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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Art Collector came into the Pegasus World Cup Invitational with more winnings than any of the other 11 horses in the field.

And he left with the biggest prize of all.

The 6-year-old made a big move around the outside and pulled clear of the field in the stretch to pull off an upset win in the $3 million Pegasus at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The win pushed his career earnings to about $4.1 million and was his 11th victory in 21 career starts.

He was one of only two horses that entered the Pegasus with more than $2 million in earnings; Cyberknife was the other. But Cyberknife wasn’t close to the front in his final race before being retired to stud, and Art Collector looked the best.

“I don’t have the words to put it together,” jockey Junior Alvarado said. “It’s just been unbelievable. I’m just so glad I got a chance to ride this horse, a very good horse I’ve been following for quite a while. I guess it was just the perfect time and we got it done today.”

Alvarado had never ridden Art Collector, who was sent off at 15-1 odds. But he does ride quite a bit for winning trainer Bill Mott, and the duo struck gold again Saturday with a perfect effort — winning by 4½ lengths.

“Having this win for Mr. Mott, I’m very grateful for him, for the support he’s given me through the years,” Alvarado said.

Defunded, at 5-2, was second. Stilleto Boy, sent off at 45-1, was third.

Mott turned to Alvarado when Luis Saez opted to ride Get Her Number in the Pegasus. It ended up being the first Pegasus win for both Mott and Alvarado.

“He couldn’t have ridden him more perfectly,” Mott said.

Art Collector hadn’t run since a disappointing fifth-place finish at the Lukas Classic on Oct. 1. But the distance — a mile-and-an-eighth — has been Art Collector’s best, given that he’s now won eight of his past 10 races at nine furlongs for owner Bruce Lunsford.

“I thought it was a very competitive field and of course our horse didn’t run his best race last time,” Mott said. “But he’s been training great and I’ve got a great owner and he wanted to give him a shot. He wanted to go for it.”

It was a wide-open Pegasus, the richest race offered at Gulfstream Park and traditionally one of the richest races in North America. In 2022, only the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic and $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf featured bigger prizes, and the $3 million Pegasus purse is equal to the one offered last year at the Kentucky Derby.

Art Collector paid $33, $12.40 and $8.60. Defunded paid $5 and $4 and Stilleto Boy paid $11.40.

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Cecconi loses no-hit bid in 8th as Guardians roll

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Cecconi loses no-hit bid in 8th as Guardians roll

CLEVELAND — Slade Cecconi took a bid to end Cleveland‘s long no-hitter drought into the eighth inning, and the Guardians rolled to a 10-2 win over Kansas City on Monday night and leapfrogged the Royals in the AL wild-card race.

Cecconi (6-6) was six outs from the first no-hitter in the majors this season — and Cleveland’s first since Len Barker’s perfect game in 1981 — when Kansas City’s Michael Massey singled leading off the eighth.

On Cecconi’s 95th pitch, Massey lined a 2-1 fastball into left-center. The right-hander received a nice ovation from the crowd in Progressive Field before Cecconi got Carter Jensen to hit into a double play.

Cleveland (73-70) won its fourth straight game and moved past the Royals (73-71) into second place in the AL Central. Cleveland entered the four-game series 2½ games behind Seattle for the third and final wild-card spot.

Kyle Manzardo, Daniel Schneemann and Nolan Jones had two RBIs apiece for Cleveland, which set season highs with 16 hits and seven doubles.

The Guardians tagged Ryan Bergert (2-2) for four doubles and six runs in the fourth inning while opening an 8-0 lead. C.J. Kayfus, Brayan Rocchio, Schneemann and Jones hit the doubles.

Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was not in the starting lineup for the third straight game due to back spasms. Manager Matt Quatraro said Witt ran and did some fielding before the game without any issues and was a possibility to see “game action.”

Witt didn’t get in but is expected to play Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Phillies expect Turner (hamstring) back by playoffs

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Phillies expect Turner (hamstring) back by playoffs

PHILADELPHIA — Phillies star shortstop Trea Turner was placed on the 10-day injured list with a Grade 1 strained right hamstring but is expected back by the postseason.

Manager Rob Thomson said before Monday’s game against the New York Mets the MRI results were “better than expected” and that Turner’s injury wasn’t as severe as the strained left hamstring that sidelined him for six weeks last season.

Turner left Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Miami Marlins in the seventh inning because of the injury.

Turner hit a solo homer in the sixth to narrow Philadelphia’s deficit to 4-2. When his turn came again in the seventh, Turner legged out a grounder and reached on a throwing error by Miami shortstop Otto Lopez.

“It was just kind of grabbing on me. It didn’t feel good,” Turner said Sunday. “I felt if I could have kept going, I would have.”

The 32-year-old leads the National League in both batting average (.305) and hits (179) this season.

Without Turner at the top of lineup against the Mets, two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper was batting leadoff for the first time since 2022.

The Phillies also placed 2024 All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm on the 10-day IL with a left shoulder injury.

“He’s been grinding with this left shoulder for a while now, fighting through it. It’s probably been 10 days,” Thomson said of Bohm. “He could feel it every once in a while in a swing. Yesterday he felt it on every swing, so we decided to shut this thing down.”

The Phillies recalled infielder/outfielder Otto Kemp and infielder Donovan Walton from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill Turner’s and Bohm’s spots on the roster.

Kemp was starting at third base against the Mets.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Brewers OF Yelich returns after 5-game absence

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Brewers OF Yelich returns after 5-game absence

ARLINGTON, Texas — Christian Yelich returned to the lineup for the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night after their designated hitter missed five games because of lower back soreness.

Yelich batted fourth as the Brewers opened a three-game series at the playoff-chasing Texas Rangers.

The 33-year-old Yelich had played in 132 of Milwaukee’s 144 games this season before the opener in Texas, and was hitting .268 with team highs of 27 home runs and 92 RBIs. He played in only 73 games last year before season-ending back surgery that August.

“Feels good, wants to play. It’s an amazing thing that he’s played so many games,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Coming off back surgery, we just didn’t know what we were going to get, but the surgeon has assured him this is going to happen, but it’s amazing that it hadn’t happened yet, so we have to be thankful.”

Yelich was a late scratch last Wednesday before a 6-3 win over Philadelphia, and Murphy said then that Yelich had started experiencing some pain during a series against Arizona late last month. He still appeared in 22 consecutive games before coming out of the lineup last week.

“He came to me today and said, ‘I’m in there, right?’,” Murphy said. “He wants to play. That’s a good thing when your leader wants to get in there as soon as possible.”

Yelich made his 112th start at DH on Monday, and has also started 18 games in left field this season. Murphy said while “there’s a reason” to get Yelich a couple of games in the outfield before the end of the regular season, the manager said that’s not a priority.

In other injury news, right-hander Grant Anderson came off the injured list to boost the Brewers’ bullpen.

Right-hander Craig Yoho was optioned to Triple-A Nashville.

Anderson last pitched for Milwaukee on Aug. 23 before going on the injured list with tendinitis in his right ankle. The 28-year-old owns a 2-5 record and 2.87 earned run average in 57 appearances. He has struck out 66 over 62⅔ innings.

The Brewers still have All-Star closer Trevor Megill (right flexor), left-hander DL Hall (right oblique) and right-handers Nick Mears (back) and Shelby Miller (right elbow) on the injured list.

Murphy said Megill is scheduled to throw a simulated game Tuesday, and then would likely throw another one before being able to pitch again.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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