NEW YORK -- California Chrome beat out an idiosyncratic horse racing rule -- by a nose. An only-in-New York equipment ban appeared ready to put a kink in the colts U.S. Triple Crown try at the Belmont Stakes. But the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner was cleared to wear the nasal strip he has worn all through a six-race winning streak that has set him up for a chance at U.S. horse racings 12th Triple Crown. New York racetracks have a rule prohibiting any equipment not specifically approved by stewards, and nasal strips were not on their list. A statement from the New York Racing Association and the states Gaming Commission on Monday said the tracks three stewards unanimously agreed to lift the ban. The strip worn by California Chrome is thought to assist airflow through the nostrils -- something that should come in handy on June 7 for Belmonts grueling run. "It opens up his air passage and gives him that little extra oomph that he needs, especially going a mile and a half," trainer Art Sherman said. "Any time you can have a good air passage that means a lot for these thoroughbreds." Sherman raised the possibility his horse wouldnt run in the Belmont if barred from using a nasal strip. Two years ago, Doug ONeill trained Ill Have Another to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with the colt wearing a nasal strip. New York officials told ONeill his horse couldnt wear one in the Belmont. The issue became moot when Ill Have Another was scratched the day before the race because of a leg injury. There hasnt been a Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978, and the sports popularity has waned in the nearly four decades since. But it gets a boost every time a horse heads to the Big Apple with a Triple Crown on the line. .C. -- Benn Ferrieros familiar with scoring important goals, just not in back-to-back games. . The alley-oop looked easy -- just like everything else after halftime for the Miami Heat. James scored 32 points, Wade added 22 points and eight assists, and the Heat trailed by 11 early in the second half before running away to a 107-88 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.
http://www.cheaprangersauthenticjerseys ... rez-jersey. "Yes, Id like to get them in," Detroits rookie manager said. "Mother Natures going to have a say in that." Sure enough, the Tigers had their game against the Kansas City Royals postponed because of rain on Thursday. .S. womens soccer team to a 2-0 win over China in Colorado in the afternoon. . "It feels good, Ive never had one before, not even in College," Hagelin said after the Rangers outgunned the Jets 4-2, behind some solid goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist following a pretty wide open first period.LOS ANGELES - Rudy Gays short-lived Raptors career came to an abrupt end just over 10 months after it began. Masai Ujiri and the Raptors pulled the trigger on a seven-player deal that will send Gay to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for four players, Yahoo Sports first reported Sunday evening. In a deal that could save them as much as $14.5 million next season, the Raptors acquire guards Greivis Vasquez and John Salmons along with forwards Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes in exchange for Gay, Aaron Gray and Quincy Acy. Neither team can comment on the trade directly until after its made official on Monday. "Its never a good time to lose one of your starting players but its a situation we all have to roll with and go with," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said moments before facing Kobe Bryant and the Lakers with only 11 players in uniform. After coming to Toronto in a three-team trade from Memphis on Jan. 30, Gay fell out of favour this season, averaging 19.4 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting just 39 per cent from the field. Gay can opt out and become a free agent at the end of the year but the Raptors believed he wouldnt walk away from the $19.3 million hes owed, the primary motive for Ujiri. Of the four players coming to Toronto, only Hayes contract is fully guaranteed past this season. Salmons is partially guaranteed for next season - the Raptors would only owe him $1 million if hes waived before June 30 - while Vasquez and Salmons would become free agents this summer if Toronto pulls their qualifying offers. The Raptors went 18-18 after acquiring Gay last season - the sixth best record in the Eastern Conference during that span - but the team, like Gay himself, have gotten off to a disappointing start in 2013-14. Only two players in the league (Vince Carter and Kemba Walker) are shooting worse than Gay (minimum 200 field goal attempts) while the Raptors have won just six of their first 18 games, dropping their last five. Looking to address redundancy at the wing positions - with Gay and the similar DeMar DeRozan accounting for the bulk of Torontos shots - Ujiri opted to hold onto the younger DeRozan, who is having a career season. "Its just part oof the game," said DeRozan after learning about the trade.dddddddddddd. "You think about it but you try to do the best that you can on the court so it doesnt get to the point to where you start questioning whether one or the other will be here." "Its crazy just to see a friend like that go, but once youve been through it a couple of times you kind of understand its part of the game and part of the business," DeRozan said, citing last years trade that brought Gay to Toronto and sent Ed Davis - one of his best friends - to Memphis. Gay was informed of the trade earlier in the day and did not travel with the team to Staples Center. Most of his teammates were informed of the deal after arriving at the arena, including Gray and Acy. Coming off a career year in New Orleans, where he averaged 13.9 points and 9.0 assists, Vasquez fills a need for the Raptors at the point guard position and also makes Kyle Lowry expendable in a subsequent trade. The 26-year-old Venezuelan excels in the pick-and-roll, a weak point for Caseys Raptors and could help aid the continued development of Jonas Valanciunas. Hayes and Patterson are both capable frontcourt players that can be used situationally off the bench in Toronto. Patterson, 24, is averaging 6.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in 17 games with the Kings this season. Selected with the 14th overall pick in 2010 by Houston, Patterson can stretch the floor while Hayes, 30, provides the toughness, rebounding and veteran leadership Casey has been looking for. Landry Fields started in Gays place against the Lakers Sunday. He and sophomore Terrence Ross figure to see an increase in playing time without Gay - who was playing over 35 minutes a night - in the lineup. "Were losing three great guys in my opinion," Fields said. "So its tough but at the end of the day its part of the business. You dont get used to it but you have to shake it off." Acy, 23, had played in 36 games with the Raptors over the past two season - averaging 3.8 points and 2.6 rebounds - after Toronto selected him with the 37th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft. Gray, who turned 27 on Saturday has been used sparingly in two-plus years with the team. ' ' '
