Keeneland yearling sale best in years
LEXINGTON, Ky., Sept. 27 (UPI) -- This year's Keeneland yearling sale in Kentucky brought in higher prices than breeders have seen in almost 20 years.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports competition between Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai, and the Irish conglomerate Coolmore drove the price of the sale's star, a Storm Cat colt, to $9.7 million, the highest since 1985. The Maktoum brothers and Coolmore between them spent 27 percent of the entire sale, while Storm Cat sired $46 million worth of colts.
"If there was a surprise to the sale, it was that global economic woes didn't seem to have an effect," Keeneland sales director Geoffrey Russell told the newspaper.
Russell said the combination of an excellent crop of yearlings, money coming in from overseas and the psychological boost of seeing a colt go for millions of dollars helped lift sales.
While the record prices for Storm Cat colts were impressive, Russell said sales for colts in the mid-range increased 23 percent.
Testaverde rejoining New York Jets
Hempstead, N.Y., Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Vinny Testaverde, a 41-year-old quarterback, is rejoining the New York Jets as a backup.
Third-year pro Brooks Bollinger will still get the start on Sunday when the Jets head to Baltimore to face the Ravens.
The Jets announced Tuesday that quarterback Brooks Pennington suffered a torn rotator cuff in Sunday's 26-20 overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and will likely be lost for the year.
Backup Jay Fiedler suffered a dislocated right shoulder on Sunday and also could be lost for the year.
Testaverde played for the Jets from 1998-2003. In his first year with New York, he completed 259-of-421 passes for 3,256 yards with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 14 games.
Testaverde played in all 16 games for Dallas last season and completed 297-of-495 passes for 3,523 yards with 17 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
Testaverde has thrown for 44,475 yards with 268 touchdowns and 255 picks in his 18-year career
49ers' receiver out with torn ligaments
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 27 (UPI) -- San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Rashaun Woods went on injured reserve Tuesday with torn ligaments in his right thumb.
Woods underwent surgery to repair the damaged thumb on Monday after being inactive for San Francisco's first three games.
The injury is the latest problem in what has been a disappointing early career for Woods, a first-round (31st overall) selection by the 49ers in the 2004 draft. He had just seven catches as a rookie and was fourth on the team's depth chart this season, behind Brandon Lloyd, Arnaz Battle and Johnnie Morton.
Woods is the second receiver to be placed on IR by the 49ers this season. Tight end Eric Johnson is also out for the year with a torn ligament in his foot.
Robredo, Ferrero win; Ferrer loses
PALERMO, Italy, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Spanish stars Tommy Robredo and Juan Carlos Ferrero both won Tuesday at the Palermo International.
Meanwhile, top-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer and defending champion Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic were among Tuesday's losers.
Italian Francesco Aldi, a wild card this week, beat Ferrer 6-2, 6-2.
Second-seeded Robredo defeated fellow Spaniard Albert Portas 6-3, 7-5 and former world No. 1 Ferrero beat German Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-3.
Fourth-seeded Berdych lost to Italian Andreas Seppi 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Berdych captured this event as a 19-year-old a year ago by beating Italian Filippo Volandri in the final.
