IN BRIEF

GOLF

Funk leads Norman, Sindelar in Senior Open

Fred Funk shot a 4-under-par 68 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Greg Norman and Joey Sindelar into today's final round of the U.S. Senior Open in Carmel, Ind.

Funk had a 13-under 203 total on the Crooked Stick course. Norman also had a 68, and Sindelar shot a 70.

Tennessee amateur Tim Jackson, the overnight leader, was three shots back at 10-under after a 73.

Russ Cochran turned in the day's best round, making four birdies on each side and gaining eight shots on the leaders. His 64 broke the course record (66) set Thursday by Norman, Sindelar, Jackson and Dan Forsman. Cochran was tied for sixth with Forsman and Scott Simpson at 8 under.

Also: Catriona Matthew opened a three-stroke lead in the Women's British Open, shooting a 1-under 71 in the third round at Lytham St. Annes, England.

Playing 10 weeks after giving birth to her second child, the 39-year-old Scot had a 4-under 212 total.

Christina Kim (71) was second at 1 under, and defending champion Jiyai Shin (68) was another stroke back with Ai Miyazato (70).

Michelle Wie, trying to gain a spot on the U.S. Solheim Cup team, was 7 under after a 74.

England's Steve Webster shot a 3-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead in the European tour's Moravia Silesia Open in Celadna, Czech Republic.

Webster had an 11-under 205 total. England's Graeme Storm (70) and Spain's Ignacio Garrido (69) were tied for second.

HORSE RACING

Rachel Alexandra set for Haskell Invitational

Rachel Alexandra is ready to run against the boys again, and that might mean a little more thoroughbred racing history is at hand.

"I expect the best is yet to come," co-owner Jess Jackson said in the buildup to today's $1.25 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

New Jersey racing officials are hoping for a record crowd of more than 53,000 when the dazzling 3-year-old filly takes on Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird and five other fellas in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell.

"It's going to be a very special day," said Carl Goldberg, chairman of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which operates racing at Monmouth.

Also: Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird's classic finishing kick wasn't strong enough in the West Virginia Derby.

Mine That Bird finished third behind long shot winner Soul Warrior and Big Drama in the $750,000 race, the 3-year-old gelding's first start since a third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes two months ago.

The Derby winner wasn't even the favorite for the 1 1/8th-mile West Virginia Derby, with Big Drama the betting choice at 4-5. But it was 23-1 shot Soul Warrior -- with substitute jockey Dale Beckner -- who powered past Big Drama in the final strides for a neck victory at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack in Chester.

Starlarks rallied from last in a field of 10 3-year-old fillies to win by a nose in the $150,000 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar (Calif.).

Ridden by Alex Solis, Starlarks was 10th for the first half of the turf mile, moved up to fifth by the top of the stretch and charged home six-wide to edge Strawberry Tart and win in 1:33.82.

MISCELLANEOUS

Venus Williams reaches Bank of the West final

Second-seeded Venus Williams was at the top of her game as she advanced to today's finals of the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, Calif., beating third-seeded Elena Dementieva 6-0, 6-1 in a match that lasted about an hour.

"Things are going well for me, but I seem to want more," Williams said. "I just like winning. I don't care where it is, indoors or outdoors."

Williams has not won an outdoor U.S. hardcourt tournament since 2002, something she will try to remedy today against France's Marion Bartoli, who beat Australia's Samantha Stosur, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.

Also: No. 6 seed Sam Querrey of the United States upset top-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany 6-3, 7-5 to reach today's final of the Los Angeles Open.

Querrey will meet unseeded Australian Carsten Ball for the title. Ball beat Leonardo Mayer of Argentina, 7-5, 7-6 (3).

No. 1 seed Nikolay Davydenko cruised into today's final of the Croatia Open in Umag by beating Jurgen Melzer of Austria, 6-1, 6-1.

The Russian will face former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, who beat seventh-seeded Andreas Seppi of Italy, 6-1, 6-7 (1), 7-5.

Unseeded Thomaz Bellucci and Andreas Beck advanced to today's final of the Swiss Open in Gstaad, where both will seek a first career ATP Tour title.

Bellucci defeated No. 3 seed Igor Andreev 6-4, 7-5 in one semifinal, and Germany's Beck beat Marcos Daniel of Brazil 7-6 (3), 6-3 with just one break of serve.

Vera Dushevina of Russia will play Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic in today's Istanbul Cup final.

The fifth-seeded Dushevina beat Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland 6-2, 6-4, and the eighth-seeded Hradecka defeated Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-5 in the semifinals.

A second autopsy performed at the request of former boxer Arturo Gatti's family has not ruled out homicide in his death.

Michael Baden, the former chief pathologist for the New York State Police and host of the HBO cable TV show "Autopsy," said an autopsy performed by Quebec coroners found that an investigation by Brazilian authorities was incomplete.

The Oklahoma City Thunder signed free-agent guard Kevin Ollie.

Last season, the 6-foot-2-inch guard averaged 4.0 points, 2.3 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 50 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves.