IN BRIEF

HORSE RACING

Strapped NYRA might
shut down after Belmont

The New York Racing Association is running out of money and might have to shut down in less than three weeks, the day after the Belmont Stakes.

One leading horseman described the situation as "catastrophic" and said that even Saratoga -- the jewel of New York racing -- could be threatened by the turmoil.

NYRA president and CEO Charlie Hayward said Monday that cash problems must be resolved with the state "to make it through the entire Belmont Park race meet."

He did not give a timetable for a possible closing, but several horsemen said racing could be halted June 6 -- a day after the Belmont is run without any star power, since Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky are bypassing the final leg of the Triple Crown.

The Belmont meet ends July 18 before racing shifts upstate to Saratoga for the state's most lucrative meet, which runs July 23-Sept. 6.

COLLEGES

Tennis players top list
of UNLV honorees

UNLV athletes received numerous conference and regional honors Monday.

Women's tennis standout Kristina Nedeltcheva was named the Mountain Region Senior Player of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Also in tennis, Mehdi Bouras, a sophomore men's player, was named the ITA's Mountain Region Player to Watch.

Four UNLV softball players were named to the Mountain West All-Conference Team: Three-time honorees Marissa Nichols and Ashli Holland, and first-time members Tara Bendt and Laura Briones.

Three individuals and two relay teams also earned All-Mountain West track and field accolades. Hammer thrower Amanda Bingson, sprinter Chauncey David-Jacobs and distance runner Bailey Kuestermeyer made the squad, as did the 4x100-meter relay team of David-Jacobs, Shahnel Woodley, Candise Maxwell and Emily Blok, and the 4x400 unit of Blok, David-Jacobs, Lindsay Roach and Kelsey Williamson.

Also: Tennessee forward Emmanuel Negedu said he is following his dream to play basketball by transferring on scholarship to New Mexico, less than a year after he suffered sudden cardiac arrest.

Tennessee officials decided they wouldn't allow him to play after consulting with doctors, clearing his path to transfer.

Michigan said it will publicly release its response to NCAA allegations of major rules violations against football coach Rich Rodriguez next week.

MISCELLANEOUS

Woods announces plan
to play in British Open

Tiger Woods announced on his website that he has added the British Open to his summer schedule.

Woods could become the first player in the 150-year history of the British Open to win three times at St. Andrews, where golf's oldest championship will be held July 15-18.

Also: Australia's Brett Lancaster surged ahead of a group of 26 riders in the waning meters claiming the rain-soaked second stage and the overall race lead in the Tour of California.

Levi Leipheimer, the three-time defending champion, and teammate Lance Armstrong both finished in the lead group in the 110.1-mile stage from Davis to Santa Rosa.

Nicklas Backstrom and the Washington Capitals agreed on a 10-year, $67 million contract. Backstrom had 33 goals and 68 assists in the 2009-10 season.