Gemologist wins Wood Memorial

Gemologist won the $1-million Wood Memorial for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct in New York, holding off Alpha by a neck to improve to five for five.

The latest victory makes the colt trained by Todd Pletcher one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby on May 5. Gemologist will enjoy an important advantage over many rivals in the Derby, having already won twice at Churchill Downs. He captured an allowance race and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes there to close out his 2-year-old season.

Ridden by Javier Castellano, Gemologist ran 11/8 miles in 1:50.96. The $600,000 first prize in the Wood assures Gemologist a starting spot in the Derby, where the 20 entrants are determined by graded stakes earnings.

Teeth of the Dog finished third.

The $200,000 for second also cinched a Derby spot for Alpha, winner of two of Aqueduct stakes over the winter.

Pletcher is seeking his second Derby victory, having won in 2010 with Super Saver, also owned by WinStar Farm who purchased Gemologist for $310,000 at a yearling sale in 2009.

TENNIS

Serena Williams beats Stosur

Serena Williams needed less than an hour to dispatch second-seeded Samantha Stosur, 6-1, 6-1, and advance to the clay-court final of the Family Circle Cup at Charleston, S.C.

There aren’t many people in the world who could’ve withstood Williams’ performance at the Family Circle Tennis Center. The 10th-ranked player was on her game from the start, winning the match’s first eight points and rarely letting Stosur catch a breath.

On Sunday, Williams will face Lucie Safarova, a 6-0, 6-0 winner over Polona Hercog, for the championship.

Bob and Mike Bryan defeated Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (4), Saturday to give the United States a 2-1 lead over France in their Davis Cup quarterfinal at Roquebrune, France.

The Bryans, the top-ranked doubles pairing, have not lost a Davis Cup match since 2008. They were rarely troubled against a French pair that struggled to find any rhythm on the clay at the Monte Carlo Country Club.

The French pair lost their serve at the start of the first and second set.

The pressure in now on sixth-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win against 11th-ranked John Isner on Sunday. No. 13 Gilles Simon will face teenager Ryan Harrison, ranked 66th, in the last singles match.

Although the French showed more fight in the third set, the Bryans did not have to face a single break point.

Elsewhere in Davis Cup competition, defending champion Spain blew a chance to reach the semifinals when it lost the doubles to Austria. The Czechs led Serbia in Prague and Argentina was edging Croatia in Buenos Aires.

ETC.

Warren Sapp files for bankruptcy

Former NFL star Warren Sapp owes more than $6.7 million to creditors and back child support and alimony, according to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Sapp’s $6.45 million in assets includes 240 pairs of Jordan athletic shoes worth almost $6,500, a $2,250 watch and a lion-skin rug worth $1,200. He also reported losing his 2002 Super Bowl ring with the Bucs and his 1991 national championship ring from the University of Miami.

The court documents were filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Fort Lauderdale on March 30. TMZ.com first reported the filing. A phone message and email left Saturday with his attorney, Chad Pugatch, were not immediately returned.

Sapp’s average monthly income is $115,881, according to the filings, and includes $45,000 for a final contract payment with Showtime, $48,000 for an appearance with CCA Sports and $18,675 as an advance for a book deal. His contract with the NFL Network ends in August, the filings show, and it was unknown if the contract would be renewed.

Sapp, a former defensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13-year NFL career, was once a contestant on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.”

The Oakland Raiders have signed defensive end Dave Tollefson.

Lionel Messi scored twice to become the first player since 1973 with 60 goals in a season for a club in a major European league, leading Barcelona to a 4-1 win at Zaragoza, Spain.

The three-time FIFA player of the year put Barcelona ahead 2-1 with a brilliant individual effort, then converted a penalty kick in the 86th. The last player to reach 60 was Bayern Munich’s Gerd Mueller, with 67 in 1972-73.

Messi leads the Spanish league with 38 goals, one more than Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Seeking its fourth straight league title, Barcelona stretched its league winning streak to nine and closed within three points of Real Madrid, which hosts Valencia on Sunday.

The third-ranked UCLA Gymnastics team advanced to the NCAA championships for the 28th time in school history after winning the Fayetteville, Ark., regional meet with a score of 197.225. Host team Arkansas placed second with a score of 196.825 to also advance.

Bruin sophomore Samantha Peszek placed second in the all-around with a career-high 39.6. Junior Vanessa Zamarripa was third with a 39.55.

Steven Whitney scored twice and Boston College beat Ferris State (Mich.), 4-1, night for its fifth NCAA hockey title and third in five seasons. The Eagles (33-10-1) finished with a 19-game winning streak, outscoring their opponents 77-21 during that span. Ferris State (26-12-5) was making its first Frozen Four appearance.