NEW ORLEANS — 

In the precious private moments before the Louisiana State Tigers run out of the tunnel Monday night, their two leaders will depend on the pregame rituals that got them here, four quarters from college football immortality in a place where legends never die.

The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback has his routine, closing his eyes and visualizing how the beautiful game might unfold, how the defense might choose to attack him. This goes on for about 15 minutes.

“It’s kind of a nap,” Joe Burrow said. “I wouldn’t say I’m fully conscious. Whatever happens, happens. If I fall asleep, then I fall asleep.”

The national coach of the year, the protagonist of one of the sport’s most stirring underdog stories, has his own process.

“I get fired up,” Ed Orgeron said. “I drink a couple of Monsters and Red Bulls.”

Oh, the songs that will be written on the bayou if these two unlikely heroes come together for one more masterful performance and hand the defending national champion Clemson Tigers their first loss in the last two seasons. The first lines of Ed and Joe’s little ditty were scribbled over a crawfish dinner in Baton Rouge, where a hothead coach and a cool-hand quarterback first got to really know each other.

“We are one of the same from two different places,” Burrow said. “We have the same mentality: go run through someone’s face. He’s coached that way and played that way for a long time. That’s how I’ve always tried to play the game. This has kind of been a great match for us.”

Entering this season, you didn’t have to be from Louisiana or be able to understand Cajun French or know the difference between jambalaya and étouffée to know that LSU had a destiny to fulfill.

The Tigers have won three national championships — in the 1958, 2003 and 2007 seasons. Each time, they had the good fortune of aligning a transcendent run with a trip to New Orleans to validate it. Even in the 2011 season, LSU’s national title game loss to Alabama happened in the Superdome.

The four-year cycle was broken in 2015, but not too long after in 2016, Orgeron took over as coach for Les Miles. This year, the Larose, La., native restored the cosmic repetition with the help of a transfer quarterback from Athens, Ohio, who has the ability to recognize more than a coverage or blitz.

“We went into the season saying if the national title is in New Orleans, we weren’t going to let anybody else be there,” Burrow said. “We had to be there. We weren’t going to be at home on the couch watching two teams coming in our state and watching them on TV.”

Given the way the previous four years have gone in the College Football Playoff, Clemson was always going to be the most likely team to join whichever team won the Southeastern Conference in New Orleans. Dabo Swinney’s Tigers, 14-0 and winners of 29 in a row, are playing in their fourth CFP title game in five years.

That is such a staggering accomplishment that, to Swinney, a win over 14-0 LSU for a third national championship would be akin to a heaping helping of Cajun gravy.

“Regardless of what happens Monday night, this has been historic,” Swinney said. “Our program and even this team is not going to be defined by a scoreboard Monday night. Yeah, we win and we’ve won 30 in a row, and these guys went 15-0 back to back. But man, it’s been special.”

Swinney pushed all the right buttons with his team’s motivation in 2019, somehow convincing a group that began the season No. 1 in both polls that it was not receiving proper respect. The Tigers fell to second in the rankings after nearly losing at North Carolina on Sept. 28, and, as LSU and Ohio State won bigger games in October, they dropped all the way to fourth. While Clemson’s ACC schedule did not provide any prove-it opportunities in November, Swinney dug in further on disrespect.

After beating Ohio State 29-23 in the Fiesta Bowl, Clemson is a 5½-point underdog to LSU, which of course did not go unnoticed by Swinney.

“It doesn’t really ever seem to matter,” Swinney said. “We’ll win 50 in a row, we’ll still be the underdog.”

A big part of that is the game’s location, which only adds to the sense that LSU’s run to the title is predestined. Maybe that’s why Swinney began Clemson’s media day Saturday with the reminder that what his Tigers have already done is impressive enough.

“This is definitely a road game,” Swinney said. “It just worked out that way. But I think it’s really cool for LSU. How cool is that, for them to be able to just hop on a bus and ride up the road 40 minutes or so? It would be like us playing for the national championship in Greenville [S.C.], literally.”

Swinney is setting up a scenario in which the pressure all rests on LSU, the team that hasn’t played for a CFP title and has had far more potential distractions surrounding it than Clemson.

The entire state has converged on the French Quarter. Classes at LSU have been canceled Monday and Tuesday. It’s as if Fat Tuesday arrived early.

“Louisiana is shut down. It’s on lock,” said LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a Baton Rouge native. “It’s a sea of purple and gold. Ultimately for the rest of our lives, this is a memory that will never rust if we win this national championship.”

With all of that hanging in the Superdome air, how will Burrow ever find his calm?

There might not be enough energy drinks in New Orleans for Orgeron on Monday night.

“Just to show up at the hotel and see all the fans there,” Orgeron said, “just to hear them when we walk out here. … When we left Baton Rouge, there were hundreds of people in front of the neighborhoods, and just seeing the little kids, understanding the magnitude of this football team and what it means to me and who we represent. … It’s everything.”

HONOLULU — 

Cameron Smith was running out of holes, but not hope.

Smith was two shots behind with two holes to play in the steady rain Sunday at the Sony Open, and Brendan Steele had not shown any signs of cracking. Three holes later, Smith only had to two-putt from 10 feet to win a playoff.

“I just hung in there, and what do you know?” Smith said.

The 26-year-old Australian finally had a PGA Tour title he could call his own. He had won twice at the Australian PGA Championship, and he shared the team title with Jonas Blixt at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans in 2017.

For this PGA Tour victory, his help came from the guy he was trying to beat.

Steele had a three-shot lead when he holed a bunker shot for birdie on the 11th hole and he never trailed the entire day until it fell apart at the end. He missed a 6-foot par putt on the 17th, and then hit a wild hook from the fairway on the par-5 18th and never had a reasonable look at birdie.

On the 10th hole for the playoff, Steele was in ideal position in the fairway, 88 yards from the hole, when he hit wedge over the green. He chipped off the rain-soaked grass and mud to 15 feet and missed the par putt. Smith, who had driven into right rough, chased his shot to 10 feet. He never imagined winning would come down to two putts from short range.

“I thought I had to birdie 17 and do something special on 18,” Smith said. “Things fell into place.”

He helped with a clutch putt. On the 18th, Smith hit a 3-iron just short and into a bunker, blasted out over the puddles forming on the green to 8 feet and knocked it in for a 2-under 68 to force a playoff.

Steele was trying to win for the first time in just over two years. This was hard to take.

“Everything that could go wrong went wrong today,” Steele said after a 71.

The victory assures Smith a spot in the Masters. He also is assured a return to Hawaii next year for the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

“That’s been one I’ve wanted to tick off for a long time, to finally say I’ve won an event by myself,” Smith said. “It’s quite good.”

They finished at 11-under 269, the highest winning score at the Sony Open in 15 years. The wind finally died to normal strength instead of 30 mph gusts. But the rain was steady, and the course was soaked.

Steele felt that might have cost him on the 10th, which had been playing straight into strong wind all week. At the end, it was nothing more than a strong breeze. The pin was back. The green was soft. Anything at the pin likely would spin off the shelf and leave a long putt, and Smith already was 10 feet away.

“I played the hole six times this week and it’s been blowing pretty hard every day,” he said. “I don’t really have a gauge for it to be blowing just 5 mph or whatever it was. I think I just over played it because of the way it’s been the last few days.”

A final round that was wet, gray and full came to life in the final hour, which is about how long it took to play the last two holes because the maintenance crew kept having to squeegee the 18th green.

Steele brought possibilities into play when he missed the green to the left on the par-3 17th, pitched to 6 feet and missed his par putt, reducing his lead to a single shot.

Ryan Palmer and Webb Simpson were in the group ahead, both one shot behind. From a fairway bunker, Palmer went with fairway metal and sent it soaring so far to the right that it bounced off the metal railing atop a monster video board, beyond the corporate tent and vanished, presumably in a backyard. He had to return to the bunker and made bogey.

Simpson’s wedge skipped off the soaked green and settled 15 feet behind the hole. He narrowly missed the birdie putt, shot 67 and finished alone in third.

Steele, who had to wait 15 minutes to tee off, had to wait another 15 minutes to hit his second shot from the fairway. He went just as far offline as Palmer, just the opposite direction. It bounced off the roof of the tents left of the green and stopped near the ropes lining the 10th fairway. Given free relief from the grandstands, he hit wedge from the muck to 30 feet and two-putt for par.

“The lie was good, the water was fine,” Steele said. “It was just a 2-iron to win a golf tournament. It’s a hard shot.”

Smith holed his 8-footer for birdie for the second playoff in two weeks.

With his bogey on the 18th, Palmer had to settle for a 68 and tied for fourth with Graeme McDowell, who had a 64 to match the low score Sunday, and Kevin Kisner, who played in the final group but made only one birdie on the back for a 69.

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we remind you there is no racing at Santa Anita until Friday.

This year is going to be one of change for the California Horse Racing Board. The ever-shrinking board is down to five members with a new chair (Dr. Greg Ferraro), a new vice chair (Oscar Gonzales) and will have a new executive director when Rick Baedeker retires as soon as a replacement is brought aboard.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has two openings on the board and it’s unclear when he will appoint someone new. But he better get cooking as it won’t take much to cancel a meeting because of unavailability. Being a member of the CHRB is actually a pretty lousy job, where you get yelled at a lot, are the subject of constant social media criticism, and get a whopping $100 a month for your service.

We’ll certainly be covering every aspect on how the Board’s work is impacting California racing. But, first, let’s look at a seemingly unimportant move that will no doubt be the subject of criticism and suspicion.

Starting Jan. 22, the monthly meetings that were normally held at Santa Anita are moving to Sacramento. The next four meetings are up north. The first thought is that the move is being done to minimize the presence of animal rights’ activists. That’s both right and wrong.

First, the move was precipitated by Santa Anita, not the CHRB. The track told the CHRB that it preferred not hosting the meetings anymore. Its thinking was one of security as much as anything. Del Mar doesn’t host the meetings during its meet. They are across the street at a hotel. So, it’s not unprecedented by any means.

As the meetings have grown to be longer than “The Irishman,” you could certainly see a scenario where it’s still going on during racing. Protesters are mostly outside the gate during racing, but are lawfully allowed to attend government meetings, as should every citizen. If they care enough to show up, they should be heard.

But, if you are Santa Anita, a private company, would you want to regularly host a meeting in which about a dozen or so of the attendees only reason for being there is to try and get you shut down?

Sacramento is not as easy to get to as the population-heavy Los Angeles area. So, by extension, logic would tell you that there will be fewer activists up north than there would be down here. But, make no mistake, there are activists in Northern California, too. It’s just a matter of numbers.

I’ll leave the discussion of motivation to those of you out there. But, let’s get to why this is a very smart move.

It’s the CHRB’s job to regulate the industry. So, should the people being regulated be the friendly hosts of their overseers? And, in the case of Santa Anita, the track was giving the CHRB meeting space for free.

OK, before you get too worked up over that, realize that there is a rule that each track provides the CHRB office space, for things such as stewards, licensing and enforcement. Does that extend to CHRB meetings, probably not, but it has never seemed to be an issue. It’s my guess there is no nefarious reason the track didn’t charge the CHRB, especially on race days when there is staffing already in place.

On the other hand, there is incredible convenience in holding it at the track. But convenience shouldn’t be a bigger factor than eliminating any appearance of conflict of interest. (Although, I will always shop at the nearest grocery store, even if it costs more. Yes, convenience has its place in society.)

Secondly, it makes a lot of sense to host government meetings in the seat of government. Sure, the CHRB could have found a hotel with big enough meeting space in Pasadena, but why not hold it where the rules and laws are made? That concept needs no elaboration.

Trust me, I’m not itching to hop a plane to Sacramento. And, I’m sure L.A.-area based Board members Dennis Alfieri, Wendy Mitchell, Alex Solis and stalwarts Dr. Rick Arthur and Mike Marten would rather drive to a meeting than fly. And that’s not to mention all the jockey, owner, track and trainer reps.

The 2020 meeting schedule has five in Sacramento, three at Del Mar (presumably across the street), three TBDs and one at the Fair Grounds in Pleasanton. It begs the question, if any meeting should be held at a race track.

And, remember, as Baedeker seems duty bound to say during most public comment periods, taxpayer dollars are not funding the CHRB. So, there is no advantage or disadvantage to taxpayers where the meeting is held.

So, if you are really serious about cleaning up all the conflicts, this is a small but important step.

Stewards’ rulings

The stewards at Santa Anita were not terribly busy issuing rulings during the two-day opening week. So, let’s get right to them.

–Owner Tina Gonzalez was suspended for failure to honor a financial agreement with trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. No other details were offered but the cases #19SA0051 and #18LA0273 would seem to indicate one was from 2019 at Santa Anita and one from Los Alamitos in 2018.

–Jockey Tiago Pereira was suspended for three days (Jan. 5, 10, 11) for careless riding in the sixth race on Dec. 28, the Grade 1 American Oaks. Pereira was aboard So Much Happy in a 1 1/4-mile turf race when he crossed over after the dirt transition and caused another horse to steady. Pereira said the other rider never alerted him and he didn’t know the horse was there. The stewards said it was Pereira’s responsibility to know all his surroundings. So Much Happy finished eighth in the eight-horse race.

Who goofed, I’ve got to know?

That would be me. Actually, one is actually more of a clarification. In my Pegasus preview I said the draw would be Wednesday. Obviously, I meant the Wednesday before the race, not this Wednesday. But I should have been more clear. Also, in my preview I referred to Magic Wand as a he instead of a she.

Santa Anita review

Sunday’s feature was the $75,000 Kalookan Queen Stakes for fillies and mares going 6 ½ furlongs. There were only five entrants but it was clear that Mother Mother was best despite watching most of the race from near the back. Even though the winning margin was only 1 ¼ lengths, jockey Joel Rosario rode her with confidence with a complete hand ride.

Mother Mother paid $2.80, $2.10 and $2.10. Lady Ninja was second, followed by Show It N Moe It, Flor de LA Mar and Exuberance.

Here’s what the winning connections had to say.

Bob Baffert (winning trainer): “It was a different group that she ran in last time (La Brea Stakes on Dec. 28), she came out of that race really well. We usually wouldn’t turn her around and run her back in this kind of race but we took the blinkers off her. She got a little rank early in the first race and went ding-dong with Bellafina. She looks so healthy and she looked so beautiful in the paddock so I thought it was a good spot. I thought if we win a race with her it would get her mind right. I think this win will really help her and I think we can stretch her out from here.”

Joel Rosario (winning jockey): “The blinkers off helped. She was good early, she relaxed well. Those two fillies (Show It N Moe It and Lady Ninja) really wanted to go to the lead and my filly was the best horse in the race.”

Big races review

A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 on Sunday.

Aqueduct (7): $100,000 Rego Park Stakes, NY-bred 3-year-olds, 6 ½ furlongs. Winner: Scilly Cay ($5.60)

Final thought

Always looking to add more subscribers to this newsletter. Can’t beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you don’t like it, then you’re probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up. Remember, it’s free, and all we need is your email, nothing more.

Any thoughts, you can reach me at [email protected]. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

Now, here’s the star of the show, Sunday’s results. We’ll see you on Friday.

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Santa Anita Charts Results for Sunday, January 12.

Copyright 2020 by Equibase Company. Reproduction prohibited. Santa Anita, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. 9th day of a 60-day meet. Clear & Firm

FIRST RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $59,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 4 year olds and up. Claiming Price $62,500. Time 23.86 48.25 1:12.14 1:23.63 1:35.21

Winner–Sedamar B.f.4 by Richard’s Kid out of Win Allison Win, by Stormy Atlantic. Bred by Mick Ruis (CA). Trainer: Shelbe Ruis. Owner: Ruis Racing LLC. Mutuel Pool $168,137 Exacta Pool $76,140 Superfecta Pool $26,051 Trifecta Pool $46,760. Scratched–none.

SEDAMAR saved ground stalking the pace, bid along the rail under urging past the eighth pole to gain the lead in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. SOLD IT took the early lead and angled in, set the pace inside, came off the rail into the stretch, battled outside the winner past midstretch, fought back in deep stretch and was outfinished. LOVE AND PEACE (FR) took back and angled in early, stalked outside a rival, came three deep into the stretch and gained the show. K P SLICKEM a bit slow to begin, came out and chased outside a rival, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. WICKED OLD FASHION angled in and saved ground chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and lacked the necessary response between foes late. CHICKATINI pulled her way along to stalk the pace outside a rival, was between horses in upper stretch, drifted in through the final furlong and did not rally.

SECOND RACE.

1 Mile. Purse: $23,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies. 3 year olds. Claiming Price $30,000. Time 23.56 47.83 1:13.69 1:27.17 1:41.19

Winner–Sabinos Pride B.f.3 by Liam’s Map out of Lavender Sky, by Mt. Livermore. Bred by Clearsky Farms (KY). Trainer: David E. Hofmans. Owner: Tarabilla Farms, Inc.. Mutuel Pool $169,253 Daily Double Pool $31,928 Exacta Pool $88,781 Superfecta Pool $46,221 Trifecta Pool $66,596. Scratched–none.

SABINOS PRIDE had speed inside to duel for the lead then inched away leaving the first turn, set all the pace along the inside, kicked away on the second turn and drew off in the stretch under left handed urging and a hold late. K P CATS WILD broke out a bit, dueled between horses into the first turn then stalked off the rail, came out some into the stretch and held second. SUBTLE RIDE chased inside, came out leaving the second turn, split horses into the stretch and bested the others. VANNAVANNA BO BANA settled just off the inside chasing the pace, angled to the inside on the second turn, continued along the rail in the stretch and weakened. CIRCLEOFCOLOR dropped back a bit off the fence in the early going, angled to the inside entering the stretch and had little left for the drive. KEEPINMYPROMISE had speed three deep to prompt the pace then stalked outside the runner-up, came three wide into the stretch, gave way and drifted out while being eased through the final furlong and walked off.

THIRD RACE.

5½ Furlongs Turf. Purse: $57,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 4 year olds and up. Claiming Price $20,000. Time 22.17 45.03 56.81 1:02.96

Winner–Grinningeartoear Ch.f.4 by Smiling Tiger out of Finish Rich in Nyc, by Gotham City. Bred by Martin Bach (CA). Trainer: Brian J. Koriner. Owner: Blinkers On Racing Stable, Bennett, Boyan, Cahee, Georgetti, Harris, Allen, Preszler, Rahemtulla, Ro. Mutuel Pool $211,735 Daily Double Pool $18,168 Exacta Pool $105,414 Superfecta Pool $44,049 Super High Five Pool $3,382 Trifecta Pool $66,107. Claimed–Square Peggy by Zolotas, Steven and Romo, Sabina and Knapp, Steve R. Trainer: Steve Knapp. Scratched–Coalinga Hills.

50-Cent Pick Three (1-1-8) paid $15.00. Pick Three Pool $53,786.

GRINNINGEARTOEAR stalked three deep then outside a rival on the turn, came three wide into the stretch, lugged in a bit past the eighth pole, was four wide under some urging a sixteenth out, surged to the front in deep stretch and proved best. SQUARE PEGGY sped to the early lead, dueled inside, inched away on the turn, came a bit off the rail in midstretch, drifted in slightly in the late stages, was bumped nearing the wire and held second. VIOLETTE SZABO stalked between horses then inside on the turn, came out in upper stretch, was between foes through the final furlong and held third. SUNRISE ROYALE had good early speed and dueled outside the runner-up, stalked a bit off the rail on the turn, also continued between horses through the final furlong and was edged for the show. SMILING ANNIE saved ground stalking the pace, was in a bit tight into the turn to fall back some, continued inside, tried to go through tight quarters along the fence in deep stretch, bumped with the runner-up and steadied late. CHRISTY JACKSON chased inside then outside a rival on the turn, continued off the inside in the stretch and was outkicked. STORMIN RANGER hopped in a slow start, settled off the rail then a bit off the fence into and on the turn and into the stretch and lacked a rally. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the bumping in late stretch between the second and fifth finishers, but made no change when they ruled SMILING ANNIE initiated the contact.

FOURTH RACE.

1 Mile. Purse: $22,000. Claiming. 4 year olds and up. Claiming Price $16,000. Time 23.89 47.81 1:12.66 1:26.26 1:40.14

Winner–Imagineiamfastest Dbb.g.5 by Violence out of Imagine, by Giant’s Causeway. Bred by Pauleeanna Thoroughbreds, LLC (FL). Trainer: Jack Carava. Owner: Jett, T. Lawrence and Ann. Mutuel Pool $164,319 Daily Double Pool $14,910 Exacta Pool $74,088 Trifecta Pool $64,149. Claimed–Lagoon Macaroon by Jacobs, Gary, Lambert, Jeffrey, Paradise Farms Corp., Merrill, Ted and Hess M. Trainer: Robert Hess, Jr. Scratched–none.

50-Cent Pick Three (1-8-3) paid $32.70. Pick Three Pool $20,519.

IMAGINEIAMFASTEST pulled between horses early, bid between foes a half mile out, stalked again on the second turn, came three wide into the stretch, took the lead outside the pacesetter in midstretch, inched clear under urging past midstretch and held gamely. LAGOON MACAROON settled off the rail then chased a bit off the fence, came out leaving the second turn and four wide into the stretch and finished willingly late for the place. BLACK STORM had speed three deep then stalked outside, bid four wide a half mile out, tracked the pacesetter again on the second turn, came four wide into the stretch and also went on willingly late to be edged for second. BITTER RING HOME stalked inside then a bit off the rail, bid between horses leaving the backstretch, continued just off the inside on the second turn then along the fence into the stretch then went around the pacesetter in late stretch. BIG BARREL sped to the early lead, set the pace inside, edged away a bit off the rail on the second turn and into the stretch, drifted in and fought back in midstretch and weakened late.

FIFTH RACE.

5½ Furlongs Turf. Purse: $35,000. Claiming. 4 year olds and up. Claiming Price $32,000. Time 22.60 45.31 57.05 1:03.31

Winner–Blackout (FR) B.g.7 by Dream Ahead out of Belle Masquee (IRE), by Oratorio (IRE). Bred by S.A.R.L. Haras Du Logis Saint Germain (FR). Trainer: Peter Miller. Owner: Gary Barber. Mutuel Pool $263,080 Daily Double Pool $27,372 Exacta Pool $165,439 Superfecta Pool $84,241 Super High Five Pool $6,245 Trifecta Pool $116,668. Claimed–Blackout (FR) by Exelby, Randy, V.A. Racing Stables LLC, Mayo, Tom and Mullins, Jeff. Trainer: Jeff Mullins. Scratched–Via Egnatia.

50-Cent Pick Three (8-3-6) paid $39.60. Pick Three Pool $37,871. 50-Cent Pick Four (1-8-3-6/8) 1169 tickets with 4 correct paid $89.80. Pick Four Pool $137,532. 50-Cent Pick Five (1-1-8-3-6/8) 1708 tickets with 5 correct paid $252.60. Pick Five Pool $501,868.

BLACKOUT (FR) bumped after the start, angled in and dueled inside, inched away on the turn, kicked clear in the stretch and held under a couple left handed taps of the whip and steady handling. TIGERBEACH stalked outside a rival, came three deep into the stretch and finished willingly. PORTANDO hopped in a bit of a slow start, saved ground chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and got up for the show while between rivals on the line. OIL CAN KNIGHT stalked the pace inside, came out a bit in upper stretch then angled in, continued inside then angled for room in deep stretch and was edged for a minor award between horses on the wire. EROTIC settled a bit off the rail then inside, came out into the stretch and put in a late bid at a minor award four wide on the line. OUTLAW bumped early, dueled between horses then stalked a bit off the rail, angled in leaving the turn, continued inside and was outfinished. ENGRAM bumped and in a bit tight just after the start, settled outside a rival then just off the rail, came out some in the stretch and lacked the needed rally. GOLDEN IMAGE dueled three deep then outside the winner into the turn, stalked just off the inside on the turn and outside a rival into the stretch, was between foes in midstretch and weakened.

SIXTH RACE.

1 1/16 Mile. Purse: $38,000. Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 4 year olds and up. Claiming Price $40,000. Time 23.81 47.44 1:11.98 1:38.35 1:45.22

Winner–Noble Contessa B.f.4 by Noble Mission (GB) out of Lemon Bay, by Bernardini. Bred by W. S. Farish & Kilroy ThoroughbredPartnership (KY). Trainer: Michael W. McCarthy. Owner: Gatto Racing LLC and Sebold Racing LLC. Mutuel Pool $203,108 Daily Double Pool $23,221 Exacta Pool $102,648 Trifecta Pool $83,524. Claimed–Cyrielle by Mathilde Powell. Trainer: Leonard Powell. Scratched–none.

50-Cent Pick Three (3-6-2) paid $38.60. Pick Three Pool $50,255.

NOBLE CONTESSA sped to the early lead, set the pace inside, dueled on the backstretch and second turn and into the stretch, inched away under urging in the drive and was under steasdy handling late. CYRIELLE three wide early, stalked off the rail, bid outside the winner and put a head in front on the backstretch, dueled alongside that one on the second turn and into the stretch then was no match in the drive but clearly second best. CATOCA saved ground stalking the pace throughout and bested the others. MONGOLIAN EMPIRE stalked between horses then a bit off the rail, came out on the second turn, went around a rival leaving that turn and weakened. KYNANCE (IRE) close up stalking the pace three deep then outside a rival, dropped back a bit off the rail on the second turn, found the inside in the stretch and gave way.

SEVENTH RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $36,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies. 3 year olds. Claiming Price $75,000. Time 22.41 46.10 1:11.13 1:23.57 1:36.09

Winner–Go Big Blue Nation Ch.f.3 by Animal Kingdom out of Chelsea Road, by Speightstown. Bred by Millennium Farms & Godolphin (KY). Trainer: Jeff Bonde. Owner: Del Secco DCS Racing. Mutuel Pool $289,908 Daily Double Pool $26,969 Exacta Pool $147,359 Superfecta Pool $76,399 Super High Five Pool $5,577 Trifecta Pool $98,012. Claimed–Go Big Blue Nation by Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC. Trainer: Michael McCarthy. Scratched–My Girl Pearl.

50-Cent Pick Three (6-2-7) paid $11.95. Pick Three Pool $52,946.

GO BIG BLUE NATION stalked three deep, went up four wide on the second turn then bid three wide to gain the lead a quarter mile out, kicked clear under some urging in the stretch, drifted in and held. GOING TO VEGAS broke in a bit, stalked inside, came out around a rival leaving the second turn and three deep into the stretch and edged a rival for the place. LUCIA’S DESIGN stalked inside then between horses on the backstretch, split rivals on the second turn and again in midstretch and was edged for second. I GIVE UP steadied when squeezed between foes in the opening strides, angled in and chased inside, came out for room on he second turn and four wide into the stretch and could not quite summon the needed late kick. DIPPING IN tugged between horses then stalked outside a rival, split horses three deep leaving the backstretch and into the second turn, bid between rivals a quarter mile out, drifted in and weakened some in the final furlong. HONEYWHISKEYNWINE stalked outside a rival then bid alongside the pacesetter leaving the backstretch, took the lead and inched away and angled in on the second turn, dueled inside leaving that turn and into the stretch and also weakened in the final furlong. FIRST EMPRESS squeezed a bit at the start and in a bit tight early, chased between foes, continued a bit off the rail on the second turn and outside a rival into the stretch and lacked a further response. ZIPPNINTHECITY had speed three deep then edged away and angled in, set the pace inside, dueled along the rail on the backstretch and into the second turn, dropped back leaving that turn and had little left for the stretch.

EIGHTH RACE.

6½ Furlongs. Purse: $75,000. ‘Kalookan Queen Stakes’. Fillies and Mares. 4 year olds and up. Time 21.93 44.96 1:09.85 1:16.20

Winner–Mother Mother Dbb.f.4 by Pioneerof the Nile out of Mother, by Lion Hearted. Bred by T. F. VanMeter (KY). Trainer: Bob Baffert. Owner: Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Hall, Barry, Lipman, Barry and Mathiesen, Mark. Mutuel Pool $346,057 Daily Double Pool $32,622 Exacta Pool $90,928 Trifecta Pool $91,647. Scratched–none.

50-Cent Pick Three (2-7-4) paid $8.90. Pick Three Pool $42,893.

MOTHER MOTHER stalked outside a rival, came out some in the stretch, bid outside the runner-up past the eighth pole, gained the advantage a sixteenth out and edged away under a strong hand ride and steady handling late. LADY NINJA had speed three deep then dueled outside a rival, inched away in the stretch, fought back inside the winner in the final furlong, could not quite match that one late but clearly bested the others. SHOW IT N MOE IT between horses early, dueled a bit off the rail then inside on the turn and into the stretch, came off the inside in deep stretch and held third. FLOR DE LA MAR saved ground stalking the pace, came out in the stretch and was edged for the show. EXUBERANCE stalked the pace inside on the backstretch and turn, came out into the stretch and weakened.

NINTH RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $55,000. Maiden Special Weight. 3 year olds. Time 22.64 47.63 1:12.36 1:24.34 1:36.17

Winner–Margot’s Boy B.g.3 by Clubhouse Ride out of Margot Machance (GB), by Creachadoir (IRE). Bred by Alfred A. Pais (CA). Trainer: Craig Anthony Lewis. Owner: Alfred Pais. Mutuel Pool $343,640 Daily Double Pool $93,588 Exacta Pool $193,204 Superfecta Pool $106,554 Super High Five Pool $12,956 Trifecta Pool $139,149. Scratched–Audace, Descartes, Guinessey.

50-Cent Pick Three (7-4-4) paid $13.35. Pick Three Pool $163,258. 50-Cent Pick Four (2-7/8-4-4) 6804 tickets with 4 correct paid $61.30. Pick Four Pool $546,790. 50-Cent Pick Five (6/8-2-7/8-4-4) 3528 tickets with 5 correct paid $138.70. Pick Five Pool $641,249. 20-Cent Pick Six Jackpot (3-6/8-2-7/8-4-4) 312 tickets with 6 correct paid $423.34. Pick Six Jackpot Pool $247,316. Pick Six Jackpot Carryover $432,042.

MARGOT’S BOY had good early speed and dueled inside, inched away on the backstretch, set the pace along the rail, came out a bit leaving the second turn, drifted out into the stretch and in upper stretch, kicked clear while drifting in from the whip in the drive and held sway under a hold late. ROCKS AND SALT settled outside a rival chasing the pace, continued a bit off the rail leaving the second turn, split horses past midstretch and gained the place. TROPICAL TERROR angled in and saved ground chasing the pace, continued a bit off the rail into and on the second turn, came out into the stretch and edged a rival for the show. CANYON CREST crossed inward and settled inside then outside a rival leaving the backstretch, went three deep leaving the second turn and five wide into the stretch and was edged for third. GAMBINI broke out a bit, angled in and settled off the pace inside, came out on the second turn and three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. FANTASY GAME had speed three deep then dueled outside the winner, stalked outside a rival or just off the rail on the backstretch and second turn, continued alongside a foe in midstretch and weakened. PERFECT AFFECTION angled to the inside and saved ground stalking the pace throughout and weakened in the final furlong. SQUARED STRAIGHT chased outside a rival then three deep on the second turn and four wide into the stretch and weakened. BLUES RAPPER angled in and saved ground chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and lacked a further response. VERY IRISH chased along the inside, steadied in tight leaving the second turn, came out some in the stretch and weakened. YU H hopped and broke inward in a slow awkward start, was rank and drifted in to brush the rail then drifted out, angled in on the first turn and saved ground off the pace and was outrun.

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

NFL

Millions of football fans saw it but couldn’t believe it.

Doug Williams believed it, even though he didn’t see it.

The Kansas City Chiefs pulled off a comeback for the ages on a see-your-breath Sunday, toppling the Houston Texans 51-31 despite falling behind by 24 points in the second quarter at Arrowhead Stadium.

Patrick Mahomes threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter to give the Chiefs a lead they would never relinquish. It was the largest comeback in franchise history.

So where does Williams come in? He was Washington’s quarterback in early 1988 and threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter of Super Bowl XXII, leading the Redskins to a come-from-behind victory over the Denver Broncos.

Mahomes and Williams now share that NFL postseason record of four touchdown passes in a quarter.

“The biggest thing I was preaching was, ‘Let’s go do something special. Everybody is counting us out. Let’s go out there and play by play put it out there,’” Mahomes said. “And play by play, we did what we were supposed to do.”

Even though Williams was watching only highlights on his phone — he was at home in Ashburn, Va., cheering on his two young daughters in basketball games — he was in Arrowhead Stadium in spirit.

“There’s something about that second quarter, huh?” Williams said by phone. “It’s weird that it happened, and you know what makes it even more weird? You’ve got two African American quarterbacks who did it.

—

Aaron Rodgers connected with Davante Adams eight times for 160 yards and two touchdowns, Green Bay’s spruced-up defense fended off a spirited Seattle rally, and the Packers held on for a 28-23 victory Sunday night to reach the NFC championship game for the third time in six years.

Aaron Jones rushed for 62 yards and two first-half scores for the Packers, who will travel next weekend to take on top-seeded San Francisco.

Russell Wilson carried the Seahawks on yet another comeback, this time from a 21-3 halftime deficit, but the Packers forced a punt just before the two-minute warning on the second sack of the game by Preston Smith, Green Bay’s fifth of the game.

NFL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

Divisional Round

Saturday

at San Francisco 27, Minnesota 10

Tennessee 28, at Baltimore 12

Sunday

at Kansas City 51, Houston 31

at Green Bay 28, Seattle 23

Conference Championship

Sunday, Jan. 19

Tennessee at Kansas City, Noon, CBS

Green Bay at San Francisco, 3:30 p.m., FOX

Super Bowl

Sunday Feb. 2

TBD vs. TBD, 3:30 p.m., FOX

CLIPPERS

Paul George didn’t travel to Colorado for the Clippers’ one-game road trip, but the inconsistency that has dogged his team for much of this month was present again Sunday.

A strong start behind a seldom-used lineup unraveled quickly at Pepsi Center and a second quarter in which the Clippers were outscored by 15 points ultimately doomed them in a 114-104 loss to a Nuggets team that had lost in the same building only 24 hours earlier.

Down by as many as 20 points in the second half, the Clippers did not go meekly, and cut their deficit to eight points with 3 minutes 56 seconds remaining with a 12-2 run that ended with a long three-pointer by Kawhi Leonard. Denver didn’t score for the next 90 seconds, but the Clippers’ offense stalled, as well, and a chance to gain a possession was lost when a replay review with 2 minutes 41 seconds left to play upheld an offensive foul call on Montrezl Harrell.

Frustration boiled over with just over one minute to play. After guard Patrick Beverley fouled out on a call he contested with officials before being led to the bench by teammate JaMychal Green, coach Doc Rivers was whistled for two technical fouls and ejected with 1 minute 11 seconds to play.

UCLA BASKETBALL

Michaela Onyenwere’s homecoming was almost perfect.

“It’s really nice to come back here — except for the altitude,” Onyenwere said after leading No. 8 UCLA to a 65-62 squeaker over Colorado on Sunday.

The Aurora, Colo., native is no longer accustomed to the thin air, but the junior forward was fired up to overcome her burning lungs on her way to 19 points and eight rebounds.

UCLA (16-0, 5-0 Pac-12) stayed unbeaten and started conference play with five consecutive wins for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

“Means a lot to have a good game and see how far I’ve come is really humbling,” said Onyenwere, who scored 15 points in the first half.

DODGERS

The Dodgers and left-handed pitcher Alex Wood agreed to a one-year contract, a person with knowledge of the situation said Sunday. The deal is worth $4 million guaranteed and includes incentives that could boost Wood’s salary to $10 million.

Wood returns to Los Angeles after the Dodgers traded him to the Cincinnati Reds last offseason as part of a salary-dumping package that included Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp.

Wood, who turned 29 on Sunday, dealt with back trouble the entire season with the Reds, beginning in spring training. He started the season on the injured list. He was activated in late July, but made only seven starts before his season ended in September. He had a 5.80 earned-run average and gave up 11 home runs over 35 2/3 innings.

He returns with a chance to crack the Dodgers rotation after being a steady presence in the group for parts of four seasons. Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda and Julio Urías are projected as locks for the rotation. Ross Stripling, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Wood and Jimmy Nelson, signed last week, are other options.

Read more Dodgers:

LZ Granderson: The group has anti-LGBTQ views. Dodgers’ Dave Roberts has a message of inclusiveness

GALAXY

The Galaxy are closing in on a deal that would bring Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Mexico’s all-time leading scorer, to MLS on a franchise-record transfer.

Galaxy general manager Dennis te Kloese confirmed the team was in talks with Hernandez, 31, who moved from England’s West Ham United to Sevilla for a transfer fee of approximately $8.7 million in September. But the forward has fallen out of favor in Spain, appearing in just two league games since Nov. 2.

The Spanish newspaper Marca reported over the weekend that Sevilla has agreed to let Hernandez go on a $10-million transfer and that Hernandez’s representatives were scheduled to meet with the Galaxy this week to work out a new contract.

A Galaxy spokesman called that report optimistic and said nothing has been agreed upon. But he did confirm the two sides are in advanced negotiations.

TODAY’S LOCAL MAJOR SPORTS SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

Cleveland at Lakers, Spectrum Sportsnet, 710 ESPN, 7:30 p.m.

Ducks at St. Louis, 5 p.m., PRIME

BORN ON THIS DATE

1950: Baseball player Bob Forsch

1953: Horse trainer Bob Baffert

1957: Golfer Mark O’Meara

1961: Former King Kelly Hrudey

1962: Baseball player Kevin Mitchell

1972: Football player Bam Morris

1973: Hockey player Nikolai Khabibulin

1983: Former Laker Ronny Turiaf

1997: Hockey player Connor McDavid

DIED ON THIS DATE

1978: Baseball manager Joe McCarthy, 96

2006: Hockey player Marc Potvin, 39

2008: Former Dodger Johnny Podres, 76

2018: Baseball umpire Doug Harvey, 87

2019: Baseball player Mel Stottlemyre, 77

AND FINALLY

Kevin Mitchell makes a bare-handed catch in left field. Watch it here.

That concludes the newsletter for today. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, please email me at [email protected]. If you want to subscribe, click here

A shooting in the parking lot of a Baldwin Park liquor store killed one man and injured another Saturday evening.

Officers from the Baldwin Park Police Department responded to a report of shots fired in front of JNJ Liquor and Market at 3216 Baldwin Park Blvd. shortly after 6:15 p.m., the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

They found a man had been shot in the upper torso. He died at the scene.

Detectives later learned that a second man had been shot twice in the abdomen. He was taken to a hospital and was undergoing surgery.

Authorities are investigating the incident as possibly being gang-related, the Sheriff’s Department said.

The shooting took place about an hour and a half after rapper 50 Cent made a promotional appearance at the liquor store, but the Sheriff’s Department said there was no indication that the shooting was related to the appearance.

There was no word on a suspect, and investigators reported no arrest.

Longline fishing won’t be allowed off the California coast after a federal district court suspended permits for the fishing method.

In December, the court struck down longline fishing permits that the National Marine Fisheries Service issued last spring, ruling that the service didn’t properly analyze threats to critically endangered leatherback sea turtles.

“The permits were vacated by the court, so the permits are no longer in effect,” said Catherine Kilduff, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, which filed a lawsuit with Turtle Island Restoration Network to challenge the permits.

The National Marine Fisheries Service declined to comment on the case while it analyzes the decision, spokesman Jim Milbury said.

Longline fishing involves dragging lines stretching up to 60 miles behind vessels. Those lines often snare non-target catch, including marine mammals, sea turtles and unwanted fish. Sea turtles become hooked while trying to take longline bait or become entangled while swimming through the walls of lines and hooks, the environmental groups said. That can drown the turtles or leave them fatally injured.

The longline fishery has been closed off the California coast since 2004, but the service issued two permits in April. The permit would have shut down the fishery if the fishing lines caught three live turtles, or brought in one dead one, Kilduff said. But environmental groups said even one death of the imperiled species could harm its chance of recovery. They argued that the critically low populations of leatherback sea turtles left no margin of error for accidental deaths.

“The more endangered they are, the less flexibility the government has to permit activities that kill the animals,” said Todd Steiner, a biologist and executive director of Turtle Island Restoration Network.

The court agreed, ruling that the agency didn’t properly analyze threats to the turtles before issuing the permits, as required by the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act.

The court decision marks a final victory for conservation groups during a year in which regulators took action to clean up West Coast fisheries by approving new gear to reduce unwanted catch and safeguarding delicate bottom habitat.

“This is great news for leatherback sea turtles because the court recognized how imperiled they are, and how important this particular habitat off California is for them during the months that they’re there,” Kilduff said. “It really gives them a chance to defy the predictions for extinction.”

Sullivan Brennan writes for the San Diego Union Tribune.

Police in Fontana arrested an Uber driver on suspicion of raping a passenger Sunday.

The woman passenger told investigators that she had been drinking with friends and requested a ride to a home in Fontana. At some point, she either fell asleep or passed out in the vehicle, and she awoke to the driver assaulting her, the Fontana Police Department said in a news release.

The driver, Alonso Calle, 32, later called police and said he had consensual sex with a passenger in his car at McDermott Park, authorities said. He told police the woman was “very intoxicated” but said she offered him sex, investigators said.

Calle was arrested on suspicion of rape and booked into the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Uber banned Calle from the ride-hailing app after his arrest and is cooperating with law enforcement, said Navideh Forghani, a spokeswoman for Uber Technologies Inc.

“What the rider reported to police is extremely disturbing and has no place in our community,” Forghani said.

Calle’s arrest comes days after prosecutors in Orange County charged an Uber driver with two felony counts of sexual penetration and two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery. That driver is accused of repeatedly assaulting an intoxicated woman he had picked up at the Tustin police station in July 2018.

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Last month, Uber released an 84-page safety report revealing that in 2017 and 2018, nearly 6,000 total reports of sexual assault were made, including 464 allegations of nonconsensual penetration or rape, 587 reports of attempted rape and 3,000 complaints of nonconsensual touching of a sexual body part.

In April, three Los Angeles County women who say they were sexually assaulted by predators who posed as Uber drivers filed a lawsuit against the San Francisco company alleging it didn’t do enough to protect them.

The ride-hailing company has announced several additions to its app focused on providing support to passengers and drivers during crises, including the ability to text local police departments, a four-digit PIN to verify a passenger is in the right car, and an experiment that allows the company to record and review audio during a trip.

Times staff writer Johana Bhuiyan contributed to this report.

SAN DIEGO — 

The Hermes copper butterfly is particular about where it lays its eggs — spiny redberry bushes — and where it lives — only in coastal sage scrub and chaparral in San Diego County through northern Baja.

The tawny orange butterfly is one of a suite of local species that are specialized to the region and suffering from urban sprawl and savage fires that have altered the landscape in recent decades. Recognizing those risks to the species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this month proposed listing it as threatened.

“This is one of many pollinator species that are in decline across the country,” said Jane Hendron, spokeswoman for the Carlsbad Field Office of the Fish and Wildlife Service. “Unfortunately, there’s quite a number of our native butterflies in California that have suffered significant decline because of habitat loss, fragmentation and issues associated with wildfire.”

The Hermes copper is endemic to San Diego County and parts of Baja, meaning it lives here, and nowhere else. That makes it a valuable part of the region’s rich biodiversity, said David Hogan, president of the Chaparral Lands Conservancy, and one of the early petitioners to list the butterfly.

“This butterfly is one among dozens of endangered species in San Diego that are extremely specialized to our unique environment,” Hogan said. “San Diego County has an extraordinarily high concentration of endangered species.”

The service filed the listing proposal on Jan. 8 and estimates that it will take a year to finalize the listing and draw up critical habitat plans for the butterfly. The public comment period for the listing runs through March 9.

Despite plans for a swift turnaround, the listing has been a long time coming; the first petition to list the butterfly was nearly 30 years ago. In 1991, two conservation organizations, the San Diego Biodiversity Project and Center for Biological Diversity, petitioned to list the Hermes copper butterfly.

In the petition, they noted that interest in the butterfly dated back to at least the 1920s, when entomologist John A. Comstock, who developed the classification system for butterflies, wrote of the Hermes copper: “It is a fascinating little sprite as it darts about in the sunlight, or sports its showy colors while balanced on a tuft of wild buckwheat.”

Even then he warned that “it will always be a rarity and may, in fact, some day become extinct if San Diego continues to expand at its present rate.”

The butterfly, with brown and orange on the top of its wings and yellow dotted with black on the underside, is adapted to the fire-prone habitat of San Diego, said Tara Cornelisse, a senior scientist for the Center for Biological Diversity. The insect uses spiny redberry as a host plant to shelter its eggs and feed the larvae, and buckwheat as a nectar source for adult butterflies.

During earlier regimens of smaller, scattered fires, it would move between burned areas and blossoming sites.

“It can maintain that, but with urban development in San Diego and the presence of more wide-ranging fires, its habitat is more degraded,” with isolated patches of chaparral that are harder for the butterfly to access, Cornelisse said. “That’s what has caused it to become endangered.”

When the first petition under the Endangered Species Act failed to gain traction, the conservation groups followed with a second petition in 2004. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service analyzed and rejected it, concluding that it didn’t warrant listing, Hendron said.

The San Diego region had already survived the 2003 Cedar fire, and in 2007, it endured another series of firestorms that torched 368,316 acres, an area larger than the city of Los Angeles. That included swaths of old growth chaparral the butterfly relied on. Urban development spurred by a growing population claimed many more acres of that habitat.

By 2011, the Fish and Wildlife Service determined that it did indeed deserve protection. By that time, however, the service was complying with court-ordered deadlines for other environmental reviews, and ranked the butterfly listing as “precluded by other workload priorities,” said Listing and Recovery Division Chief Bradd Baskerville-Bridges.

It remained on hold until this year, when the service issued its listing proposal, starting the process to protect it under the federal Endangered Species Act. Safeguards will include designation of 35,000 acres of critical habitat in San Diego County.

There are 45 sites where it is known to exist, out of 95 historical occurrences, Baskerville-Bridges said. Many of those are in southeast San Diego County, he said.

About 65 percent of the critical habitat area is already within conservation areas or federal lands, Hendron said, while the remaining 35 percent is on private land. The critical habitat restrictions don’t apply to those, unless there’s a federal nexus such as federal funding or permits. Large development projects that require federal permits for land use or stream bed alterations could fall into that category.

“We’re continuing to work with project proponents in consultation,” Baskerville-Bridges said. “We don’t think it will be a hindrance, but we will continue to protect the species.”

San Diego County Building Industry Association Vice President Matthew Adams said the organization is still analyzing the proposed listing, but expects to comment on any provisions that affect home developments.

“We have to evaluate the maps and see where that is,” he said. “If it’s all in [multiple species conservation plan] land, that’s one thing. But if it could affect areas identified for housing, we’ll have to address that. Whatever the impacts, it’s another layer of bureaucracy we will have to address as we’re trying to provide housing for our citizenry.”

Hogan, for his part, is also concerned about the intersection of habitat and housing. He worries that master-planned communities proposed in the South County could sprawl over some of the butterfly’s remaining chaparral habitat, and said brush reduction measures laid out in fire prevention programs could claim more of it. Conservation groups will continue to press for the butterfly’s protection on multiple fronts, he said.

“Environmental groups will support this proposal and request that it be strengthened,” he said. “Whether it’s listed or not, environmentalists will ask that local agencies like the county and city of San Diego expand conservation measures under their respective multiple species conservation plans to provide protections for this species. And we’ll be asking the U.S. Forest Service and CalFire to revisit plans to destroy so much important habitat.”

Cornelisse said the Center for Biological Diversity will analyze the listing plan and critical habitat maps, paying close attention to exempt areas that should be included for the species’ protection, but said the measure is a step in the right direction for the Hermes copper butterfly.

“Generally, we’re very pleased with the fact that they’re responding to our petitions and our efforts,” she said, “and now it can get the help it deserves to hopefully survive.”

Deborah Sullivan Brennan writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Bad Bunny bounded onstage Saturday night at Staples Center in what looked like a very cozy pair of pajamas. Over his matching pants and shirt he wore a long, black puffy coat; his signature eyeglasses were rimmed with sparkly rhinestones. And around his neck hung a thin silver chain with an iPhone in the spot where most rappers would put a gaudy medallion.

But then Bad Bunny isn’t most rappers.

Perhaps the most exciting artist in the closely connected worlds of reggaeton and Latin trap, this 25-year-old from Puerto Rico is as beloved for his flamboyant style as he is for the many hit records that made him an obvious choice to headline Calibash, the annual all-star concert presented by L.A.’s Mega 96.3 FM.

His clothes and his brightly colored hair challenge the conventional ideas of masculinity enshrined in so much hip-hop; so too does his voice, which can flip between a low, rumbling bellow and a singsong croon so tender it hurts.

For all his appealing eccentricities, though, Bad Bunny understands the value of a propulsive beat and an addictive melody. There’s an essential sturdiness to his music — from his smash collaborations with the likes of Cardi B (“I Like It”) and Drake (“Mia”) to the flirtations with emo and ’80s R&B on his Grammy-nominated debut album, “X 100PRE” — that explains why he’s become a leading figure in the recent boom in this country of Spanish-language pop.

On Saturday, instead of asking people to wave their illuminated phones as he sang his ballad “Caro,” he simply reached for the one dangling against his chest and demonstrated what he wanted them to do — a practical application for such a left-field wardrobe flourish.

Bad Bunny wasn’t the only prominent weirdo at Calibash, which also featured Rosalía, Anuel AA, Karol G and Lunay, among others. (The sold-out show was due to repeat Sunday at Staples before moving to Las Vegas with a slightly different lineup on Jan. 25.)

Spain’s Rosalía, who’s up for best new artist at this month’s Grammys ceremony, married sleek electronic grooves to the fluttering acoustic guitars of her country’s enduring flamenco tradition. The music felt modern and classic at the same time; her breathy singing channeled an ancient desperation even as it nodded to the influence of Bjork and Aaliyah.

After “A Palé,” which rode a buzzing bass line and a harsh, machine-like beat, Rosalía sang a cappella for a few minutes, handily demonstrating her impressive range — if also seeming to lose the attention briefly of an audience that clearly had come to party. (Among those watching with interest was Kylie Jenner, who took in the set from the side of the stage and later posted a photo on Instagram showing the two women intertwined on a dressing-room sofa.)

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Rosalía, center, performs with dancers during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Karol G, center, performs with dancers during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Karol G, center, performs with dancers during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Rosalía, in red, performs with dancers during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Bad Bunny performs during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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The Black Eyed Peas made a guest appearance during Alex Sensation’s set at Calibash at Staples Center. Alex Sensation’s image is projected in the background. 

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Bad Bunny performs during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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The audience enjoys a set by Alex Sensation during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Lunay performs during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles. 

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Myke Towers, left, performs during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Alex Sensation performs during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles. 

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Bad Bunny performs during Calibash at Staples Center.  

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Rosalía performs during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Fans find their Zumba-selves during Calibash at Staples Center.  

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Anuel AA performs during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles. 

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Bad Bunny performs during Calibash at Staples Center. 

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Anuel AA performs during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles. 

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Anuel AA performs during Calibash at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

But then the singer did “Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi,” with its irresistible dembow rhythm, and her global hit “Con Altura” as a bank of electric fans blew her long hair in true pop-diva fashion. It was a careful blend of novelty and familiarity.

Karol G, from Colombia, drew an enthusiastic response with broader-stroked tunes that prioritized sweeping choruses over particularly nimble rhythms; later, her fiancé, Puerto Rico’s Anuel AA, finished his somewhat business-minded performance by inviting Karol G back onstage for “China,” their chart-topping Latin-pop hit that repurposes Shaggy’s lightly comic “It Wasn’t Me.”

Alex Sensation, who hosts a popular weekday mix show on Mega — one component of the station’s ratings battle with a similarly formatted newcomer, Cali 93.9 — brought out a series of unannounced guests: De La Ghetto and Arcángel, two thirtysomething reggaeton veterans still widely admired in spite of how quickly this music moves; the Black Eyed Peas, who surmised that this was a crowd that wouldn’t mind hearing the decade-old “I Gotta Feeling”; and Tyga, the deeply opportunistic L.A. rapper who of course performed “Go Loko,” “Loco Contigo” and his cringe-y take on “Macarena.”

Nearly three years after Justin Bieber famously hopped on a remix of “Despacito” — the first Spanish-language song to top Billboard’s Hot 100 since “Macarena” in 1996 — Tyga offers proof that English-speaking acts have grown no less eager to borrow a vaguely defined Latin vibe.

Fortunately, our thinking about pop music and cultural ownership has progressed to the point that most fans would rather hear the real deal over a clumsy approximation — even (or especially) when the real deal is as effortlessly idiosyncratic as Calibash’s headliner.

Here, Bad Bunny moved freely among uptempo party songs and moodier numbers about thwarted romance. Yet both sported textural and lyrical detail — as in a hypnotic thumb-piano riff or a line about how an ex’s body now leaves him cold — to match his super-specific look and vocal approach.

Occasionally he’d slide his bedazzled glasses to the top of his head like a professor who might go on to forget where they were. But there was nothing absent-minded about Bad Bunny on Saturday. He was totally dialed in.

SERIES

America’s Got Talent The competition continues as 10 acts perform for judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Alesha Dixon and Howie Mandel. 8 p.m. NBC

The Bachelor Eight of the women walk the runway as models in a fashion show, where they are judged by Carson Kressley and Janice Dickinson. Also, Peter and Hannah continue their conversation in this new episode. 8 p.m. ABC

Frontline Filmmaker Michael Kirk explores polarization in American politics with “America’s Great Divide,” a new two-part documentary concluding Tuesday. 9 p.m. KOCE and KPBS

The New Pope Following the success of “The Young Pope,” Jude Law and John Malkovich are among the returning cast members for this new, limited series set in the world of the modern papacy. As the story opens, Pope Pius XIII (Law) lies in a coma and Secretary of State Voiello (Silvio Orlando) succeeds in having Sir John Brannox (Malkovich), a moderate British aristocrat, installed on the papal throne. Henry Goodman and Ulrich Thomsen join the cast in the season premiere. 9 p.m. HBO

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted The globetrotting food series returns with two new episodes. 9 and 10 p.m. National Geographic

Manifest Ben (Josh Dallas) forms an alliance with a college student from Flight 828 whose callings either exposed a violent crime or helped him commit one. Also, Saanvi (Parveen Kaur) continues pushing her research into the Death Date, while Grace (Athena Karkanis) is startled to find out something about her pregnancy. Luna Blaise also stars, with guest stars Garrett Wareing and Ellen Tamaki. 10 p.m. NBC

The Good Doctor Still trying to process his feelings about the death of his father, Shaun (Freddie Highmore) also worries about how his intimacy with Lea (Paige Spara) may affect his relationship with Carly (Jasika Nicole). Nicholas Gonzalez, Hill Harper and Fiona Gubelmann also star and Milauna Jemai Jackson guest stars. 10 p.m. ABC

TALK SHOWS

CBS This Morning (N) 7 a.m. KCBS

Today Tyler Perry; Oscar nominations. (N) 7 a.m. KNBC

KTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLA

Good Morning America (N) 7 a.m. KABC

Good Day L.A. Elizabeth Wagmeister; Rachael Ray; Tammi Mac. (N) 7 a.m. KTTV

Live With Kelly and Ryan Selena Gomez (“Rare”); Jay Hernandez. (N) 9 a.m. KABC

The View Adam Glassman. (N) 10 a.m. KABC

Rachael Ray Supermodel Emme; Jim Gaffigan and Mckenna Grace (“Troop Zero”). (N) 10 a.m. KTTV

The Wendy Williams Show (N) 11 a.m. KTTV

The Talk Rob Lowe; Brigitte Nielsen. (N) 1 p.m. KCBS

Tamron Hall Oprah Winfrey. (N) 1 p.m. KABC

The Dr. Oz Show Clever microwave hacks; ways to get better sleep and bust stress with the System 20 plan. (N) 1 p.m. KTTV

The Kelly Clarkson Show Howie Mandel; Kandi Burruss. (N) 2 p.m. KNBC

Dr. Phil Former students raise awareness about a Christian boarding school where they say they were abused. (N) 3 p.m. KCBS

The Ellen DeGeneres Show Steve Harvey (“Steve”); Zoë Kravitz (“High Fidelity”); Ray Romano (“The Irishman”). (N) 3 p.m. KNBC

The Real Paola Nuñez (“Bad Boys for Life”). (N) 3 p.m. KTTV

The Doctors Parents of late TV star Cameron Boyce; strangers create a wedding; snacks to ease muscle cramps. (N) 3 p.m. KCOP

To the Contrary With Bonnie Erbé Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland). (N) 6 p.m. KVCR

Amanpour and Company (N) 11 p.m. KCET; midnight KVCR; 1 a.m. KLCS

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (N) 11 p.m. Comedy Central

Conan Jim Gaffigan. (N) 11 p.m. TBS

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Selena Gomez; Charlie Hunnam; Stormzy performs. (N) 11:34 p.m. KNBC

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski; the cast of “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” performs. (N) 11:35 p.m. KCBS

Jimmy Kimmel Live! 11:35 p.m. KABC

The Late Late Show With James Corden Rachel Brosnahan; RuPaul Charles. (N) 12:37 a.m. KCBS

Late Night With Seth Meyers Bobby Cannavale; Amber Tamblyn; Christian Siriano. (N) 12:37 a.m. KNBC

Nightline (N) 12:37 a.m. KABC

A Little Late With Lilly Singh Madelaine Petsch; Mena Massoud. (N) 1:38 a.m. KNBC

SPORTS

NHL Hockey The Ducks visit the St. Louis Blues, 5 p.m. FS Prime

NBA Basketball The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Lakers, 7:30 p.m. SportsNet

For more sports on TV, see

the Sports section.