ARAB TIMES, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2021 SPORTS 14

Colt gives Baffert a Kentucky Derby hopeful Medina Spirit holds off challengers to win Robert Lewis Stakes ARCADIA, California, Jan 31, (AP): Medina Spirit led all the way and fought off two challengers late to win the $100,000 Robert Lewis Stakes by a neck at Santa Anita and give trainer Bob Baffert a Kentucky Derby hope- ful. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Medina Spirit ran 1-1/16 miles in 1:46.26 on a dirt track listed as good after 2.4 inches of rain fell through Friday. Medina Spirit paid $4, $2.80 and $2.20 as the even-money favorite in a fi eld of six. The colt earned 10 qualify- ing points for the Kentucky Derby on May 1. Roman Centurian returned $7.60 and $3.80 at 11-1 odds. Hot Rod Char- lie was another nose back in third and paid $2.60 to show as the 5-2 second

HORSE RACING

choice. Baffert-trained Spielberg fi n- ished fourth, 11 lengths behind Hot Rod Charlie. Cedillo sent Medina Spirit to the early lead before the colt was pressed on the backside by Wipe the Slate. Leading by a length at the top of the stretch, Medina Spirit was challenged by Hot Rod Charlie and Roman Centu- rian in a three-horse duel to the fi nish. Baffert said Medina Spirit’s effort reminded him of Silver Charm, his 1997 Kentucky Derby winner. The trainer earned his ninth victory in the Lewis. “He had every reason to give it up late in the stretch when those horses came to him. I thought he was beat,” Baffert said. “I thought they were go- ing to get by and he wouldn’t let them by, he fought on.” Medina Spirit was sold for $35,000 at public auction in September. The In a photo provided by Benoit Photo, Medina Spirit and jockey Abel Cedillo, (inside), hold off Roman Centurian, (outside), with Juan Hernandez, and Hot Rod Charlie, (middle), with Joel Rosario, victory, worth $60,000, increased his to win the Grade III, $100,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes horse race, on Jan 30, 2021, at Santa Anita in Arcadia, California. (AP) career earnings to $95,200. Texas A&M’s Mond named MVP Kristoffersen defi es deteriorating Franks-to-Yeboah TD seals course to ‘win’ World Cup slalom National’s Senior Bowl win MOBILE, Alabama, Jan 31, (AP): Tulane defensive lineman Cam Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond was the Sample was the defensive player of the Senior Bowl Most Valuable Player but game. Sample had seven tackles and a Zenhäusern fi nishes 2nd, Simonet in 3rd place two fellow Southeastern Conference share of a sack in a game blending Western Division products made the players from Group of Five, small col- decisive big play. lege and Power Five teams. CHAMONIX, France, Jan Arkansas’ Feleipe Franks threw a “We don’t play the Alabama’s or 21-yard touchdown pass to Mississippi Ohio State’s every week but we’re 31, (AP): Henrik Kristof- tight end Kenny Yeboah in the fourth always hungry,” he said. fersen showed glimpses quarter to help seal the National team’s The game was played for the first of his best slalom skills 27- 24 victory over the American time at South Alabama’s new Hancock team. Whitney Stadium, with Miami Sunday, winning the last Franks, a graduate transfer from Dolphins coach Brian Flores leading World Cup race before the Florida, set up the all-SEC West scor- the National team and Carolina’s Matt world championships. ing connection with a 29-yard comple- Rhule coaching the American team. It The Norwegian had an attack- tion to Louisville’s Dez Fitzpatrick. also switched from the traditional ing, fl uent opening run, and defi ed Fitzpatrick had six catches for 90 North versus South format. worsening course conditions in the yards in the showcase game for senior Fitzpatrick delivered in a short- and graduate NFL prospects, earning handed group of receivers. fi nal to land his second victory of offensive player of the game honors. the season. Mond was the MVP with a huge Most of the top-ranked racers third quarter when he passed for 141 FOOTBALL from the opening leg struggled on of his 173 yards and a pair of touch- the rapidly deteriorating La Verte downs after a slow start. des Houches course, with the sur- “It was a great feeling whether it “We were a little bit low on receiv- face getting softer and softer as the was a simple drop back or making an ers,” Flores said. “A couple of guys sun came out in the afternoon after insane play,” the former Aggies stand- went out. Availability is key and he days of rain. out said. “Everything was kind of roll- was available and able to capitalize on Kristoffersen was the last racer ing my way. Obviously, kind of shaky his opportunities. on course but managed to hold on at the beginning but it definitely shows Franks completed 9 of 16 passes for to his fi rst-run lead as he battled his a lot of poise to be able to bounce 122 yards. Carter averaged 8.0 yards back.” North Carolina running back per carry in his final season with the way through the ruts. Michael Carter also had a big game. Tar Heels, and wasn’t far off in the The Norwegian beat Ramon Ze- Carter scored on a pile-driving 12-yard all-star game. nhäusern by 0.28 seconds and an- run late in the third quarter to help the He gained 60 yards on eight carries other Swiss skier, Sandro Simonet, National retake the lead after a Mond- and had two catches for 15 yards. by 0.66. led comeback. Mond, Texas A&M’s career passing Jamie Newman completed a 10-yard leader, delivered a pair of touchdown touchdown pass to Trevon Grimes passes in the third quarter to help erase a SKIING Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men’s World Cup slalom, in Chamo- with 49 seconds left for the American 13-0 halftime deficit. Mond even con- nix, on Jan 31, 2021. Inset: Kristoffersen celebrates on the podium of an alpine ski, men’s World Cup slalom, in team after Franks and Yeboah made it verted one two-point play with a run and Chamonix. (AP) Simonet improved from 30th a two-score game. The former Wake the other with a pass, following touch- position after the opening run as Forest quarterback, who transferred to downs of 15 yards to Clemson’s Amari he was among the racers who ben- Georgia but opted out before the sea- Rodgers and 14 yards to Tennessee’s efitted from an early start in the son, set it up with a 35-yard comple- Josh Palmer. Newman competed 10 of Casey wins in Dubai for 15th European Tour title tion to Bowling Green tight end 14 passes for 118 yards with a touch- final. Quintin Morris. down and interception. Kristoffersen’s win came a day DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, ing partner made four straight when he won the European after he skied out a few seconds into Jan 31, (AP): Paul Casey shot a bogeys from No. 7. Open in Germany. MacIntyre 2-under 70 in the final round to By rolling in a birdie putt from 3 placed second on that occasion his opening run of a slalom on the win the Dubai Desert Classic by feet at the par-5 18th hole, Casey and he finished third in Dubai same course. four strokes on Sunday for his after a closing 74. “I could have skied like this yes- 15th title on the European Tour South Africa’s Brandon Stone terday, too, if not for the straddle at – 20 years after his first. GOLF shot even-par 72 to climb into the second gate. I feel really good The 43-year-old Englishman second place. on this kind of snow,” he said. began the day with a one-shot Casey, who won his first title Kristoffersen won the slalom sea- lead over Robert MacIntyre, and finished the tournament on on tour in 2001 at the Scottish built a five-stroke cushion with 17-under-par 271 and clinched PGA Championship, could move son title for a second time last year seven holes to play at Emirates his first title on the European as high as 14th in the world rank- but a victory in Italy in December Golf Club after his Scottish play- Tour since September 2019, ing on Monday, up from 27th. had been his only previous podium fi nish in eight races in the current campaign. Sunday’s result marked Kristof- to Kristoffersen after the opening Clément Noël, who won the race “Life is not nice at all if you’re fersen’s 19th career slalom win, and run, shared eighth place with Man- on home snow Saturday, didn’t skiing badly. This year has been re- 23rd overall. fred Mölgg, who improved from qualify for the second run after com- ally diffi cult for sure until now. We The win puts him in shared sec- 27th. ing off the race line in the opening are struggling with the setup on the ond place with Kjetil Jansrud on Marco Schwarz dropped from run when his skis crossed and nearly icy snow,” the Norwegian said. Norway’s all-time winners list. Only third to fi fth and failed to wrap up failed to make the next gate. “Since the start of January up un- Aksel Lund Svindal, who retired the World Cup slalom title. The The men’s World Cup moves til now it has been super cold. The two years ago, has more victories Austrian still holds a 146-point lead to Germany for speed races in American Team quarterback Kellen Mond of Texas A&M (12) throws density of the ice has been really with 36. over Zenhäusern with two slaloms Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Friday against National Team offensive lineman Spencer Brown of Northern Iowa hard so then I don’t have the right Overall World Cup leader Alex- remaining after the Feb 8-21 world and Saturday, the last events before (FCS) (76) during the NCAA Senior Bowl college football game in Mobile, setup.” is Pinturault, who was runner-up championships. the worlds. Alabama, on Jan 30. (AP) Kuwait capture three silver medals at Friedrich clinches 2-man WCup bobsled title Asian Online Shooting Championship IGLS, Austria, Jan 31, (AP): fi nished in 1:43.80. Russia’s earned her second victory of the KUWAIT CITY, Jan 31, (KUNA): President of the Arab and Kuwait Germany’s Francesco Friedrich Rostislav Gaitiukevich got his season, with Elana Meyers Taylor Kuwait’s shooting team won three sil- Shooting Federations, and Secretary- is the World Cup two-man bob- fi rst World Cup medal, placing of the U.S. fi nishing second and ver medals at the Asian Online General of Asian Shooting sled champion again. third with Mikhail Mordasov in Canada’s Melissa Lotholz third. Shooting Championship organized by Confederation (ASC) Duaij Al-Otaibi Friedrich clinched his fourth Kaillie Humphries of the U.S., 1:43.90. the Kuwait Shooting Federation. congratulated the Kuwaiti athletes on consecutive two-man title with who won both monobob races The event, which featured more their splendid performance and than 400 shooters from 22 countries, his 11th win in 12 races this that she has entered this season, came to a close today. season. He teamed with Alex- BOBSLED did not compete Saturday to con- Kuwait’s shooter Saud Habib came SHOOTING ander Schuller for an easy vic- tinue preparations for the world second winning the silver at Men’s tory, beating the Latvian sled of championships that start next Codie Bascue enjoyed his best Skeet competition. Oskars Kibermanis and Matiss weekend in Germany. She will Habib’s compatriot Nasser remarkable outcomes during the Miknis by nearly three-quarters fi nish of the season for the U.S., compete in the fi nal women’s Al-Maqlad also ranked second with championship, which featured the KUNA Photo placing 10th with Kris Horn. the silver at Trap game and Iman most outstanding shooters in the conti- Kuwait national team player Ta- of a second. World Cup bobsled race of the Al-Shammaa won silver at Women’s nent. He expressed pride for “good lal Al-Rashidi in action during the Friedrich’s time was 1 minute, In the women’s monobob race, season on Sunday, with Lolo Skeet contest. results” made by the Kuwaiti shooters. shooting competition. 43.08 seconds. Kibermanis Australia’s Breanna Walker Jones in her sled.