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Tuesday, April 17, 2012 – Daily News BOSTON (AP) — Trailing the leaders by 200 yards when the Boston Marathon slogged through Heartbreak Hill, Wesley Korir passed them one by one until he took the lead on his way out of Kenmore Square. That's when leg cramps forced him to slow down and relinquish the lead. ''It's hot out there, in case you didn't know,'' he told reporters after enduring tem- peratures in the mid-80s to win the 116th Boston Marathon on Monday. ''I knew it was going to be hot, and one important thing that I had to take care of today ... was really hydrate as much as possible. I guess my biology degree kicked in a little bit.'' Singing religious songs as he trudged along the scorching pavement, the native Kenyan — a permanent resident of the Unit- ed States — retook the lead from Levy Matebo in the final mile to cross the finish line in 84.8-degree temperatures with a time of 2 hours, 12 minutes, 40 seconds. It was almost 10 minutes behind the world best established here a year ago by Geoffrey Mutai and the second-slowest Boston victory since 1985. Mutai, who was hoping a repeat victory would earn him a spot on the Kenyan Olympic team, dropped out after 18 miles with stomach cramps. Instead, it was Korir who may have won a ticket to the London Games. ''To me, I think running the Boston Marathon is an Olympic event,'' he said. ''I don't care what comes up after this, but I'm really, really happy to win Boston.'' Sharon Cherop won the women's race to complete the Kenyan sweep, outkicking Jemima Jelagat Sumgong to win by 2 sec- onds in 2:31:50. The women's winner was decided by a sprint down Boylston Street for the fifth consecutive race — all of them decided by 3 seconds or less. Cherop, who was also hoping to be selected for the Kenyan Olympic team, was third at the world championships and third in Boston last year. ''This time around, I was really pre- pared,'' she said. ''Last time the race went so fast and I didn't know I was about to finish. I didn't know the course well and I didn't know the finish line was coming.'' Matebo finished 26 seconds behind Korir, and Bernard Kipyego was third as Kenyans swept the podium in both genders. Jason Hartmann, of Boulder, Colo., was in fourth place and the top American. ''The pace wasn't blasting, so it wasn't Greg Meyer became the last American win- ner in 1983. Kenya's Wesley Korir, Cherop win Boston Marathon After starting college at Murray State — the Racers, naturally — he transferred to Louisville and graduated from there with a biology degree. He is hoping to receive American citizenship within a few years. The winners will receive $150,000 apiece. Korir and his wife, Canadian runner Tarah McKay, run a foundation in his home- town of Kitale and have been building a hos- pital in the memory of his brother Nicholas, who was killed by a black mamba snake at the age of 10. The heat slowed the leaders and led to 3B warnings that may have convinced as many as 4,300 no-shows to sit this one out. Race organizers offered those who picked up their registration packets but did not start the opportunity to save a place in next year's race. anything that was over my head,'' Hartmann said. ''There were so many times that you wanted to throw in the towel, but you just fought on. I don't think that anyone coming to this race really could say they were pre- pared for this heat.'' Korir, a two-time winner of the Los Angeles Marathon, was the 19th Kenyan man to win Boston in the last 22 years. But he is hardly typical of the African runners who have come to dominate the event since The largely unprecedented offer was issued in response to forecasts of high tem- peratures that rose from 69 at the start to a high of 89 by mid-afternoon, when recre- ational runners were still streaming across the Back Bay finish at the end of their 26.2- mile trek. Crowds at the Copley Square medical tent were bigger than in previous years, with the smell of sunscreen and the sound of ambulance sirens in the air. Boston Athletic Association officials said their medical staff was helping more people and the busy peri- Buses that sweep the course for strag- glers in previous years had returned empty but this year are coming in full. ''It is a very busy day, but it was the day for which people planned,'' B.A.A. execu- tive director Tom Grilk said. ''The god of marathoning, she smiled on us.'' A total of 22,426 runners started the race in Hopkinton — about 84 percent of the reg- istered field of 26,716 entrants. A total of 3,683 never collected their bib numbers over the weekend. Another 427 who picked up their starting bibs did not show up at the start; they will be offered a chance to run in 2013 instead. The heat didn't seem to be a problem for Canadian Joshua Cassidy, who won the men's wheelchair race in a time of 1 hour, 18 minutes, 25 seconds that beat the previous world best by 2 seconds. American Shirley Reilly edged Japan's Wakako Tsuchida dur- ing a sprint to the finish in the women's wheelchair division. But Korir said that after coming from sixth place at Mile 20 to take the lead, he struggled to maintain his pace and Matebo went back in front. ''I started to get really bad cramps in my od at the finish line medical tent arrived later than usual. legs and needed to slow down and needed to slow down a little bit and ... I was then passed,'' Korir said. ''Soon, I started to feel better and was able to pick up my speed again.'' Union Rags replaces Hansen atop AP's Derby Top 10 By RICHARD ROSENBLATT AP Sports Writer Hansen blue his chance to be a Kentucky Derby favorite. He finished second in the Blue Grass Stakes after a daylong art project in which the near-white colt's tail was dyed blue, only to be rinsed off before the race. After being beaten by Dullahan on the final week- end of major Derby preps, Hansen has been replaced by Union Rags at No. 1 on the AP's latest Run to the Roses' Top 10 list of con- tenders. meister went wire-to-wire for a 9 1/2-length romp over stablemate Secret Circle in the Arkansas Derby at Oak- lawn Park. The 1-2 finish for Bob Baffert gives the Hall of Fame trainer a dou- ble shot at winning his fourth Kentucky Derby. Bodemeister, with two wins and two seconds in four starts, moved to No. 4, and Secret Circle improved to No. 5. Triple Crown races a year after winning the Preakness with Shackleford. ''I think he will run well on dirt,'' Romans said even though Dullahan is 0 for 3 on dirt at Churchill Downs. ''He ran a big race in the Breeders' Cup last fall (at Churchill) and he is better this year. He should handle the surface.'' Kendall Hansen, who Union Rags regained the top spot he held for most of the prep season before his third-place finish after a tough trip in the Florida Derby on March 31. Trained by Michael Matz and owned by Phyllis Wyeth of Chadds Ford Sta- ble, Union Rags comes into the Derby on May 5 with four victories in six starts, among them the Fountain of Youth in February and the Champagne last October. Hansen, sent off as the 6- 5 favorite in the 13-horse field, took the lead as expected but faded in the stretch as Dullahan rallied for a 1 1/4-length win over the synthetic Polytrack at Keeneland. Dullahan's big win moved the colt trained by Dale Romans into the No. 6 spot. Hansen dropped to No. 8. Unbeaten Gemologist remained No. 2, having punched his ticket to Churchill Downs with his win in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 7. Creative Cause is No. 3 off a consistent record that includes a win in the San Felipe and a second-place finish to I'll Have Another in the Santa Anita Derby. Mike Smith, who rode Bodemeister for the first time, will be aboard the colt named for Baffert's 7-year- old son, Bode, in the Derby. Rafael Bejarano will ride Secret Circle. ''He ran like he did when In Saturday's other major Derby prep, Bode- Romans, meanwhile, has himself a horse for the he broke his maiden,'' Baf- fert said referring to the colt's 9 1/4-length win at Santa Anita on Feb. 11. ''He was relaxed. His last race (second in the San Felipe), he sort of fell apart going to the gate, he got hot; he was a mess. ... (In the Arkansas Derby) he was pretty calm, cool and relaxed. He did everything very profession- ally.'' a lack of communication. I went to a lot of effort to get this thing arranged.'' A Derby contender or owns Hansen, made the call to have the end of his colt's tail dyed blue for the Blue Grass. When word got out, he was called before the stewards and threatened with a fine. There was talk the horse could be scratched if he entered the paddock with a blue tail, so the dye was removed. Trainer Mike Maker was not pleased with what took place. ''Maybe (Hansen) could've relaxed a little bit more if he didn't have somebody working on his tail all the time. I don't know. It kind of hurt me and Mike's relationship,'' the owner said. ''We're going to have to talk it out. It was just 1. Union Rags (Michael Matz, trainer; Julien Lep- aroux, jockey): Back on top, and could wind up betting favorite when Derby gates open. ... Worked 4 furlongs in 48.10 last week at Palm Meadows before being vanned to Keeneland to prep for Derby. ... Next start: Kentucky Derby (G1), Churchill Downs, May 5. ... Derby future wager odds: 9- 2. two could emerge after Sat- urday's top 3-year-old races, the Jerome at Aque- duct and the Lexington at Keeneland. ——— Pletcher, Javier Castellano): Wood Memorial (G1) win- ner takes 5-0 record to Churchill Downs. ... Last unbeaten who won Derby was Big Brown in 2008. ... Next start: Kentucky Derby. ... Odds: 12-1. 3 Creative Cause (Mike Harrington, Joel Rosario): San Felipe (G2) winner and 2. Gemologist (Todd Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner-up heads from Hol- lywood Park to Churchill Downs on April 28. ... Next start: Kentucky Derby. ... Odds: 8-1. Baffert, Mike Smith): Arkansas Derby (G1) win- ner will try to become first Derby winner with four prior starts since Extermina- tor in 1918. ... Next start: Kentucky Derby. ... Odds: 22-1. 4. Bodemeister (Bob Rafael Bejarano): Baffert says his Arkansas Derby runner-up ''ran a great race, too.'' ... Next start: Ken- tucky Derby. ... Odds: 30-1. 6. Dullahan (Dale Romans, Kent Des- ormeaux): Came up with big finish to win Blue Grass (G1) and earn trip to Derby. ... Romans: ''I think he'll run well on dirt.'' ... Next start: Kentucky Derby. ... Odds: 23-1. 7. I'll Have Another (Doug O'Neil, Mario Gutierrez): Santa Anita Derby winner ships from Hollywood to Churchill on April 28. ... Jockey headed 5. Secret Circle (Baffert, to first Derby. ... Next start: Kentucky Derby. ... Odds: 21-1. 8. Hansen (Mike Maker, Ramon Dominguez): Blue Grass runner-up gave no indication he would thrive at 1 1/4-mile Derby dis- tance. ... Still won Gotham and 2-year-old champi- onship last year. ... Next start: Kentucky Derby. ... Derby odds: 8-1. 9. Take Charge Indy (Patrick Byrne, Calvin Borel): Borel says Florida Derby winner will ''get bet- ter in time.'' ... Never dis- count rail-riding Borel on Derby day. ... Next start: Kentucky Derby. ... Odds: 15-1. Long Legs, Daddy Nose Best, El Padrino, Mark Valeski, Sabercat. 10. Alpha (Kiaran McLaughlin, Dominguez): Wood runner-up being vanned to Churchill after getting an all-clear from precautionary ultrasound on left front leg to check on cut. ... Next start: Kentucky Derby. ... Odds: 21-1. Keep an eye on: Daddy DONATE YOUR VACATION newspaper dollars to the Newspaper In Education Program Support our classrooms, keep kids reading. HELP OUR CHILDREN DAILYNEWS For more details call Circulation Department (530) 527-2151 RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 PHONE: (530) 527-2151 FAX: (530) 527-5774 545 Diamond Avenue • P.O. Box 220 • Red Bluff, CA 96080