SPORTS BRIEFS

HORSE RACING

Life is Sweet wins Ladies' Classic

ARCADIA, Calif. - Life got sweeter for Life Is Sweet without her daunting stablemate Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic. After fruitlessly chasing the undefeated mare in three previous races, Life Is Sweet found the winner's circle.

Garrett Gomez guided her from last - more than 17 lengths behind - to a 2½-length win in yesterday's $2 million race at Santa Anita. Life Is Sweet was one of four long shots to win on the first day of the 26th annual world championships.

The 4-year-old filly shares the barn of defending champion Zenyatta, who stayed in her stall resting ahead of today's $5 million Classic against the boys. She will put her 13-0 winning streak on the line in the 1¼-mile race, the richest in North America. Life Is Sweet ran 11/8 miles in 1:48.58 and paid $18.20, $8 and $5 at 8-1 odds.

NBA

Hornets owner Shinn has cancer

NEW ORLEANS - The owner of the New Orleans Hornets has announced that he has cancer. George Shinn made the announcement in a news release that he was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Shinn says he remains healthy and is optimistic that he will conquer the disease. Shinn, who moved the Hornets from Charlotte to New Orleans in 2002, says he and his wife, Denise, "remain strong in our faith and will maintain a positive attitude as I battle this with intense fervor."

• Chicago Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas broke his left forearm during a weight training session and will have surgery today. He could miss 4-6 weeks. In four games this season, the fourth-year player from LSU is averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds in 21 minutes. Thomas, who had been battling flu, played only 12 minutes in Chicago's victory at Cleveland on Thursday.

BASEBALL

City celebrates Yankees' title

NEW YORK - Crowds roared, church bells rang and streams of paper rained down on Broadway as the New York Yankees celebrated their 27th championship in a way only this city can, with a parade up the Canyon of Heroes.

The players, joined by a few celebrity fans and Yankees of the past, drank it all in as they rode on floats and double-decker buses through Manhattan's financial district. It has been years since the city used actual ticker-tape to celebrate its World Series wins, but the experience still was authentic to the many thousands who crammed the sidewalks along the three-quarter-mile parade route near Wall Street.

TENNIS

Federer, Djokovic on track for final

BASEL, Switzerland - Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic reached the semifinals of the Swiss Indoors, staying on course to meet in the final. Three-time defending champion Federer cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 win against qualifier Evgeny Korolev, and Djokovic pulled out a 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 victory over Stanislas Wawrinka. Federer will play wild card Marco Chiudinelli, who beat Richard Gasquet 6-1, 6-3.

TRACK AND FIELD

Jamaica's coach leaving team

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Usain Bolt's coach will continue working with the Olympic champion and world record holder even though he is stepping down as Jamaica's national team coach after 22 years. Glen Mills told The Associated Press he felt it was time to resign, saying, "There are a lot of coaches who are making their mark." Bolt set three world records last year at the Beijing Olympics and broke the 100and 200-meter marks again at the world championships in August.

- From Wire Reports