Author: staff
On June 28, Illinois voters will select their party nominees for every statewide office. Voters also can cast ballots for one U.S. Senate seat, two seats…
D. Wayne Lukas would never stop.If he thought ahead at all during the 1980s and 1990s, years when he dominated thoroughbred racing, the word retirement did not compute.Advertisement“I don’t handle time down very well,” he said. “I don’t know what I would do.”After the turn of the century, Lukas stopped being the trainer to beat in all the big races and transitioned to his current status as the sport’s grandest old character, the octogenarian who still dons his cowboy hat, boots and sunglasses to climb on a pony at the crack of dawn. When he won the Preakness with Oxbow in 2013, it was his first victory in a Triple Crown race in 13 years, and many observers assumed it would be his last.AdvertisementMany fans assumed trainer D. Wayne Lukas had won his last Triple Crown race after he took the 2013 Preakness with Oxbow. Now, he’s 86 and back at the center of the Preakness narrative with champion filly Secret Oath. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)Lukas was 77 then. He’s 86 now, and lo and behold, he’s back at the center of the Triple Crown narrative, preparing a champion filly, Secret Oath, to run in Saturday’s Preakness. He was the straw that stirred the drink on Kentucky Derby weekend, winning the Kentucky Oaks race with Secret Oath and creating the opportunity for 80-1 long shot Rich Strike to run and take the Derby when he scratched his horse, Ethereal Road, from the field at the last minute.He wasn’t thrilled with his unintended role in that shocking upset.“No, because I cost a good friend the Derby,” he said. “I apologized to Steve Asmussen,” trainer of runner-up Epicenter.But Lukas, always aggressive when it comes to pushing his horses into challenging races, seems delighted to be back in the Preakness with a filly talented enough to win it. Rich Strike is out of the field, so Lukas and Secret Oath might be the hook to draw in more casual fans.“This race was a little bit vanilla until she dropped into it,” he said.When Secret Oath beat a talent-rich field in the Oaks, the $1.25-million, filly-only main event the Friday before the Derby, rival trainers seemed almost pleased to lose to Lukas — think other golfers falling to Tiger Woods at the 2019 Masters.“If I couldn’t win this race, I was rooting for him,” said Todd Pletcher, one of the many top trainers who came up as assistants to Lukas.“Lukas winning the Oaks was far better than anything I could ever do,” said Asmussen, who will take on the old master again in the Preakness, this time with morning-line favorite Epicenter.AdvertisementTrainer D. Wayne Lukas appreciates the sentiments of his younger colleagues, but at the same time, he does not see himself as some romantic long shot, grasping for one last moment in the sun. (Vincent Alban/The Baltimore Sun)Almost 300 people sent him congratulatory texts.Lukas appreciated the sentiments of his younger colleagues, but at the same time, he does not see himself as some romantic long shot, grasping for one last moment in the sun. He believes he is as good at this work as he ever was, even if owners are less likely to send him supremely gifted horses than they were in his heyday.“People think if you’re old, you can’t do it, but that’s not the case,” Lukas said from his favorite perch at Pimlico Race Course, a chair at the far end of the Preakness barn. “This is a game of experience. There’s no how-to book, so you should get sharper. I think I’m better at doing this now than I was 30 years ago.”Rob Mitchell, who owns Secret Oath with his wife, Stacy, looks at how many of the sport’s top trainers are first- or second-generation products of Lukas’ coaching tree. So why not work with the guy who was the root of it all?“He hasn’t forgotten how to train a horse,” Mitchell said.No one holds court more comfortably than Lukas on the mornings leading up to a big race. At Pimlico, he stations himself on that chair and when reporters aren’t peppering him with questions about this year’s race, he happily ruminates on his former days as an assistant basketball coach at Wisconsin, recruiting in small towns all over the Midwest, or his time in California as a trainer of champion quarter horses, the same world that shaped his rival turned friend, Bob Baffert.AdvertisementMost current trainers prefer to wait a month or more between races. But, following tradition, the Preakness is run two weeks after the Kentucky Derby.https://t.co/jyvV16I0aK— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) May 18, 2022
Lukas is still happy to speak up for the suspended Baffert, whom he said he talks to every few days. He said Baffert should have received a simple fine, not the two-year bans he’s facing at Churchill Downs and in New York, for the medication violation that led to Medina Spirit losing his Kentucky Derby victory last year.“Bob is doing well,” he said. “He’ll be back.”For now, Lukas would like to tie Baffert’s total of seven Preakness wins, a mark he’d reach if Secret Oath crosses the finish line first on Saturday. He always has been willing to challenge male horses with the best fillies from his barn; he won his first Kentucky Derby with Winning Colors in 1988. It’s never an easy decision but sometimes worth the risk when a classic race and possible Horse of the Year honors are at stake.Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said he never envisioned entering Secret Oath in the Derby, not even before she finished third against males as the favorite in the April 2 Arkansas Derby. But the Preakness, with its smaller field, well, that might be the right place to “step outside the box.” (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)“A filly’s not very forgiving; by that I mean you can’t do things with a filly that you could with a colt. If you rough up a filly, they don’t handle it very well, so we don’t want to put them in that situation at all,” Lukas said. “We don’t take it lightly, but everything said, we feel pretty strong now that we can be competitive here.”Lukas said he never envisioned entering Secret Oath in the Derby, not even before she finished third against males as the favorite in the April 2 Arkansas Derby. But the Preakness, with its smaller field, well, that might be the right place to “step outside the box.”Six fillies have won the Preakness, but only two of them since 1924, Rachel Alexandra in 2009 and Swiss Skydiver in 2020.AdvertisementLukas sees Epicenter as a worthy favorite coming off his runner-up effort in the Derby but not a daunting enough favorite to dissuade him or the Mitchells, who breed their own runners from their modest farm in Kentucky.Lukas figures Secret Oath had an easier trip in the Oaks than Epicenter did in the Derby, so perhaps she’ll be the fresher horse. And if she breaks cleanly from traffic, he likes her chances.“It’s her efficiency of motion and her acceleration,” he said when asked to list her best qualities. “She’s got a devastating kick.”And after Secret Oath takes her shot at the Preakness and races against the nation’s top fillies for the balance of the year, might Lukas think this was the perfect way to wrap up his five decades in racing?Don’t bet on it.“I’ve got some pretty good 2-year-olds coming up,” he said, his mind already tuned to what’s next.AdvertisementTrainer D. Wayne Lukas, right, figures Secret Oath, pictured with exercise rider Oscar Quevedo at Pimlico on Wednesday, had an easier trip in the Kentucky Oaks than Epicenter did in the Kentucky Derby, so perhaps she’ll be the fresher horse. And if she breaks cleanly from traffic, he likes her chances. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)147th Preakness StakesPimlico Race CourseSaturday, approx. 7:01 p.m.TV: Chs. 11, 4 (coverage begins at 4 p.m)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Adam Engel dived trying to catch Emmanuel Rivera’s slicing liner in the sixth inning Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium.The Chicago White Sox right fielder came up empty and slipped slightly as he got back to his feet. MJ Melendez scored from first as Rivera raced to third for an RBI triple.AdvertisementThe hit against reliever Reynaldo López gave the Kansas City Royals the lead. The Royals scored twice in the sixth and Melendez added a two-run homer off Ryan Burr in the eighth as they beat the Sox 6-2 in front of 13,504.“I told (Engel) when he came in, don’t ever lose your aggressiveness,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “A couple plays (shortstop) Timmy (Anderson) made, the double play (first baseman José) Abreu made, (second baseman) Leury (García) made some good plays. Advertisement“You can’t be trying defensively and not trying offensively. It just doesn’t work that way.”It was another inconsistent night for the offense. The Sox collected 10 hits, including three singles by Anderson, but went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position to fall one game under .500 (18-19).“It’s not acceptable, if the offense is struggling, for the pitchers to say, ‘Hey, get some runs,’” La Russa said. “What’s acceptable is if the offense is trying their best. If that’s where we are, then we keep working at it. And if you see something that you think is not our best, then you fix it.“Same thing as the pitching. You can’t just look at results and say, ‘Oh, why don’t you get somebody out?’ That’s not how we handle it. The fact is, though, that we’ve got to get out of this rut offensively. We’re working on it, hitter by hitter.”The Sox produced early, taking a 1-0 lead on a two-out RBI single by García in the second. The Royals tied it with a run in the bottom of the inning and took the lead on a solo homer by Bobby Witt Jr. in the third against starter Lucas Giolito.Giolito allowed two runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in five innings in his return from the COVID-19-related injured list. The right-hander went on the COVID IL on Friday and was reinstated Wednesday.[ [Don’t miss] With Lucas Giolito back and Lance Lynn perhaps 3 weeks away, the White Sox could have 7 starters: ‘We hope we have that problem’ ]“Got into a much better rhythm as the game went on,” Giolito said. “Got clipped in the third inning on a lazy breaking ball, but other than that I was much more pleased with the last three than the first two. I credit the defense behind me and (catcher Yasmani Grandal) really carrying me through five innings, especially in the early going.“Unbelievable plays by Tim and Abreu. (Grandal) throwing a guy out. Getting outs like that on situations where I could keep throwing more pitches, they really helped me get through five innings. Not my best, but I’m happy to be back, back in a normal routine.”AdvertisementThe Sox tied the game on an RBI single by Anderson in the fifth. His hit gave the Sox runners on first and second with one out, but Royals starter Zack Greinke struck out the next two batters.The Sox loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but reliever Collin Snider got Andrew Vaughn to ground out to end the threat.“We had a lot (nine) left on base,” La Russa said. “Here’s the problem: I’m not giving a scouting report to the other side or our next opponent by identifying what we’re struggling with. But we can recognize it. That’s why we had a few minutes (after the game). (Hitting coaches) Frankie (Menechino) and Howie (Clark) were in (the manager’s office) talking about it.“You don’t ever give in on it. We’re capable of better and we expect it.”The Royals made the most of their chances in the sixth and eighth, dropping the Sox to 6-12 against American League Central opponents.The Sox know they have to make offensive adjustments if they want to have success.Advertisement“All we care about is our issues,” La Russa said. “The answer is no easy answer. But our hitting coaches know our hitters, our hitters know our hitters. We’ll chip away at it.”
Dear Amy: My daughter has been married almost a year.Her husband is in the military, and they had to get hitched so she could live with him during the COVID-19 lockdowns.AdvertisementThey live on an isolated military base. She takes care of the house, started a business, volunteers for the Red Cross, and has a dog keep her busy.She just graduated from college, but there is no work on the base for her.AdvertisementHe came home from work last night and told her he has been unhappy for a while and that he wanted a divorce.He said that counseling won’t help; his mind is made up. Then he left and stayed at a friend’s house. He won’t take her calls.The two of them did some premarital counseling and have some relationship books, so they have tools.I told her to email him to express what she is feeling, because it is not right for him to treat her like this. She is devastated and doesn’t even know what she has done wrong.Last month they were talking about starting a family. How are they on divorce’s doorstep?He has been out drinking with his buddies quite a bit in the last month.He has just decided that it’s over and she needs to pack and leave?What should her first steps be? She lives several states away, so going to give her a hug is not possible, but I need to help her.AdvertisementShe is alone and devastated and doesn’t know where to turn.I encouraged her to see the pastor on base, (this is the only counselor), but she is hesitant.Your advice?– JDear J: Keep in close touch with your daughter. I agree that she should see the base chaplain. The chaplain cannot save her marriage, but that person will know the next steps the couple will need to take if they decide to separate – or if her husband alone decides to make this break permanent.Military OneSource is a very helpful online portal provided by the U.S. Department of Defense. The site covers most conceivable topics of importance to military families, and offers a “live chat” function, as well as telephone counseling support.AdvertisementYour daughter’s first step should be to research her legal options and responsibilities. She got married quickly – it might be best to also dissolve this brief marriage quickly.My understanding is that if this divorce becomes a legal reality, your daughter will lose her access to live-in military housing.As her supportive parent, you should encourage her to breathe, to take things step-by-step, and – yes, (if possible) you should offer to help her pack the U-Haul.Dear Amy: I need some advice!I am a young adult who is hoping to break into the music industry.I use social media to network and connect with other artists — posting events, photos, etc.AdvertisementMy well-meaning Nana leaves comments and shares all my posts to her “page.”It’s completely embarrassing and comes across as unprofessional. How do I get her to stop without hurting her feelings or blocking her?Help!– Off KeyDear Off Key: First of all … how sweet. I’m at the age and stage of life where I believe that proud Nanas are pretty cool.Once you make it big(ger), you’ll be able to “own” this with pride. In fact, your Nana’s fandom could be your secret superpower. There might be clever ways for you to use her pride and engagement to promote your work. (A sample endorsement: “Goth’s Earworm: Easily as good as REO Speedwagon! (my Nana)”)AdvertisementIn the meantime, research ways to “mute” her comments. You should be able to do this without her being aware of it.Also – make sure you are engaging through the best social channels for your career. Your Nana probably isn’t on TikTok (but if she is, you should probably follow her lead).Dear Amy: I appreciate your compassion regarding the loss of a pet.My dear Labrador retriever passed away recently.Agonizing about what to do when she was really struggling near the end of her life, I reached out to a national organization called Lap of Love (lapoflove.com), that was incredible.Ask AmyDailyNo-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. For a limited time, sign up for the Ask Amy newsletter and get the book “Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from America’s Favorite Advice Columnist” for $5.They provide in-house visits, hospice care, medical advice (telehealth), euthanasia, and pet loss support.AdvertisementI am so grateful to the extremely kind and caring vet who helped us during a very difficult time.– Missing my Dog in CTDear Missing my Dog: In-home hospice care for a dying animal is a true gift.Got a question for Amy? Enter it here and we’ll send it to her.Sign up here to receive the Ask Amy newsletter to get advice e-mailed to your inbox every morning, and for a limited time — get the book “Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from America’s Favorite Advice Columnist” for $5.©2021 Amy Dickinson.
SEATTLE — Ezi Magbegor scored 21 points, Breanna Stewart added 13 and the Seattle Storm held on to beat the Chicago Sky 74-71 on Wednesday night.Magbegor added six rebounds and four assists, and Stewart had four steals for the Storm (2-3).AdvertisementSeattle led 74-62 after Gabby Williams’ 3-pointer with 2:28 remaining. Candace Parker scored the final seven points in a 9-0 Sky run to close out the game.The Sky (2-2) had the ball with 9.1 seconds left, but Allie Quigley misfired on a 22-footer on the game’s final shot.AdvertisementAzurá Stevens led the Sky with 18 points. Parker finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, and Emma Meesseman and Courtney Vandersloot also scored 11. Vandersloot added 12 assists.
HARRISON, N.J. — The Chicago Fire’s Xherdan Shaqiri and the New York Red Bulls’ Patryk Klimala put the finishing touches on a wild 3-3 draw Wednesday.Shaqiri’s third goal of the season came in the 89th minute to give the Fire (2-5-6) a 3-2 lead, but Klimala answered during stoppage time with his fourth goal to grab the tie.AdvertisementThe Red Bulls (5-2-6) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute on a penalty kick by Lewis Morgan. The Fire got goals from Chris Mueller in the 38th minute and Wyatt Omsberg in the 49th to take a 2-1 lead into halftime.Cameron Harper pulled the Red Bulls even with a goal in 58th minute.
An uneasy feeling of anxiety or dread, or maybe both, settled over Citi Field on Wednesday night.Max Scherzer took himself out of his start in the middle of an at-bat against Albert Pujols in the sixth inning of the Mets’ game against the Cardinals. AdvertisementScherzer threw two sliders to Pujols, the latter causing him to pull the plug on his 87-pitch outing.Scherzer motioned to the Mets dugout, and he appeared to repeatedly say, “I’m done. I’m done.” AdvertisementManager Buck Showalter, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and an athletic trainer all approached the mound. The meeting was quick. Scherzer departed with the trainer out of his start and into the clubhouse with an apparent injury.The veteran right-hander allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts across 5.2 innings against the Cardinals in his eighth start of the year.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Illinois has begun issuing new craft grow cannabis licenses, and a judge has authorized the state to hold a corrective lottery for dispensary applicants that filed…
Illinois has begun issuing new craft grow cannabis licenses, and a judge has authorized the state to hold a corrective lottery for dispensary applicants that filed…
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chicago White Sox are a step closer to having a healthy rotation with Lucas Giolito’s return to the mound Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals.Giolito had been out since Friday, when the Sox placed him on the COVID-19-related injured list. His reinstatement was one of three roster moves the team announced.AdvertisementThe Sox optioned Davis Martin to Triple-A Charlotte after the right-hander allowed one run and struck out seven in five innings in his impressive major-league debut in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader. They also transferred starter Lance Lynn to the 60-day IL. Lynn is eligible to be reinstated June 6. If everyone is healthy then, the Sox could have seven starters to choose from.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Column: Beef between Tim Anderson and Ozzie Guillén? It’s up to the White Sox to make sure it’s not a bigger distraction. ]“We’ll figure that out when that time comes,” pitching coach Ethan Katz said Tuesday. “If you look at a lot of teams, for example last year the (Los Angeles) Dodgers had 10 starting pitchers at the start of the season and they finished in the playoffs with like three.“Having starting depth is really important. You can never have enough and how it shakes out at the end of the day, we’ll see how it goes. But right now it’s nice to have the options we have, and hopefully it becomes a very tough decision. We will not have a seven-man rotation, but hopefully we have some tough decisions to make.”Manager Tony La Russa agreed: “We hope we have that problem.”Katz discussed the state of the staff before Dylan Cease allowed seven hits and struck out nine in 5⅔ scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory in Game 1 of the doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium.White Sox starter Dylan Cease pitches during the first inning Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)Cease improved to 4-1 with a 3.09 ERA and a major-league-leading 67 strikeouts.“He’s definitely taking some big steps,” Katz said. “And what’s exciting is there’s still more steps to be had. That’s kind of expected. He’s still a young pitcher.“He had a great year last year, he’s off to a great start right now, but there’s still things we’re trying to refine, trying to get consistent. But he’s growing every day, his confidence is growing every day, which is ultimately the biggest thing.”Sox starters entered Wednesday’s game with a 3.41 ERA, which ranked fifth in the American League. Michael Kopech’s 1.54 ERA stands out. The right-hander has made a smooth transition back to the rotation after spending most of last year as a reliever. He has 33 strikeouts in 35 innings.AdvertisementKopech is on the paternity leave list but is scheduled to start Saturday in New York against the Yankees.“When you go from relieving to starting, it’s something you’re always paying attention to and want to make sure that you’re not taxing him too hard,” Katz said. “We’ve been very cognizant of all his pitch counts so far, his ups, and we’re going to continue to do that.”White Sox starter Michael Kopech delivers to the Yankees on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Katz has built a connection with Vince Velasquez, who pointed to the coach as a factor when signing with the Sox in March. Velasquez is 2-3 with a 5.53 ERA in six starts. He allowed one run in 10⅔ innings in wins against the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox before giving up seven runs in five innings in his last start Friday against the Yankees.Velasquez starts Thursday’s series finale in Kansas City.“His outings, every day, every time we get to see him work, we talk about some new things,” Katz said. “The challenge we have is we didn’t get a full spring training, we didn’t get an offseason to communicate and do all that. So it’s finding spots to talk, address, watch him throw. Him hearing me talk a little bit more about things and me seeing him work and just adding to everything.“It just takes time. I’m looking forward to (Thursday’s) outing after the last one, kind of building off that. The previous two were really good.”Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Column: A crazy week for the White Sox shows off the many moods of manager Tony La Russa ]Dallas Keuchel followed up a solid outing against the Red Sox (two runs in six innings on May 8) with another against the Yankees (five shutout innings Saturday). He’ll start Friday’s series opener in New York.“He came into the spring and him being able to recapture the movement on his pitches, there was some stuff delivery-wise that he battled a little bit last year,” Katz said. “He’s done a nice job this year of repeating that, and when he does that, we know that his stuff moves the way he wants to, the ball gets to where he wants to, which enhances weak contact and mishit balls. “He’s just starting to get some momentum and it’s really nice to see the stuff we saw in spring all come together.”White Sox starter Johnny Cueto points to catcher Yasmani Grandal on Monday, May 16, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)The Sox added another veteran to the mix Monday when Johnny Cueto made his Sox debut with two hits allowed in six shutout innings.“He was great,” Katz said. “The tempo is there, he attacks the strike zone, he’s going to shimmy, get hitters off balance. It was a lot of fun for the team to be able to see that. He keeps the defense ready to go because of how fast he’s working.“He’s a lot of fun to watch and he’s going to bring a lot of joy to this team.”