Briefs | Santa Anita gets 2009 Breeders' Cup

Horse racing

Santa Anita to host back-to-back Breeders' Cups: The Breeders' Cup will be held at Santa Anita the next two years, the first time Thoroughbred racing's showcase event will be run at the same racetrack in consecutive years.

The Breeders' Cup awarded the 2009 edition to Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., on Thursday — the same day the track announced it was canceling racing today for an eighth time this season because of drainage problems with the new Cushion Track.

The first Breeders' Cup on a synthetic surface already has been set for Oct. 24-25 at Santa Anita.

Framework of deal set for NYRA: A framework of an agreement has been reached by New York state leaders that would allow the New York Racing Association to continue operating Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga for the next 25 years.

College football

Stoops apologizes to Arizona State: Arizona coach Mike Stoops apologized for saying that Arizona State has "turned into a J.C."

Stoops had said some recruits had told him it was easier to earn acceptance at ASU than at Arizona.

"It was a personal mistake, and one for which I apologize," Stoops said.

West Virginia dismisses three players: West Virginia coach Bill Stewart dismissed three players charged with felony possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver. Linebacker John Holmes, defensive lineman James Ingram and running back Ed Collington were kicked off for violating team rules. None was a starter.

Soccer

Six cities, including Seattle, considered for World Cup qualifiers: The U.S. Soccer Federation is considering six sites for its three possible home matches in the semifinals of qualifying for the men's 2010 World Cup.

In contention to host the games are Seattle; Bridgeview, Ill.; Columbus, Ohio; Commerce City, Colo.; Frisco, Texas; and Washington, D.C.

MLS ignores international fixture dates: Major League Soccer again is likely to be missing stars for matches that conflict with the sport's international schedule.

The league released its 2008 schedule and will be playing during times set aside for national-team games by FIFA, soccer's governing body.

English Premier League to play overseas matches: England's Premier League agreed to examine proposals to expand the regular season and play 10 games overseas starting in 2010-11.

The matches would be played at five venues around the world over a single weekend in January 2011. Each city would host two games.

Egypt, Cameroon to final: Defending champion Egypt and Cameroon advanced to the final of the African Cup of Nations in Ghana after Egypt defeated Ivory Coast 4-1 and Cameroon beat Ghana 1-0.

Tennis

Roddick faces Melzer: Andy Roddick will face Jurgen Melzer today in the opening match when the United States defends its Davis Cup title against Austria on indoor clay in Vienna. James Blake and Stefan Koubek will play in the second singles match.

Mauresmo to quarterfinals: Amelie Mauresmo of France needed less than 10 minutes to reach the quarterfinals of the Open Gaz de France in Paris, advancing when Eleni Daniilidou quit because of the flu.

Craybas advances in Thailand: American Jill Craybas and top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska advanced to the quarterfinals of the Pattaya Women's Open in Thailand.

Craybas rallied to defeat Renata Voracova 2-6, 6-1, 6-3, and Radwanska cruised past former champion Anne Kremer 6-2, 6-2.

Gymnastics

Hamm in first place: Paul Hamm was in first place after the opening session of the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas, the first U.S. men's meet this year on the road to Beijing, and his first full meet since he won the all-around gold medal at the Athens Olympics four years ago. He took a 2 ½-year break from the sport after Athens, but there weren't many signs of rust.

Drag racing

Schumacher leads qualifying: Defending Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher led qualifying in the season-opening NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., with a quarter-mile run of 4.513 seconds at 331.53 mph.

Seattle Times news services