Update on the latest sports

RACING-MEDINA SPIRIT-BAFFERT

Medina Spirit drug test confirmed; Derby win in jeopardy

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Trainer Bob Baffert’s lawyer says a split-sample test of Kentucky Derby winner Medina (meh-DEE’-nah) Spirit came back positive for the presence of the steroid betamethasone. That could lead to the horse’s disqualification and discipline for Baffert.

Attorney Craig Robertson said the second test showed 25 picograms of the steroid, after 21 picograms were found initially. Even a trace amount of betamethasone — a picogram is a trillionth of one gram — is prohibited on race day in Kentucky, Maryland and New York, which are home to the sport’s Triple Crown races, and considered a violation.

Robertson said additional testing is being conducted to try to trace the source of the drug to an ointment to treat a skin infection and not an injection. He and attorney Clark Brewster, who represents Medina Spirit owner Amr Zedan, said they expect tests to show the ointment is responsible and not injections into one of the horse’s joints.

Rules in Kentucky do not differentiate punishment based on the source of the substance, which can be given to horses to help their joints and Baffert believes came from the dermatitis ointment. Churchill Downs said Medina Spirit would be disqualified if the split sample came back positive for betamethasone.

A spokeswoman for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

A Churchill Downs spokesman said the track is awaiting official notification of the split-sample test results from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

Baffert, a Hall of Fame trainer, is currently suspended by New York until Kentucky hands down a ruling about Medina Spirit. If Medina Spirit is disqualified, Mandaloun would be elevated as the winner of the Derby.

NBA-CELTICS SHAKEUP

Stevens replacing Ainge as team president in Celtics shakeup

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics are beginning their offseason with a shakeup of the front office and coaching staff.

Team president Danny Ainge (aynj) has retired and coach Brad Stevens has moved into the front office.

The moves came the morning after Boston’s season ended with a loss to the Brooklyn Nets in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. Boston’s staff was informed Wednesday morning.

Ainge won NBA titles with the Celtics in 1984 and ’86 and took over as the team president in 2003. He was voted the league’s top executive in 2008, when Boston won its 17th championship — a league record that has since been matched by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Ainge is the only Celtic to win a championship as a player and a general manager.

NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE

76ers, Jazz and Hawks can advance with wins

UNDATED (AP) — Philadelphia, Utah and Atlanta can reach the second round of the NBA playoffs with wins Wednesday night in Game 5 of their respective first-round playoff series against Washington, Memphis and the New York Knicks. Dallas and the Los Angeles Clippers have won two games each in their series.

But as Washington’s Russell Westbrook and the Grizzlies’ Ja Morant try to save their seasons and Atlanta’s Trae Young looks for a clinching victory, eyes will be on the action in the seats right along with the court. Wednesday night’s games are the first for all three of those players in the arenas where they were the subjects of ugly fan actions in Game 2 of these first-round series.

Young was cursed at during both of the Hawks’ games at Madison Square Garden and spit on in the second one, the only game the Knicks won in the series. Westbrook had popcorn dumped on him as he walked to the locker room after getting injured in the last game at Philadelphia. Jazz fans harassed Morant’s family during Utah’s victory a week ago.

The unruly fan behavior continued Monday when a spectator was tackled after running onto the court in Washington during Game 4.

NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE

2 Vezina finalists face off in Denver

UNDATED (AP) — Colorado goaltender Philipp Grubauer and Vegas netminder Marc-Andre Fleury will face off tonight in Game 2 of their second-round NHL playoff series. Both were recently named finalists for the Vezina (VEH’-zih-nuh) Trophy, which goes to the league’s top goaltender.

Grubauer made 24 saves during a 7-1 win in Game 1. Fleury didn’t play in the series opener, getting a breather after the short turnaround from a seven-game series against Minnesota in which Fleury played all seven games.

In Wednesday’s other Stanley Cup playoff game, Winnipeg hosts Montreal in Game 1 of their series. The Jets swept Edmonton and have a top goaltender in Connor Hellebuyck (HEHL’-eh-buhk). Montreal is coming off a Game 7 win over Toronto in which Carey Price made 30 saves.

TENNIS-FRENCH OPEN

Day 4 at Roland Garros

PARIS (AP) — Serena Williams will try to get back to the third round at the French Open a year after she withdrew from the tournament before her second match because of an injured left Achilles.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion is scheduled to face Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania on Wednesday. The 39-year-old American fended off a tough challenge from another Romanian, Irina-Camelia Begu, on Monday.

The night session in the main stadium features No. 2 seed Daniil Medvedev taking on Tommy Paul, a 24-year-old American who is ranked 52nd. Medevev is a two-time Grand Slam runner-up, including at this year’s Australian Open. Paul has never been past the third round at a major but he was the junior champion at the French Open in 2015.

In action so far on Day 4:

Alexander Zverev hit 15 aces on his way to the third round at the French Open. The sixth-seeded German beat qualifier Roman Safiullin 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 today, avoiding another lengthy battle after he was pushed to five sets in the previous round against another qualifier.

Tenth-seeded Belinda Bencic’s campaign at Roland Garros ended with a 6-2, 6-2 loss to Daria Kasatkina.

Kei Nishikori has gone five sets again to win at the French Open. The former U.S. Open finalist rallied past 23rd-seeded Karen Khachanov 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 after having also gone the distance to beat Italian qualifier Alessandro Giannessi in the first round.

Nishikori next faces Swiss qualifier Henri Laaksonen. Laaksonen upset 11th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 for his first victory against a top-20 player. Khachanov was treated by a trainer in the fifth set after cutting his right middle finger by hitting his racket strings out of anger.

The new doubles partnership of Venus Williams and Coco Gauff didn’t go very far. The 40-year-old Williams and 17-year-old Gauff lost to 13th-seeded Ellen Perez and Zheng Saisai 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the first round. It marked the first time that Williams had played a Grand Slam doubles match with anyone but her sister. She and Serena Williams have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles.

MLB-SCHEDULE

MLB pays tribute to Lou Gehrig

UNDATED (AP) — Major League Baseball is holding its first Lou Gehrig Day, with teams wearing a commemorative patch on their uniforms and ballparks featuring “4-ALS” logos.

Gehrig, the Hall of Famer who wore jersey No. 4, took over as the starting first baseman for the New York Yankees on June 2, 1925, beginning a streak of 2,130 consecutive games that earned him the nickname of “The Iron Horse.”

Gehrig died on June 2, 1941, at age 37 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which became known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

A video narrated by Cal Ripken, who broke Gehrig’s record by playing 2,632 straight games, will be shown on scoreboards and first-ball ceremonies and national anthem singers will have an ALS theme.

In other highlights of Wednesday’s schedule:

— Toronto rookie Alek Manoah faces Miami in his second career start after a sparkling major league debut at Yankee Stadium last Thursday, when he allowed two hits over six innings in a 2-0 win against New York. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound, 2019 first-round draft pick struck out seven and walked two in an 88-pitch outing. Pablo López pitches for the Marlins against Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays. Guerrero had a career-best four hits Tuesday night, including his major league-leading 17th home run, as the Blue Jays celebrated the return to their temporary Buffalo home with a 5-1 victory over Miami. The Blue Jays are unable to play in Toronto for a second straight season because of Canadian health restrictions due to COVID-19.

— Nick Castellanos can extend his 18-game hitting streak when the Reds host Philadelphia. Castellanos doubled and singled Tuesday night as Cincinnati got routed 17-3 by the Phils. He leads the majors with a .361 batting average.RACING-MEDINA SPIRIT-BAFFERT