Long shot Da'Tara wins Belmont Stakes
ELMONT, N.Y., June 7 (UPI) -- Long shot Da'Tara won the Belmont Stakes Saturday, preventing Big Brown from becoming the first horse in 30 years to win the Triple Crown.
Big Brown, favored to be the 12th Triple Crown champion after winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, was third at the three-quarter pole, behind 38-to-1 Da'Tara and Tale of Ekati, but ended up finishing last. Da'Tara, ridden by Alan Garcia, pulled away down the stretch.
Denis of Cork, who was third in the Kentucky Derby, came in second. Anak Nakal and Ready's Echo finished in a dead heat for third.
Big Brown, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, was trying to become the first thoroughbred to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont in the same year since Affirmed in 1978. He went off at 1-to-4 after being undefeated in five previous career starts.
"I salute Big Brown," Da'Tara trainer Nick Zito said. "He's still a champion. He just wasn't himself today. We took advantage of it."
Big Brown lost contact with the field at the top of stretch, causing Desormeaux to stop riding the colt. The 3-year-old jogged the rest of the way to finish last in the nine-horse field. There had been concern going into the race about a quarter-crack in Big Brown's left front foot. He has been treated by hoof specialist Ian KcKinlay and raced Saturday with an acrylic patch.
Ivanovic claims women's French Open title
PARIS, June 7 (UPI) -- Ana Ivanovic beat Dinara Safina 6-4, 6-3 Saturday to win the women's division of the French Open tennis tournament in Paris.
The 20-year-old Serbian, playing in the third Grand Slam final in her career, won the French event for the first time.
She took a 4-1 lead in the first set before the 13th-seed Safina came back for a 4-4 tie. The Russian also won the first point in the second set before Ivanovic seized control.
The victory for Ivanovic was worth $1.55 million.
"There were a few mental games out there today, so I was really happy that in key moments I managed to stay strong and calm, in the second set, especially," Ivanovic said.
Recently retired Justine Henin, the top-ranked women's player early this season, beat the second-seeded Ivanovic in last year's final and was at center court Saturday to give Ivanovic her winner's trophy.
Clark has 64 to take St. Jude lead
MEMPHIS, June 7 (UPI) -- South African Tim Clark posted a 6-under 64 Saturday to move into a two-shot lead after three rounds of the PGA St. Jude Championship in Memphis.
Clark, 32, completed 54 holes at 5-under 205. This is only the second time he has held the 54-hole lead.
Clark will be gunning for his first PGA Tour win Sunday. He is the PGA Tour's career money leader without a win, with earnings of nearly $10.7 million.
Gavin Coles and Marc Turnesa, two of six second-round leaders, both shot 70 and dropped a into tie for second at 3-under 207 with Masters champ Trevor Immelman (67), Bill Haas (67) and Alex Cejka (69).
Justin Leonard (67), Stephen Ames (68), Vijay Singh (70), Dean Wilson, Jason Dufner, Tommy Armour III and Michael Bradley share seventh place at 2-under 208.
Lee leads McDonald's LPGA Championship
HAVRE DE GRACE, Md., June 7 (UPI) -- Jee Young Lee went 4-under par over the last four holes Saturday to take the third-round lead of the McDonald's LPGA Championship at Havre de Grace, Md.
Lee shot a 7-under 65 in the third round to complete 54 holes at 12-under 204. She holds the 54-hole lead for the second time in her LPGA Tour career. The other time was at the 2007 Michelob Ultra Open where she lost in a playoff to Suzann Pettersen.
Maria Hjorth also had a 65 Saturday to take over second place at 11-under 205.
World Nos. 1 and 2 Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam are tied for third at 10-under 206.
Ochoa stumbled to a double-bogey on the seventh to fall to plus-three for the front nine. Three back-nine birdies helped her get back to even-par for her round. The 72 was only her fifth round of the year at par or worse.
Sorenstam, who had a 68 Saturday, missed several birdie putts.
Porter to be named new Suns coach
PHOENIX, June 7 (UPI) -- The Phoenix Suns confirmed Saturday Terry Porter will be their next head coach.
Phoenix General Manager Steve Kerr said Porter, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach under Flip Saunders in Detroit, will be officially introduced early next week with a three-year, $7 million deal.
Porter, 45, coached his hometown Milwaukee Bucks for two seasons, leading the club to a playoff run in his first season (2003-04). After a 30-52 record the next season, Porter was released and joined the Pistons.
Kerr and Porter were teammates for two seasons in San Antonio, Porter's last stop of his playing career.
Porter spent his first 10 seasons as a player with the Portland Trail Blazers before playing for Minnesota, Miami and the Spurs to finish out his 17-year career. The two-time All Star played in 1,274 games.
Porter succeeds Mike D'Antoni, who left Phoenix to coach the New York Knicks.
