Gary Stevens

Baseball Indians: Signed IF John McDonald to one-year contract. Rockies: Optioned P Josh Kalinowski to Triple-A Colorado Springs. Yankees: Reassigned P Todd Noel, P Brandon Reed, P Brian Rogers, P John Ambrose and P Mike Bertotti to minor-league camp. Basketball Grizzlies: Activated G Kevin Edwards and placed G Brent Price on injured list. Knicks: Activated C Travis Knight and placed G Rick Brunson on IR. Pistons: Activated F Jud Buechler and placed F Brian Cardinal on IR College Maryland: A Andrew "Buggs" Combs was named ACC men's lacrosse Player of the Week.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Trainer Bruce Jackson made it clear he is angry that Corey Nakatani broke a commitment to In Character so that he could ride Serena's Song in Saturday's Kentucky Derby.Jackson also said he doesn't want Nakatani to ride his colt anyway, and gave Chris Antley the mount."He [Nakatani] gave me a firm call, that's all there is to it," Jackson said yesterday.But agent Bob Meldahl, saying it was only a tentative commitment, put Nakatani back on Serena's Song in the Derby after trainer D. Wayne Lukas unexpectedly chose that race over the Friday's Kentucky Oaks for fillies.

Free House, runner-up in the 1997 Preakness, is the early favorite at 8-5 odds over Real Quiet, at 2-1, for Saturday's 34th running of the Pimlico Special.The $500,000 Special is the same distance as the Preakness, 1 3/16 miles. Real Quiet won last year's Preakness by 2 1/4 lengths over Victory Gallop. Free House, unbeaten in two races this year, put in a final prep at Hollywood Park this weekend. He went five furlongs in 1 minute, 1 2/5 seconds.Real Quiet, who hasn't won since last year's Preakness, will be ridden by Gary Stevens.

RACE AT A GLANCE: Eight brown horses chase each other 1 3/16ths miles in frenzied effort to stave off inevitable employment in some seedy local circus.TODAY'S PROFILE: Corporate Report. Forlorn-looking horse trained by motor mouth Wayne Lukas, who denies his entry was seen last week pulling a plow on an Amish farm in Pennsylvania.FALSE ALARM: Authorities summoned to Old Hilltop to investigate remains of ex-Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa,supposedly found buried under Stall 26. Turned out to be an old harness.

BaseballAtlanta Braves -- Signed P Juan Berenguer (8-5, 3.41 ERA in 51 games for Minnesota Twins) to 2-year, $2.1 million deal. Designated OF Jim Vatcher for assignment.Detroit Tigers -- Agreed to terms with P Jerry Don Gleaton (1-3, 2.94 ERA, 13 saves in 57 appearances) on one-year contract. Announced four-year player-development contract with Toledo of International League.Minnesota Twins -- Named Melony Hanson director of sales and marketing.New York Mets -- Agreed to terms with C Charlie O'Brien and P Julio Valera on one-year contracts.

Horse Sire Trainer Jockey Last race Comment Odds* Harlan's Holiday Harlan Ken McPeek Edgar Prado 1st Blue Grass Stakes 10 races, 6 wins, 4 seconds, $1.5 million earned 5-1 Saarland Unbridled Shug McGaughey John Velazquez 4th Wood Memorial What a story if he brings first win to Phipps family 12-1 Came Home Gone West Paco Gonzalez Chris McCarron 1st Santa Anita 7 races, 6 wins; you've got to love this fighter 8-1 Medaglia d'Oro El Prado Bobby Frankel Laffit...

The four-horse field for Saturday's $600,000 Pimlico Special was set yesterday.Pimlico owner Joe De Francis said this year's race is as strong as the six-horse fields of the previous two years."

TAMPA, Fla. -- In the locker room at One Buccaneer Place, the verdict appears unanimous. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are jubilant that former assistant coach Richard Williamson is now the permanent head coach."

PP Horse.... Trainer.... Jockey.... Record*..... Earnings..... Last race... Comment.... Odds 1 Invisible Ink Todd Pletcher John Velazquez 8: 3-2-1 $385,560 2nd, Kentucky Derby His style, pedigree and efficient stride suit Belmont's distance, configuration... 8-1 2 Balto Star Todd Pletcher Chris McCarron 9: 4-0-1 $720,190 14th, Kentucky Derby McCarron, master of pace, is controller of pace aboard this sprinter's son 15-1 3 Dollar Bill Dallas Stewart Pat Day 10: 3-2-1 $503,696 4th, Preakness Stakes After four straight hard-luck races, ol' Bill deserves a clean, smooth trip 6-1 4 Thunder Blitz Joe Orseno Jerry Bailey 9: 2-2-2 $243,450 4th, Kentucky Derby Orseno says rested colt as ready as Red Bullet was before 2000 Preaknesss 10-1 5 Monarchos John Ward Jr. Jorge Chavez 8: 4-1-1 $1,605,630 6th, Preakness Despite his Kentucky Derby runaway, he may be overlooked in the betting 5-2 6 Buckle Down Ben D. Wayne Lukas Corey Nakatani 8: 3-1-2 $178,340 1st, allowance race,Churchill Downs Can Lukas pull off another Belmont upset with lightly regarded colt?