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Sports in Brief

 
Published Aug. 6, 2017

Horses

Hambletonian winner DQ'd

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Perfect Spirit was awarded the $1 million Hambletonian when first-place finisher What The Hill caused another horse to go off stride in the stretch and was disqualified Saturday.

It's the first time in the 92-year history of the Hambletonian that a horse was disqualified after capturing trotting's biggest race.

There seemed to be little doubt about the decision that left harness racing's all-time leading trainer, Ron Burke, wondering what he has to do to win the Hambletonian. He finished a close second the past two years and seemingly had ended his heartache after David Miller got What The Hill to the front in the stretch and cruised to a victory.

The judges deliberated about five minutes before disqualifying the winner and giving Swedish driver-trainer Ake Svanstedt his first Hambletonian victory. Perfect Spirit returned $17, $6.40 and $5.40 in winning for the fifth time in nine starts. "I'm very happy, just living in the moment," Svanstedt said.

ARENA FOOTBALL

Storm falls at Philly

The visiting Storm (10-4) lost to Philadelphia (13-1) 41-28 in a regular-season finale. Tampa Bay hosts Cleveland on Aug. 14 in a first-round playoff game.

ET CETERA

NBA: Team World beat Team Africa 108-97 in the NBA Africa Game in Johannesburg. The Pacers' Victor Oladipo scored 28 for Team Africa and was named MVP.

SWIMMING: In his first USA Swimming-sanctioned event after a suspension for his behavior at the 2016 Rio Olympics, former Gator and six-time gold medalist Ryan Lochte finished fifth in the 100 backstroke at the U.S. Open in East Meadow, N.Y.

Tennis: No. 8 seed Jack Sock called the Citi Open hardcourt surface in Washington "probably the worst court on tour" after losing to No. 15 Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals.

SOFTBALL: The Atlee (Va.) Little League Junior team (ages 12-14) was disqualified from its World Series title game over what officials say was an inappropriate social media post. Officials announced the disqualification just hours ahead of the game, which was broadcast on ESPN2. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported a photo on Snapchat showed six of the girls giving the middle finger directed at the host Kirkland, Wash., team.

Times wires