A6 The BulleTin • Wednesday, april 28, 2021
ON THE AIR
SCOREBOARD
WEDNESDAY
HORSE RACING
America’s Day at the Races
BASEBALL
MLB, Miami at Milwaukee
MLB, Cincinnati at L.A. Dodgers
MLB, Chicago Cubs at Atlanta
MLB, Seattle at Houston
MLB, regional coverage
GOLF
PGA Professional Championship
LPGA Tour, HSBC World Championship
SOCCER
UEFA Champions League,
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City
CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal,
Columbus Crew vs. CF Monterrey
CONCACAF Champions League,
Portland Timbers vs. América
HOCKEY
NHL, St. Louis at Minnesota
NHL, Colorado at Vegas
BASKETBALL
NBA, L.A. Lakers at Washington
NBA, Portland at Memphis
NBA, L.A. Clippers at Phoenix
TENNIS
ATP/WTA: Madrid, Munich, Estoril
ATP/WTA: Madrid, Munich, Estoril
Time
9:30 a.m.
TV
FS2
10:30 a.m.
1:30 p.m.
4 p.m.
5 p.m.
7 p.m.
MLB
MLB
FS1
Root
MLB
noon
7:30 p.m.
Golf
Golf
noon
CBSSN
5:30 p.m.
FS2
7:30 p.m.
FS1
4 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
NBCSN
NBCSN
4:30 p.m.
6 p.m.
7 p.m.
ESPN
NBCSNW
ESPN
2 a.m. (Thu)
3 a.m. (Thu)
Tennis
Tennis
6 a.m.
11 a.m.
7:30 p.m.
Golf
Golf
Golf
9:30 a.m.
FS2
10 a.m.
11 a.m.
4 p.m.
4 p.m.
8:30 p.m.
MLB
Root
MLB
SEC
MLB
11 a.m.
2 p.m.
Big Ten
Big Ten
5 p.m.
Big Ten
5 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
NBCSN
NBCSN
6 p.m.
ESPN2
Listings are the most accurate available. The Bulletin is not responsible for
late changes made by TV stations.
SPORTS BRIEFING
SOFTBALL
Oregon stays in top 10 after splitting series with
Stanford — Oregon dropped in the polls but remains in the
top 10 after splitting four games with Stanford. The Ducks
(30-10, 8-7 Pac-12) are No. 8 with 559 points in the NFCA
coaches poll and No. 10 with 322 points in the USA Soft-
ball poll after taking two of four games against the Cardinal.
That’s down from No. 6 with 613 points and tied for No. 7
with 365 points last week, respectively. Oregon travels to
No. 12/8 Arizona State (28-11, 9-6) starting Friday at 5 p.m.
FOOTBALL
Fans not allowed to attend Oregon spring game Sat-
urday at Autzen — Anthony Brown and other Ducks were
looking forward to the family reunion aspect of Saturday’s
spring game as much as the competitive intra-squad show-
case. “Especially that my parents will be able to come here and
see me play in the stadium that I always grew up wanting to
play in,” Brown said of looking forward to quarterbacking the
first-team offense for the first time at Autzen Stadium. Oregon
had planned to allow 15% capacity for the game at Autzen Sta-
dium (2 p.m., Pac-12 Networks). But two hours after Brown’s
post-practice media interview, the athletic department an-
nounced that fans will not be permitted due to directives from
the Governor’s Office tied to Lane County’s move to the des-
ignation of “extreme risk.” Passes previously claimed for the
spring game will not be valid for admittance.
Geno Hayes, former NFL, Florida State linebacker,
dies at 33 — Geno Hayes, a former NFL linebacker who
starred at Florida State, has died. He was 33. He had liver dis-
ease and had been in hospice care at his parents’ home in Val-
dosta, Georgia. Hayes spent four seasons with the Bucs, who
drafted him in the sixth round in 2008. He then played one
year with Chicago and two with Jacksonville. In an inter-
view with ESPN this year, Hayes said he was diagnosed with
chronic liver disease two years ago and had been placed on
a waiting list for a transplant at the Mayo Clinic and North-
western Medicine.
SOCCER
Israeli referee comes out as transgender woman —
An Israeli soccer referee has come out as transgender and is
living — and enforcing the rules of the game — as the only
woman in the country’s top-shelf league. Sapir Berman an-
nounced Tuesday she has received the support of her family,
the local referees’ union and Israeli and international soccer
officials. She said players and fans have begun to address her
as a woman. On Sunday, Berman will be the head referee for a
playoff match between heavyweight teams Hapoel Haifa and
Beitar Jerusalem. It will be a marquee event on Berman’s life-
long road to living, as she said Tuesday, as herself. “I always
saw myself as a woman, from a young age,” Berman, whose
birth name was “Sagi,” told reporters at Ramat Gan Stadium,
headquarters of the Israel Football Association.
— Bulletin wire reports
MEGA MILLIONS
The numbers drawn Tuesday night are:
15 22 30 41 42 25 x 4
Oregon
Lottery
results
Prep sports
WEDNESDAY
Baseball: Molalla at Madras, 4:30 p.m.; Culver at
santiam, 4:30 p.m.
Softball: Madras at Molalla, 4:30 p.m.; sisters at phi-
lomath, 4:30 p.m.; Western Christian at Culver, 4 p.m.
Boys tennis: redmond at The dalles, 3 p.m.; pend-
leton at Crook County, 3 p.m.; ridgeview at hood river
Valley, 3 p.m.
Girls tennis: The dalles at redmond, 3 p.m.; hood
river Valley at ridgeview, 3 p.m.
Boys golf: la pine invitational, at Crosswater, 12:30
p.m.
Girls golf: summit invitational, at lost Tracks, noon.
Track and field: ridgeview at Mountain View, TBd;
summit at Bend, TBd.
THURSDAY
Baseball: Mountain View at Bend, 4:30 p.m.; estaca-
da at Madras, 4:30 p.m.; Woodburn at sisters, 4:30 p.m.
Softball: Bend at ridgeview, 4:30 p.m.; Madras at
estacada, 4:30 p.m.; newport at sisters, 4:30 p.m.
Boys tennis: Bend at summit, 4 p.m.
Girls tennis: summit at Bend, 4 p.m.; Corbett at
sisters, 4 p.m.
PREPS
Baseball
THURSDAY
GOLF
European Tour, Tenerife Open
PGA Tour, Valspar Championship
LPGA Tour, HSBC World Championship
HORSE RACING
America’s Day at the Races
BASEBALL
MLB, regional coverage
MLB, Seattle at Houston
MLB, regional coverage
College, Auburn at Georgia
MLB, Colorado at Arizona (joined in progress)
LACROSSE
Women’s college, Big Ten, Rutgers vs. Ohio St.
Women’s college, Big Ten, Maryland vs. Michigan
Women’s college,
Big Ten, Johns Hopkins vs. Penn St.
HOCKEY
NHL, Florida at Chicago
NHL, Calgary at Edmonton
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
Professional Fighters League
ON DECK
The estimated jackpot is now $297 million.
As listed at www.oregonlottery.org and individual lottery websites
Tuesday’s Games
Mountain View 7, Crook County 0
redmond vs. summit, late
hood river Valley 5, ridgeview 0
santiam Christian 9, la pine 5
Softball
Monday’s Late Games
Madras 5, Molalla 4
Cascade 6, sisters 3
Tuesday’s Games
summit vs. redmond, late
Crook County 12, Mountain View 2
hood river Valley 12, ridgeview 6
santiam Christian 17, la pine 0
Boys tennis
Tuesday’s Matches
Bend at Mountain View, late
stayton at sisters, late
Girls tennis
Tuesday’s Matches
Bend 6, Mountain View 0
sisters at stayton, late
Madras at Corbett, late
BASEBALL
MLB
AMERICAN LEAGUE
East Division
W
L
Pct
GB
Boston
15
9
.625
—
Tampa Bay
12
12
.500
3
Toronto
11
11
.500
3
Baltimore
10
13
.435
4½
new york
10
13
.435
4½
Central Division
W
L
Pct
GB
Kansas City
14
8
.636
—
Chicago
12
9
.571
1½
Cleveland
11
11
.500
3
Minnesota
7
15
.318
7
detroit
7
16
.304
7½
West Division
W
L
Pct
GB
Oakland
15
9
.625
—
seattle
13
11
.542
2
houston
12
11
.522
2½
los angeles
11
11
.500
3
Texas
10
14
.417
5
Monday’s Late Games
l.a. angels 9, Texas 4
houston 5, seattle 2
Tuesday’s Games
pittsburgh 2, Kansas City 1
Cleveland 7, Minnesota 4
Boston 2, n.y. Mets 1
n.y. yankees 5, Baltimore 1
Toronto 9, Washington 5
Tampa Bay 4, Oakland 3
houston 2, seattle 0
Texas 6, l.a. angels 1
detroit at Chicago White sox, late
Wednesday’s Games
Minnesota (happ 1-0) at Cleveland (allen 1-3), 10:10 a.m.
Kansas City (Minor 2-1) at pittsburgh (Keller 1-2), 3:35 p.m.
Boston (pivetta 2-0) at n.y. Mets (deGrom 2-1), 3:40 p.m.
n.y. yankees (Germán 1-2) at Baltimore (Kremer 0-1),
4:05 p.m.
Washington (Fedde 1-2) at Toronto (Matz 4-0), 4:07 p.m.
Oakland (irvin 2-2) at Tampa Bay (Glasnow 2-1), 4:10 p.m.
l.a. angels (Cobb 1-1) at Texas (dunning 1-0), 5:05 p.m.
detroit (Mize 1-2) at Chicago White sox (rodón 3-0),
5:10 p.m.
seattle (dunn 1-0) at houston (Greinke 2-1), 5:10 p.m.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
East Division
W
L
Pct
GB
new york
9
9
.500
—
atlanta
11
12
.478
½
philadelphia
11
12
.478
½
Miami
10
13
.435
1½
Washington
8
12
.400
2
Central Division
W
L
Pct
GB
Milwaukee
14
9
.609
—
pittsburgh
12
11
.522
2
st. louis
12
11
.522
2
Cincinnati
10
12
.455
3½
Chicago
10
13
.435
4
West Division
W
L
Pct
GB
los angeles
15
8
.652
—
san Francisco
15
8
.652
—
san diego
13
11
.542
2½
arizona
11
11
.500
3½
Colorado
8
14
.364
6½
Monday’s Late Games
Miami 8, Milwaukee 0
san Francisco 12, Colorado 0
Cincinnati 5, l.a. dodgers 3, 10 innings
Tuesday’s Games
pittsburgh 2, Kansas City 1
Boston 2, n.y. Mets 1
Toronto 9, Washington 5
atlanta 5, Chicago Cubs 0
st. louis 5, philadelphia 2
Milwaukee 5, Miami 4
san diego at arizona, late
Colorado at san Francisco, late
Cincinnati at l.a. dodgers, late
Wednesday’s Games
Miami (alcantara 0-2) at Milwaukee (TBd), 10:40 a.m.
Cincinnati (Gray 0-1) at l.a. dodgers (Kershaw 3-2),
1:10 p.m.
Kansas City (Minor 2-1) at pittsburgh (Keller 1-2), 3:35 p.m.
Boston (pivetta 2-0) at n.y. Mets (deGrom 2-1), 3:40 p.m.
Washington (Fedde 1-2) at Toronto (Matz 4-0), 4:07 p.m.
Chicago Cubs (hendricks 1-2) at atlanta (ynoa 1-1),
4:20 p.m.
philadelphia (Velasquez 0-0) at st. louis (Oviedo 0-0),
4:45 p.m.
san diego (Weathers 1-0) at arizona (Widener 1-0),
6:40 p.m.
Colorado (Márquez 1-1) at san Francisco (Wood 2-0),
6:45 p.m.
BASKETBALL
NBA
EASTERN CONFERENCE
W
L
Pct
x-Brooklyn
42
20
.677
phila.
40
21
.656
Milwaukee
38
23
.623
new york
34
28
.548
atlanta
34
28
.548
Boston
32
30
.516
Miami
32
30
.516
Charlotte
30
31
.492
indiana
29
32
.475
Washington
27
34
.443
Chicago
26
35
.426
Toronto
26
36
.419
Cleveland
21
40
.344
detroit
19
43
.306
Orlando
18
43
.295
WESTERN CONFERENCE
W
L
Pct
x-utah
44
17
.721
phoenix
43
18
.705
l.a. Clippers
43
20
.683
denver
40
21
.656
l.a. lakers
36
25
.590
dallas
33
27
.550
portland
33
28
.541
Memphis
31
29
.517
san antonio
31
29
.517
Golden state
31
30
.508
new Orleans
27
34
.443
sacramento
25
36
.410
Oklahoma City
21
41
.339
Minnesota
18
44
.290
houston
15
46
.246
x-clinched playoff spot
Monday’s Late Games
denver 120, Memphis 96
sacramento 113, dallas 106
Tuesday’s Games
portland 133, indiana 112
Milwaukee 114, Charlotte 104
Oklahoma City 119, Boston 115
Brooklyn 116, Toronto 103
Minnesota at houston, late
dallas at Golden state, late
Wednesday’s Games
atlanta at phila., 4 p.m.
Orlando at Cleveland, 4 p.m.
Charlotte at Boston, 4:30 p.m.
Chicago at new york, 4:30 p.m.
Derby
Continued from A5
“There’s not a lot of gray stallions and
there’s not a lot of gray mares,” National
Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame com-
munications director Brien Bouyea said.
“A lot of the traditional breeding, I don’t
think anybody has anything against gray
horses when it comes to breeding. There
just haven’t been a lot of stallions out there
that have carried that genetic along.”
Essential Quality could be on the lead-
ing edge of the next generation of speedy
grays thanks to his sire, Tapit, who has
fathered some strong horses so far and
expected to produce more. Fellow Derby
runner Soup and Sandwich also has Tapit
lineage on his mother’s side.
“Tapit is one of the most successful sires
in the world right now and has been for a
while and is getting some extremely tal-
ented mares sent to him, so likely those
foals are going to race at higher levels,”
MacLeod said.
Grays could be even more prominent
on the Triple Crown circuit in the com-
ing years had it not been for the death of
North American all-time money-earner
Arrogate last June at age 7.
A 2-year-old filly sired by Arrogate re-
cently sold for $1 million, and Bouyea said
49ers
Continued from A5
He has been impressed with Jones,
Fields and Lance through the evaluation
process that included pro days that Shana-
han attended in person, as well as Zoom
interviews where the QBs tried to show
their mastery of the offense on iPads.
While Fields and Lance offer much
more in the running game and have the
athleticism of some of the current success-
ful young quarterbacks such as Patrick
Mahomes and Josh Allen, Shanahan has
always maintained that the ability to win
from the pocket is paramount.
“There’s lots of different ways you can do
it. I don’t look at it as trends in the league,”
he said. “I look at it as there are some spe-
GB
—
1½
3½
8
8
10
10
11½
12½
14½
15½
16
20½
23
23½
GB
—
1
2
4
8
10½
11
12½
12½
13
17
19
23½
26½
29
l.a. lakers at Washington, 4:30 p.m.
san antonio at Miami, 5 p.m.
new Orleans at denver, 6 p.m.
portland at Memphis, 6 p.m.
l.a. Clippers at phoenix, 7 p.m.
utah at sacramento, 7 p.m.
Tuesday’s Box Score
Trail Blazers 133, Pacers 112
PORTLAND (133)
Covington 6-12 0-0 15, powell 0-6 0-0 0, nurkic 4-10 3-5
11, lillard 6-14 7-7 23, McCollum 9-13 0-0 20, anthony
5-6 2-2 13, hollis-Jefferson 1-2 0-0 2, Jones Jr. 0-0 0-0 0,
leaf 1-1 0-0 2, Giles iii 2-5 0-0 5, elleby 1-3 0-0 2, little
0-5 1-2 1, Kanter 6-14 0-0 12, Blevins 0-2 0-0 0, simons
9-13 0-0 27. Totals 50-106 13-16 133.
INDIANA (112)
Brissett 5-11 4-6 18, sumner 1-6 1-2 4, sampson 3-5 0-0
6, Brogdon 5-14 7-7 18, leVert 7-14 2-2 16, Martin 3-4
1-2 9, Mcdermott 6-9 1-3 13, J.holiday 2-4 0-0 5, Bri-
mah 2-2 2-2 6, a.holiday 1-7 2-2 4, McConnell 4-8 0-0 9,
stanley 1-2 2-2 4. Totals 40-86 22-28 112.
Portland
34 39 40 20 — 133
Indiana
35 27 16 34 — 112
3-Point Goals—portland 20-35 (simons 9-10, lillard
4-8, Covington 3-5, McCollum 2-4, Giles iii 1-2, elleby
0-2, little 0-2), indiana 10-30 (Brissett 4-7, Martin 2-2,
J.holiday 1-3, sumner 1-3, Brogdon 1-7, a.holiday
0-2, leVert 0-2, Mcdermott 0-2). Fouled Out—none.
Rebounds—portland 57 (Kanter 14), indiana 38 (Bris-
sett 10). Assists—portland 26 (lillard 6), indiana 25
(McConnell 6). Total Fouls—portland 19, indiana 17.
A—0 (20,000)
SOCCER
MLS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
W L T Pts GF
Montreal
1 0 1
4
6
atlanta
1 0 1
4
3
new england
1 0 1
4
3
ny City FC
1 1 0
3
6
inter Miami CF
1 1 0
3
4
d.C. united
1 1 0
3
2
nashville
0 0 2
2
4
Orlando City
0 0 2
2
1
Columbus
0 0 1
1
0
phila.
0 1 1
1
1
Toronto FC
0 1 1
1
4
Chicago
0 1 1
1
3
Cincinnati
0 1 1
1
2
new york
0 2 0
0
3
WESTERN CONFERENCE
W L T Pts GF
la Galaxy
2 0 0
6
6
seattle
1 0 1
4
5
la FC
1 0 1
4
3
sporting KC
1 0 1
4
3
Vancouver
1 0 1
4
3
san Jose
1 1 0
3
4
real sl
1 0 0
3
2
austin
1 1 0
3
3
houston
1 1 0
3
3
portland
1 1 0
3
2
Colorado
0 1 1
1
1
FC dallas
0 1 1
1
1
Minnesota united 0 2 0
0
1
nOTe: Three points for victory, one point for tie.
Saturday’s Games
Chicago at new york, 10 a.m.
sporting KC at real sl, 11 a.m.
Columbus at Montreal, noon
la FC at houston, 12:30 p.m.
atlanta at new england, 4 p.m.
Cincinnati at Orlando City, 4:30 p.m.
ny City FC at phila., 4:30 p.m.
portland at FC dallas, 5 p.m.
austin at Minnesota, 5 p.m.
d.C. united at san Jose, 8 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
Miami at nashville, 10 a.m.
la Galaxy at seattle, 6 p.m.
Colorado at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
GA
4
1
2
2
4
2
4
1
0
2
6
5
7
5
GA
4
1
1
2
2
3
1
3
3
2
3
3
6
HOCKEY
NHL
EAST
Washington
pittsburgh
n.y. islanders
Boston
n.y. rangers
philadelphia
new Jersey
Buffalo
CENTRAL
x-Carolina
x-Florida
x-Tampa Bay
nashville
dallas
Chicago
detroit
Columbus
GP
49
50
49
48
50
49
49
50
GP
49
51
49
51
49
49
51
51
W
32
32
29
28
26
22
15
13
W
32
32
33
27
21
22
17
16
L
13
15
15
14
18
20
27
30
L
10
14
14
22
16
22
25
25
OT Pts GF GA
4 68 171 144
3 67 170 138
5 63 136 114
6 62 139 119
6 58 167 132
7 51 140 177
7 37 127 174
7 33 122 174
OT Pts GF GA
7 71 161 119
5 69 166 141
2 68 167 129
2 56 141 146
12 54 140 129
5 49 139 158
9 43 115 159
10 42 122 170
WEST
GP W L OT Pts GF GA
x-Vegas
47 34 11 2 70 160 103
x-Colorado
46 31 11 4 66 162 112
x-Minnesota
47 31 13 3 65 151 123
st. louis
46 21 19 6 48 135 143
arizona
49 21 23 5 47 132 156
san Jose
48 19 24 5 43 131 167
los angeles
46 18 22 6 42 124 137
anaheim
49 14 28 7 35 106 160
NORTH
GP W L OT Pts GF GA
Toronto
48 30 13 5 65 159 130
edmonton
46 28 16 2 58 150 126
Winnipeg
48 27 18 3 57 149 135
Montreal
47 21 17 9 51 136 136
Calgary
48 21 24 3 45 128 139
Vancouver
42 19 20 3 41 114 132
Ottawa
49 18 27 4 40 133 171
NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime
loss. The top four teams in each division will qualify for
playoffs under this season’s temporary realignment.
x-clinched playoff spot
y-clinched division
Monday’s Late Games
edmonton 6, Winnipeg 1
los angeles 4, anaheim 1
san Jose 6, arizona 4
Tuesday’s Games
n.y. rangers 3, Buffalo 1
Boston 3, pittsburgh 1
Washington 1, n.y. islanders 0
Columbus 1, detroit 0, sO
new Jersey 6, philadelphia 4
Tampa Bay 7, Chicago 4
Florida 7, nashville 4
Carolina 5, dallas 1
Wednesday’s Games
Vancouver at Ottawa, 2:30 p.m.
st. louis at Minnesota, 4 p.m.
Toronto at Montreal, 5 p.m.
edmonton at Winnipeg, 6 p.m.
Colorado at Vegas, 6:30 p.m.
anaheim at los angeles, 7 p.m.
arizona at san Jose, 7:30 p.m.
DEALS
Transactions
BASEBALL
Major League Baseball
American League
BalTiMOre OriOles — Optioned OF ryan McKenna
to alternate training site. recalled inF pat Valaika from
alternate training site. Optioned rhp Jay Flaa to alter-
nate training site.
ChiCaGO WhiTe sOX — recalled OF luis Gonzalez
and rhp alex Mcrae from alternate training site. placed
OF luis robert on the 10-day il.
Kansas CiTy rOyals — signed rhp Mike shawaryn
to a minor league contract. Optioned rhp Jake newberry
to alternate training site. recalled 1B ryan McBroom from
the alternate training site.
neW yOrK yanKees — recalled rhp Michael King
from alternate training site. Optioned rhp deivi Garcia to
alternate training site. acquired lhp Wandy peralta and a
player to be named later from san Francisco in exchange
for OF Mike Tauchman. recalled ss Tyler Wade from al-
ternate training site.
seaTTle Mariners — Claimed inF Jack Mayfield off
waivers from los angeles angels and optioned to alter-
nate training site. Transferred inF shed long Jr. from the
10-day il to 60-day il.
National League
ChiCaGO CuBs — activated rhp ryan Tepera.
CinCinnaTi reds — Optioned OF Mark payton to
alternate training site.
neW yOrK MeTs — recalled ss Jose peraza from al-
ternate training site.
piTTsBurGh piraTes — activated OF Ka’ai Tom. Op-
tioned inF rodolfo Castro.
san FranCisCO GianTs — recalled OF skye Bolt from
alternate training site.
sT. lOuis Cardinals — placed C yadier Molina on
the 10-day il. recalled C ali sanchez from alternate train-
ing site.
BASKETBALL
National Basketball Association
OrlandO MaGiC — signed F Moritz Wagner to a
contract for remainder of the season.
FOOTBALL
National Football League
BuFFalO Bills — re-signed Ol ike Boettger.
ChiCaGO Bears — exercised lB roquan smith’s fifth-
year option.
las VeGas raiders — signed Te Carson Williams.
MiaMi dOlphins — Traded G ereck Flowers to Wash-
ington.
piTTsBurGh sTeelers — exercised dB Minkah Fitz-
patrick’s fifth-year option.
san FranCisCO 49ers — Waived dl Josiah Coatney.
WashinGTOn FOOTBall TeaM — exercised dT
da’ron payne’s fifth-year option. acquired G ereck Flow-
ers and the 258th pick in the 2021 nFl draft from Miami
in exchange for the 244th pick in the 2021 nFl draft.
SOCCER
National Women’s Soccer League
nJ/ny GOThaM FC — acquired F allie long from Ol
reign in exchange for $80,000 in allocation money and
a 2022 second-round draft pick.
some in the industry are eager to buy more
of the champion horse’s babies based on
pedigree.
While the gray gene that affects a horse’s
color is dominant, meaning it only takes
a copy from either the sire or dam for the
foal to be gray, there’s no link between a
horse’s appearance and running ability.
“All that needs to happen is you have to
have a couple of really, really fast grays and
then they get (bred) and then at least half
of their foals are gray,” Virginia-Maryland
College of Veterinary Medicine professor
of pathology and genetics Dr. D. Phillip
Sponenberg said. “There’s few of them.
And it just takes a really, really stellar one
to change that, and a stellar one hasn’t
come around.”
Essential Quality could be stellar, and
his next task is trying to win the Derby as
the favorite. Trainer Brad Cox isn’t worried
what Essential Quality’s coat looks like,
other than he’s draped in red roses Satur-
day night.
“He can’t change his color,” Cox said.
“Tapit’s a world-class sire that is due a
Kentucky Derby winner, and I’m hopeful
that Essential Quality can be his first. It’s a
talking point for some people, not me. It
just doesn’t really go into the equation of
what we’re trying. It doesn’t limit his ability
being gray at all.”
It actually helps NBC announcer Larry
Collmus distinguish between horses, es-
pecially in a crowded field of 20. Collmus
expects to refer to at least Soup and Sand-
wich as “the gray” because of how light
colored he is and knows he and Essential
Quality will stand out in the race.
“You get a completely different picture,”
he said. “I think people just get a kick
out of seeing gray horses because they’re
somewhat rare.”
cial players or special people. I don’t care
when Drew Brees comes out, whether
it’s 30 years from now, 30 years ago or to-
day, Drew is going to be pretty good. So is
Philip Rivers. So are all these guys.”
Shanahan said it would be great to find
a passer such as Brees with the mobility
of Lamar Jackson, but that every QB will
be used differently and there’s no clear-cut
answer to which one is best.
“That’s what so exciting about this year,”
he said. “I do see five guys. But no one’s
ever a slam dunk.”
The Niners made this trade because
they wanted an upgrade over Jimmy Ga-
roppolo, who has been a capable quarter-
back when healthy but has also missed 23
games because of injuries the past three
seasons.
Shanahan and Lynch were adamant at
the time of the trade that the plan was for
Garoppolo to remain the starter in 2021.
That stance has appeared to soften with
Shanahan saying he “can’t guarantee that
anybody in the world will be alive Sunday,
so I can’t guarantee who will be on our ros-
ter on Sunday.”
Garoppolo is owed $24.1 million this
season but none of that salary is guaran-
teed, making it easy for the Niners to get
out of the deal if they want. Garoppolo
does have a no-trade clause, which gives
him say in where he plays next if San Fran-
cisco chooses to go a different direction.
“He’s taking part in our virtual meetings,
plans on being at the workouts,” Lynch
said. “Jimmy’s been completely profes-
sional, as he always has been with us.”
Essential Quality is 2-1 favorite
Essential Quality is the 2-1 morning line
favorite and will start from the No. 14 post
for Saturday’s 147th Kentucky Derby at
Churchill Downs.
The $3 million, 11/4-mile marquee race
for 3-year-colts is back on the first Saturday
of May after being delayed to Labor Day
weekend last fall because of the coronavi-
rus pandemic. The race is expected to be
viewed in-person by 45,000 spectators.
Rock Your World is the 5-1 second
choice from the No. 15 slot with Known
Agenda the 6-1 third choice despite draw-
ing the rail in the 20-horse field. Hot Rod
Charlie drew 8-1 odds as the fourth choice
from the No. 9 slot.
— Associated Press