IN BRIEF

HORSE RACING

Rachel Alexandra set to compete in Haskell

Preakness-winning filly Rachel Alexandra will run against the boys again in the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 2 at New Jersey's Monmouth Park.

Co-owner Jess Jackson announced the decision Tuesday in Lexington, Ky.

The Haskell is a 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 race for 3-year-olds. Also expected in the field is Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird.

"She is in top condition. If this preparation continues, our target is to race in the Haskell Invitational in about three weeks," Jackson said in a release. "We are all looking forward to seeing this great athlete perform again against both colts and fillies."

Rachel Alexandra worked five furlongs in 1 minute, 1.38 seconds Monday at Saratoga in upstate New York. She has won seven consecutive races, most recently by 191/4 lengths against fillies in the Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park on June 25.

Also: Lawyer Ron was euthanized Friday night in Versailles, Ky., because of complications from colic surgery, Stonewall Farm Stallions said on its Web site.

The 6-year-old horse was among the Kentucky Derby favorites in 2006 and a champion older horse in 2007. When he was retired from racing last year, he had made nearly $2.8 million.

Lawyer Ron won 12 of 26 races. He was standing his second season at stud at Stonewall, and his first crop of foals arrived this year.

BOXING

Khan questioned after hitting cyclist with car

English boxer Amir Khan has been questioned by police in Manchester, England, ahead of his first world title fight after a cyclist was injured in a collision with his car.

Khan, 22, was driving his Range Rover when the accident happened in his home town of Bolton on Sunday night.

The cyclist suffered a head injury and was taken to a hospital, though police don't think his injuries are serious.

On Saturday, Khan is scheduled to fight Andreas Kotelnik for the WBA welterweight crown in Manchester, his first attempt to win a world title.

Also: WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa (27-2) of Japan kept his title by stopping Nestor Rocha (21-2) of the United States in the first round in Kobe, Japan.

On the same card, Elio Rojas of the Dominican Republic became the WBC featherweight champion with a unanimous decision over Takahiro Aoh of Japan.

MISCELLANEOUS

Nadal expected back for U.S. Open tuneup

Rafael Nadal plans to be back at practice next week and back on the ATP tour next month for a hard-court tournament in Montreal beginning Aug. 10.

Nadal's publicist, Benito Perez-Barbadillo, said the six-time Grand Slam title winner is in Barcelona, Spain, for tests on his sore knees.

Nadal has not played a match since being upset in the fourth round of the French Open in May. He did not defend his Wimbledon title and slipped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the rankings.

Also: The Chicago Blackhawks abruptly ousted general manager Dale Tallon, less than two months after the team he helped revive from the bottom of the standings reached the Western Conference finals.

A clerical mistake hastened Tallon's departure. Team president John McDonough said the error was not all Tallon's fault and that he bore ultimate responsibility. But asked if the move would have been made if not for the mix-up, McDonough said, "Probably not."

Striking construction workers at 2010 World Cup stadiums in South Africa have rejected an improved wage offer by employers, a union official said.

National Union of Mineworkers negotiator Bhekani Ngcobo said workers will not accept an 11.5 percent raise offered by employers, but added that the union has lowered its demand for an increase to 12 percent from 13 percent.

The strike is threatening to derail already tight schedules for construction projects across South Africa that are supposed to be completed by December for next summer's World Cup.

Former Brazilian soccer star Romario was arrested in Rio de Janeiro in a child support case involving his first wife.

Police spokesman Analder Lopes said Romario was taken into custody for allegedly failing to make child support payments to Monica Santoro, who has custody of the couple's children, 15-year-old Romarinho and 19-year-old Moniquinha.

Minnesota lost two key football players for next season when coach Tim Brewster announced that safety Tramaine Brock and star recruit Hasan Lipscomb will not play due to academic problems.

Brock started all 13 games last season after transferring from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He finished third on the team with 73 tackles and had an interception.

Lipscomb scored 41 touchdowns in the last two seasons for Houston's Cypress Ridge High School and was expected to compete for major playing time in the backfield.

Providence men's basketball coach Keno Davis received a contract extension after his first season, in which the Friars went 19-14.

Davis, the 2008 AP Coach of the Year at Drake, is signed through the 2015-16 season.

Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi faces three drunk-driving related charges, including extreme DUI, for a July 2 incident in which she also was cited for speeding.

A Phoenix police report showed Taurasi's blood-alcohol level was 0.17 percent, or more than twice the Arizona legal limit of 0.08 percent.