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TULSA, Okla. — The wind finally relented Friday in the PGA Championship. Will Zalatoris never did. From the fairway or the rough, Zalatoris kept hitting the golf ball on the button at Southern Hills and took advantage of gentler conditions late in the afternoon for a 4-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Mito Pereira of Chile.AdvertisementThe weekend will include Tiger Woods in his second straight major, a remarkable achievement in its own right.Playing on a battered right leg from his car crash 15 months ago, Woods was outside the cut line after a double bogey on the par-3 11th hole. He played the final seven holes with two birdies and a pair of 15-foot par saves for a 69 to make it with one shot to spare.AdvertisementBut he’s 12 shots behind Zalatoris, the 25-year-old from Dallas who is built like a 1-iron and could probably hit one flush with his eyes closed.Will Zalatoris walks on the fourth green during the second round of the PGA Championship Friday at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. Zalatoris ledsa by one entering Round 3. (Eric Gay/AP)No doubt, Zalatoris and his entire side of the draw was helped when wind that gusted over 30 mph Friday morning laid down over the final two hours.Bubba Watson had a shot at the first 62 in PGA Championship history. He missed from just inside 25 feet on the 18th hole and settled for the 18th round of 63 in this major and the third at Southern Hills. He joined Woods (2007) and Raymond Floyd (1982).Pereira also had a chance at 63, missing from 7 feet on the ninth hole to close his round.“I lucked out with the draw for sure. We played 11 on without any wind,” Zalatoris said. “When I got out of position, I got the most out of it.”He opened with a shot from the rough that tumbled across the length of the green to 2 feet. He hit another through a gap in the trees to 7 feet. Not only did he have a bogey-free card, all five of his birdies were inside 8 feet.Zalatoris was at 9-under 131.And all Justin Thomas could do was watch from the couch of his rental home in Tulsa.AdvertisementJustin Thomas watches his tee shot on the 17th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship on Friday at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. (Matt York/AP)Thomas did the heavy lifting in the morning, when the wind was raging and limbs were swaying. He dropped only one shot on his way to another 67 that set a daunting target for Rory McIlroy and everyone else in the afternoon.Thomas is three shots behind, with Watson right behind him.Of some two dozen players under par, only five came from the wave that played Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, the two windiest windows of the week.McIlroy got the good side of the draw and failed to seize on the moment. He didn’t make a birdie until the 13th hole. That was his only one in a round of 71 that left him five shots behind.Jordan Spieth, playing alongside McIlroy and Woods, finally got back to even par for the tournament until driving into the water on the 18th for a bogey and a 69. He was 10 shots behind in his bid for the career Grand Slam.The weekend will not include Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, who stumbled badly down the stretch and finished with a double bogey for a 75 to miss the cut — 4-over par — by two.AdvertisementScottie Scheffler watches his putt on the 15th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship on Friday at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. Scheffler missed the cut. (Eric Gay/AP)Jon Rahm thought he might have worked his way back into the mix with a 69 to get to 2-over 142, and he was skeptical about the forecast of wind abating.“They said the wind was going to go down this afternoon. No, it’s not. It’s Oklahoma,” Rahm said. “It’s going to stay just as windy as we had.”If only.Watson had never scored better than 68 in his previous 49 rounds in the PGA Championship. Then he dropped nine birdies and goes into the weekend with a chance.Zalatoris and Pereira, who led the Korn Ferry Tour a year ago, will be in the final group Saturday, two players still searching for their first PGA Tour title.Zalatoris has plenty of experience in the majors. He was runner-up in the Masters to Hideki Matsuyama in his debut in 2021. This is his eighth major, and he already has four top 10s.Advertisement“When I took the sole lead on 12, I told my caddie, ‘Let’s enjoy this,’ ” Zalatoris said. “In my first Masters, I was runner-up and I wanted to enjoy it. I’ll take that same attitude.”Woods looked to be headed home after his double bogey on the par-3 11th, where he went from the high grass framing a stream to the bunker on the other side of the green. And then he saved par from a bunker on No. 12, hit wedge to 4 feet for birdie on the par-5 13th, saved par with another 15-footer on the next hole and hit his best shot on the 16th to 4 feet.Tiger Woods watches his tee shot on the 10th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship on Friday at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay/AP)“I had to go grind and go to work, and I did,” Woods said. “Hopefully, I can get a hot weekend and you never know.”Hot is a popular term in these parts, particularly with memories of 100-plus degrees in August when the PGA was last at Southern Hills in 2007 and Woods won by two. For Saturday, the temperatures were forecast for the low 60s.

Kofi Cockburn knew he entered the NBA draft combine this week in Chicago with plenty to prove.After using the event as a growth experience last year, the former Illinois center is set on entering the NBA next season. And despite second-round projections and questions about his perimeter abilities, Cockburn believes he can carve out a place as a professional.Advertisement“A lot of people doubt my ability to adapt to the NBA,” Cockburn said. “You can put me in any situation and I can definitely contribute. … The NBA is a whole different ballgame. They have no idea what I’m capable of so they’ll always have doubt.”Cockburn declared for the draft after his third season at Illinois after averaging 20.9 points and 10.6 rebounds and being named an All-American for the second straight year. AdvertisementMeasuring 7 feet tall with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Cockburn’s size was his most obvious advantage at the combine. With other top center prospect such as Chet Holmgren opting out of scrimmages to avoid injury, Cockburn towered over his opposition Thursday and Friday.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 34Scotty Pippen Jr., right, of Team Curry defends Marcus Sasser of Team Weaver during a scrimmage at the NBA draft combine on May 19, 2022, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)Cockburn idolized Shaquille O’Neal as a young player learning the game in Jamaica, and that hard-nosed physicality in the post dominates his style of play.“A lot of people tell me if it was the 1990s, I’d be drafted in the top 10,” Cockburn said with a laugh.But the center role has changed dramatically since O’Neal’s era, piling new expectations on big men.Cockburn isn’t a strong perimeter shooter, missing the only 3-pointer he attempted at Illinois. His agility also was a key emphasis for improvement throughout his collegiate career, seeing major improvement in his junior season. He still needs to develop that area of his game to succeed in the NBA, in which big men such as Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid regularly knock down 3s to stretch the court.Cockburn is still a top-15 center with second-round projections, but his stock could be limited by how the position has evolved.Wednesday’s workouts highlighted expected strengths and weaknesses for Cockburn. Despite going 14-for-25 in midrange shooting — tying for first in the drill — he went 14-for-25 (36th overall) in spot shooting. He also was one of the slowest players in the shuttle run (fourth-worst at 3.31 seconds) and lane-agility test (third-worst at 12.11 seconds).The two days of scrimmaging allowed Cockburn to showcase his abilities in the paint. He logged 11 points and 13 rebounds Thursday, then recorded 19 points and 11 rebounds Friday.AdvertisementAlthough Cockburn said he wasn’t satisfied with the number of touches he received in the scrimmages, he emphasized the importance of showing teams he can outrebound any opponent.“I figured these guys are going to shoot, I’m going to rebound,” Cockburn said. “No team is going to put me in the star play. I’m going to have to find my role playing defense, talking, bringing positive energy and rebounding.”Illinois center Kofi Cockburn waits for the game against Ohio State to resume on Feb. 24, 2022, at the State Farm Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Cockburn brought a boisterous presence to the court during scrimmages, hollering support at teammates from the sideline and slinging an arm around opponents with a grin after fouls. When he smashed a two-handed dunk through the rim in the second half of Friday’s scrimmage, Cockburn’s excited shout reverberated at Wintrust Arena.His success at the combine continued a week of good news for the Illinois program. Former Illinois teammate and Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu, a Morgan Park product, earned a spot on the All-Rookie second team Wednesday, capping a breakout season.Despite falling into the second round in last year’s draft, Dosunmu thrived after the Bulls selected him with the 38th pick. He carried the mantle of starting point guard for most of the final third of the season as injuries plagued the starting lineup, averaging 8.8 points and 3.3 assists.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 75Ayo Dosunmu tries to block the shot of Atlanta guard Trae Young in the second half of a game at the United Center on Feb. 24, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 12An emotional Ayo Dosunmu celebrates Thursday during a watch party at Bracket Room in Chicago after the Bulls selected him with the 38th pick in the NBA draft. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Although the Bulls need to bulk up their interior to support center Nikola Vučević, Cockburn is unlikely to land in Chicago. The Bulls still haven’t been able to develop 2020 draft pick Marko Simonović, a 6-foot-11 Serbian forward who spent most of the season with the Windy City roster. This offseason, they’re in search of more developed talent to improve their size, while Cockburn will require more long-term development.AdvertisementBut Cockburn said he still counts on Dosunmu to put in a good word with the Bulls front office ahead of the draft. The two still talk every day, a relationship Cockburn doesn’t expect to change even if they become opponents next season. During the Bulls season, he called Dosunmu ahead of every game for a pep talk. Dosunmu did the same ahead of the combine.“It’s him being that brother to me,” Cockburn said. “He always looks out for me.”The combine was a familiar experience for Cockburn, who underwent the process last year. At the time, Cockburn said it was a difficult decision to return to college. This year, that choice was easier — even with the potential of guaranteed NIL deals awaiting him in Champaign.After taking 19 interviews at last year’s combine, Cockburn said he didn’t interview with any new teams this week, although his agent is coordinating meetings with several teams.Cockburn’s next steps will be decided June 23 at the NBA in New York.

When Fergie Jenkins attended the statue dedication ceremonies for his former Chicago Cubs teammates at Wrigley Field, the thought had to cross his mind.Will the Cubs one day honor me?AdvertisementIt took longer than necessary, but that day finally arrived Friday at Gallagher Way.The sculpture of Jenkins in his windup brought back memories of his duels with Bob Gibson at Wrigley Field during an era when starters took the ball and wouldn’t give it up until it was pried from their hands. Standing in front of his statue after the ceremony Friday afternoon, Jenkins turned around to take a long look, then smiled at the familiar pose.Advertisement“It’s me,” he said. “It looks like me. I think that was (from) an afternoon ballgame, a (TV) ‘Game of the Week.’ They used it on a Sports Illustrated cover. That was the pose because they wanted to show the Cubs logo on the chest and the cap.”Cubs pitching great Fergie Jenkins speaks during the unveiling of his statue Friday outside Wrigley Field. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)When you think of Jenkins in a Cubs uniform, you think about the 284 career wins, the 3,192 strikeouts, the 267 complete games, and, of course, that fateful 1969 season. He waited a long time to join Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ron Santo as statue-worthy Cubs, but it was worth the wait.“Fergie deserved this a long time ago,” Williams said. “But better late than never.”Jenkins never grumbled over the wait, even as he admitted Friday he “had the numbers” to merit the honor.“But the organization has to do it,” Jenkins said. “Just like retiring my number (31). They waited for (Greg) Maddux to retire, and we retired (the number) together (in 2009).“I was here for Ernie’s (ceremony). I was here for Billy’s and Ronnie’s. Believe me, it was an honor to see them being humble, because the fact was they were Chicago Cubs players. To me, my career was in Chicago. My second home was playing right here in Wrigley Field.”Jenkins’s speech was short and sweet, and just like his pitching days at Wrigley, he was forced to battle a 25-mph wind to keep his notes from blowing away. He thanked everyone from the Rickettses to former Cubs owner P.K. Wrigley, from manager Leo Durocher to the Bleacher Bums. Jenkins told a humorous story of the day Durocher let Frank Sinatra manage a couple of innings of a spring training game in Palm Springs, Calif., in 1968.But it was Banks, Jenkins said, who “taught me to respect the game and be professional all the time.” That was a lesson Jenkins never forgot.Advertisement“Fergie is very unassuming, and you wondered whether he’d be able to get the accolades that he really deserves,” former Cubs batterymate Randy Hundley said. “He’s beginning to get it, and I’m glad for him.”[ Fergie Jenkins’ statue will be unveiled Friday at Wrigley Field. His former teammates reflect on the Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer’s career. ]Williams, Hundley and the rest of Jenkins’ friends seemed as happy for him as he was for himself. The Cubs community turned out for the ceremony, including Jenkins’ former teammates Williams, Hundley, Byron Browne, Lee Smith and Steve Trout and former players including Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood.Former Blackhawks goaltender Ed Belfour also was among the guests on a warm day with the kind of wind blowing out to right that forced Jenkins to hit his spots or watch the ball fly, as it did for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who hit seven home runs Friday in a 10-6 win.“He didn’t worry about no danged wind,” Williams said of Jenkins. “If the wind was blowing at him, it was in his favor because he had a good slider, and he knew that.”The statues of Jenkins, Banks, Williams and Santo serve as reminders of a season that lives in infamy — that epic 1969 collapse to the New York Mets. That those players, and that team, remain beloved in Chicago despite the tragic ending is a testament to the joy they brought Cubs fans year in and year out.“It’s too bad the Mets — I hate to say it — the Mets won,” Williams said. “But I was here in 2016.”AdvertisementHistory tends to celebrate the winners, and Cubs fans finally got that chance in 2016. But Chicagoans also have celebrated athletes with character and a strong work ethic, whether they had won a ring or not.Jenkins was what we all aspire to be — someone who worked at his craft and never wanted to leave a job unfinished. Someone who was confident in his ability but never too cocky. Someone who hated losing and did everything he could to help his team win.“As a pitcher, I learned to win,” he said in his speech. “Losing never entered my mind.”Billy Williams speaks about Fergie Jenkins before the unveiling of the Cubs pitching great’s statue on May 20, 2022, outside Wrigley Field. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)Williams reminded writers that Jenkins went out to the mound every four games in an era of the four-man rotation.“Now you’ve got pitchers going out there every five days,” Williams said.Or every six days, Williams was reminded.AdvertisementWilliams then listed the names of Jenkins, Gibson, Don Drysdale and Juan Marichal, old-school starters who didn’t believe they did their jobs unless the catcher handed them the ball at the end of a complete game. Last season the only teams with more than three complete games were the Philadelphia Phillies (five) and Chicago White Sox (four). During his Cy Young-winning season with the Cubs in 1971, Jenkins had six complete games in both May and July and a league-leading 30 overall.Jenkins laughed Fridasy when asked about modern-day starters throwing five innings or less.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“That’s way too bad,” he said. “They don’t give them the opportunity to show what their ability is all about. These guys train to do a certain thing. To pitch 2 ⅔ innings, you haven’t even touched a part of their ability. You don’t really get into a ballgame until the fifth or the sixth”Cubs starter Drew Smyly lasted 4 ⅓ innings Wednesday, while Marcus Stroman threw five innings Thursday. Both were satisfied with their outings afterward. The baseball axiom “five and dive” was once an insult thrown at starters who couldn’t pitch past the fifth. Now starters are rewarded with high-fives for going five innings.Jenkins can only be thankful he pitched in a differnt era.“I ran a lot, I stayed in shape,” Jenkins said. “My dad was a chef. He told me what to eat, what not to eat. But the biggest thing is what you put in your body that’s going to make you perform well. I tried to understand that being out there playing, I had to have stamina. I never had a sore arm. I pitched 21 seasons and never had a sore arm. That’s probably genetics.”AdvertisementThe journey from growing up in Chatham, Ontario, to the Baseball Hall of Fame to Friday’s statue dedication was a long and hard one. When Jenkins was 14, his father, who had played in the Negro Leagues, took him to his first game at old Tigers Stadium in Detroit. After watching Larry Doby hit two home runs, Fergie told his dad he wanted to be a ballplayer.“Little did I know it was going to work out so good,” he said.The day was complete, just the way we remembered whenever Jenkins took the mound.

Chicago Fire goalkeeper and Addison native Gabriel Slonina has picked his international future — at least for the time being.Slonina on Friday announced on social media he is committing to the U.S. men’s national team for international soccer. The highly touted goalkeeper was eligible to play for Poland, which earlier this week called him up to its camp.Advertisement“I love everything about my heritage, from the people to the food to the cities,” Slonina, 18, said in the announcement. “I am also extremely grateful for being given the possibility to play for Poland.“With that being said, my heart is American. This country has given me and my family all the opportunities I could ask for. … I understand the privilege of wearing the badge, and the only time I’ll put my head down is to kiss it. America is home and that’s who I’m going to represent.”AdvertisementSlonina told the Tribune last year that choosing between the countries would be a difficult choice — one that most dual-nationals grip with.“I have a lot of family in Poland but I also grew up my whole life in the USA,” said Slonina, whose parents emigrated from Tarnów. “It’s going to be a tough one but it’s going to have to be made.”While the news might be exciting to American soccer fans, it’s worth noting that Slonina’s commitment to the U.S. is not set in stone.Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina (1) reacts after an Orlando City goal was overturned after a review in the second half of the Fire’s home opener at Soldier Field, March 5, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Per FIFA eligibility rules, Slonina can still switch to Poland as long as he does not make more than three appearances for the U.S. before he turns 21. Appearing even once in a World Cup or CONCACAF final competition would make him ineligible to switch, but playing in a tournament qualifier would not.Slonina, whom some believe to be U.S. goalkeeper of the future, was not included in coach Gregg Berhalter’s squad for June matches.The announcement Friday came after a tough run of games for Slonina, who recently committed a handful of costly errors for the Fire, winless in their last eight Major League Soccer matches. Against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday, Slonina let a shot slip through his hands for a goal. At Soldier Field on Saturday, a giveaway led to FC Cincinnati’s game-winning goal.Slonina on Thursday acknowledged the errors, posting on social media that is was “awful feeling like (you’re) letting everyone down.”Last couple games have not been my best. costing vital points does not push us to our goals. it’s awful feeling like your letting everyone down, but that’s the side of sports that is rarely talked about. I promise I’m going to keep doing everything I can to bounce back and pic.twitter.com/HDcrm07elH— GAGA (@GabrielSlonina) May 19, 2022

Fire coach Ezra Hendrickson was quick to point out that mistakes are part of the game, especially for a young goalkeeper, and that club still strongly believes in Slonina.Advertisement“He’s an 18-year-old kid,” Hendrickson told reporters Wednesday night. “He’s a bit inexperienced. But he’s a mentally tough kid, and he’s made a couple mistakes now in the past couple games but he’s still our No. 1.“As far as what we need to do, we just need to put our arms around him, let him know we’re still confident in him because he’s our goalkeeper and he’s a very good goalkeeper at that. It’s just sometimes players go through situations like this and he’s just got to find his way out of it and especially in that position. … We’ll help him as a group to get past this game and to get past these couple blunders. But he’s our goalkeeper, he’s our No. 1. There’s no doubt about that.”

NEW YORK — Wes Helms was placed on “indefinite leave” as the manager of the Chicago White Sox Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte, the team announced Friday.The Sox did not provide additional information, calling it a “personnel issue.”Advertisement2022 marked Helms’ fourth season in the Sox system and his second as Knights manager. He was a coach at Double-A Birmingham in 2019.Helms, 46, played for the Atlanta Braves (1998, 2000-02), Milwaukee Brewers (2003-05), Florida (now Miami) Marlins (2006, ‘08-11) and Philadelphia Phillies (2007), hitting .256 with 75 home runs and 374 RBIs in 1,212 career major-league games.AdvertisementAccording to reports, Julio Mosquera will serve as Charlotte’s acting manager.The Knights confirm reports.“The Chicago White Sox announced today that Julio Mosquera will serve as acting manager with the Charlotte Knights as Wes Helms has been placed on indefinite leave. The Knights will have no further comments at this time due to a personnel matter.”— Hannah Oliveto (@HannahOliveto) May 20, 2022

NEW YORK — The Chicago White Sox-New York Yankees game scheduled for Friday evening at Yankee Stadium was postponed because of impending inclement weather.It will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sunday, with the first game starting at 2:05 p.m. Central time.AdvertisementThis story will be updated. Tonight’s NYY-CWS game is postponed due to the forecast of sustained inclement weather & will be made up on Sunday, May 22, as the first game of a single-admission doubleheader, which will begin at 3:05pm. Only tickets dated Sunday, May 22, will be valid for the doubleheader. pic.twitter.com/fjVGWvADIw— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 20, 2022

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Five years ago, in front of more than 140,000 spectators at the 142nd Preakness Stakes, trainer Chad Brown and owner Seth Klarman beat the odds.Despite Always Dreaming and Classic Empire being considered the favorites entering the race, Cloud Computing was able to finish on top, securing Brown’s first victory in the Triple Crown series.Advertisement“It was a great moment,” Brown said looking back at that momentous achievement for Klaravich Stables. “To win the race for Seth Klarman, who is originally from Baltimore, was even extra rewarding.”On Saturday, Brown returns to Pimlico Race Course hoping to find similar success with Early Voting, a colt that shares similarities with the 2017 Preakness champion.Advertisement“We’re back with the same connections, owner [and] similar horse with our team,” the 43-year-old trainer said. “So hopefully, we’re trying to do it again.”Preakness 2022: Epicenter always gives trainer Steve Asmussen ‘more of the same.’ That’s why he’s the clear favorite. https://t.co/QQndxmMJxK— Baltimore Sun Sports (@BaltSunSports) May 20, 2022

Similar to Cloud Computing, Early Voting had enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, but Brown elected to wait for the Preakness. Brown said Early Voting, who will be making his first start since finishing second by a neck in the Wood Memorial (G2) last month, is a lightly raced horse that wasn’t seasoned enough for the 20-horse field at the Derby.The approach worked for Brown in 2017, and he is hoping it will once more in Baltimore as time will be on their side once again.Cloud Computing’s trainer Chad Brown kisses the Woodlawn Vase in the winners circle in 2017. The horse ridden by Javier Castellano won the 142nd Preakness Stakes. (Kim Hairston / Baltimore Sun)“It’s six weeks between his last race and the Preakness versus two weeks of rest for the horses coming out of the Derby,” he said.Early Voting, the son of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner, will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, a veteran jockey who has two victories in three career starts aboard the colt. Early Voting’s last win came at the Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct in Queens, New York, on Feb. 5.Heading into the 147th Preakness, Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter is a 6-5 favorite to win. Meanwhile, Early Voting has the second-best odds at 7-2, followed by Secret Oath (9-2), Simplification (6-1) and Creative Minister (10-1).Brown said winning the Preakness again would be important for Klarman. Even though Klarman has had success over the years with Klaravich Stables, earning 388 wins and more than $29 million in prize money, Brown said Pimlico holds a special place in his heart.The 64-year-old hedge fund manager moved to Baltimore at age 6 and lived a few blocks from the race track.AdvertisementPreakness entry Early Voting runs on the Pimlico track Friday morning. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)“We’re fortunate enough with our partnership to be involved with a lot of the big days of racing all over the country,” Brown said. “But with that said, I’d have to think this race still holds a very special place for him. It’d be quite a moment if we’re able to pull it off.”Brown said working with Klarman, who he considers a close friend, has been a life-changing partnership.“He has supplied us with so many talented horses and opportunities to work with that me and my team could never thank him enough for that,” he said. “And on a personal level, he has given me so much advice through the years, both personally and professionally, that’s invaluable.”With Klarman’s 65th birthday on Saturday, Brown is seeking to turn back the clock and deliver the perfect gift of a first-place finish at the Preakness.“[It would be] very gratifying for me to take apart and [give] one of my best friends a classic victory,” he said.147th Preakness StakesAdvertisementPimlico Race CourseSaturday, approx. 7:01 p.m.TV: Chs. 11, 4 (coverage begins at 4 p.m)THE FIELDPost position; horse; odds1. Simplification (6-1)Advertisement2. Creative Minister (10-1)3. Fenwick (50-1)4. Secret Oath (9-2)5. Early Voting (7-2)6. Happy Jack (30-1)7. Armagnac (12-1)Advertisement8. Epicenter (6-5)9. Skippylongstocking (20-1)

Saturday’s 147th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course lost a bit of luster with the defection of upset Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike. But the middle jewel of the Triple Crown series offers plenty of other compelling storylines and a solid mix of intriguing newcomers to face off against a couple proven in the Derby cauldron.Secret Oath is bidding to become just the seventh filly to wear the Black-Eyed Susans. And speaking of sevens, she gives her trainer, 86-year-old Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, a chance to win his record-tying seventh Preakness.AdvertisementThen there’s Creative Minister. His owners, Fern Circle Stables, Back Racing LLC and Magdalena Racing, had to pay $150,000 to make the colt eligible to the Triple Crown series as a late nomination.“The bad news is, knucklehead here didn’t nominate him,” trainer Kenny McPeek joked Thursday morning, pointing the finger of blame squarely at himself.AdvertisementIf you’re the sort of person who believes that if lightning strikes once, then it’s sure to strike a second time, Fenwick is the horse for you. Two weeks after Rich Strike won the Derby at 80-1 odds, Fenwick is 50-1 on the morning line.And with just one win from six starts, his trainer, Kevin McKathan, opined that “he needs to be 80-1″ before adding that “we’re not up here joking.”The Preakness figures to run directly through 6-5 morning line favorite Epicenter. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Epicenter compiled a stellar resume through the winter and early spring, winning three key Derby prep races.Sent off as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, Epicenter ran a brave race and looked like a winner until Rich Strike struck. Epicenter was the only horse anywhere near the hotly contested early part of the Derby who stayed on until the very end, and many believe he was best that day.Epicenter has shown admirable versatility, winning races both while setting the pace throughout and after stalking the pace from a couple of lengths back. That could serve him well in Baltimore.Jockey Joel Rosario, one of the best in the business, has been on Epicenter his last four starts, and if the horse fires, Rosario will likely put him in the best spot to make a serious bid.Rich Strike’s withdrawal from Preakness reignites debate over extending Triple Crown schedule: ‘I think it would work’ https://t.co/rcqT572c1u— Baltimore Sun Sports (@BaltSunSports) May 18, 2022

Kentucky Derby horses generally do extraordinarily well in the Preakness. Twenty of the last 26 Preakness winners had made their previous start in the Derby, with 11 winning both and nine others winning in Baltimore after falling short in Louisville.If that statistic compels you, but you find the short odds on Epicenter a bit tough to take, consider Simplification. The Antonio Sano trainee has run three straight terrific races and, like Epicenter, is quite versatile in his running style.AdvertisementIn the Kentucky Derby, Simplification had an uncomfortable trip and was farther back than expected chasing the hot fractions. He’s a consistent sort whose best might be good enough here, especially if Epicenter falters at all. He’s 6-1 on the morning line.Notably, Simplification’s jockey for the Derby, top national pilot Jose Ortiz, has jumped ship. His replacement, John Velazquez, is a Hall of Famer, so it’s not as if you’d expect a drop-off in performance. But Ortiz’s move suggests he likes his horse even better.That’s new shooter Early Voting for the powerful barn of trainer Chad Brown. Early Voting has won two of his three career starts, and last time out, he was a very good second in New York’s top Derby prep, the Wood Memorial Stakes, behind Mo Donegal, who then was a good fifth in the Derby.That short resume is virtually identical to the horse who gave Brown his only Triple Crown win to date: Cloud Computing, who took the 2017 Preakness at 13-1, in just his fourth career start.Early Voting is 7-2 on the morning line.Secret Oath is 9-2 and will, for the second straight race, have Luis Saez in the irons. Saez gave the filly a perfect trip in her Kentucky Oaks victory, and a reprise of that would give her a big shot in Baltimore. The most recent filly to take the Preakness was Swiss Skydiver, who won the pandemic-delayed 2020 edition.AdvertisementThe flow of the race could work to Secret Oath’s advantage. Some of these runners — especially Fenwick, Early Voting and Armagnac (12-1 morning line) — look likely to be in the early vanguard. If they heat up the pace, then late runners like Secret Oath should be in a good position to pick up the pieces.Of course, there, too, you might end up thinking, “advantage, Epicenter.”Three of the last eight Preakness winners went off at less than even-money, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to make a buck. In that same period, the average $2 exacta (in which you pick the top two finishers) has returned $184.75.Epicenter is the most likely winner here, and if you’re willing to accept short odds that might end up even shorter, there’s a good chance you’ll cash a ticket.One way to spice that up might be to play him in exactas, keying him with long shots. The two playable outsiders in this group look to be Creative Minister (10-1) and Skippylongstocking (20-1), and exactas with Epicenter keyed over and under those two give you a chance to cash a big ticket while using the favorite in the top spots.But what’s fun about the favorite? Let’s try to beat him on top. Call it:Advertisement1. Simplification (6-1): Keeps churning out good races and might offer the best value of the contenders.2. Early Voting (7-2): Lightly raced sort is likely to be one-two early, and if the pace isn’t too intense, he’s shown the quality to stay around a long time.3. Epicenter (6-5): Derby runner-up too versatile and too consistent to ignore.4. Secret Oath (9-2): Kentucky Oaks-winning filly might find the right pace scenario.Good luck, and happy Preakness!Frank Vespe, the founder and publisher of TheRacingBiz.com, has owned, bought, sold, claimed, written and talked about horses, in varying combinations, for 15 years.

Chicago Bears offensive assistants spoke to the media Tuesday for the first time this offseason after the second day of organized team activities at Halas Hall.Here are four things we heard as the new coaches continue to get to know their players.AdvertisementJanocko got to know Fields a little bit through the 2021 predraft process on Zoom, when Janocko was in his seventh season with the Minnesota Vikings and first as quarterbacks coach.Janocko said his impressions then about Fields’ demeanor, work ethic and winning mentality have been confirmed through the first few months of working with him. Janocko said he can tell Fields has put in the preparation and thinks he is ahead of pace in his learning as the Bears build a new offense.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] ‘A complete reset’: Chicago Bears are challenging Jaylon Johnson to earn the trust of new coach Matt Eberflus ]“There’s nobody that’s going to outwork him that’s in this building — coach, player — he’s going to be the hardest worker,” Janocko said. “That’s something that, coming in here, I had hoped for. It was definitely something that was enforced from the minute he and I first got together.“The fact he can come in and spit out a play call means that last night he was sitting at home probably in (front of) the mirror talking that play out. Different offenses have different ways of communicating things, and the fact he’s picked up on some of our language quickly and that he can spit it right back at you without stuttering, without having to think about it or process, that it all just clicks in his head. That’s a mental aspect that takes time to develop and that takes effort away from the building.”In their limited work on the field, Janocko said Fields’ speed has obviously stood out, but so has his ability to apply coaching in practices.“The way he feels in the pocket and how he’s adapted to the training,” Janocko said. “He’s such a natural athlete that you can say it to him once or you can demonstrate it … (and) he can just take to that training and apply it to a drill and then take it to a team period.”Janocko addressed several areas of Fields’ on-field work:Ball-security drills: “That’s Coach Flus. That comes from the top down of the organization.”Adjusting his footwork: “Everything is about timing and rhythm in the NFL. If you can get the ball out on time and you can listen to what your feet are telling you, then that helps you progress, helps you get through reads, helps you feel a defense and tells you when you’re late and need to move on.”His throwing motion: “We’re always just trying to be efficient and compact. … Everything starts with our feet and building it from the ground up. And then from there just being compact and allowing him to have the best release possible from the ground up, from the waist up, with his base and all that. We’re always working on different things like that.”Jones, the Bears’ third-round pick out of Tennessee, already has impressed coaches with his maturity and hunger to get better. Tolbert and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy noted the whiteboard Jones carries around to take notes and draw plays.And Jones, the speedster who also is in the mix as a returner, apparently is going to need that focus for all the Bears are asking of him.“We’ve thrown him into the fire pretty quick, put him at two positions immediately,” Tolbert said. “Get him to learn it now because we want him to learn the whole concept, but specifically, a couple of positions to get him going. The more he can do, the more obviously he’ll have a chance to play. So we’re going to throw it all at him and see what he soaks in and hopefully he’ll get out there and make some plays for us.”AdvertisementExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)Running backs coach David Walker said the Bears have been looking around the league for players for Montgomery to study as he looks to build on a third season in which he had 225 carries for 849 yards and seven touchdowns and 42 catches for 301 yards in 13 games.His studies have included Indianapolis Colts All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor. Walker acknowledged Montgomery doesn’t have the 40-yard dash speed of Taylor, who averaged 106.5 rushing years per game last season, but Walker sees some similarities in their styles they can draw from.“David has the opportunity to be as good as anybody in this league,” Walker said. “He has the skill set. He has the mindset. He’s going to get his opportunities. Quickness, check. Vision, check. Power, check. He’s got all those things.“(We) find guys that are similar that have success and have your type of skill set and (ask) why are they successful and are there things that they do that we can incorporate into our game.”[ The Chicago Bears are back at Halas Hall for OTAs. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of their roster. ]Janocko was a third-string quarterback at Pittsburgh in 2010, when Getsy was a graduate assistant. Janocko tried to find a way to contribute to the team, so he tailed Getsy.Janocko is excited to continue his support of Getsy with the Bears.Advertisement“He’s a heck of a leader,” Janocko said. “He’s really smart. He’s a good person, somebody that you’re drawn to. Some people draw to Luke because he cares about the people around him and he has a whole bunch of knowledge. He’s been to a bunch of different places around great people, so that’s who you want to surround yourself with.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 18Bears inside linebacker C.J. Avery (47) and other defensive players warm up during rookie minicamp at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, May 6, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 46Head coach Matt Eberflus walks the field, April 19, 2022, during Chicago Bears minicamp at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

The outcry over the trade of several star players has subsided over the last year, giving Chicago Cubs President Jed Hoyer a chance to breathe.It has been almost 10 months since Hoyer dealt Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javier Báez and other name players for a boatload of prospects at the trade deadline, starting a new era of Cubs baseball that had neither a label or a timeline.AdvertisementHoyer no doubt put his stamp on the team after years as Theo Epstein’s wingman. Have Cubs fans finally started buying in to the Hoyer’s game plan?“I’m really proud of the way the minor leagues in general are playing,” he said Thursday before the Cubs opened a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. “You look at our record and performance at every level and it’s been really strong.Advertisement“You can never have enough depth or get to the point where you feel our system is good enough, but I feel like we’re on the right track, so hopefully fans know that by how well (we’re) playing.“Ultimately, those trades are not going to be evaluated in the middle of May 2022. They’re probably going to be evaluated in 2027 for real, and that’s the way it should be. I don’t think anyone should be looking at it as a passing grade at this point. They should be looking at it as what does that net down the road. But on the basis of those trades and some good drafts and good international classes, I feel we’re definitely moving in the right direction in the minor leagues for sure.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 32Cubs GM Jed Hoyer, with his glove, walks out to the field for a workout at Wrigley Field on July 6, 2020. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Many of the players Hoyer projects as part of his “next great Cubs team” are either in the minors or still waiting to be drafted or signed. But he has been able to watch pitchers Keegan Thompson and Justin Steele develop in the big leagues, much like Jamie Moyer and Greg Maddux in the late 1980s, and versatile infielder-outfielder Christopher Morel made a great impression in his first few days as a Cub.The next big thing might be Triple-A Iowa starter Caleb Kilian — acquired in the Bryant deal — who reduced his ERA to 1.31 in his second win Thursday. Kilian was still being stretched out, but Hoyer didn’t discount the possibility of a call-up this season.Hoyer’s most glaring decision is whether to trade popular catcher Willson Contreras, who will become a free agent after the season. Contreras is off to a great start and could bring back a few top prospects, but most Cubs fans are hoping he gets a deserved extension.Hoyer said “our relationship is good” and he “loves the way” Contreras has played and led in the clubhouse but wouldn’t tip his hand about the catcher’s future as a Cub. In fact, Hoyer said thinking about trade-deadline decisions was “not at all where I’m at mentally.”Give him time. If the Cubs aren’t in postseason contention in mid-July, Drew Smyly, Wade Miley, David Robertson, Mychal Givens and others likely will become available. The Cubs need to continue restocking the farm system, whether Contreras is traded or not.Entering Thursday, the Cubs were 15-21 and eight games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers but had won three straight series and seen the starting pitching come around — a 2.68 ERA from starters over 10 games before Marcus Stroman’s return Thursday.AdvertisementHoyer said he can’t be satisfied with the record but was happy with the overall effort.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“The challenge for us is having that consistency and not falling back in a rut like we did before,” he said.Things don’t always go according to plan, even during the Epstein rebuild that started a decade ago. Báez was called up to great fanfare in August 2014 but hit only .169 in 52 games and started 2015 at Iowa. Hoyer took a similar risk by bringing Morel up from Double-A Tennessee, but the 22-year-old homered in his first at-bat and showed off his defense and strong arm Wednesday night at third base before moving to second Thursday.“He’s stronger now, and that makes a huge difference at the upper levels,” Hoyer said. “That’s probably the biggest change I see. The personality is awesome. I feel like he walked into the clubhouse the other day and all the veterans came up to him. That’s pretty rare for a young guy.”Watching Morel and Brandon Hughes make memorable debuts Tuesday are the kinds of moments Hoyer said he lives for this season. The future is uncertain, however, and Hoyer wouldn’t speculate about whether the Cubs could contend by 2023.“We did trade for a lot of guys in the lower levels,” he said. “And a lot of people felt like because of that, ‘OK, they’re signaling exactly when they’re going to be competitive.’ Waiting on the development of minor-leaguers is really challenging. I don’t think you can tie a team’s competitiveness to a group of guys in the lower minors.Advertisement“I think a lot of those guys are going to play big roles here. But I don’t want to just think about their timeline to our timeline.”Epstein received the benefit of the doubt from Cubs fans when he started the rebuild because of his reputation with the Boston Red Sox. Hoyer might have to prove himself before reaching “Theo status” in Chicago, but he already has shown he’s not afraid to do things his way.