Talk » Moustakas homer in the eighth inning was his sixth

TORONTO -- Mark Casse finally has his first Queens Plate victory. Filly Lexie Lou captured the $1-million race Sunday at Woodbine Racetrack, giving the six-time Sovereign Award winner as Canadas top trainer his first Plate win. The 53-year-old American came close in 2011, finishing second to Inglorious with Hippolytus, but admitted becoming emotional after Lexie Lou crossed the finish line 1 1/2-lengths ahead of runner-up Amis Holiday, a 9-1 longshot. "My son, Colby, just started crying afterwards and to see it mean that much to him got me crying," said Casse, a 34-year racing veteran. "There was a lot of crying . . . I think I wouldve been OK had Colby not started crying. "When all youve done your entire life is been around race horses . . . I really dont know anything else. Ive been following the Queens Plate since I was a little boy and so to finally win it, I just pinch myself. I thought wed win it sooner or later. I knew I wasnt going to give up." The daughter of Sligo Bay-Oneexcessivenite served notice in the Woodbine Oaks on June 15 that she was indeed a Plate contender. Lexie Lou earned a comfortable 4 1/2-length win and covered the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:49.77, a full second faster than We Miss Arties winning time in the Plate Trial a race earlier. Breaking from the No. 14 post in the 15-horse field, Lexie Lou sat comfortably in ninth at the halfway point before steadily working up the field. She sat second behind Asserting Bear after a mile before surging into the lead, then holding off Amis Holiday to finish the 1 1/4-mile race on Woodbines polytrack in 2:03.94. "I think a lot of times theres too much preparation, too much training and we did very little with her," Casse said. "After the Oaks we sent her out to our farm, which is about an hour north of here, and let her eat grass. "When I saw her in the paddock today walking around with not a care in the world, I said to my wife, Shes going to be really really tough, because the first time we ran her she was kind of nervous. But not today." Asserting Bear finished third ahead of We Miss Artie, the 9/5 favourite who rallied to take fourth after a terrible start. The remainder of the field included: Niigon Express; Lions Bay; Matador; Heart to Heart; Coltimus Prime; Athenian Guard; Cap in Hand; One Destiny; Man o Bear; Tower of Texas; and Majestic Sunset. Lexie Lou paid $8.20, $4.50 and $3.30 while Amis Holiday returned $9.70 and $5.80. Asserting Bear paid $6. Jockey Patrick Husbands earned his second career Plate win but first since 03 when he guided Wando to a Triple Crown, the last horse to register that achievement. But the victory was almost anti-climatic for the veteran rider. "I breezed this filly Saturday and when I pulled her up I started crying because I couldnt believe I had another Queens Plate winner," Husbands said. "On the way back to the barn I told the assistant, Could you tell Mark I dont think they will beat this filly. "I went back to my car, I called Barbados and told everybody Im coming home to celebrate. Im on the flight (Sunday night) to Barbados to celebrate (Monday)." Javier Castellano, We Miss Arties jockey, said the poor start cost his horse the race. "I think with the big field my horse got a little nervous in the gate, he completely sat down behind the gate," Castellano said. "Thats why he broke straight in the air . . . it took a lot out of him. "He was too far behind. I lost a lot of ground going around horses." Jockey Luis Contreras had no such complaints about his trip or Amis Holiday starting from the No. 15 post. "We didnt need to be on the lead and I could see all the horses from the outside position," he said. "My horse gave a tremendous kick and we almost got there." Chantal Sutherland-Kruse, the jockey aboard Asserting Bear, said Lexie Lou was a deserving winner. "We did our best but Lexie Lou was just powerful," she said. The victory was the fifth in 12 career starts for Lexie Lou, with the $600,000 winners share boosting her all-time earnings past $1.2 million. Last year, Lexie Lou ran for owner-trainer John Ross, earning more than $300,000. But after her first start this year, Ross sold the filly to Gary Barber, the chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). "I dont buy horses thinking Im going to win the Oaks," Casse said. "I buy them just thinking and hoping Im making a good buy and can make it work and sometimes funny things happen. "John Ross did a wonderful job with her, she came to us in great shape and we couldnt have done it without him. We were just in the right place at the right time and got lucky." Casse was non-commital about Lexie Lou running July 29 in the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown at Fort Erie Racetrack. "A third race in a short time and, of course, a surface shes never been over," Casse said. "Well see, we could go there. "Gary is from California and they have synthetic there and it wouldnt shock me if she ends up in California." Air Jordan 11 From China .com) - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were among the third-round winners Friday at the French Open. Wholesale Authentic Air Jordan 11 . Now, Sarah Burkes legacy will live on in Canadas Sports Hall of Fame. Burke, who tragically died at age 29 from a training accident in 2012, headlined the 2014 class named for induction Wednesday. http://www.cheapairjordan11.us/ . The 22-year-old Spanish midfielder recently signed a new three-year contract with Chelsea, and after spending last season on loan with Valencia in La Liga, Romeu will move to the Bundesliga for the 2014-15 campaign. Wholesale Air Jordan 11 Online .com) - The disappointing Ottawa Senators hope to record consecutive wins for the first time since early November, as they visit the Boston Bruins on Friday for the opener of a home-and-home series. Cheap Real Air Jordan 11 . The victory strengthened Liverpools position in the top four after Tottenham lost 1-0 at Norwich in the days late kickoff, cutting the north London club six points adrift of fourth place and the final Champions League slot for next season.CHICAGO -- Danny Duffy couldnt help but think about his last start at U.S. Cellular Field. The Kansas City Royals left-hander matched a career high with nine strikeouts and scattered five hits over seven-plus shutout innings in a 9-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. His previous outing in Chicago didnt go well at all. Duffy injured his elbow in the first inning on May 13, 2012. Soon after he had Tommy John surgery and missed about a year. "Ive been waiting to come back here for a long time," Duffy said. "Its just nice to come out and do my job in this city and in this setting." The victory was the sixth straight for the Royals while the White Sox dropped their ninth in 10 games against Kansas City. Royals manager Ned Yost said there was a lot to like about Duffys complete effort. "For four innings he was really efficient, he really kept his pitch count down," Yost said. "He had everything working: his fastball, his breaking ball, had a good changeup and had a really, really good defence behind him." Mike Moustakas homered among his three hits as the Royals won their second straight in this weekend series. The Royals scored five times in the fourth -- four with none out -- to chase Chicago starter Hector Noesi (2-5). Noesi allowed five runs -- two earned -- and eight hits while walking one and striking out four. "To be able to put five runs on the board was big," Yost said. "Weve and a couple of big innings the last week or 10 days. Early in the year we get something going we get one or two out of it. Now that were swinging the bats better were getting four or five." Duffy last struck out nine on June 19, 2011, at St. Louis. Hes now 2-0 against Chicago. Duffy departed in the eighth inning after a leadoff single by Adam Eaton. White Sox designated hitter Paul Konerko spoiled the shutout with a homer off Michael Mariot to open the ninth. Two runs scored in the five-run fourth when third baseman Leury Garcia bobbled Lorenzo Cains grounder for an error.dddddddddddd Moustakas then singled to shallow centre for another run. Alcides Escobars base hit extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games and loaded the bases for the second time in the inning. The Royals fourth run came on Nori Aokis double-play grounder. Omar Infante lined a two-out single to left, driving in Moustakas for a 5-0 lead. Noesi was chased in favour of right-hander reliever Javy Guerra with two outs in the fourth. "Hector, hes been good for us and hes always given us a chance, but we have to help him out on occasion," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "If were not helping him on defence, its going to make a difference. Thats a recipe to lose a game in a hurry." Moustakas homer in the eighth inning was his sixth of the season. He finished with two RBIs and two runs scored. Eric Hosmer had an RBI double to left to start a three-run ninth. Butlers one-out homer to right made it 9-0. Despite giving up an eighth inning single to Eaton, Duffys shutout was preserved after Eaton was thrown out at home on a throw by Aoki in a play overturned following a review. NOTES: Escobar was in Saturdays lineup despite having cramps and leaving Fridays game after extending his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games with a ninth inning double. . Kansas City has scored first in each game of its current six-game winning streak. . Royals right-hander James Shields (7-3, 3.44 ERA) makes his 15th start of the season in Sundays series finale against White Sox right-hander Andre Rienzo (4-3, 5.25 ERA), making his 11th start. . After going 63-99 in 2013, Ventura is pleased to have his team in contention this year, but he wont project beyond Saturday. "Were not going to look that far down the road," he said. "Were better off focusing on what were doing today." ' ' '