Tampa Bay Lightning GM Feaster resigns
TAMPA, Fla., July 11 (UPI) -- Tampa Bay Lightning General Manager Jay Feaster announced his resignation Friday, saying it was "time to move on."
Feaster held the job since the 2001-02 season. The Lightning won the Stanley Cup championship on 2004.
A change in the team's ownership was a factor in his decision, Feaster said.
Len Barrie and Oren Koules became owners of the team last month. Soon thereafter, Brian Lawton was hired as vice president of hockey operations and Barry Melrose as coach.
."For the past two weeks I have watched from the sidelines as Brian Lawton, Len Barrie and Oren Koules executed to perfection the game-plan they shared with us prior to the NHL Draft in Ottawa," Feaster said.
"During that time it became apparent to me that this new ownership group did not need my advice or expertise, and I came to the conclusion that it was time to move on. When I expressed that sentiment to Oren and Len they immediately agreed to honor my contract and accept my resignation."
Santoro, Spadea gain Hall of Fame semis
NEWPORT, R.I., July 11 (UPI) -- Frenchman Fabrice Santoro and American Vince Spadea scored straight-set wins Friday to reach the semifinals in the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.
Defending champion Santora, the No. 2 seed, topped Spaniard Ivan Navarro, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), and the unseeded Spadea edged Austrian qualifier Alexander Peya, 7-6 (7-3) 7-5.
Santoro, 35, and Spadea, 33, will clash in the semis in Newport, R.I., Saturday.
The other semifinal match has seventh-seeded Canadian Frank Dancevic playing India's Prakash Amritraj, Both had advanced with victories Thursday.
The tournament is played on the grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport.
Cabrera takes lead in Scottish golf
GLASGOW, Scotland, July 11 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera shot a 3-under-par 68 Friday for a one-shot lead at the halfway point of the Scottish Open.
Cabrera was at 9-under 133 at the Loch Lomond Golf Club in Glasgow.
Damien McGrane (66) held second place at 134 and five players were at 135 -- Simon Kahl (66), Paul Lawrie (67), Thomas Bjorn (68), Richard Greenj (68) and Thongchai Jaidee (71), who was a co-leader after the first round.
World No. 2 Phil Mickelson carded a 67 to stand at 4-under, tied for 27th place.
Cabrera, the 2007 U.S. Open winner from Argentina, led by as much as three strokes but bogeyed two of the last four holes.
"The end was a bit of a shame, but it was a good round and I feel I'm in a good position going ahead to tomorrow," Cabrera said. "I'm very comfortable with the greens."
Horse track wagering decreases
LEXINGTON, Ky., July 11 (UPI) -- Wagering on U.S. horse races decreased 3.66 percent during the first six months of the year, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association said Friday.
The comparison is with the same period in 2007. Purses were up 1.44 percent but race days off by 0.66 percent, the NTRA said.
The figures are for United States and Canadian parimutuel wagering on U.S. thoroughbred races.
For the second quarter, the parimutuel handle dropped by 4.15 percent from the same period in 2007.
"Our industry is in the midst of a challenging period with discretionary entertainment dollars tighter than they have been for several years," NTRA CEO Alex Waldrop said.
"Still, we are pleased that purse levels are more than holding their own, and we look forward to a summer season that features some highly anticipated meetings such as Saratoga and Del Mar."
The statistics were provided by Equibase Co. LLC, the industry's official provider of racing information.
