Sports briefs for Sept. 27, 2005

Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2005 | 10 a.m.

Judge dismisses suit over horse's name

A federal judge in Lexington, Ky., has dismissed a lawsuit by a thoroughbred owner who sued to name one of his fillies after Sally Hemings, the slave who was reputed to be Thomas Jefferson's mistress.

In a ruling dated Sept. 16, U.S. District Senior Judge Karl Forester sided with The Jockey Club and the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, two groups that had asked that the suit be thrown out.

Garrett Redmond, a Paris, Ky., farmer, sued the racing authority and The Jockey Club in May after a request to name the horse for Hemings was denied. The Jockey Club regulates the naming of thoroughbred racehorses.

Redmond had argued that the denial had deprived him of his constitutional rights.

Redmond said Monday he plans to appeal Forester's decision to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. Redmond said Forester improperly used a New York court ruling as the basis for his decision and that The Jockey Club has tried to delay any hearing of the case.

"Everything I've heard is I've won the case in public opinion, so The Jockey Club is going to do its damnedest to keep it from being heard (in court)," Redmond said.

In order to be eligible to race at a Kentucky track, a thoroughbred must have a name that has been accepted by The Jockey Club.

Couples, Daly added

Fred Couples and John Daly were given exemptions to play in the Target World Challenge, the year-end event hosted by Tiger Woods that pays $1.3 million to the winner.

Woods is the defending champion at his own tournament, to be played Dec. 8-11 at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

The top 12 players available from the world ranking were eligible, along with four exemptions selected by the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Ex-player sentenced

Frank Brown, a former Montana State point guard and a graduate of Durango High School in Las Vegas, was sentenced in Bozeman, Mont., to 90 days in jail for rape. He was also given a six-year deferred sentence and ordered to undergo treatment and register as a sexual offender.

Brown, 21, pleaded guilty in August to twice raping a 15-year-old girl, at least once when she was passed out after drinking with him.

U.S. player suspended

U.S. pro Alex Bogomolov Jr. was suspended today for 1 1/2months after testing positive for an asthma drug at the Australian Open.

Bogomolov, ranked 190th, said he took the substance to treat his respiratory condition but did not have permission to use it. The suspension began Monday and lasts until Nov. 10. He also forfeits prize money and ranking points from the Australian Open and tournaments through April 10.

Wings re-sign Datsyuk

Spurning a chance to return to his native Russian, winger Pavel Datsyuk signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings that will pay him $3.9 million per season. Datsyuk tied for the Detroti team lead with 30 goals in 2003-04, the last season before the lockout.

U.S. team ousted

The United States was eliminated from the FIFA Under-17 World Championship, losing 2-0 to the Netherlands in a quarterfinal game at Trujillo, Peru. -- Associated Press