Martin O’Neill’s side, who are desperate for a win to rescue their poor form, travel to Poland for an international friendly

Republic of Ireland travel to Poland for an international friendly on Tuesday evening at the Stadion Miejski Wroclaw.

The two sides last played each other in Euro 2016 qualification, with the most recent fixture seeing Poland defeat Ireland 2-1. 

Ireland’s first UEFA Nation’s League game against Wales ended in 4-1 thrashing, with their only goal coming from Millwall’s Shaun Williams. Meanwhile, Poland’s trip to Italy ended in a 1-1 draw. 

Game	Poland vs Republic of Ireland
Date	Tuesday, September 11
Time	7:45pm BST / 2:45pm ET

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In the United States (US) the game will available to stream live online using ESPN+.

US TV channel	Online stream
N/A	ESPN+

The game can be watched live on television in the United Kingdom (UK) via Sky Sports Mix or can be streamed live online using Sky Go.

UK TV channel	Online stream
Sky Sports Mix	Sky Go

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Position	Poland squad
Goalkeepers	Szczesny, Skorupski, Fabianski
Defenders	Pietrzak, Reca, Kaminski, Bednarek, Rybus, Kedziora, Glik, Bereszynski, Dzwigala
Midfielders	Goralski, Krychowiak, Klich, Blaszczykowski, Makuszewski, Zielinski, Szymanski, Kurzawa, Frankowski, Kadzior, Romanczuk
Forwards	Milik, Lewandowski, Piatek

Captain Robert Lewandowki starts on the bench and will earn his 100th senior cap for the country if he is subbed in. 

Poland’s starting XI: Szczesny, Kedziora, Glik, Kaminski, Reca, Blaszczykowski, Krychowiak, Linetty, Kurzawa, Milik, Piatek

Position	Ireland squad
Goalkeepers	Randolph, McDermott, Doyle
Defenders	Ward, Coleman, Duffy, Clark, Christie, Keogh, Long, Doherty, Egan, Stevens
Midfielders	Hendrick, Meyler, O’Dowda, Hourihane, Judge, Horgan, Williams
Forwards	Walters, Burke, O’Brien, Robinson

A number of players are absent from Martin O’Neill’s squad including captain Seamus Coleman who has returned back to Everton with a foot injury.

Other players absent from tonight’s game include Robbie Brady, Shane Long, James McClean and Alan Browne, who have all been ruled out with injuries.

Ireland’s starting XI: Randolph, Christie, Keogh, Egan, Long, Stevens, Hendrick, Williams, O’Dowda, Robinson, O’Brien

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Home side Poland are considered 4/7 favourites to win by bet365, while Ireland’s chances of winning are rated 6/1. A draw between the teams is priced at 3/1. 

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Ireland travel to Poland to take part in a friendly following on from both sides Nations League games, ending in a defeat for the Boys in Green and a draw for the Eagles 

Despite the 4-1 defeat to Wales, Ireland’s full-back Enda Stevens believes that they will be able to bounce back from the loss,

“Thursday was obviously disappointing. Heads were down,” Stevens told reporters after the game on Thursday.

“It was an all-round tough night. Every time they went forward they seemed to score and it’s a tough ask to come back from 3-0 down at half-time but we’ve got to get over it as quickly as possible.”

Polish forward Lewandowski could earn his 100th senior cap for the national team if playing tonight but manager Jerzy Brzeczek has warned the squad not to start celebrating too soon. 

“Even thinking that you can win against Ireland without full engagement could be a huge mistake,” Brzeczek said ahead of tonight’s game. 

“We have huge respect and we know that 90 minutes of a very good game will decide who is going to leave the pitch as a winner.”

Poland are the favourites to win tonight and will be keen to win after a disappointing World Cup where they finished bottom of their group. 

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The midfielder has played only once for Germany in 18 months and has struggled for form since 2014’s World Cup triumph.

Lothar Matthaus has advised Mario Gotze to seek a move away from Borussia Dortmund in order to resuscitate his career.

Gotze’s form has stalled since he scored the winning goal for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final, and he was not selected in Joachim Low’s squad for the defence of their title in Russia in the summer.

He re-signed for Dortmund 2016, three years after leaving to join Bayern Munich in the wake of Jurgen Klopp’s side’s run to the Champions League final in 2013, but he has failed to recapture the form that once made him one of Europe’s most sought-after midfield players.

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And Germany’s record international cap-holder thinks another move will now be necessary if Gotze is to re-start his career.

“His form, which he had before the 2014 World Cup and included his winning goal in the final, is behind him,” Matthaus told Sky Sports in Germany.

“For him, you would have to invent a system at Borussia Dortmund that does not exist right now.

“He has since been with two clubs and played under several coaches – so it is not on the coach.”

Gotze spent several months on the sidelines in 2017 due to a metabolic disorder, but he returned to the side to rack up 16 appearances as the team finished third in the Bundesliga.

Despite criticism amongst fans and the German press, he made 114 appearances for Bayern across three seasons, scoring 36 goals, but has appeared only once for Germany in the last 18 months and now faces a struggle to regain his place in the national team, despite their poor showing at the Russia World Cup.

“Mario is missing the quality and the right position at the moment,” said Matthaus. “He does not have the defensive qualities as an eight, and [Dortmund coach] Lucien Favre does not have a nine and a half as he once explained.”

Dortmund have made an unbeaten start to the new Bundesliga season, with Gotze yet to feature.

 

The Dutchman is set to be back in familiar surroundings with Lyon on Wednesday, but has done little to endear himself to the Etihad Stadium faithful

Memphis Depay has teased Manchester City ahead of a Champions League trip to the Etihad Stadium with Lyon, with the former United star claiming “the city is still red”.

The Netherlands international spent 18 months at Old Trafford between the summer of 2015 and January 2017.

He struggled to make his mark in the Premier League and was allowed to head for France by Jose Mourinho.

Depay has, however, made no secret of where his allegiances lie as he prepares to head back to England on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old forward, who has rebuilt his career at Lyon, told reporters: “It is something special coming back to Manchester.

“The city is still red!”

United have seen City secure local bragging rights in recent years, with the Premier League title secured in record-breaking fashion last season.

Depay, though, still feels that the Red Devils are heading in the right direction under Mourinho.

He was given few opportunities to prove that he could form part of that project, having been signed by countryman Louis van Gaal, but accepts that he faced fierce competition for plans.

He said: “It would be easy for me to say Van Gaal gave me no freedom. Once you lose connection with the coach it gets difficult. United have a lot of attacking players. That is what they stand for.”

He added on a frustrating stint at Old Trafford and the progress he has made since taking on a new challenge: “Everybody can see that. I can feel it myself. I have become more mature.

“When I came back, I felt like a different person. Everyone knows the history between me and Man United wasn’t successful. I didn’t want it like that.”

Depay managed just seven goals in 53 appearances for United.

He already has 28 in 70 outings for Lyon, with 22 of those recorded during a productive 2017-18 campaign.

His account has been opened in the current campaign and he will be hoping for more when returning to a Champions League stage against City.

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With 15 goals in 18 games the striker has enjoyed great fortunes against Los Che, and he will hope that run continues on Wednesday at Mestalla

The Champions League and Cristiano Ronaldo are reunited on Wednesday, and so too are the inconic goalscorer and one particular club who must have hoped they had seen the back of the Juventus star this summer. 

Having lifted the European trophy in four of the last five seasons, Cristiano is now aiming for a sixth after completing a €112 million (£100m/$130m) move from Real Madrid in the off-season. 

As well as trophies, the Portuguese forward also holds the record for most goals scored in the Champions League, an incredible 120 strikes over the course of his career with Manchester United and Madrid that puts him well clear of nearest rival Lionel Messi, the Argentine now standing on 106 after a sparkling hat-trick against PSV on Tuesday. 

Both players have rewritten the history books when it comes to prowess in front of the net, setting milestones that may prove impossible to beat even when the pair eventually hang up their boots. 

And along the way they have left many supporters cursing their existence, as they have made life hell for them season after goal-happy season. 

Unfortunately for Valencia, their Ronaldo-related misery could well continue on Wednesday, as the Champions League draw set up a clash with Ronaldo’s new club in the very first game of Group H. 

The striker boasts an enviable record against Los Che, who have consistently been one of his more long-suffering victims over the years in Spain. 

He has found the Valencia net no less than 15 times in 18 games, a strike-rate of 0.83 goals a game. 

It is fellow La Liga side Sevilla nevertheless who hold the dubious distinction of being Ronaldo’s favourite opponents, shipping an incredible 27 to the forward at a rate of one and a half goals a game. 

Getafe, Atletico Madrid and Celta follow in the rankings, as do Barcelona, who have conceded 18 to Cristiano over years of Clasico clashes – a rate that, while impressive, is some way behind Messi’s tally of 26 against Madrid.

At the other end of the spectrum, Benfica are the only side to have kept Ronaldo away from the goal during five games or more. 

Chelsea have also fared well, conceding just once in 1217 minutes against Portugal’s captain. 

Will Valencia fare better against their old nemesis following his move to Serie A? Or will there be a sense of deja vu around the Mestalla on Wednesday as Ronaldo batters his way to even more goals against Los Che?

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NEW YORK — 

Three judges on a federal appeals panel appeared inclined Wednesday to reject arguments that President Trump’s tax returns can’t be given to a state grand jury, with Trump’s lawyers suggesting that local authorities should even let the president get away with shooting someone.

Chief Judge Robert A. Katzmann of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals told lawyers at the conclusion of nearly an hour of arguments that the panel believed the attorneys “may be seeing each other again in Washington.”

The U.S. Supreme Court will probably have the last word on whether Trump can shield himself from Manhattan Dist. Atty. Cyrus R. Vance Jr.’s efforts to explore the president’s financial records since 2011, including his tax returns.

The most colorful exchange of the hearing occurred when Judge Denny Chin confronted Trump attorney William S. Consovoy over whether he thought local authorities could go after Trump if he shot somebody on Fifth Avenue.

“Nothing could be done? That’s your position?” Chin asked.

“That’s correct. Yes,” Consovoy answered, saying that the president would have to be impeached first.

The exchange was a reference to a claim made by Trump when he was campaigning for president in January 2016 and said support for his campaign would not waver even if he shot somebody in the middle of Fifth Avenue.

Vance, a Democrat, is conducting a wide-ranging probe that includes payments made to buy the silence of two women who claim they had affairs with the president before the 2016 presidential election.

The payments were made to porn star Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, a onetime Playboy centerfold.

Trump appealed after a lower-court judge tossed out his challenge to Vance’s subpoena of his financial records from his longtime accountant.

Trump’s lawyers say the Constitution prohibits states from subjecting the U.S. president to criminal process while he’s in office.

Vance’s attorney, Carey R. Dunne, told the 2nd Circuit that no one is above the law and the president does not enjoy the blanket immunity he claims.

Both sides have agreed that no tax records will be demanded until court appeals are finished.

In court papers, Vance has said he’s seeking financial and tax records of entities and individuals, including Trump, who engaged in business transactions in Manhattan.

Trump’s lawyers wrote in court papers that the request is unusual and requires more specific information.

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HOUSTON — 

Adam Eaton raced around the bases when he smashed the ball over the right-field wall, without an inkling of desire to admire the home run, slowing down only when he reached home plate and began his walk to the dance floor along the third base line. He stepped into the Washington Nationals’ ecstatic dugout with choreography prepared.

He took off his helmet, bent down and backed it up through the path his teammates, clapping to a rhythm, created for him. When he reached the end, he took a seat on the bench next to Howie Kendrick for the celebration’s finale. They shifted their trucks’ gears three times and added the sounds for the revved-upengines. It’s a bit they’ve done since the All-Star break. It didn’t go quite right on baseball’s biggest stage.

“I missed third gear on my truck,” Eaton said. “I short-shifted and came out of the clutch a little early.”

It was a window into the loose bunch the Nationals have become. They dance to celebrate home runs. They wear bright sunglasses at games, even if they’re played at night or inside domed ballparks, and they enjoy group hugs. They have fun and the good time was never better than Wednesday night when they routed the Houston Astros 12-3 to take a two-games-to-none lead in the World Series.

On May 24, they woke up 19-31 with the third-worst record in the National League. They will wake up Oct. 24 with an eight-game winning streak and two victories from claiming the first World Series title in franchise history.

“We’ve defied the odds,” Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon said.

While the Nationals’ rise has been slow and steady, the Astros have found that life can come fast too. On Saturday, they were celebrating Jose Altuve’s walk-off home run to beat the New York Yankees and claim the American League pennant. They were cast as overwhelming favorites to win their second championship in three years. They were confident — and with 107 wins in the regular season they had a reason to be.

Four days later, the Astros are in disarray. Off the field, they have encountered vicious backlash for a front-office executive’s behavior toward female reporters and their dismissive response to the allegations. On it, the have lost two games with their two best pitchers — Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander — on the mound. They must win at least two of the next three in Washington to ensure they will play at Minute Maid Park again in 2019. Game 3 is Friday.

“Clearly the Nats have outplayed us, bottom line,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.

The night started with Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred addressing a central figure in these playoffs: the baseball.

All regular season long, MLB faced questions about the baseballs used because they were flying farther than ever.

Then, suddenly, the baseballs seemed to have changed once the calendar flipped to October. Sure home runs the previous six months regularly became routine fly balls. Players and team officials have asserted the balls were changed.

Manfred challenged the consensus. He maintained that the sample size is too small and unreliable. He emphasized the balls are not different from the ones used during the regular season, though he added the league’s investigation into the matter will conclude some time after the World Series and before the end of the year.

“I can tell you one thing for absolute certain, just like every other year, the balls that were used in this postseason were selected from lots that were used during the regular season,” Manfred said. “There was no difference in those baseballs.”

The balls’ characteristics have not mattered to the Nationals. They have continued their torrid run through October, winning games in every which way to propel themselves to the precipice of a championship.

For six innings Wednesday, Verlander and Stephen Strasburg were locked in a duel. Both gave up two runs on hits from the teams’ All-Star third basemen in the first inning. Rendon supplied the Nationals’ production with a two-run double. Alex Bregman smashed a two-run home run to snap a three-for-22 skid.

The pitchers didn’t surrender another run over the next five innings. Strasburg escaped a jam with two runners on base by striking out Robinson Chirinos on his 113th pitch to conclude his night. Verlander outlasted Strasburg but immediately encountered tumult in the seventh inning, which the Nationals began with a boom before vanquishing the Astros with a flurry of soft contact.

Kurt Suzuki led off the inning by clubbing a high fastball from Verlander over the wall to give the Nationals a 3-2 lead. Verlander then issued a walk to Victor Robles on his 107th and final pitch.

“That was the at-bat of the game,” Eaton said. “It kept the line moving.”

The Astros slowly fell apart from there. Ryan Pressly relieved Verlander and walked Trea Turner. Eaton dropped a sacrifice bunt and Rendon flied out to bring the Astros within an out from closing the inning. They wouldn’t secure it until the Nationals scored four more runs without hitting a ball hard in play.

Juan Soto was intentionally walked and the Nationals tallied three consecutive softly hit singles to bust the game open. When the inning finally ended, after Suzuki grounded out in his second plate appearance, the Nationals had netted six runs.

So the Astros were already buried when Eaton swatted his home run, but the Nationals’ fun doesn’t stop. They’ve ridden the wave for five months, and they’re two wins away from the biggest celebration yet.

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Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we look at some of the Santa Anita cards and shake our head.

On Wednesday, 188 horses were entered into the Breeders’ Cup next weekend at Santa Anita. There were 47 from overseas. The total purses are slightly more than $30 million. Let’s get right to the entries. And, remember, there are those who made the field and those who are on a waiting list. Horses can be entered in more than one race.

We went with the official name of the trainer, not the more casual reference we normally use. One thing to notice is how much better the turf races filled than the dirt ones.

Friday races

$1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint (2-year-olds, 5 furlongs on turf).

Making the field (horse, trainer)

A’Ali (IRE), Simon Crisford

Al Raya (GB), Simon Crisford

Another Miracle, Gary Contessa

Band Practice (IRE), Archie Watson

Cambria, Wesley A. Ward

Chimney Rock, Michael J. Maker

Dr Simpson (FR), Tom Dascombe

Dream Shot (IRE), James Tate

Fair Maiden, Eoin G. Harty

Four Wheel Drive, Wesley A. Ward

Kimari, Wesley A. Ward

King Neptune, Aidan P. O’Brien

Not currently in field (listed in order of possible entrance based on selection committee)

13. Alligator Alley (GB), Joseph O’Brien

14. Encoder, John W. Sadler

15. Miss J McKay, Cathal A. Lynch

16. Freewheeler, Todd A. Pletcher

17. Bulletproof One, Peter Miller

18. Air Force Jet (GB), Joseph O’Brien

19. Embolden, Michael Stidham

20. Pistoletto, Aidan P. O’Brien

21. Jack and Noah (FR), Mark E. Casse

22. Fore Left, Doug F. O’Neill

23. Karak, Wesley A. Ward

24, Leucothea, Peter Miller

25. Axiomo, Mikhail Yanakov

26. Full Flat, Hideyuki Mori

Embolden has second preference in the Juvenile Turf

Encoder has second preference in the Juvenile Turf

Fair Maiden has first preference in the Juvenile Fillies Turf

Full Flat has second preference in the Juvenile

King Neptune has second preference in the Juvenile

$1 million Juvenile Turf (2 year-olds colts and geldings, one mile on turf)

American Theorem, George Papaprodromou

Andesite, Brad Cox

Arizona, Aidan P. O’Brien

Decorated Invader, Christophe Clement

Encoder, John W. Sadler

Fort Myers, Aidan P. O’Brien

Graceful Kitten, Amador Merei Sanchez

Hit the Road, Dan Blacker

Our Country, George Weaver

Peace Achieved, Mark E. Casse

Royal Dornoch (IRE), Aidan P. O’Brien

Structor, Chad C. Brown

Vitalogy, Brendan P. Walsh

War Beast, Doug F. O’Neill

Not currently in field

15. Billy Batts, Peter Miller

16. Gear Jockey, George R. Arnold II

17. Proven Strategies, Mark E. Casse

18. Embolden, Michael Stidham

19. Deviant, Danny Pish

20. New World Tapestry, Aidan P. O’Brien

21. Anneau d’Or, Blaine Wright

American Theorem has first preference in the Juvenile

Anneau d’Or has second preference in the Juvenile

Billy Batts has second preference in the Juvenile

Embolden has first preference in the Juvenile Turf Sprint

Encoder has first preference in the Juvenile Turf Sprint

$2 million Juvenile Fillies (fillies 2-years-old, 1 1/16 miles)

Bast, Bob Baffert

British, Idiom Brad

Comical, Doug F. O’Neill

Donna Veloce, Simon Callaghan

Etoile, Aidan P. O’Brien

K P Dreamin, Jeff Mullins

Lazy Daisy, Doug F. O’Neill

Perfect Alibi, Mark E. Casse

Two Sixty, Mark E. Casse

Wicked Whisper, Steven M. Asmussen

Etoile has first preference in the Juvenile Fillies Turf

$1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf (fillies 2-years-old, one mile on turf)

Abscond, Eddie Kenneally

Albigna (IRE), Mrs. John Harrington

Alms, Michael Stidham

Crystalle, John C. Kimmel

Daahyeh (GB), Roger Varian

Etoile, Aidan P. O’Brien

Fair Maiden, Eoin G. Harty

Living In The Past (IRE), Karl Burke

Selflessly, Chad C. Brown

Shadn (IRE), Andrew M. Balding

Sharing, H. Graham Motion

Sweet Melania, Todd A. Pletcher

Tango (IRE), Aidan P. O’Brien

Walk In Marrakesh (IRE), Ignacio Correas

Not currently in field

15. Precious Moments (IRE), Aidan P. O’Brien

16. Croughavouke (IRE), Jeff Mullins

17. Princesa Caroline, Chad C. Brown

18. Unforgetable, Joseph O’Brien

19. Applecross (IRE), Richard Baltas

Etoile has second preference in the Juvenile Fillies

Fair Maiden has second preference in the Juvenile Turf Sprint

$2 million Juvenile (colts and geldings 2-years-old, 1 1/16 miles)

American Theorem, George Papaprodromou

Anneau d’Or, Blaine Wright

Billy Batts, Peter Miller

Dennis’ Moment, Dale L. Romans

Eight Rings, Bob Baffert

Full Flat, Aidan P. O’Brien

Maxfield, Brendan P. Walsh

Scabbard, Eddie Kenneally

Shoplifted, Steven M. Asmussen

Storm the Court, Peter A. Eurton

Wrecking Crew, Peter Miller

American Theorem has second preference in the Juvenile Turf

Anneau d’Or has first preference in the Juvenile Turf

Billy Batts has first preference in the Juvenile Turf

Full Flat has first preference in the Juvenile Turf Sprint

King Neptune has first preference in the Juvenile Turf Sprint

Saturday’s races

$1 million Filly & Mare Sprint (fillies and mares 3 and up, 7 furlongs)

Bellafina, Simon Callaghan

Come Dancing, Carlos Martin

Covfefe, Brad Cox

Danuska’s My Girl, Dan Ward

Dawn the Destroyer, Kiaran P. McLaughlin

Heavenhasmynikki, Robert B. Hess Jr.

Lady Ninja, Richard Baltas

Mo See Cal, Peter Miller

Secret Spice, Richard Baltas

Selcourt, John W. Sadler

Serengeti Empress, Thomas M. Amoss

Spiced Perfection, Peter Miller

Mo See Cal has first preference in the Distaff

Secret Spice has first preference in the Distaff

Serengeti Empress has first preference in the Distaff

$1 million Turf Sprint (3 and up, 5 furlongs on turf)

Belvoir Bay (GB), Peter Miller

Eddie Haskell, Mark Glatt

Fairyland (IRE), Aidan P. O’Brien

Imprimis, Joseph F. Orseno

Legends of War, Doug F. O’Neill

Leinster, George R. Arnold II

Om, Peter Miller

Pure Sensation, Christophe Clement

So Perfect, Aidan P. O’Brien

Stormy Liberal, Peter Miller

Stubbins, Doug F. O’Neill

Totally Boss, George R. Arnold II

Not currently in field

13. Final Frontier, Thomas Albertrani

14. Shekky Shebaz, Jason Servis

15. Girls Know Best, Eddie Kenneally

16. Double Touch (GB), John W. Sadler

Om has second preference in the Mile

$1 million Dirt Mile (3 and up, 1 mile)

Blue Chipper. Kim Yung Kwan

Catalina Cruiser, John W. Sadler

Coal Front, Todd A. Pletcher

Diamond Oops, Patrick L. Biancone

Firenze Fire, Jason Servis

Giant Expectations, Peter A. Eurton

Hog Creek Hustle, Vickie L. Foley

Improbable, Bob Baffert

Mr. Money, W. Bret Calhoun

Omaha Beach, Richard E. Mandella

Spun to Run, Juan Carlos Guerrero

Whitmore, Ron Moquett

Not currently in field

13. Snapper Sinclair, Steven M. Asmussen

14. Trais Fluors (GB), Ken Condon

15. Ambassadorial, Jane Chapple-Hyam

Catalina Cruiser has first preference in the Sprint

Diamond Oops has first preference in the Sprint

Firenze Fire has first preference in the Sprint

Hog Creek Hustle has first preference in the Sprint

Snapper Sinclair has second preference in the Mile

Trais Fluors (GB) has first preference in the Mile

Whitmore has first preference in the Sprint

$2 million Filly & Mare Turf (fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 ¼ miles on turf)

Billesdon Brook (GB), Richard Hannon

Castle Lady (IRE), Henri Alex Pantall

Fanny Logan (IRE), John H.M. Gosden

Fleeting (IRE), Aidan P. O’Brien

Iridessa (IRE), Joseph O’Brien

Just Wonderful, Aidan P. O’Brien

Magical (IRE), Aidan P. O’Brien

Mirth, Philip D’Amato

Mrs. Sippy, H. Graham Motion

Sistercharlie (IRE), Chad C. Brown

Thais (FR), Chad C. Brown

Vasilika, Dan Ward

Villa Marina (GB), Carlos Laffon-Parias

Iridessa (IRE) has first preference in the Mile

Just Wonderful has second preference in the Mile

Magical (IRE) has first preference in the Turf

Mrs. Sippy has second preference in the Turf

$2 million Sprint (3 and up, 6 furlongs)

Catalina Cruiser, John W. Sadler

Diamond Oops, Patrick L. Biancone

Engage, Steven M. Asmussen

Firenze Fire, Jason Servis

Hog Creek Hustle, Vickie L. Foley

Imperial Hint, Luis Carvajal Jr.

Landeskog, Doug F. O’Neill

Matera Sky, Hideyuki Mori

Mitole, Steven M. Asmussen

Shancelot, Jorge Navarro

Whitmore, Ron Moquett

Catalina Cruiser has second preference in the Dirt Mile

Diamond Oops has second preference in the Dirt Mile

Firenze Fire has second preference in the Dirt Mile

Hog Creek Hustle has second preference in the Dirt Mile

Whitmore has second preference in the Dirt Mile

$2 million Mile (3 and up, 1 mile on turf)

Bolo, Carla Gaines

Bowies Hero, Philip D’Amato

Bricks and Mortar, Chad C. Brown

Circus Maximus (IRE), Aidan P. O’Brien

El Tormenta, Gail Cox

Got Stormy, Mark E. Casse

Hey Gaman (GB), James Tate

Iridessa (IRE), Joseph O’Brien

Just Wonderful, Aidan P. O’Brien

Line of Duty (IRE), Charlie Appleby

Lord Glitters (FR), David O’Meara

Space Traveller (GB), Richard A. Fahey

True Valour (IRE), Simon Callaghan

Uni (GB), Chad C. Brown

Not currently in field

15. Suedois (FR), David O’Meara

16. Trais Fluors (GB), Ken Condon

17. Lucullan, Kiaran P. McLaughlin

18. Without Parole (GB), Chad C. Brown

19. Caribou Club, Thomas F. Proctor

20. Next Shares, Richard Baltas

21. Om, Peter Miller

22. Snapper Sinclair, Steven M. Asmussen

Bricks and Mortar has first preference in the Turf

Iridessa (IRE) has second preference in the Filly & Mare Turf

Just Wonderful has first preference in the Filly & Mare Turf

Om has first preference in the Turf Sprint

Snapper Sinclair has first preference in the Dirt Mile

Trais Fluors (GB) has second preference in the Dirt Mile

$2 million Distaff (fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/8 miles)

Blue Prize (ARG), Ignacio Correas

Dunbar Road, Chad C. Brown

Elate, William I. Mott

La Force (GER), Patrick Gallagher

Midnight Bisou, Steven M. Asmussen

Mo See Cal, Peter Miller

Ollie’s Candy, John W. Sadler

Paradise Woods, John A. Shirreffs

Secret Spice, Richard Baltas

Serengeti Empress, Thomas M. Amoss

Street Band, J. Larry Jones

Wow Cat (CHI), Chad C. Brown

Elate has first preference in the Classic

Mo See Cal has second preference in the Filly & Mare Sprint

Secret Spice has second preference in the Filly & Mare Sprint

Serengeti Empress has second preference in the Filly & Mare Sprint

$4 million Turf (3 and up, 1 ½ miles on turf)

Acclimate, Philip D’Amato

Alounak (FR), Waldemar Hickst

Anthony Van Dyck (IRE), Aidan P. O’Brien

Arklow, Brad Cox

Bandua, Jack Sisterson

Bricks and Mortar, Chad C. Brown

Channel Cat, Todd A. Pletcher

Channel Maker, William I. Mott

Magical (IRE), Aidan P. O’Brien

Mount Everest (IRE), Aidan P. O’Brien

Mrs. Sippy, Andrew Stone

Old Persian (GB), Charlie Appleby

United, Richard E. Mandella

Zulu Alpha, Michael J. Maker

Bricks and Mortar has second preference in the Mile

Magical (IRE) has second preference in the Filly & Mare Turf

Mrs. Sippy has first preference in the Filly & Mare Turf

$6 million Classic (3 and up, 1 ¼ miles)

Code of Honor, Claude R. McGaughey III

Elate, William I. Mott

Higher Power, John W. Sadler

Math Wizard, Saffie Joseph Jr.

McKinzie, Bob Baffert

Mongolian Groom, Enebish Ganbat

Owendale, Brad Cox

Seeking the Soul, Dallas Stewart

Vino Rosso, Todd A. Pletcher

War of Will, Mark E. Casse

Yoshida (JPN), William I. Mott

Elate has second preference in the Distaff

Santa Anita preview

The week (or is it weak?) gets started with an eight-race card starting at 1 p.m. Seven of the eight races are claimers and the remaining race is the feature, an allowance/optional claimer for horses going 5 ½ furlong on the turf. The rail is at 30 feet.

The favorite, at 8-5, is Boa Nova for trainer Anna Meah and jockey Edwin Maldonado. He is two-for-eight this year and is coming off a seventh in the Eddie D. Stakes. This company should be a bit easier. His previous two races were wins at the allowance and claiming levels.

The second favorite is Blackout at 9-5. He goes for Peter Miller and Abel Cedillo. He is winless in seven starts this year but finished in his last two races, both allowance/optional claimers.

Here are the field sizes, in order: 5, 6, 6, 8, 7, 7, 5, 8.

Ciaran Thornton’s SA pick of the day

RACE ONE: No. 1 Black Storm (5-1)

Black Storm, in a card with value hard to find, at 5-1 looks nice off two straight wins. Seeking the third win in a row we see yet another new jockey, this time Reuben Fuentes. Trainer Lloyd Wicker is one for three winner last race. We see a couple of sharp workouts for Thursday’s race and they raise the horse in class. This is a small stable looking to get paid on the claim and the purse money. First time routing so we may get a better value than 5-1 even though I believe the distance is fine for this horse. Look at the last few race replays—this horse tracks and powers late and loves to pass other horses and fights to win. Tough to train this, they either have it or they don’t. This horse has it.

Sunday’s result: Reds Sacred Appeal tracked third into the first turn then dropped far behind before making a late move to run third.

Ciaran Thornton is the handicapper for Californiapick4.com, which offers daily full card picks, longshots of the day, best bets of the day.

Golden Gate weekend preview

Here’s our weekly look at the best racing going on at Golden Gate Fields. As with the last meeting, we’re delighted to have race caller and all-around good guy Matt Dinerman as our host for previews and other musings. So, take it away, Matt.

“The first of nine stakes races in the fall meet goes as Saturday’s seventh race: the $75,000 Pike Place Dancer Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf. A field of six will go around 3:45 p.m.

“Among the leading contenders is Shanghai Keely, coming off a two-month break. The daughter of Shanghai Bobby won her career debut at Pleasanton by 6 3/4 lengths before running fourth in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar.

“Also expecting to get support is The Adrie Factor, who takes on winners for the first time. Trained by leading trainer Jonathan Wong, the daughter of War Front stallion The Factor raced over grass on Sept. 28 and broke her maiden by open lengths. Wong also saddles No Cover Charge, who has won two sprint races.

“Wise Rachel is a daughter of 2007 Breeders Cup turf winner English Channel, so she has the pedigree to be effective routing on grass. The California-bred filly broke her maiden at Pleasanton in her first start before hitting the board in the CTBA Stakes at Del Mar.

“Southern California invaders Convoluted and Colombian Gold round out the Pike Place Dancer field. Convoluted, whose lone try on turf resulted in an off the board finish against stakes company at Del Mar, was then second sprinting in the Phone Chatter Stakes at Los Alamitos. Colombian Gold is a maiden who hasn’t hit the board in three career starts.

“In other news, well regarded Golden Gate Fields 2-year-old Anneau D’Or, whose long career race resulted in an eight-length romp routing on turf last month, was pre-entered in both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and Breeders Cup Juvenile on dirt for trainer Blaine Wright and owner Peter Redekop.

The Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf is sixth on the “also eligible” list and is unlikely to see six defections to draw into the race. The Breeders Cup Juvenile did not oversubscribe and Anneau D’Or is in the field. Wright indicated Wednesday morning that he wasn’t sure if Anneau D’Or would run in the Juvenile.

“We probably have less than a 10% chance of getting into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, but if we were somehow able to draw into the race, then we would like to run,” Wright said. “We are already in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on dirt and, although not 100% certain as to what we are going to do, at the moment we are leaning towards passing on that race. We can reroute him to another race if we need to.”

“Also noteworthy: Southern California jockey Brayan Pena has relocated to Northern California and will be riding full time at Golden Gate Fields starting this Friday. Agent Brent Harmon will be handling Pena’s book.

“Lastly, in Leg D of the Stronach 5 wager—race three at Golden Gate on Friday—has 12 allowance starters going six furlongs. I really like No. 5 Passionate Reward, first off the claim for Isidro Tamayo, who wins at 30% first-off-the-claim. In fact, I like him enough to single him in Stronach 5 ticket.”

Final thought

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

Now, the star of the show, Thursday’s entries.

Santa Anita Entries for Thursday, October 24.

Santa Anita, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. 16th day of a 23-day meet.

FIRST RACE.

1 Mile. Purse: $30,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $35,000.

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wt	Trainer	M-L	Claim $
1	Black Storm	Ruben Fuentes	125	Lloyd C. Wicker	5-1	35,000
2	According to Buddy	Eswan Flores	125	Hector O. Palma	6-1	35,000
3	I Can Do This	Abel Cedillo	125	Mark Glatt	9-5	35,000
4	Jamminwithbrandon	Joseph Talamo	125	Vladimir Cerin	7-5	35,000
5	Royal Insider	Flavien Prat	122	Jack Carava	4-1	35,000

SECOND RACE.

6 Furlongs. Purse: $21,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies. 2 year olds. Claiming Price $30,000.

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wt	Trainer	M-L	Claim $
1	Trouville	Flavien Prat	122	Leonard Powell	7-2	30,000
2	Billy’sgotasingle	J.C. Diaz, Jr.	117	Vladimir Cerin	6-1	30,000
3	Lady Sunset	Ruben Fuentes	122	Victor L. Garcia	6-5	30,000
4	Kuda Huraa	Mario Gutierrez	122	George Papaprodromou	4-1	30,000
5	Don’t Stop Lookin	Jorge Velez	117	Art Sherman	12-1	30,000
6	Too Much Heaven	Efrain Hernandez	122	J. Eric Kruljac	4-1	30,000

THIRD RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $40,000. Claiming. Fillies. 3 year olds. Claiming Price $50,000.

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wt	Trainer	M-L	Claim $
1	Sophie Antoinette	J.C. Diaz, Jr.	117	David E. Hofmans	5-2	50,000
2	Super Bunny	Norberto Arroyo, Jr.	122	Peter Miller	5-1	50,000
3	Italia	Aaron Gryder	122	Mike Puype	5-1	50,000
4	Khairiya	Geovanni Franco	124	Philip D’Amato	2-1	50,000
5	Velvet Queen	Flavien Prat	122	Richard Baltas	7-5	50,000
6	So Gucci	Evin Roman	122	Doug F. O’Neill	3-1	50,000

FOURTH RACE.

6 Furlongs. Purse: $17,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $10,000.

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wt	Trainer	M-L	Claim $
1	Autumn Day	Heriberto Figueroa	125	Steven Miyadi	4-1	10,000
2	Fast Cotton	Agapito Delgadillo	125	Doug F. O’Neill	12-1	10,000
3	Burn Me Twice	Tiago Pereira	123	William Spawr	8-1	10,000
4	Puriano	Joseph Talamo	123	George Papaprodromou	6-1	10,000
5	Boy Howdy	Abel Cedillo	123	Jack Carava	5-1	10,000
6	Desert General	Jorge Velez	118	Jonathan Wong	3-1	10,000
7	Royal Seeker	J.C. Diaz, Jr.	118	Marcelo Polanco	12-1	10,000
8	Short of Ez	Flavien Prat	123	Mike Puype	5-2	10,000

FIFTH RACE.

5½ Furlongs Turf. Purse: $29,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $25,000.

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wt	Trainer	M-L	Claim $
1	Owning	Brice Blanc	120	Javier Jose Sierra	15-1
2	Italiano	Abel Cedillo	125	Andrew Lerner	5-2	25,000
3	Conquest Cobra	Assael Espinoza	123	Mark Glatt	5-1	25,000
4	Awesome Heights	Jorge Velez	120	Genaro Vallejo	2-1	25,000
5	Satrapa	J.C. Diaz, Jr.	118	Mark Glatt	10-1	25,000
6	Grab the Munny	Ruben Fuentes	120	John W. Sadler	8-1	25,000
7	Getaloadofthis	Flavien Prat	125	John W. Sadler	3-1	25,000

SIXTH RACE.

5½ Furlongs. Purse: $17,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $20,000.

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wt	Trainer	M-L	Claim $
1	Pasito	Donnie Meche	122	J. Eric Kruljac	6-1	20,000
2	Dairy Kid	Henry Lopez	112	Robert J. Lucas	10-1	20,000
3	Sybil’s Kitty	Agapito Delgadillo	122	Richard Baltas	7-2	20,000
4	Point Received	Edgar Payeras	122	Ruben Gomez	50-1	20,000
5	My S V R	Aaron Gryder	122	Andrew Lerner	5-1	20,000
6	Colonel Power	Tyler Baze	125	John W. Sadler	6-5	20,000
7	Quite a Starlett	Geovanni Franco	122	Gary Stute	4-1	20,000

SEVENTH RACE.

5½ Furlongs Turf. Purse: $53,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $62,500.

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wt	Trainer	M-L	Claim $
1	Boa Nova	Edwin Maldonado	122	Anna Meah	8-5
2	Ultimate Bango	Ruben Fuentes	125	Blake R. Heap	4-1
3	Shades of Victory	Eswan Flores	125	Reed Saldana	20-1
4	Blackout	Abel Cedillo	125	Peter Miller	9-5	62,500
5	Stop the Violence	Jorge Velez	118	Peter Miller	5-2	62,500

EIGHTH RACE.

1 Mile. Purse: $15,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $12,500.

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wt	Trainer	M-L	Claim $
1	Dr. Bagley	Flavien Prat	122	Jeff Mullins	4-1	12,500
2	Chieftain’s Lad	Martin Garcia	125	Candelario Villamar	30-1	12,500
3	Irish Ballad	Tiago Pereira	125	Ruben Gomez	12-1	12,500
4	Lake Show	Eswan Flores	122	Robert A. Bean	50-1	12,500
5	Gryffindor	Edgar Payeras	125	Richard Rosales	5-1	12,500
6	Big Impression	Evin Roman	122	Rafael Becerra	4-1	12,500
7	Dawood	Agapito Delgadillo	125	Richard Baltas	5-2	12,500
8	Big Barrel	Jorge Velez	120	Leonard Powell	2-1	12,500

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SAN FRANCISCO — 

The Golden State Warriors are no longer the Golden State Warriors, even if there are moments when it might look like it.

The minute Stephen Curry stepped onto the court during the team’s media day, everyone pushed to surround him.

Even if nothing had changed for the Warriors, it would’ve been like this. Curry is the face of the franchise, the baby-faced, deep-shooting, mini-golfing hero for the Bay Area. But with seemingly everything changed, the cameras all found Curry that afternoon and stayed with him.

After all, where else were they going to go?

Kevin Durant is gone. So is Andre Iguodala and DeMarcus Cousins. Shaun Livingston retired. Klay Thompson is injured and could be out most, if not all, of the season. D’Angelo Russell is new.

The Warriors that you knew, the ones that who have been so feared by the league, teams that won three of the last five NBA titles, have been reduced to Draymond Green and Curry, with Curry, somehow, the oldest player on the roster at 31.

“Stop reminding me. … I mean, just hearing it is weird, but I’m still young,” Curry said, jokingly. “I wake up every day with a smile on my face, with the opportunity I have in front of me, being in my prime, being able to play basketball at the highest level and do it with this team and in front of our fan base. And I know I have a lot, a lot of years left at this level.”

But even Curry has to know how hard it is to look at the Warriors, who open their season Thursday against the Clippers, and think about what they can be. It’s much easier to focus on what they no longer have.

The changes stretch from the roster to the real estate, with Oracle Arena now a memory as the Warriors have moved out of Oakland to a beautiful new waterfront venue in San Francisco. The old building pulsed with the team and replicating that won’t be easy.

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The sterility of their new home court might be the least of the Warriors’ problems. Durant’s departure and a pricey contract extension for Green trapped Golden State financially. The team was able to land Russell from the Brooklyn Nets and give him $117 million. Getting a 23-year-old All-Star as a consolation to Durant leaving lessened some of the sting, but it hardly erased it. It was a move that forced the Warriors to shed some valuable role players.

The erosion of their bench has been a long-term cost of acquiring such great players. In the past, you’d look at the Golden State roster and say, “They got him?” Now, there’s more “Who is that?”

“This is such a dramatic change from where we’ve been the last four years,” coach Steve Kerr said.

A rival Western Conference executive put it less artfully.

“I think the Warriors might just be bad,” he said.

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If they are, it won’t be because of Curry, who showed how ready he is for the season when he scored 40 points in 25 minutes during the preseason. But can Curry’s greatness really lift up a rotation that’s replacing players like Durant, Iguodala, Livingston and Cousins with veterans like Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III and Willie Cauley-Stein? Will rookies like Jordan Poole and Eric Paschall contribute from the start? Can Marquese Chriss, joining his fourth team in four seasons, be salvaged?

It’s a lot of questions for a team that hasn’t had to answer any until the NBA Finals for half a decade.

A more shared opinion is that the Warriors are going to be very different, and when you’ve been to five consecutive championship series, different probably isn’t good. They seem energized by all the change.

“I think there’s definitely a lot of unknowns, but it is exciting, Green said. “You know, stuff has kind of just been status quo for the last few years and just kind of knew what to expect going into it, and it’s pretty much just been that. It’s a new challenge now, which as a competitor is very exciting. We’ve been to the mountain top with the previous group, and we know how that feels.

“Now, can you do it again? Can we bring this team together and get back there?”

Those Golden State Warriors could. These Golden State Warriors? That’s an entirely different question.

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Love my mom, call it what it is, #MamasBoy judge me.

A post shared by Landry Shamet (@landryshamet) on Jul 5, 2013 at 11:44pm PDT

Coaches and teammates trace a direct line from Shamet’s dependability as a pro to his upbringing — a childhood in which he quickly learned to depend on the team around him.

“The village that was there for him,” said his grandmother, Patti Shamet, “when times were hard.”

::

Twenty-five years before her son’s all-state basketball plaque was installed outside Park Hill’s gymnasium, Melanie Shamet had one of her own added.

In 1989, she was one of Missouri’s top volleyball players. But soon after she arrived at Boise State on scholarship, she washed out academically. An aimlessness that derailed her college career followed her back to Park Hill, a suburb 25 minutes north of Kansas City’s downtown, where high-income families mix with blue-collar workers and pine trees line wide avenues.

When Melanie became pregnant, it was unplanned. And a jolt.

“Landry saved me,” she said.

She created ground rules. Honesty was nonnegotiable. They needed to stick together.

“Single mom, biracial child, no dad,” Melanie said. “I knew that I had to make sure that he could come to me — with anything.”

Her son grew up knowing he could turn to others too.

They lived with her parents, Dennis and Patti, until Landry was 4. When he was older, they briefly lived with his aunt, Janell, too. His uncle, Tyler, became a de facto older brother. His grandfather taught Landry to keep his right elbow in on his jump shots. When Melanie pulled graveyard and swing shifts at Harrah’s hotel casino in North Kansas City, his grandmother and great-grandmother watched over Landry.

As the family insulated Landry, a wider network grew around them as he became a sports star.

When Melanie didn’t know how she would pay to fly to an AAU basketball tournament in Las Vegas, friends booked the flight using their air miles. Another family friend sponsored a season of travel baseball.

The support allowed Landry to focus on sports. When other Park Hill athletes went home after practice, teammates noticed Shamet lifting weights before heading to another practice, often with the AAU Pumas, a club he joined in fourth grade.

“He always knew what he kind of wanted to do,” said Jamaal Brazil, a Park Hill teammate.

As a child, Shamet is remembered as being unusually empathetic of others, especially younger kids. At his grandmother’s daycare, he let younger children climb on his back and pretend they were cowboys riding a horse. He took an interest in classmates with few friends.

Yet on the court, he could be unrelenting toward himself.

“People who know me know I will point out the negatives a lot easier than the positives,” he said. “I remember things, hang onto things.”

As he has grown older, he has learned to channel his self-criticism into motivation, but it took trial and error to know what to hang on to and what to let go.

During rides home after poor games, he refused conversation and offers of food. In high school, Garrison was surprised to find Shamet in his office after a tournament, apologizing for not playing up to his potential.

Shamet’s breakout at Park Hill came during his junior year, when he took over a game that college coaches had attended to watch Kevin Puryear, a highly rated forward on the opposing team, Blue Springs South. That put the 6-foot-4 Shamet, who’d grown four inches between his freshman and sophomore seasons, on the radar of schools like Wichita State, where he became an All-American in 2018. But it burned that his high school credentials weren’t enough to draw the attention of Kansas, the dream school whose camps he’d attended as a kid.

Shamet’s intensity surprised even his friends. He had been overlooked before and did not want it to happen with the NBA.

After one game at Wichita State, he stormed out of the locker room after a poor shooting night. Brett Barney didn’t know where Shamet, his teammate and roommate, had gone until he walked back toward the Shockers’ court.

“He’s out there in his jersey still an hour after the game,” Barney said. “He had a manager rebound for him and he was shooting. I went home. He didn’t get home until midnight, and the game ended at 10.”

::

When Landry was in middle school, his mother sold their house in North Kansas City and bought a duplex in Park Hill, one block from her parents’ house and inside a school district known for its high test scores and involved parents.

The mortgage made their budget tighter, but the situation felt ideal. Her schedule still left her working past 11 p.m. on many nights. But Landry ate dinner and finished his homework at her parents’ house down the street and took care of himself from there.

“About eight o’clock it’d come time for bed,” his grandmother, Patti, said. “He would walk a block over to his house, shower and put himself to bed until she came home.”

A few months after moving in, a notice came in the mail that informed Melanie that a mistake had been made in escrow during the purchase. Her mortgage was increasing nearly $300 per month. Her budget’s margins vanished.

“Paycheck to paycheck, robbing Peter to pay Paul,” Melanie said. “Land would go to sleep and I’d just bawl. I didn’t know how I was going to do it.”

When she filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy three years later, with her son in eighth grade, the family’s network rallied. They moved in with Melanie’s parents until they found an apartment. Friends delivered gift cards for Hy-Vee groceries.

Things stabilized, until the next jolt.

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Browsing Facebook while Landry was in high school, Melanie found his father. It was a subject they’d rarely talked about.

“I at least wanted him to know he had the opportunity if he wanted me to reach out,” Melanie said.

“I felt emotions I can’t even describe,” Landry said. “Just kind of seeing his face and, I don’t know … it was crazy.”

His answer was no.

He doesn’t rule out one day making the connection. Yet Shamet keeps a small circle of friends and family. And that village, he said, is all he needs.

“They’ve done an incredible job filling that void,” he said. “My mom and I get along great. We went through some … or whatever coming up like any family does. You go through some struggles. There’s no father in this situation. But I wasn’t longing for my dad.”

::

At the end of the second and final day of Shamet’s basketball camp, parents and families streamed through Park Hill’s doors. Outside the gymnasium, workers installed a framed Clippers jersey in a trophy case next to Shamet’s framed Park Hill jersey.

Inside, a scrimmage between middle school-aged campers and counselors had reached sudden death. A camper dribbled left, stepped behind the three-point line near the top of its arc and shot over Shamet, who’d elected not to contest the shot. The ball went in. Campers surrounded the shooter, chanting “MVP!”

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Standing in the back next to her sister and mother, Melanie smiled at the upset. She had taken the day off to help her sister organize camp logistics. She still works at Harrah’s and lives not far away, in a house whose down payment Landry helped make.

The 142 campers eventually calmed down and sat cross-legged on the floor. As Shamet stood to speak, they leaned in.

“I remember being you,” Shamet said. “I had dreams of being in college, in the NBA. It doesn’t seem that far off. My message to you, just go make it happen.”

Then he turned to acknowledge those who had helped him make it happen.

One by one, he called his aunt, grandmother and mother to the front of the gym and handed each a bouquet of roses.

::

UP NEXT

VS. GOLDEN STATE

When: 7:30 p.m.

On the air: TV-TNT; Radio-570.

Update: After playing the final regular-season game in the Warriors’ former Oakland home, Oracle Arena, the Clippers return to the Bay Area to face the Warriors in the regular-season debut of Chase Center, the team’s new arena in San Francisco. With Kevin Durant (signed with Brooklyn in free agency) and Klay Thompson (recovery from a knee injury) no longer in the Warriors’ starting lineup, Stephen Curry averaged nearly 27 points a game during the preseason as his team’s lone, established option. Coach Steve Kerr is also working offseason addition D’Angelo Russell into the offensive scheme. He averaged 18 points in four preseason appearances. … The NBA fined Clippers guard Patrick Beverley $25,000 for throwing the basketball into the stands at the conclusion of a 112-102 victory over the Lakers on Tuesday night.

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

WORLD SERIES

Suddenly losing in five games to the Washington Nationals doesn’t seem so bad, does it, Dodgers fans?

The Nationals won their eighth straight game of the postseason by routing the Houston Astros, 12-3, on Wednesday night in Houston.

Stephen Strasburg outdueled fellow ace Justin Verlander, overcoming a shaky start to give the Nationals a commanding 2-0 lead in the World Series.

Kurt Suzuki hit a tiebreaking homer in what became a messy six-run seventh inning, and the Nationals headed back home to Washington for three games — if needed.

Adam Eaton paraded around the bases pointing to the Houston crowd after a late home run.

Game 3 is Friday night when Anibal Sanchez opposes Houston’s Zack Greinke in the first World Series game in the nation’s capital since 1933.

Making his Series debut, Strasburg allowed a two-run homer to Alex Bregman in the first before throwing five shutout innings to improve 4-0 this postseason. He allowed seven hits and struck out seven.

Verlander, so good in the regular season, fell to 0-5 in six World Series starts. He gave up seven hits and four runs, and was lifted after walking a batter after Suzuki’s home run.

World Series schedule

All times Pacific. All games on Fox.

Game 1: Washington 5, at Houston 4

Game 2: Washington 12, at Houston 3

Game 3: Friday, Houston at Washington, 5 p.m.

Game 4: Saturday, Houston at Washington, 5 p.m.

Game 5*: Sunday, Houston at Washington, 5 p.m.

Game 6*: Tuesday, Washington at Houston, 5 p.m.

Game 7*: Wednesday, Washington at Houston, 5 p.m.

*-if necessary

EL TRAFICO

For all that distinguishes LAFC’s Carlos Vela from the Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, there is one big thing they have in common: Both are the captains and leaders of cross-town rivals that will meet in tonight’s much-anticipated MLS Western Conference semifinal at Banc of California Stadium.

“Obviously they’re both world-class players,” LAFC defender Steven Beitashour said. “And you’ve seen what they’ve done this season. They’re a major part to both their teams’ successes.”

Together they combined for 64 goals — Vela with a league-record 34 and Ibrahimovic with a franchise-best 30. LAFC was the only team to score more than 64 goals this season.

Never before has an MLS game, much less a playoff game, featured two 30-goal scorers.

They made their U.S. debuts just weeks apart last season and while the record books show Vela has had the best season in MLS history, Ibrahimovic has arguably been the most dominant player ever. And they’ve gone about it in different ways — Vela with the skill and deception of a magician and Ibrahimovic with the strength and irrepressibility of a rampaging rhino – that reflect both their own personalities and the teams for which they play.

“Every day Carlos comes in here he’s got a smile, he’s got an easy way with his teammates,” LAFC coach Bob Bradley said Wednesday. “He’s encouraging with his teammates.”

Ibrahimovic, who has compared himself to God, has pledged to break every MLS record and christened himself the best player in league history.

He might be right on that last one.

“You should enjoy him,” Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath said after Sunday’s playoff loss to the Galaxy (16-15-3). “It’s a bit like Frank Sinatra. He’ll be dead before we know how good he is.”

Ibrahimovic, 38, is doing his best to make that happen before giving St. Peter the pleasure of shaking his hand. He is a Ferrari in a league full of Fiats, he said earlier this year, and he is not content to share. When the ball comes into the attacking third, if Ibrahimovic doesn’t get it, he often gestures wildly and angrily at the teammate who ignored him.

As a result, Ibrahimovic -– who always flies in first class — has scored more than half his team’s goals and taken more shots on target than the next five Galaxy players combined. A loss Thursday could mark his last game in MLS, however, while a win would take him a step closer to his first MLS Cup.

Read more:

Dylan Hernandez: No hype is necessary to sell the LAFC vs. Galaxy rivalry

LAKERS

In the postgame locker room Tuesday night, Anthony Davis and LeBron James were sitting a few feet apart at their respective lockers finishing up a conversation as reporters trickled into the room.

James, holding a printed box score, noted the 25 points the Clippers scored off Lakers turnovers.

“And fastbreak. They had 22, right?” Davis said.

“Twenty-two, we had five,” James said. “That’s it right there.”

That was only the beginning of the Lakers’ dissection of Tuesday’s season-opening loss. The Clippers beat them 112-102, and the Lakers spent the next day of practice reviewing what happened, without overreacting to it, while figuring out how to improve what didn’t work.

“We looked at both ends of the ball, and there’s a thousand little execution pieces that we tried to clean up from post spacing to not running enough offensively, more second action, more side-to-side movement,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “… We’re not focused on the result each game as much as the process and building and tightening things up and all the little habits we know we need to win.”

CLIPPERS

Lou Williams, who turns 33 on Sunday and is entering his 15th season, has an opportunity to win a championship within his grasp now more than any time during his marvelous career.

So whether it’s practice or a game like the regular-season opener victory over the Lakers on Tuesday night at Staples Center, Williams is prepared to set the right example to attain success.

“I don’t know how many cracks I’m going to have at winning a championship,” Williams said. “I feel like we have a really good group. I don’t want that opportunity to go to waste because our mentalities aren’t sharp or we’re not strong mentally. So, I’m just doing my part to make sure that everybody is on the same page, that the competitive level is, we don’t take days off in practice and we compete.”

UCLA FOOTBALL

UCLA’s Chip Kelly told the Bruins to enjoy themselves against Stanford, sparking their best defensive effort of the season during a 34-16 victory that snapped a losing streak at 11 games against the Cardinal.

“When our head man said it, like, ‘Guys, I just want you to have fun. I just want you to enjoy it,’ ” linebacker Jason Harris said Wednesday, “once we heard him say it, we were like, all right, let’s do our thing. Let’s ball out.”

Harris made one of his team’s season-high seven sacks while limiting the Cardinal to 198 yards of offense, the first time UCLA had held an opponent under 200 yards since 2009.

To Harris, a graduate transfer from Illinois State, having more fun meant worrying less.

“We have a pretty in-depth schematic program here and sometimes it can get a little complicated for us,” Harris said, “but he just really wanted to put that aside and for us to not worry about making mistakes and just to fly around and have fun and I think that’s what we did and that’s why we saw a lot of success.

“For me, it’s just trying not to be perfect because a lot of times I want to be perfect. I want to not have any mental errors, get 100% on my assignments and stuff like that, which you want to do, but sometimes it can slow you down constantly thinking and you just have to let it loose and be a ballplayer because that’s what they want us to do.”

USC FOOTBALL

Clay Helton has always believed a quarterback’s true mind-set shows in his eyes. So when Kedon Slovis stared down a top-10 team, a historic road venue and a 14-point halftime deficit at Notre Dame two weeks ago, Helton looked at the quarterback for reassurance.

The USC coach was met with competitive fire from the freshman’s blue eyes.

“I was like, ‘Whoa, this is what you want to see from your quarterback,’ ” Helton said Wednesday, his eyes widening as he smiled. “There’s no fear, no hesitation.”

After Slovis caught fire late against Notre Dame, the Trojans need him to pick up where he left off in South Bend, Ind., when they face Colorado on Friday in Boulder, in search of their first road win of the season.

TODAY’S LOCAL MAJOR SPORTS SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

Galaxy at LAFC, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

Clippers at Golden St., 7:30 p.m., TNT, AM 570

Kings at St. Louis, 5 p.m., FSW

Ducks at Dallas, 5:30 p.m., PRIME

BORN ON THIS DATE

1926: Football player Y.A. Tittle (d. 2017)

1929: Baseball player/author Jim Brosnan (d. 2014)

1950: Baseball player Rawly Eastwick

1957: Baseball player/manager Ron Gardenhire

1960: Golfer Ian Baker-Finch

1961: Baseball player Rafael Belliard

1962: Football player Jay Novacek

1975: Football player Corey Dillon

1985: Soccer player Wayne Rooney

1987: Ice dancer Charlie White

DIED ON THIS DATE

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1972: Baseball legend Jackie Robinson, 53

2004: Race car driver Ricky Hendrick

2012: Tennis player Margaret DuPont, 94

2012: Wrestler Jeff Blatnick, 55

AND FINALLY

Jackie Robinson is interviewed on “The Dick Cavett Show.” Watch it here.

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