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SPORTS Wednesday 8 May 2019

In this May 4, 2019, file photo, Flavien Prat rides Country House
to the finish line during the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby
horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
Associated Press
Derby winner

Country House Roger Federer, from Switzerland, celebrates after winning right, embraces Richard Gasquet, from
France, during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Tuesday, May 7, 2019.
Associated Press
out of Preakness Federer returns to clay-court

due to illness swing with easy win in Madrid

By TALES AZZONI any to the 39th-ranked der Zverev. The 37-year-old
By STEPHEN WHYNO Bob Baffert-trained Justify MADRID (AP) — Roger Fe- Gasquet at the "Magic Box" Ferrer is retiring after the
AP Sports Writer and American Pharoah derer looked as comfort- center court. tournament.
After being declared the have each won it since able as ever on his return to Gasquet was playing in his "I want to be with my fam-
winner of the Kentucky 2015. clay. first tournament after en- ily and try to enjoy as much
Derby by disqualification, Country Horse is the first Showing no signs of rust during a going injury early as possible the time that I
Country House will not Kentucky Derby winner after skipping clay-court in the year. have to play in this center
run in the Preakness be- not to enter the Preak- tournaments the last two "I think Richard was also court," the Spaniard said.
cause of illness, ending any ness since Grindstone in seasons, Federer cruised maybe a little bit hurt from "And tomorrow I have an-
chance a Triple Crown this 1996. Grindstone, who was to a 6-2, 6-3 win over Rich- his match yesterday, so it other opportunity and I'll
year. found to have bone chips ard Gasquet at the Madrid was nice seeing him back go out there to try to enjoy
Trainer Bill Mott said Tues- in one of his knees, was the Open on Tuesday. after so many months be- every single feeling that
day the long shot winner first Derby winner to be re- The fourth-seeded Federer ing away from the tour I might experience out
of horse racing's biggest tired immediately after that needed less than an hour with injury," Federer said. "I there."
event was no longer be- race since Bubbling Over in to win his first match on think for both of us it was a Stan Wawrinka ended a
ing considered to run in the 1926. Because of how the clay since 2016 and reach special match being back three-match losing streak in
second jewel of the Triple Kentucky Derby went, Mott the third round in the Span- here in Madrid."Earlier, top- Madrid by defeating Pierre-
Crown after it looked like said he and those around ish capital. ranked Novak Djokovic Hugues Herbert 6-2, 6-3.
Country House was getting the horse were not as dis- "It feels good to be back started with a 6-4, 6-2 win "I felt good. It was a great
sick. After the horse start- appointed by this as they on the clay," Federer said. over Taylor Fritz. He broke match, a first great match,"
ed coughing, which Mott would've been under nor- "I enjoyed it. Some of these the American's serve once Wawrinka said. "I have
called unusual, blood work mal circumstances. rallies, where you get in the first set and twice in been playing good on the
showed he was harboring "I guess it's been an unusu- pushed to the side, you the second, conceding practice court, feeling real-
some sort of virus. al ride anyway," Mott said slide. You can play in a dif- only one break opportu- ly good, so it was important
"Hopefully just rest and a of his first Derby victory. "I ferent manner than you do nity. The top-seeded Serb to start well today and I'm
little time is going to be don't think it hit any of us as on the hard courts or the had seven aces and lost happy with the first match."
what the doctor ordered," hard as what it might have. grass." only two service points in Brazil Open champion Gui-
Mott told The Associated I think we're grateful to The 37-year-old Federer the second set. do Pella upset 12th-seeded
Press. "Other than that, he have the win we had and skipped the clay season "I don't think he was playing Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6,
doesn't actually act sick. hopefully he bounces back the last two years to make at his best today," Djokovic 6-3, while Fabio Fognini
He's kind of a big, tough for some races later on." sure he was fit for the rest said. "But I think it was a sol- beat Kyle Edmund 6-4, 6-3.
horse, but there's signs that Country House joins Maxi- of the year. The 20-time id opening match for me in On the women's side, top-
things are not going in the mum Security in skipping Grand Slam champion is the tournament." ranked Naomi Osaka de-
right direction with him." the Preakness. preparing to make his first Djokovic is seeking his sec- feated Sara Sorribes Tormo
Country House was elevat- The 1 3/16-mile Preakness French Open appearance ond title of the year, and 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-0 in the sec-
ed to the winner's circle at is May 18 at Pimlico Race since 2015. He has won two third overall in Madrid. He ond round.
the Kentucky Derby in slop- Course in Baltimore. Though hard-court titles this sea- began the year by winning "I feel like in the first set, I got
py conditions Saturday af- shorter than the Kentucky son, in Dubai and Miami. the Australian Open. a bit lucky there," Osaka
ter Maximum Security was Derby, the race requires He is a three-time winner in David Ferrer extended his said. "In the third set, I just,
disqualified for impeding a quick turnaround. Maxi- Madrid, with his last title in career with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 like, went zombie mode
other horses. His absence mum Security owner Gary 2012. win over Roberto Bautista and then just thought of ev-
at the Preakness means West didn't want to bur- The fourth-seeded Swiss Agut, setting up a second- erything that I had to do to
there won't be a third Triple den his colt with the Triple converted his three break round meeting with de- win and not necessarily the
Crown winner in five years. Crown off the table.q points and didn't concede fending champion Alexan- outcome."q