Overdose of mineral caused horses' deaths
WELLINGTON, Fla., April 29 (UPI) -- The recent deaths of 21 polo ponies in Florida was caused by an overdose of the mineral supplement selenium, Florida's state veterinarian says.
Veterinarian Thomas J. Holt says toxicology results indicate the horses had as much as 15 times the normal amount of selenium in their blood and an even higher concentration in their livers, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Wednesday
Officials say now that they know what killed the polo ponies, investigators must determine how the overdose occurred and who is to blame before considering possible criminal charges.
"The next step is now an on-the-ground investigation of determining what happened, how this came to be," said Terence McElroy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Last week a pharmacy in Ocala acknowledged there was too much selenium in the vitamin compound it mixed for the horses belonging to Venezuela's Lechuza Caracas polo team.
Selenium is a mineral essential for normal cell function and health in animals.
All-Russian slate for Hart Trophy
TORONTO, April 29 (UPI) -- Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk, Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin and Washington's Alex Ovechkin -- all Russians -- are finalists for the NHL's most valuable player award.
Ovechkin, in his fourth NHL season, is up for his second consecutive Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the NHL player deemed most valuable to his team. The award is decided on a vote of members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The winner will be announced June 18.
Ovechkin led the NHL in goals and helped the Capitals to the second-best point total in the NHL's Eastern Conference. His 56 goals, which included 10 game-winners, were tops in the league and his 110 total points were second in the NHL.
Datsyuk, who is also a finalist for the top defensive forward Selke Trophy and could win a fourth consecutive Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship, was fifth in the league with 65 assists this season and was third in the NHL with a plus-34 rating.
Malkin, a Hart finalist last year, led the NHL with 113 points, including 78 assists. He also led the league with 94 takeaways in 2008-09.
Jets release Favre, who remains retired
FLORHAM PARK, N.J., April 29 (UPI) -- Brett Favre has been released by the New York Jets but the quarterback said he hasn't changed his mind about retirement.
Favre, 39, retired in February, ending an 18-year NFL career during which he set a series of league records, including touchdown passes (464) and passing yards (65,127). He played one season with the Atlanta Falcons, 16 with the Green Bay Packers and last year with the Jets.
The Jets released Favre from a reserve/retired list, which allows the quarterback to sign with any team.
However, Favre issued a statement in which he said: "Nothing has changed. At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football."
Favre is a 10-time All-Pro selection, earning the honor first in 1992 and also in each of his last two seasons.
Leaving the Jets marked Favre's second retirement. He announced in March 4, 2008, he was leaving the game but reconsidered in July and was subsequently traded by the Packers to the Jets.
Report: Nets retain Coach Lawrence Frank
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., April 29 (UPI) -- Lawrence Frank will return next season to coach the NBA's New Jersey Nets, a team executive told the Bergen Record Wednesday.
Frank will be back despite New Jersey's failure to qualify for the NBA playoffs for the second year in a row.
"I just want to be sure in my mind," team president Rod Thorn told the newspaper prior to a news conference to announce Frank will return. "Lawrence is a very good coach (and) I think the players understand that he knows what he's doing and they play hard for him."
Frank, a native of Teaneck, N.J., is owed $4.5 million next season.
He compiled a second straight 34-48 record, good for an 11th place finish in the Eastern Conference.
Thorn made no comment on which players would be back, including high-scoring guard Vince Carter and backcourt mate Devin Harris.
