BOXING
Alvarez defeats Cotto
Canelo Alvarez made a case for himself as boxing’s next star Saturday night, landing the bigger punches to take a unanimous decision over Miguel Cotto and win a piece of the middleweight title in Las Vegas. Alvarez took the fight to Cotto from the opening bell, winning rounds with big right hands and uppercuts. Cotto tried to box and had his moments, but Alvarez was clearly ahead as the crowd stood on its feet as both fighters traded punches in the final rounds. Alvarez won the WBC version of the title that Cotto vacated days earlier for not paying sanctioning fees. His win set up a possible megafight with Gennady Golovkin, the middleweight champion who was watching at ringside. Alvarez won by scores of 117-11, 119-109 and 118-110. The Associated Press had him ahead 116-112.
NFL
Season over for Niners’ QB
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick was placed on season-ending injured reserve by San Francisco on Saturday with a left shoulder injury, possibly signaling an end to his time with the 49ers just three seasons after he led them to a Super Bowl. Kaepernick began the week coming off the team’s bye with soreness in his non-throwing shoulder and he brought it to the attention of the medical staff Monday. He received treatment throughout the week, but was listed as a full participant in practice. He was listed as probable Friday to be available if needed for today’s game at Seattle as the backup to promoted starter Blaine Gabbert. But after the team submitted the injury report, Kaepernick, 28, returned to the training staff Friday following practice and said the shoulder wasn’t making any progress and then asked about his options. Surgery was considered a real possibility.
The New York Jets have activated wide receiver Quincy Enunwa, adding him to the roster from the suspended list in time for their game against the Houston Texans today. The Jets had a roster exemption until Monday for Enunwa, who returned to practice with the team this week after completing his fourgame suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Safety Micah Hyde has been upgraded to probable on the Green Bay Packers’ injury report for today’s game at Minnesota, while cornerback Damarious Randall’s availability is now in question because of a hamstring injury.
HORSE RACING
Sudden Surprise no surprise
Sudden Surprise and Sky Flight won $100,000 stakes races Saturday at Aqueduct. Sudden Surprise, the 1-5 favorite, beat Dr. Shane by 1 3/4 lengths in the Notebook for 2-year-olds bred in New York. The colt trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez got his third stakes victory, improving to 4 for 5 overall.
TENNIS
Djokovic advances to finals
Already having the best season of his life and with only one more match to play this year, Novak Djokovic still has a chance to make some history. The top-ranked Serb defeated Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-3 Saturday in the semifinals of the ATP finals. Another victory today against Roger Federer would make Djokovic the first person to win four consecutive titles at the season-ending tournament for the top eight players in the world. “Regardless of the outcome of [today’s] match, the season will still be the best that I had,” said Djokovic, who won three of the four Grand Slam titles in 2015 and reached the final in the other. Federer, a six-time champion, reached his 10th final in 14 appearances by beating Stan Wawrinka 7-5, 6-3. A
GOLF
Kisner rolling at RSM
Kevin Kisner had a 6-under 64 in St. Simons Island, Ga., to build a three-shot lead Saturday in the RSM Classic as he goes for his first victory on the PGA Tour. Already a runner-up four times this year — three in playoffs — Kisner has never had a chance this good. Kisner made his only bogey of the round on No. 14 and failed to make birdie on the par-5 15th to fall into a tie for the lead with Kevin Chappell. He answered with a key shot that set up birdie, a 6-iron into a foot at the par-3 17th and a 30-foot birdie on the 18th to build some separation. Kisner was at 16-under 196, a record 54-hole score at Sea Island. Chappell overcame back-to-back bogeys early in his round for a 68. David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 1-under 69 and is at 4-under 208 for three rounds.
Cristie Kerr and Ha Na Jang shared the lead Saturday going into the final round of the LPGA Tour’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla., and Lydia Ko remained in control of the biggest year-end awards and a $1 million bonus. Kerr shot a 4-under 67 to match Jang at 13 under at Tiburon. Jang closed with a bogey for a 69. Ko, 18, is trying to take the $1 million Race to the CME Globe bonus for the second consecutive year. A victory also would lock up the world No. 1 ranking to end the year, along with player of the year honors and the money title. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) had five birdies for a 5-under 67 and has a 3-round total of 209, placing her in a three-way tie for 12th place.
Rory McIlroy shot a 7-under 65 to move within a shot of leader Andy Sullivan after the third round of the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday. Sullivan had a 68 to reach 16-under 200 at Jumeirah Golf Estates. McIlroy moved four strokes clear of Danny Willett, his closest challenger for the season-long Race to Dubai points race. Patrick Reed was third at 13 under after a 68.
Australia’s Matthew Millar shot a 3-under 68 in windy conditions Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Australian Masters in Melbourne.
HORSE RACING
Exaggerator wins $1M Jackpot at Delta Downs
VINTON, La. – Trainer Keith Desormeaux put his full trust in his younger brother Kent, who rode 4-5 favorite Exaggerator in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot at Delta Downs Racetrack and it paid off with a victory by a neck over Sunny Ridge. The victory by Exaggerator in the 1 1/16 mile race for 2-year-olds earned him 10 points towards a starting position in the 2016 Road to the Kentucky Derby series.
Breaking from the ninth post position, Kent Desormeaux guided Exaggerator, a Kentucky-bred son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, to the front around the first turn and up the backstretch. Sunny Ridge, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., stayed close to Exaggerator from the 3/8th pole to the wire but could not pass the winner.
Exaggerator ($3.80), owned by Matthew Bryan of Big Chief Racing, won his third race in five starts, and earned a $600,000 first prize for his connections and increased his career earnings to $938,000. It was his first start since a troubled fourth-place finish in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile three weeks ago. Exaggerator won the Saratoga Special in August and was second in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland prior to the Breeders’ Cup.
Exaggerator completed the 1 1/16 mile Jackpot in 1:46.48 over a muddy track against nine rivals. Sunny Ridge, the 4-1 second choice, finished 2 ¾ lengths in front of 17-1 Harlan Punch.