Welcome to Yahoo Sports AM, our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Subscribe here to receive it every weekday morning.
🚨 Headlines
⛳️ 18 holes down, 54 to go: Jhonattan Vegas (-7) leads the PGA Championship leaderboard without any top-10 ranked players. This marks a rare occurrence in tournament history.
Advertisement
🏈 $8.5 billion: The 49ers are selling a 6% stake in the team at a record $8.5 billion valuation.
🇪🇸 Barça clinches title: Barcelona secures their 28th La Liga title with a 2-0 victory over Espanyol.
🏈 NFL at LA28? NFL team owners will discuss allowing players to compete in flag football at the 2028 Olympics.
⚽️ Human rights complaint: A formal complaint has been filed against FIFA regarding the 2034 World Cup host Saudi Arabia.
🐎 The Triple Crown needs a reset
Sovereignty won’t get the chance to compete for the Triple Crown this year. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Thirteen Triple Crown winners have been crowned in horse racing history. To see another, a new calendar may be necessary.
Advertisement
The new normal: Recent Derby winners are skipping the Preakness, indicating a change in horse breeding.
-
Horses are not bred for the demanding Triple Crown races, resulting in fewer contenders.
-
Many Derby winners opt out of the Preakness, affecting the competitive field.
The solution: Adjust the schedule to allow for better fields and more Triple Crown contenders.
Seize the Grey after winning the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes last year. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Spacing out the schedule could lead to more contenders and higher viewership.
-
By spacing out the races, the pressure on trainers and owners would be reduced, benefiting the long-term health of the horses.
-
Prominent thoroughbred owner Mike Repole has proposed a revised schedule to address these issues.
Tradition vs. change: Preserving tradition may conflict with the need for change to ensure the relevance of the Triple Crown.
Last word:
The breed has changed. The Triple Crown needs to change with it.
Advertisement
Preakness preview: Odds, pole positions
📸 Through the lens
(Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)
Washington, D.C. — The Hurricanes defeat the top-seeded Capitals, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.
(Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Denver — The Nuggets force a Game 7 against the Thunder with a victory led by Jokić and Murray.
(Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images)
Winnipeg — The Jets defeat the Stars to extend the series.
🏀 By the numbers: The WNBA is back
(Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports)
The 29th WNBA season begins today, here are some key facts and figures following the offseason.
Advertisement
+225
The Liberty are favorites to defend their title, followed by the Aces, Fever, and Lynx.
Year 2
Caitlin Clark, reigning ROY, leads the Fever into the new season as the MVP favorite.
13 teams
The Golden State Valkyries join the WNBA as an expansion team.
Advertisement
8 new coaches
The WNBA welcomes eight new coaches this season.
Best-of-7
The WNBA Finals will now be a best-of-seven series.
$2.2 billion
The WNBA secures a lucrative media rights deal, setting the stage for potential labor negotiations.
Advertisement
Go deeper: Preseason power rankings | Awards and playoff predictions