Sports news briefs for September 2, 2003

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2003 | 11:08 a.m.

U.S. women romp in World Cup warmup

The defending World Cup champion U.S. women's team scored a 5-0 rout of Costa Rica, the world's 45th-ranked team, in a warmup match Monday at Carson, Calif.

Even though American fixtures Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain didn't take off their warm-ups and join the fun until the second half, it mattered little.

With a helpless opponent that couldn't even manage a shot, Monday's exhibition at the Home Depot Center became an opportunity for others -- such as Shannon Boxx, Cat Reddick, Danielle Slaton, Angela Hucles and Abby Wabach -- to impress U.S. coach April Heinrichs with less than three weeks left before the Americans' World Cup opener Sept. 23 against Sweden.

The evening's best moment came in the 53rd minute, when Boxx, 23, scored her first goal in her first international game. And in the 70th minute, when Shannon MacMillan checked in for Wambach, completing a remarkable recovery from surgery to repair an ACL torn in her right knee 102 days ago.

The U.S. has one final send-off match against Mexico on Sunday in San Jose.

By By JJ wins Futurity

By By JJ scored a wire-to-wire victory Monday in the $1.9 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, N.M., nipping Dash of Perry by a neck in quarter horse racing's richest event. The win was worth $1 million for owners Nahum and Rosella Prietoof Chihuahua, Mexico.

Gators extend coach

Florida coach Billy Donovan agreed today to a new six-year contract that will pay him $1.7 million a year. The contract replaces Donovan's old deal and gives him about a $500,000 raise over what he made last season.

Hamilton switches

American cyclist Tyler Hamilton, fourth-place finisher last month in the Tour de France and a former support rider for Lance Armstrong with the U.S. Postal team, is leaving his Danish team to join Switzerland's Phonak team.

Yagudin arrested

Olympic gold medalist Alexei Yagudin was charged Sunday with drunken driving after being pulled over for speeding near Avon, Conn. Yagudin, 23, who trains at nearby Simsbury, has a Sept. 10 court date.