victims.Barcelona and Real Madrid held a minute of silence before their practice sessions during the day, and Frances top two leagues observed be a minutes silence at Tuesday nights games.Med

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- So, in the wake of Arrogates devastating, track-record, runaway score in Saturdays Travers Stakes, who is the best 3-year-old male in the land?It might well be Arrogate. What he did in the Travers was amazing stuff, setting a fast pace under pressure and running away through the stretch like he went the first half in 50.84 seconds instead of the 46.84 he did post. And as if racking up a 13-1/2-length victory wasnt enough, Arrogate ran the fastest 1-1/4 miles in the history of Saratoga at 1:59.36, smashing General Assemblys 37-year-old track record.Powerful, powerful stuff. Maybe one of the three or four best performances weve seen all year.But where did this effort come from?Its not like Arrogate hadnt demonstrated considerable potential at the launch of his career in Southern California. He finished third sprinting in his debut last April and then won three straight going two turns, victories that earned him a trip to the Travers.However, none of Arrogates prior three scores were in the same universe as what he did on Saturday. I mean, he freaked in the most extreme sense of the term. In fact, his Travers performance, brilliant as it was, was in such contrast to his prior efforts that it seems only reasonable to require some validation.Arrogate might well be the best 3-year-old in the land, and it might not even be close. But I need to see him perform even fairly close to the way he did Saturday before I consider his Travers effort to be something I buy into completely.No question, the biggest disappointment in the Travers was Exaggerator, who was a distant trailer early, made a brief run late on the far turn, and then backed off to be eased under the wire, finishing 11th of 13.This dismal effort by Exaggerator on a fast track, into a fast pace, makes a very strong case that he is indeed not only pace dependent, but also dependent on a wet track to perform at his best. After all, Exaggerators wins in the Haskell, Preakness, and Santa Anita Derby, and his second in the Kentucky Derby (on a track that was plenty wet despite its fast designation) were all set up by pace and surface.But his last two dry-track starts resulted in 11th-place place finishes in both the Travers and Belmont. And all of this begs the question of whether its wise to award a horse who to this point has been a creation of fantastic pace setups and wet tracks.Nyquist, on the strength of honest wins in the Kentucky Derby and Florida Derby and a third in the Preakness that I think was the best performance in that race, might still be the ranking 3-year-old male. But his grasp on the division is very shaky.Which means that perhaps in no small respect, the door is open for Arrogate. But lets see him do what he did in the Travers again. Like in the Breeders Cup Classic.Quick Saturday Saratoga notes* Lady Eli might have been caught late by Strike Charmer in the Ballston Spa for the first defeat in her seven-race career, but she was a winner Saturday in every other sense of the word.Lady Eli ran big considering she was beaten less than a length off a 14-month layoff. She ran huge considering that layoff was due to laminitis. And what she did Saturday was tremendous when you take into account that shes lucky to be alive, let alone racing again, and racing effectively.Lady Eli made a very strong wide run around the far turn in the Ballston Spa, and even if her move was nicely set up by a fast early pace, that move says Lady Eli is still the Lady Eli we remember and will be a force to be reckoned with going forward.* Flintshire is so much the best in the male turf division its silly, and I say that with all due respect to Ironicus, who was a very good second to Flintshire in the Manhattan last June.However, as tremendously entertaining as Flintshires victories at this Saratoga meet were, lets not forget that he wasnt exactly beating horses who will invoke the memory of Manila. The group who tried to box him in in last months Bowling Green wasnt remotely good enough to pull off the gambit.There were no such machinations Saturday in the Sword Dancer - although Flintshire got two rail passes when barnmates Money Multiplier opened the rail for him around the far turn the final time and rabbit Inordinate did the same turning for home - but the competition really wasnt all that much stronger.I do not note this to denigrate Flintshire. He is very, very good, and I am a fan. However, European horsemen will soon get serious about sending real horses over here for the big fall grass stakes, and the competition Flintshire will face will become stronger by many multiples. And he might very well be good enough to meet the challenge. And that, for me, anyway, will be more entertaining than seeing Flintshire again victimize seriously overmatched competition.* If there was any doubt about Cavortings status as the top older dirt female east of Beholder and Stellar Wind, it was eliminated with her better-than-it-looked victory in the Personal Ensign.With a pace that bordered between deliberate and slow, the Personal Ensign quickly became a race that put a premium on tactics. And Cavorting, in her first career start around two turns or at a distance as far as 1-1/8 miles after winning the Ogden Phipps and Ruffian at Belmont in her last two starts, was up against it tactically, trailing early in the solid field of five.Yet despite an unfavorable setup, Cavorting was still able to produce a stretch rally from the outside to get up in time, which is very much to her credit. She was decidedly better than her half-length win margin would suggest.* Likewise, there was little question going into the Forego that A. P. Indian, the winner of his last three starts, including the Alfred G. Vanderbilt earlier in the meet, was the best male sprinter in the East. There was even less doubt after the Forego as A. P. Indian was decidedly best. That said, this edition of the Forego lured a less-than-inspiring field, and the East Coast sprinters are not an especially tough group, at least right now.* No matter what, Drefong was the speediest and best horse in the Kings Bishop. But it would have been nice to see him have to use his speed to prove his superiority. Instead, the Kings Bishop was giftwrapped for him only a quarter of a mile in.Drefong was in front and clear in a flash after the start of the Kings Bishop because he is, well, California speed. But when 23.11 was posted for a first-quarter fraction, it was clear there was no California speed, or any other speed, at work. That was walking for Drefong, and because he is a good horse, he thoroughly capitalized on his good fortune with a clear-cut score.Still, I suggest not penalizing the closers who were soundly beaten by Drefong this time too severely. They had no shot with the way the Kings Bishop was run.* Much credit to Haveyougoneaway, who made the Ballerina her second graded stakes victory of the Saratoga meet (she won last months Honorable Miss). But I do think several Ballerina contestants, for whatever reason, just did not deliver representative performances.Sheer Drama never moved a muscle, and Wavell Avenue barely did better. Carina Mia finished third as the even-money favorite despite being a 3-year-old against older opponents, but she really shouldnt have weakened after contesting a first quarter of 23.39, which was slow for a seven-furlong stakes race on a fast track, and her stretch drift was troubling.* The final times of the three big seven-furlong stakes ranked in predictable order. A. P. Indian went in 1:20.99, Drefong went in 1:21.25, and Haveyougoneaway went in 1:21.63. But frankly, I was a little surprised there wasnt more of a spread between these times.Air Max Plus Tn Fake . Ancelotti says Ronaldo has recovered from a hamstring injury but "but he doesnt feel comfortable yet so we wont risk him." Madrid is third in the Spanish league, six points behind leader Barcelona, going into Saturdays game against Valladolid. Cheap Air Max Tn Plus . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.airmaxsneakersonsale.com/cheap-air-max-95.html .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Cheap Air Max 720 Mens . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd. Cheap Air Max 1 . 9. Price, heading to the 2014 Olympics for Canada, was named the First Star after posting wins in three starts with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .971 save percentage.CHAPECO, Brazil -- Thousands squeezed into Chapecos cathedral and even more packed a stadium to mourn the death of 71 people in a plane crash, 19 of them members of the Chapecoense club who had been on the brink of soccer greatness.To lose (almost) all of them in such a tragic way, totally destroyed our city and each one of us, Carla Vilembrini said late Tuesday, standing outside Santo Antonio Cathedral. She was dressed like so many others -- in the clubs green and white jerseys.Chapecoenses fantasy season ended on a muddy Colombian mountainside late Monday when a chartered aircraft crashed south of Medellin. Only six of the 77 passengers and crew survived, three of them players.The club was having the best season in its 43-year history, heading to the first of two matches in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, the continents No. 2 club tournament.Distraught residents of this southern Brazilian city of 200,000 people, an agribusiness center near the Argentina border, wandered the streets around the stadium -- known as Arena Conda -- in stunned silence.The city is very quiet, businessman Cecilio Hans said. People will only believe once the bodies start to arrive.On social media, haunting last photos showed the smiling players boarding the flight to Colombia for their match with Atletico Nacional.In one photo, the team celebrated a last-minute save by goalkeeper Danilo only a week ago against the Argentine club San Lorenzo. The save guaranteed Chapecoense a spot in the final -- and ultimately cost Danilo his life in the crash.I cant still believe it, Alan Heinz said inside the stadium, his body pressed against the fence that separates fans from the field. This time the field was filled by a religious service and prayers for the dead.I was preparing for the best day of my life, and now I dont know what my life will be after this, he said.As recently as 2009, the club known as Chape was playing in Brazils fourth division, but it won promotion to the top league in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s.Victories over San Lorenzo and Independente -- two of Argentinas fiercest squads -- as well as the Colombian club Junior took the team to the Copa Sudamericana finals, the equivalent of the UEFA Europa League tournament.Few of the players had an international profile, and none had any appearances with Brazils glitzy national team. Most had played all over Brazil and Latin America. Only a few had ever reached Europe, like Cleber Santana, who played for Atletico Madrid in 2007-10.Chape strikers Bruno Rangel and Kempes, both 34, were among the top scorers in the Brazilian league, with 10 and nine goals, respectively.The onlly players to survive were goalkeeper Jakson Follmann, defender Helio Zampier, commonly known as Neto, and defender-midfielder Alan Ruschel.ddddddddddddCoach Caio Junior is credited with Chapes quick rise, joining the club this year after guiding teams in the Middle East. Born Luiz Carlos Saroli, he coached numerous Brazilian teams, including Palmeiras, Flamengo and Botafogo.He was among the dead. His son, Matheus Saroli, escaped because he didnt make the flight, saying in a Facebook post that he couldnt board because I forgot my passport.An Argentine player on the club, Alejandro Martinuccio, also missed the flight, because of an injury during a game, he told Argentinas La Red radio.I feel deep sadness. The only thing I can ask is prayers for the companions who were on the flight, he said.Also among the dead were 20 sports journalists, including Mario Sergio Pontes de Paiva, a former player who worked as a commentator for Fox Sports. He played briefly for Brazils national team in the early 1980s and had a long career as a midfielder and coach with many Brazilian clubs. He last coached Brazilian club Internacional in 2009 and Ceara in 2010.This is a very, very sad day for football, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. At this difficult time our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends.Brazilian President Michel Temer declared three days of official mourning, while soccer great Pele called it a tragic loss. Brazilian champion Palmeiras asked the countrys football confederation for permission to wear Chapecoenses jersey in its last match of the season.Around the world, the sport paused to remember the victims.Barcelona and Real Madrid held a minute of silence before their practice sessions during the day, and Frances top two leagues observed be a minutes silence at Tuesday nights games.Medellin-based Atletico Nacional said it was asking the South American soccer confederation to give the Copa Sudamericana title to Chape as a tribute to the players who died.Some of Brazils top clubs said they wanted to lend players to Chape for the 2017 season. They also said the team should not be relegated to the second division as it recovers from the disaster.The dream is not over. We will fight back when its time, said Chapes acting club president, Gelson Della Costa.Now its time to take care of the families, he said.---Associated Press sports writer Mauricio Savarese reported this story in Chapeco, Brazil, and AP sports writer Stephen Wade reported from Rio de Janeiro. ' ' '