Street Sense will skip Belmont

Horse racing fans hoping for a rematch of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and Preakness winner Curlin won’t see it in the Belmont Stakes.

Carl Nafzger, who trains Street Sense for owner James Tafel, said Thursday that the Derby winner would skip the third leg of the Triple Crown on June 9 and be trained for the $1-million Travers on Aug. 25 at Saratoga.

“We’re going to regroup and go to the Travers,” Nafzger said.

Curlin, who edged Street Sense in the Preakness after finishing a distant third at Churchill Downs, heads what, at this point, is likely to be a small field for the 1 1/2 -mile Belmont.

The only others considered probable are Hard Spun, second in the Derby and third in the Preakness; Tiago; Imawildandcrazyguy, who was fourth at Louisville; and Slew’s Tizzy.

-- Bob Mieszerski

JURISPRUDENCE

Prosecutor: Informants tie Vick with dog fighting

Informants have come forward saying they can link Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick to dog fighting, the prosecutor in the case said, and he has turned their accounts and contact information over to investigators.

Surry (Va.) County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter said he has heard from about a half-dozen people claiming to have information about Vick’s involvement in dog fighting, but he does not know if their claims have proved to be reliable.

In a letter, an inmate in a South Carolina prison claimed that he attended dog fights where Vick also was in attendance and saw Vick bet large amounts of money. Another informant provided street names of dog fighters from elsewhere in Virginia.

Dog fighting is a felony in Virginia.

FOOTBALL

Study finds link between concussions, depression

A study of more than 2,500 retired NFL players found that those who had at least three concussions during their careers had triple the risk of clinical depression as those who had no concussions.

Those who recalled one or two concussions were 1 1/2 times more likely to be diagnosed with depression, said Kevin Guskiewicz, research director of the University of North Carolina’s Center for the Study of Retired Athletes.

Repeated concussions may be even more dangerous for children, said Gerry Gioia, director of the pediatric neuropsychology program and the Safe Concussion Outcome Recovery & Education program at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington.

NFL clubs may no longer serve alcohol at team functions or on buses or flights, extending a ban that until now applied only in locker rooms.

NFL owners and executives were told by Commissioner Roger Goodell that the rule pertains not only to players but to owners, coaches and guests.

COLLEGES

Two no-hitters

at softball Series

Monica Abbott threw her 23rd career no-hitter and struck out 16 to break the single-season record and help Tennessee open the Women’s College World Series with a 2-0 victory over Texas A&M; at Oklahoma City.

Abbott broke the strikeout record of 663 set by Southern Mississippi’s Courtney Blades in 2000. Abbott finished with 665.

Earlier, Washington’s Danielle Lawrie threw the first no-hitter in four years in the World Series, leading the Huskies to a 3-1 victory over DePaul. Also, Northwestern beat Arizona State, 2-0, and defending champion Arizona beat Baylor, 2-1, in nine innings.

Stanford took a one-stroke lead over Minnesota after the second round of the NCAA men’s golf tournament in Williamsburg, Va. UCLA is tied for sixth. The field will be cut to 15 teams after today.

MISCELLANY

Tyson cannot travel

for Ibragimov fight

Mike Tyson won’t be allowed to travel to Atlantic City from Arizona to work heavyweight Sultan Ibragimov’s corner during a WBO title fight against Shannon Briggs on Saturday night.

Tyson must get approval from a judge to travel outside of Arizona while drug charges against him are pending. Maricopa County officials never approved the former heavyweight champion’s trip to the fight. However, Tyson is being allowed to attend his daughter’s high school graduation in Washington today.

Sidney Crosby, the youngest player in NHL history to get 100 points in a season and to win a scoring title, became the youngest captain when the Pittsburgh Penguins gave the 19-year-old that title.

Sepp Blatter was re-elected unopposed to a third term as president of FIFA, soccer’s world governing body.