A Dutrow

2-1

6 Terriniqua(L),113

K Pellot

4-4-1

Gonzlez

10-1

SEVENTH-7 fur; $20,000; clm($5,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Suave Royalty(L),123

R Rosado

5-9-3

Chacon

6-1

2 NorthernBrkshr(L),123

KMcMngll

5-5-2

Miller-Sal

9-2

3 Prairie Trip(L),118

A Suarez

5-10-6

Gonzalez

7-2

4 Athene(L),123

RAlvardJr

6-10-5

Lake

8-1

5 Diced N Sliced(L),123

A Castillo

2-2-6

Andrade

5-2

6 KimberlyDmnd(L),123

RMontanz

9-7-2

Coletti

12-1

7 Getting Bold(L),123

JHmpshrJr

7-6-3

Dandy

20-1

8 Domesticalista(L),123

C Orm

11-3-6

Taylor

15-1

9 Silver Payday(L),123

PHrnndzO

7-5-7

Abrams

10-1

EIGHTH-1m(T); $28,000; clm($16,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Free Me(L),123

F Garcia

3-6-6

Houghton

8-1

2 Wild and Wiley(L),123

FPnnngtn

12-5-1

Campbell

7-2

3 Fourleaf Street(L),116

ABowman

5-3-12

Nicholsn

20-1

4 Five for Love(L),123

L Flores

6-3-7

Landicini

9-2

5 BerryBerryBuen(L),123

R Rosado

8-9-4

Andrade

8-1

6 OWhentheSnts(L),123

C Orm

6-8-5

Le Vine

10-1

7 Five Guns West ,123

O Mino

6-6-4

Bouchrd

20-1

8 World Record(L),118

A Suarez

7-1-5

Dunn

12-1

9 Scarlet andGold(L),123

KMcMngll

7-5-7

Castillo

20-1

10 BlueLightSpecil(L),123

A Castillo

2-8-7

Mosco

5-2

11 Swashbuckler(L),123

J Flores

6-6-4

Carter

12-1

12 Parabola(L),123

K Frey

7-3-1

Farro

6-1

NINTH-1m&70yds(T); $37,000; alw; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Grand Cash(L),123

P Cotto, Jr

1-1-2

Navarro

5-2

2 Coffee Bar(L),118

J Acosta

2-1-1

Guerrer

10-1

3 LivingstonStret(L),118

J Bravo

1-5-7

Walder

2-1

4 Cantonic(L),120

RNaprvnk

1-4-8

Maker

7-2

5 MillenniumLaks(L),118

S Elliott

3-3-1

Servis

10-1

6 Fortissi More(L),118

V Molina

1-2-2

Aro

6-1

7 HamptonBysSn(L),118

FPnnngtn

2-2-1

Demasi

8-1

TENTH-6 fur; $17,000; clm($10,000); 3,4&5YO

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Maximus Fitz(L),116

RMontanz

2-10-x

Reese

6-1

2 I'm Tapped Out(L),123

R Rosado

5-8-5

Curry

10-1

3 Dancing Heart(L),116

KCarmoch

5-3-2

Pino

9-2

4 IndianPowWow(L),111

A Suarez

4-2-4

Servis

7-2

5 Bear Tracks(L),116

F Garcia

3-7-7

Sleeter

8-1

6 Compelling Star ,116

J Burke

x-x-x

Auwrter

10-1

7 Last Boot(L),123

J Flores

2-2-2

Glorioso

3-1

8 Fleon(L),111

K Pellot

4-7-9

GPrecid

10-1

9 Rocket Boy(L),116

J Bisono

4-5-9

McBrey

12-1

10 King of Swing(L),123

J Nguyen

6-5-4

Aristone

10-1

11 Mr. Montana(L),116

R Chiappe

7-9-6

Serey

30-1

12 Crafty Bobbi(L),123

E Rivera

5-7-7

Brennan

20-1

3upPN Horse, 3upPN Horse, 3,4&5YOPN Horse, Horse

Nypost.com

Rough end for Celtics’ Big 3

MIAMI — Before the Miami ever heard of “The Decision” the Celtics had “The Big Three,” a dream triad of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, a trio of studs who produced an NBA title and gave the Celtics scoring and defense in every way imaginable.

But all great things must come to an end and likely, the three played their last game last night, a disappointing 101-88 loss to the Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. Garnett, 36, and Allen, 37 next month, both are unrestricted free agents who will clear $31.2 million off the Celtics’ payroll.

“Up to this point, five years has gone quickly but it seems like it has lasted forever,” Allen said. “We’ve played in a lot of big games. We won a championship together. The things that we do off the floor together. It’s just been a special time.”

Of course, nothing is etched in stone. But no one sounded like the Celtics core is going to be a tad retooled before giving it another run next season.

“Obviously, we’re all smart, at least you guys are,” said coach Doc Rivers, who repeatedly said how much another trip to the finals with this group would have meant to him and the franchise. “I think we’re going to wait and see what happens with free agency and all that stuff. I honest to gosh hadn’t thought much about it.

“I wish we could have had healthy runs. This team won a title. Got to another one, a Game 7, where they had a shot to win. Got to the Eastern Conference finals and one game away on the road. Banged up,” Rivers said. “But you don’t get do-”‘overs. Everybody has injuries. Not just us.

“But great group. Great team group. I know everybody will look at the Big 3 individually. Kevin, Ray and Paul. I’m never going to look at them individually, I’m going to look at them as a group collective. They all gave up plus-”‘seven shots each. They gave up minutes. I asked them to play defense and move the ball, and they all did it, and they’re willing to do it for the better of the team.”

But last night, against the power of the Heat and especially LeBron James, the Celtics wilted.

“Honestly, I thought we had nothing left,” Rivers said of the Celtics’ endgame fold where they were outscored, 20-6.

It was not the way the former champs wanted it to end. But it is the likely conclusion of the Big 3 .

fred.kerber@nypost.com

Kevin Garnett, Celtics, Celtics, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Doc Rivers, the Heat, Eastern Conference finals

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Poland, Greece draw in exciting Euro opener

WARSAW, Poland — Even though Poland was the better team, it was Greece that had the best chance to win.

The Poles controlled play for long stretches yesterday, but still had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Greece in the opening match of the European Championship.

Both teams finished with 10 men, but it was Greece that missed its chance for victory in Group A when substitute goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton saved a penalty from Giorgos Karagounis with his first touch of the match.

“We’re not happy because in the end we could have won it,” said Dimitris Salpigidis, who scored for Greece and won the penalty. “We were left with 10 men, but we came back strong.”

Reuters

EURO TRIP: Poland goalie Wojciech Szczesny (left) takes down Dimitris Salpingidis, earning a red card and giving Greece a penalty during yesterday’s Euro 2012 opener in Warsaw. Backup Przemyslaw Tyton saved the penalty, preserving a 1-1 tie and giving each Group A team a point.

Shortly after Salpigidis had equalized by knocking in a loose ball in the 51st minute, the diminutive striker was taken down by Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny in the area.

Szczesny was given a red card, and Karagounis was given the chance to again earn Greece an opening match win against the host nation at a European Championship. Eight years ago, Karagounis scored in the opening 2-1 win over Euro 2004 host Portugal.

It didn’t happen this time, but it didn’t diminish Greece’s comeback.

“It not a small thing to come here, to Poland, with a good home crowd and to get this result after losing a man,” said Karagounis, the Greece captain. “At halftime we knew we had to recover and we did. We lost the penalty but even then we could have got another goal.”

Robert Lewandowski gave Poland the lead in the 17th minute with a downward header. But the Poles couldn’t hang on for the win on their big day as co-host.

“We had great pressure, great stress. It was a big burden for a very young team,” Poland coach Franciszek Smuda said. “On the objective of getting through the group, we still may achieve it.”

And although it was Poland that blew the lead, Tyton was Poland’s savior.

“I stepped onto the pitch and thought, ‘Cool, this is my time to help out the team,’ ” Tyton said. “And I’m happy that I could bring some joy to the crowd in the stadium and the people watching at home.”

Most of the 56,070 fans at the sold-out National Stadium roared after Poland’s goal, and took to whistling loudly every time the outmatched Greeks touched the ball.

“This game had everything,” midfielder Vassilis Torosidis said. “We had a terrible first 30 minutes. ... After the red card, we actually dominated, so I think the result is fair.”

Giorgos Karagounis, Przemyslaw Tyton, Backup Przemyslaw Tyton, Poland, Wojciech Szczesny, Dimitris Salpigidis, Dimitris Salpingidis, WARSAW, Poland, Poland coach Franciszek Smuda

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Singer, Elliott under radar at Hill hearing

Ted Olsen, former George W. Bush solicitor general, testified yesterday for Republican heavy-hitter Paul Singer at a House financial services committee hearing on “the need to protect investors from the government.” Yet neither Singer, nor his firm’s name Elliott Management, was ever mentioned.

Olsen was billed as a representative for the American Task Force Argentina, a lobbying group that is mainly financed by Singer. His firm has been battling Argentina in the courts for years to get the country to pay its debt to him.

At the hearing, Olsen said he represented NML Capital, which he defined as “a family of funds that manages capital for dozens of US-based organizations, including colleges, universities, hospitals and pension funds.”

In fact, NML is part of Elliott, a $20 billion hedge fund that is known as a “holdout creditor” for taking busted countries to court in order to profit handsomely on debt it purchases for pennies on the dollar.

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) referred to these investors as “swashbuckling investors who knew what they were getting into.”

At issue is a friend-of-the court brief the US filed on Argentina’s behalf in a case coming before the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on June 20. Olsen will argue for Elliott.

“I am troubled by our government’s eagerness to side with lawless nations against the interests of Americans,” Olsen said, referring to the brief. He acknowledged that the Bush administration had also done so.

Argentina has ignored more than 100 court judgments to make it pay up, but law professors said that Elliott’s latest legal tactic sets a bad precedent.

“The US government has quite legitimate reasons to file the amicus (friend-of-the-court) brief, namely protecting global financial stability and the US’s ability to benefit from sovereign immunity abroad,” said Adam Levitin, professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center, who also testified.

He added that Elliott’s legal reading of a technical issue that the appeal rests on is “absolutely bizarre, but I hardly think a Congressional hearing is the place to get into the interpretation of the language.”

The Argentina legal drama was one of three cases the committee explored. The other two were the $25 billion mortgage settlement that neither Democrats nor Republicans like and the highly politicized and divisive Chrysler bankruptcy.

Adding Elliott’s Argentina battle to the list was “very creative and somewhat audacious,” said Anna Gelpern, professor of law at American University Washington College of Law.

mcelarier@nypost.com

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Rangers' Nathan 'excited' for alma mater Stony Brook

Seventeen years after he left Stony Brook, Joe Nathan hasn’t forgotten his roots.

The Texas Rangers closer has kept a close eye on his alma mater during its record-setting, 50-win season and was thrilled when the Seawolves broke through over the weekend, becoming just the third No. 4 seed to win an NCAA Tournament regional championship. Stony Brook will take on LSU in the best-of-three Super Regionals this weekend in Baton Rouge, La.

“I’m excited for the program, for Coach Senk, [athletic director] Jim Fiore, all the guys on the team,” Nathan said. “It’s a pretty cool feeling.”

When Nathan was at Stony Brook, the program was just getting started under coach Matt Senk, winning at the Division III level. Nathan had no idea the future held such promise. He’s had a hand in it, however.

Senk credited part of the program’s success to the three-year-old Joe Nathan Field, which the major league pitcher helped get developed with an extremely generous donation. Fiore joked Senk tried to recruit players without showing them the old field, which didn’t have bleachers and was sloped so much you could hardly see the right fielder from home plate. The new 1,000-seat facility included a brand new 25-foot scoreboard, new bullpens and dugouts, in addition to a field turf surface.

“Every baseball player wants the opportunity to play at a great field and now we have that,” Senk said. “That’s been a huge part of our recent success.”

Nathan said Senk has a profound impact on his career, with establishing a work ethic in him that enabled him to succeed in the majors. One thing he never forgot was the coach keeping Nathan at shortstop — his position in college — his senior year when scouts and observers clamored to see him on the mound.

“He always stuck with his guns,” Nathan said.

Nathan will be busy this weekend, as Texas visits the San Francisco Giants in an interleague series. He will make sure to follow his old coach’s team, hoping its Cinderella story has another chapter left in it.

“This is a huge step for them,” Nathan said. “This is all going to help make a name for Stony Brook. Hopefully more guys keep making it to the big leagues and it can keep getting stronger and stronger.”

zbraziller@nypost.com

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