ABCDE
D
SPORTS
sunday, may 16, 2010
PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL
Where in the world is LeBron James?
That’s the game we’ll be playing with the free-agent-to-be for 45 days, Michael Wilbon writes. D3 Also: The Celtics missed Kevin Garnett in last year’s playoffs, but he’s in full force this postseason. D3
Bryce Harper, potentially the Nats’ choice as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, faces questions about his attitude, but not his ability.
PRO BASKETBALL
Mystics start off right
In season opener, Monique Currie’s 21 points lead Washington past Indiana. D8
SOCCER
It’s not pretty for D.C.
United’s effort can’t make up for its bland offense in a 1-0 loss to Colorado. D2
‘LUCKY’ DAY PIMLICO’S
García rides Lookin At Lucky to Preakness win over First Dude; Super Saver fades to eighth
by Liz Clarke
baltimore — He was knocked into the rails at Santa Anita and body-slammed twice in the Kentucky Derby. But fortune finally smiled on
Lookin At Lucky on Saturday, as the gifted colt, for whom so many races had proved calami- tous these last months, thun- dered to victory in the Preak- ness Stakes with a furious charge to the wire. Pumping both arms with equal fury as the horse edged First Dude across the finish by three-quarters of a length was 25-year-old jockey Martín Gar- cía, the youngest rider in the field, who was installed as Lucky’s mount by trainer Bob Baffert less than one week ago in a move that was as daring as it was prescient. Baffert’s reward in the $1 mil-
lion race was redemption many times over. It was redemption for taking
a gamble on García, who just five years ago was a cook in a Northern California delicates- sen, oblivious to the signifi- cance of thoroughbred racing’s third Saturday in May. It was redemption for García, who wanted nothing more than to ride beautiful racehorses and, finally given the chance, did everything he was asked.
preakness continued on D9
ANDREW BEYER
Restoring order
2-year-old, Lookin At Lucky earned another distinction this season: He was the unluckiest 3-year-old in America. He encountered misfortune in all three of his starts. He was one of many horses who had trouble in the Kentucky Derby and emerged from the race with a valid excuse. In contrast to the Derby,
A
Saturday’s Preakness Stakes produced some satisfying clarity. The best horse won, and Lookin At Lucky reestablished himself as the leader of his generation. He is not overwhelmingly superior to the rest of the 3-year-old crop, for he had to work hard to score a three-quarter-length victory
beyer continued on D9
baltimore
fter being named the champion of his generation as a
S
1. Lookin At Lucky
Time: 1:55.47
Jockey: Martín García Trainer: Bob Baffert
2. First Dude
Finish: 3⁄4 length back
Jockey: R. Dominguez Trainer: Dale Romans
3. Jackson Bend
Finish: 1 length back Jockey: Mike Smith Trainer: Nick Zito
JONATHAN NEWTON / THE WASHINGTON POST
The kid’s got pop
Y
by Dave Sheinin
in henderson, nev.
ou’re a scout, and all you know is what you see: Face caked in eye-black and hands bare, the bat- ter strides to home plate and carefully lays his bat down in the dirt, perpendicular to the pitch- er. He scoops up some dirt and lets it fall through his fingers. He spits into his hands. He picks up the bat, scoops some dirt over the handle, twists his fingers around it. The pitcher waits. ¶ “He does that in pro ball,” one scout behind home plate mutters, “the first pitch’ll be in his ear.”
¶ This is Thursday, Bryce Harper’s first collegiate playoff game. He steps into the batter’s box. Soft-tossing lefty on the mound. He whiffs at a curveball, takes another one — called strike two. He turns and gives an exasperated look at the umpire. On the third pitch, another curve, he lifts a harmless fly ball to left. ¶ He bows his head, drops his bat, jogs two-thirds of the way to first base, then peels off as the ball is caught. Walking back to the dugout, he shoots another look at the umpire. He gets to the dugout, rips off his hel- met, slams it to the ground. ¶ “Mmmm, mmmm,” another scout intones, shaking his head. ¶ Okay, stop. You’re no longer a scout. Now, consider this question: Are you prepared to draw a definitive conclusion about Harper’s character — about what kind of kid he is, what kind of man he will become, what sort of ca- reer he will have if, as expected, the Washington Nationals make him the first overall pick of the June 7 draft — from this one at-bat? ¶ Are you ready to say he’s a bad guy?
harper continued on D10
Jockey Martín García guides Lookin At Lucky, foreground, around the fourth turn en route to victory in the Preakness.
The taming of the Pimlico brew crew. Metro, C1
Bruney is bust card as Nats lose battle of aces
Jiménez, Rockies top Hernández in Game 1 of doubeheader
by Adam Kilgore
denver — The Washington Nationals gave themselves a chance against the best pitcher in baseball Saturday afternoon, until they sent into the game one of their most ineffective pitchers. They scored two runs off Ubaldo Jiménez, something only one other team has done all season. And then reliever Brian Bruney turned a close game into a blowout, some- thing that has happened often this season.
In Game 1 of a day-night dou- bleheader, the Colorado Rock- ies beat the Nationals, 6-2, be- fore 29,111 at Coors Field. Jimé- nez out-dueled Liván Hernández, maintaining his narrow lead in the race for best ERA in the majors. After Her- nández allowed three runs in six innings, Bruney ended the taut, competitive phase of the game by allowing three runs in the eighth. “It just wasn’t my day,” Bru-
ney said. “I go out there and I give the same effort every day. It’s hard for me to sit here and find a reason why today I wasn’t any good. The effort level and focus is there. I got to chalk that up as not a good day for me.”
nationals continued on D5
ROBERT BECK/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED/GETTY IMAGES
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