Journalism emerges as Derby favorite

Journalism won the $500,000 Santa Anita Derby by three-quarters of a length Saturday to confirm his status as the Kentucky Derby favorite, with trainer Bob Baffert’s duo finishing fourth and fifth in the West Coast’s major prep. Baffert fared better on the East Coast, with Rodriguez leading all the way to win the $750,000 Wood Memorial by 3 1/2 lengths, earning enough points to move into the field for the Kentucky Derby. Journalism stamped himself as the favorite for the 151st running of the Derby on May 3. It was his fourth straight win. The Baffert-trained Citizen Bull and Barnes finished fourth and last, respectively. In New York, Rodriguez broke from the rail and ran 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.15 under Hall of Famer Mike Smith in light rain and 45-degree temperatures at Aqueduct. The victory was worth 100 qualifying points for the Derby, potentially giving Baffert three entrants as he seeks a record-setting seventh victory in his return to the race from which he was banned for three years. The colt is the son of 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.

Manfred: Torpedo bats good for game

In an interview published by The New York Times on Sunday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred called torpedo bats, a relatively new advancement that’s rapidly gaining popularity, “absolutely good for baseball.” The bats differ from traditional models due to their shape, which comes from redistributing their weight so that the densest part, or the “sweet spot,” is closer to the handle. The barrel — where players want the bat to make contact with the ball — is bigger. The bowling-pin-shaped bats have sparked interest among players and spurred discussions among fans, which Manfred supports. “I believe that issues like the torpedo bat and the debate around it demonstrate the fact that baseball still occupies a unique place in our culture, because people get into a complete frenzy over something that’s really nothing,” he said. “The bats comply with the rules. Players have been moving the sweet spot around in bats for years. But it demonstrates that something about the game is more important than is captured by TV ratings or revenue or any of those things, when you have the discussions about it.”

Liverpool suffers surprising defeat

Liverpool fell to a shock defeat on its march to the Premier League title — losing 3-2 at Fulham on Sunday. At the other end of the standings, Southampton became the first team to be relegated from England’s top flight this season after a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham. Manchester United and Manchester City played out a dismal 0-0 draw at Old Trafford. Liverpool’s loss meant it missed the chance to move 14 points clear of second-placed Arsenal and a step closer to a record-equaling 20th English league title. A stunning first-half fightback from Fulham at Craven Cottage saw Arne Slot’s team lose for only the second time in the league this season. “A very poor first half in terms of the goals we conceded, it was so unnecessary and then you’re fighting a very tough battle. A very poor half as a collective,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said. “We tried everything in the second half but when you ship three goals in the first half it’s very difficult.” Liverpool remains 11 points ahead of Arsenal and on course to win the title with seven games left. Liverpool needs 11 more points. —News services