Sports

Baffert’s Rodriguez wins Wood, enters Derby field

Published

2 weeks ago

April 6, 2025

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Associated Press

Apr 5, 2025, 07:09 PM ET

Rodriguez led all the way to win the $750,000 Wood Memorial on Saturday, earning enough points to move into the 20-horse field for next month’s Kentucky Derby.

Breaking from the rail, the Bob Baffert-trained colt ran 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.15 under Hall of Famer Mike Smith in light rain and 45-degree temperatures at Aqueduct in New York. Rodriguez won by 3 1/2 lengths.

The victory was worth 100 qualifying points for the May 3 Derby, potentially giving Baffert three entrants as he seeks a record-setting seventh victory in his return to the race from which he was banned for three years.

Later Saturday, Baffert was to saddle Citizen Bull, last year’s 2-year-old champion, and Barnes in the $500,000 Santa Anita Derby in California, where it was sunny and 82 degrees.

He sent Rodriguez to New York to split up his Derby contenders. The colt was sent off at 7-2 odds in the 10-horse field and paid $9.30 to win the 100th edition of the Wood. He is a son of 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.

“Bob told me this horse is probably quicker than you think,” Smith said. “He can get uptight pretty easy, and the whole key was just letting him alone out there. I don’t think he necessarily has to have the lead. He just wants to be left alone.”

Smith has twice won the Kentucky Derby. Rodriguez would be his first mount since 2022. At 59, he would be the oldest jockey to win.

“That’s up to all the owners and Bob,” Smith said. “I was glad they pulled me off the bench and I hit a 3-shot for them.”

Grande, trained by Todd Pletcher, was second. He went from having zero qualifying points to 50, which should get him into the Derby starting gate for owner Mike Repole, who is 0 for 7 in the Derby.

Passion Rules was third. Captain Cook, the 9-5 favorite, finished fourth for trainer Rick Dutrow, who hasn’t had a Derby runner since 2010 after winning the 2008 race with Big Brown.

The $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland was postponed from Saturday to Tuesday due to heavy rain and potential flooding in the region. That race and the Lexington Stakes on April 12 are the final Derby preps of the season.

Sports

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, scores, news

Published

2 hours ago

April 17, 2025

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Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, scores, news

The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs begin on April 19. The Winnipeg Jets are the NHL’s top overall seed, having finished the regular season with the most points in the standings, and the Washington Capitals earned the No. 1 seed in the East.

This page will be your home throughout the postseason, including schedules, scores, highlights and other preview content.

Read on for the full playoff coverage from every first-round series all the way through the Stanley Cup Final.

First round

Atlantic Division

Regular-season records:

Maple Leafs: 51-26-4, 106 points
Senators: 44-30-7, 95 points

Leading scorers:

Maple Leafs: Mitch Marner (27 goals, 73 assists)
Senators: Tim Stutzle (23 goals, 53 assists)

Schedule:

Game 1: TBD
Game 2: TBD
Game 3: TBD
Game 4: TBD
Game 5: TBD
Game 6: TBD
Game 7: TBD

Regular-season records:

Lightning: 47-26-8, 102 points
Panthers: 47-31-4, 98 points

Leading scorers:

Lightning: Nikita Kucherov (37 goals, 84 assists)
Panthers: Sam Reinhart (39 goals, 42 assists)

Schedule:

Game 1: TBD
Game 2: TBD
Game 3: TBD
Game 4: TBD
Game 5: TBD
Game 6: TBD
Game 7: TBD

Metropolitan Division

Regular-season records:

Capitals: 51-21-9, 111 points
Canadiens: 40-31-11, 91 points

Leading scorers:

Capitals: Dylan Strome (29 goals, 52 assists)
Canadiens: Nick Suzuki (29 goals, 58 assists)

Schedule:

Game 1: TBD
Game 2: TBD
Game 3: TBD
Game 4: TBD
Game 5: TBD
Game 6: TBD
Game 7: TBD

Regular-season records:

Hurricanes: 47-29-5, 99 points
Devils: 42-32-7, 91 points

Leading scorers:

Hurricanes: Sebastian Aho (29 goals, 45 assists)
Devils: Jesper Bratt (21 goals, 67 assists)

Schedule:

Game 1: TBD
Game 2: TBD
Game 3: TBD
Game 4: TBD
Game 5: TBD
Game 6: TBD
Game 7: TBD

Central Division

Regular-season records:

Jets: 56-22-4, 116 points
Blues: 44-30-8, 96 points

Leading scorers:

Jets: Kyle Connor (41 goals, 55 assists)
Blues: Robert Thomas (21 goals, 60 assists)

Schedule:

Game 1: TBD
Game 2: TBD
Game 3: TBD
Game 4: TBD
Game 5: TBD
Game 6: TBD
Game 7: TBD

Regular-season records:

Stars: 50-25-6, 106 points
Avalanche: 49-29-4, 102 points

Leading scorers:

Stars: Matt Duchene (30 goals, 51 assists)
Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon (32 goals, 84 assists)

Schedule:

Game 1: TBD
Game 2: TBD
Game 3: TBD
Game 4: TBD
Game 5: TBD
Game 6: TBD
Game 7: TBD

Pacific Division

Regular-season records:

Golden Knights: 49-22-10, 108 points
Wild: 45-30-7, 97 points

Leading scorers:

Golden Knights: Jack Eichel (27 goals, 66 assists)
Wild: Matt Boldy (27 goals, 46 assists)

Schedule:

Game 1: TBD
Game 2: TBD
Game 3: TBD
Game 4: TBD
Game 5: TBD
Game 6: TBD
Game 7: TBD

Regular-season records:

Kings: 48-24-9, 105 points
Oilers: 47-29-5, 99 points

Leading scorers:

Kings: Adrian Kempe (35 goals, 38 assists)
Oilers: Leon Draisaitl (52 goals, 54 assists)

Schedule:

Game 1: TBD
Game 2: TBD
Game 3: TBD
Game 4: TBD
Game 5: TBD
Game 6: TBD
Game 7: TBD

Sports

Robertson injured in Stars’ regular-season finale

Published

2 hours ago

April 17, 2025

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Robertson injured in Stars' regular-season finale

ESPN News Services

Apr 16, 2025, 10:36 PM ET

Dallas forward Jason Robertson sustained a lower-body injury during the Stars’ regular-season finale at Nashville on Wednesday and left the game.

Robertson, the Stars’ second-leading points producer with 80 (35 goals, 45 assists) this season, left the game early in the second period after being hit into the boards by Nashville’s Michael McCarron. The team announced that Robertson would not return.

Dallas, which went on to lose 5-1, is locked into second place in the Central Division and will host the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs. However, the Stars are mired in a season-worst 0-5-2 slide.

Robertson, the Stars’ second-round draft pick in 2017, is in his sixth season with Dallas, having recorded 79 or more points in each of the past four campaigns.

Field Level Media and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sports

Iafallo signs 3-year, $11M extension with Jets

Published

2 hours ago

April 17, 2025

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Iafallo signs 3-year, M extension with Jets

Field Level Media

Apr 16, 2025, 12:47 PM ET

Winnipeg Jets forward Alex Iafallo signed a three-year contract extension worth $11 million Wednesday.

The extension will begin next season for Iafallo, who has recorded 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists), 15 penalty minutes and a plus-21 rating in 81 games this season.

Iafallo, 31, has totaled 262 points (111 goals, 151 assists) in 583 career games with the Los Angeles Kings and Jets. He was an undrafted free agent who was signed by the Kings out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2017.