Danzig Moon, 5th in Derby, to try Preakness
Assistant trainer Norman Casse confirmed Saturday morning that John Oxley's Danzig Moon will ship from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., to Pimlico Race Course to compete in the Preakness on Saturday. "We are going," said Casse, assistant to his father, Mark Casse. "He came out of the [Kentucky] Derby really well and deserves another chance." Danzig Moon finished fifth in the Derby on May 2 after getting caught up in the middle of a tightly packed bunch in the run to the first turn but continued on to finish 61/2 lengths behind victorious American Pharoah.Julien Leparoux, who has ridden Danzig Moon in all four of his 2015 starts, retains the mount.
More Preakness news: Lael Stables' Divining Rod worked an easy half-mile in 51.60 seconds at Fair Hill Training Center on Saturday morning in preparation for a scheduled start. Trainer Arnaud Delacour said the 4-furlong work at the Elkton facility went according to plan. "He just stretched his legs out there, and that's kind of what we wanted. He had a good breeze last week," Delacour said. "Everything has been going well with him." ... American Pharoah and third-place finisher Dortmund galloped 13/8 miles at Churchill Downs. American Pharoah, owned by Zayat Stables, had regular morning partner Jorge Alvarez aboard while Dortmund, owned by Kaleem Shah, had Dana Barnes in the saddle.
Other races: Will Farish and E.J. Hudson Jr.'s Top Billing breezed Saturday at Belmont Park in preparation for his return to stakes company in the $300,000 Sagamore Racing Pimlico Special on Friday. A 4-year-old son of two-time Horse of the Year and 2014 Hall of Fame inductee Curlin, Top Billing was clocked in 48.03 seconds for a half-mile over Belmont's main track, ranking fourth of 51 works at the distance. ... Poised to make her stakes debut in the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan on Friday, Stoneway Farm's Ahh Chocolate worked a half-mile in 49.20 seconds for trainer Neil Howard at Churchill Downs. Regular jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. was up for the work and will ride the 3-year-old Candy Ride filly in the 91st running of the 11/8-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Colleges
Terps nearly escape 9-run hole, lose, 13-12, at Ohio St.
Junior LaMonte Wade (St. Paul's) went 4-for-6 with four RBIs, but the Maryland baseball team fell, 13-12, at Ohio State. The Terps (34-17, 12-8 Big Ten) fell behind 13-4 after five innings but scored eight straight runs and put the tying run on second in the ninth inning before freshman Kevin Smith grounded out to seal the victory for the Buckeyes (34-14, 13-7).
More baseball: Navy junior pitcher Luke Gillingham and Maryland sophomore pitcher Mike Shawaryn were two of 30 players announced by USA Baseball as members of the Golden Spikes Award watch list. They made the cut from the midseason list in April that recognized 60 players. The USA Baseball Golden Spikes award is given at the end of the season to the top amateur baseball player in the country. ... Johns Hopkins senior shortstop-outfielder Craig Hoelzer was named Centennial Conference Player of the Year.
Women's volleyball: Maryland middle blocker Hailey Murray was chosen to participate in the first Big Ten volleyball foreign tour, which will compete in Slovenia, Croatia and Italy on June 13-25.
Softball: Maryland junior Lindsey Schmeiser was named to the All-Big Ten first team. Terps senior Shannon Bustillos and senior Erin Pronobis (CCBC-Catonsville) made the second team. ... Towson sophomore Holiday Cahill was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association first team. Senior Missy McCormick and junior Olivia Yarbrough made the second team. Freshmen Brook Miko and Shelby Stracher made the rookie team. Yarbrough made the all-academic squad. ... Coppin State senior Candice Van Horn and junior Danielle Smith were named to the All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference first team. Van Horn also was named to the Academic All-District II team.
Morgan State: The school named track-cross country athlete Ishakeema Swain and football player Herb Walker Jr. its female and male Student-Athletes of the Year. Football's Lee Hull was selected as the Coach of the Year.
Et cetera
Half-price admission Monday at Sports Legends
The Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation will offer half-price admission to all visitors to its Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards on Monday as part of the Orioles' Re-Opening Day celebration. Visitors will be able to view Chris Davis' home run ball and the official scorecard from last week's zero-fans game at Camden Yards. Admission for the day will be $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and $2 for children 12 and under.
Baseball: The Cleveland Indians purchased the contract of former Orioles left-hander Bruce Chen, 37, from Triple-A Columbus and started him Saturday against the Minnesota Twins. Chen allowed six runs in four innings and took the loss for the Indians, his 11th major league team.
Major League Soccer: D.C. United's Jairo Arrieta and Sporting Kansas City's Dom Dwyer traded goals late in the first half in a 1-1 tie. Host United (5-1-3) extended its undefeated streak to seven games in the lone meeting this season between the former Eastern Conference rivals. K.C. is 3-2-5.
More men's soccer: Zack Steffen, who left Maryland last winter to sign with Freiburg in Germany, was among three goalkeepers chosen by U.S. coach Tab Ramos for the 24-team FIFA Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand that will begin May 30.
—Steven Goff, The Washington Post
National Women's Soccer League: The Washington Spirit got goals from Crystal Dunn and Francisca Ordega and five saves from Kelsey Wys to secure a 2-2 road tie against the Portland Thorns. .... Spirit forward Estefania Banini will miss the rest of the season and will have surgery to repair cartilage in her right knee.
High schools boys lacrosse: No. 8 Westminster 18, Reservoir 4: Hunter Davis and Blake Ruby each had three goals and four assists to lead the host Owls (15-0) past the Gators (7-7) in a Class 4A-3A North section semifinal.
High school girls lacrosse: North Harford 18, Patapsco 2: Maria Auth had five goals and one assist to lead the Hawks (9-8) past the host Patriots (9-5) in a Class 3A-2A North section semifinal.