NEU » t.The Award for Excellence program

LAUREL, Md. -- Ivan Fallunovalot came a long way to compete in the $250,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash, but the trip was well worth it after he dogged X Y Jet into submission and pulled away to win the six-furlong race by 4-1/2 lengths.Ivan Fallunovalot is based at Remington Park with trainer Tom Howard. He vanned from Oklahoma to Maryland for the Grade 3 De Francis, and will soon make the return trip.X Y Jet looked like the lone speed in the six-horse De Francis, but jockey Calvin Borel never let him get too far in front. He pressed him through fractions of 22.34 and 45.79 and took the lead entering the stretch.We backed it up and went slow, Borel said. The best horse to finish was going to win. Id just like to thank Mr. Tom for giving me the chance to ride him.Howard said he told Borel to be patient during the race, but not to let him get too far in front.If nobody was going to help, we had to do it ourselves, Howard said.Ivan Fallunovalot paid $8.20 to win after X Y Jet was hammered down to 1-5 favoritism; he was timed in 1:10.07. Weather conditions at Laurel changed in the hour leading up to the race: a gusty headwind was blowing up the stretch.Ivan Fallunovalot is now perfect in four starts this year and has won six of his last seven starts back to August 2015. Howard claimed Ivan Fallunovalot for $25,000 in early 2014. He has since earned $741,000 and is the best horse Howard has ever trained.Howard said he claimed Ivan Fallunovalot on the recommendation of his owner, Lewis Mathews Jr.I didnt want to go to Chicago anymore and I told my owners I wanted to just go from Oaklawn, to Lone Star, to Remington, and I lost some owners over it. Howard said. I hadnt heard from Lewis, and I thought Id lost him too, and then he called and said, Theres a horse I want you to take a look at tomorrow, and if you like him, take him. It turned out to be Ivan.Ivan Fallunovalot has chronic quarter cracks, according to Howard, which have limited his starts this year. Plans call for Ivan Fallunovalot to head to Oaklawn Park after he returns to Remington and point for the King Cotton Stakes, a race he has won the past two years.This is the first year the De Francis has been graded since 2009. A field of six went postward after Stallwalkin Dude, Weekend Hideaway, and Life in Shambles were declared from the race.Safely Kept: Tale for Ruby breaks throughTale for Ruby came into the $100,000 Safely Kept Stakes off a pair of second-place finishes in first-level allowance company but proved clearly best in the 13-horse field of 3-year-old fillies despite being bumped at the start.A daughter of Tale of Ekati trained by Barclay Tagg, Tale for Ruby was away slowly in the seven-furlong race under jockey Edgar Prado. She steadily advanced on the backstretch, seized the lead three wide entering the stretch, and then pulled away to win by 2-1/4 lengths.Tale for Ruby paid $6.80 as the favorite. She was timed in 1:23.51. She is now 2 for 6 in her career.Takrees finished well to be second-best. It was three lengths back to Outsider Art in third.Kelsocait and Malibu Tracy stumbled at the start from posts 1 and 2, respectively. Malibu Tracy, the 5-2 second betting choice, finished ninth.Geisha: Rockin Jojo strikes againRockin Jojo, who scored a 31-1 upset in the Maryland Million Distaff in her last start, came right back to take the $75,000 Geisha, the last of seven stakes on the Saturday Laurel Park card.Rockin Jojo paid $19.40 in the Geisha, a one-mile race for Maryland-bred fillies and mares. She rallied extremely wide into the stretch and was up to defeat Candida H. by a head. Candida H. also was fanned wide on the far turn and into the stretch.Wowwhatabrat finished third, 1-1/2 lengths behind Candida H.Rockin Jojo, a 4-year-old daughter of Street Magician, is trained by Parx-based Lupe Preciado. She has now won five of 18 career starts and is 2 for 4 since joining Preciados barn.Rockin Jojo was timed in $139.42. Jordan 1 Low Outlet .ca NFL Power Rankings, overtaking the Denver Broncos and remaining ahead of NFC competition San Francisco, Carolina and New Orleans. Jordan 1 White Outlet . 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CANTON, Ohio -- The Latest on the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions (all times local):---10:25 p.m.Brett Favre, footballs most durable quarterback and one of its greatest passers, has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.The first three-time MVP (1995-97) and an NFL champion in 1996, Favre played 20 pro seasons with four teams. He defined toughness in appearing in a record 299 consecutive games, including 16 seasons with the Packers, a franchise he helped revitalize.A gunslinger with no fear on the field -- in addition to completing 6,300 passes for 71,838 yards and 508 touchdowns, he threw an NFL high of 336 interceptions -- Favre was a three-time All-Pro and made 11 Pro Bowls. His enthusiasm and love for the game marked his career, which began in Atlanta in 1991 and ended with the Vikings in 2010. He spent 2008 with the Jets.Favre, 46, was presented for induction by his wife, Deanna.---9:54 p.m.Tony Dungy, the first black coach to win a Super Bowl, has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Known as much for his work as a mentor to players and insistence on athletes being good citizens, Dungy led the Indianapolis Colts to the 2006 NFL title. He also has a coaching tree that has featured Mike Tomlin, Herman Edwards, Jim Caldwell, Rod Marinelli, Leslie Frazier and Lovie Smith.A disciple of Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll, Dungy went 139-69 in 13 seasons, including 85-27 with the Colts from 2002-08. Before joining Indianapolis, Dungy turned around a perennial loser in Tampa Bay, taking the Buccaneers to the 1999 NFC title game.He was fired in Tampa in 2001 and the Bucs won the Super Bowl the next year with Jon Gruden as coach.Dungy, 60, was presented for induction by former teammate Donnie Shell.---9:15 p.m.Ed DeBartolo Jr., whose San Francisco 49ers became the first franchise to win five Super Bowls, has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor.Presented by his daughter Lisa, DeBartolo was known as much for his compassion and care for people throughout his organization as for building a winning football team. Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young credits DeBartolo for working to create strong relationships between players and owners throughout the NFL.His teams won the league championships for the 1981, 84, 88, 89 and 94 seasons.The 69-year-old DeBartolo, who owned shopping malls, was embroiled in the corruption case against former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards and suspended by the NFL for the 1999 season after being found guilty of failing to report a bribe, a felony. After the suspension, DeBartolo gave control of the team to his sister.---9:03 p.m.Ken Stabler, one of the first great left-handed NFL quarterbacks, has been inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Nicknamed Snake for his elusiveness on and off the field, Stabler helped the 1970s Oakland Raiders win their first Super Bowl and make it to four other conference championship games in a five-year span.Stabler, who died last year, was elected by the Seniors Committee. He was known for some of the biggest plays in Raiders history: scoring a go-ahead touchdown in the 1972 Immaculate Reception playoff loss against Pittsburgh; throwing a late TD pass that Clarence Davis caught in a Sea of Hands to beat defending champion Miami the next season; and his intentional fumble forward in the closing seconds of a game against San Diego in 1978 that led to a touchdown -- the Holy Roller play -- and to a rule change.He was presented via video by Hall of Fame coach John Madden.---8:33 p.m.Colorful sacks specialist Kevin Greene has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Always a showman who also spent some time as a professional wrestler, Greenes 160 sacks are third most in NFL history. In 15 pro seasons for four franchises, Greene played linebacker and defensive end.Perhaps the most startling aspects of Greenes time with the Rams, Steelers, 49ers and Panthers were his durability and productivity. He missed just a dozen games, and 10 times finished with at least 10 sacks, including 12 with Carolina in his final season in 1999 at age 37.Twice an All-Pro, Greene also became a linebackers coach in Green Bay from 2009-13.Greene, 54, was presented by Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers.---8:20 p.m.Dick Stanfel, a star on the offensive line for two teams in the 1950s, has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Stanfel, who died last year at age 87, helped the Detroit Lions win the NFL title in 1952 and 53. He earned All-Pro honors five times in his seven-season career, four years with Detroit and three with Washington, before retiring at 31 and going into coaching.A seniors committee nominee, Stanfel was considered one of the most technically sound blockers of his day, someone Hall of Famer Mike Ditka called a hell of a football player.He was presented for induction by Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy.---7:53 p.m.Orlando Pace, one of the NFLs dominaant offensive tackles for 13 seasons, has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.ddddddddddddThe top overall draft choice by the St. Louis Rams in 1997, Pace became the anchor on the line for the Super Bowl-winning Greatest Show on Turf. He helped turn running back Marshall Faulk and quarterback Kurt Warner into NFL MVPs.Pace played a dozen seasons for the Rams before finishing his career with the Bears. A five-time All-Pro in an era featuring outstanding tackles, the 6-foot-7, 325-pound Pace was as adept as a run blocker as he was in pass protection.In an eight-season stretch from 1998-2005, Pace played every game in seven of those seasons. He was given the franchise tag three consecutive years.Pace, 40, was presented by his son, Justin.---7:30 p.m.Marvin Harrison, whose 143 receptions in 2002 are an NFL record, has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Harrison retired in 2008 with 1,102 catches, now third behind Jerry Rice and Tony Gonzalez. He had eight consecutive seasons with at least 1,100 yards receiving for Indianapolis, and won a Super Bowl in February 2007. His receptions, 14,608 yards and 128 touchdowns are all Colts franchise records. He topped the 100-catch mark four straight times.He was Peyton Mannings prime target for most of Harrisons career. Yet it took him three tries to get into the hall.A first-round draft pick in 1996, Harrison made eight Pro Bowls, was a three-time All-Pro, and missed only 18 games in 13 NFL seasons. Eleven of those were in 2007.Colts owner Jimmy Irsay presented Harrison, 43, for induction.---6:50 p.m.Pro Football Hall of Fame President David Baker began the induction ceremony Saturday night for the class of 2016 by noting the winners of several awards.ESPNs Chris Mortensen won the McCann Award from the Pro Football Writers of America for long and distinguished contribution to pro football through media coverage. Mortensen, currently undergoing cancer treatment, has covered the NFL for 32 years.Joe Browne, who worked for the NFL for 50 years and was a key aide to commissioners Pete Rozelle, Paul Tagliabue and Roger Goodell, was honored with the halls Ralph Hay Pioneer Award. The award is presented periodically to an individual who has made significant and innovative contributions to professional football.CBS broadcaster James Brown has won the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award, which recognizes longtime exceptional contributions to radio and television in the sport.---4:35 p.m.Ariana Luterman, 17, of Addison, Texas, is the U.S. Army-Pro Football Hall of Fame Award for Excellence winner.Luterman, one of 20 finalists vying for the honor, received the award at a luncheon Saturday during Hall of Fame induction weekend. On hand were several Hall of Famers: linebackers Derrick Brooks and Kevin Greene, cornerbacks Mike Haynes and Aeneas Williams, tackle Anthony Munoz, wide receiver James Lofton, running back Floyd Little and defensive end Jack Youngblood.Luterman is a rising senior and a triathlete.Ariana has demonstrated to her peers, teachers and coaches that she understands both the core of the Army ethos -- she never accepts defeat and quitting is never an option -- but also the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage, said Mark Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for marketing.We are thrilled to recognize Ariana and all of our outstanding student-athletes here today. Each of our 20 finalists deserves recognition for their exceptional performance in athletics, academics and community involvement.The Award for Excellence program highlights the achievements of student-athletes across the country and is open to all sophomore, junior and senior high school athletes in the United States.---3:45 p.m.Fans headed to Saturday nights Hall of Fame induction ceremony who also attended Friday nights Tim McGraw concert to kick off the weekend were still buzzing about the show.McGraw, a huge football fan, had Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Mel Blount come on stage at the end of Something Like That. Blount even did a little singing, and Kelly called McGraw a Hall of Famer for one night.Several fans said they were impressed that the country stars opening song, How Bad Do You Want It? featured football videos behind the stage and around the stadium.A Packers fan from Milwaukee, wearing a No. 4 Brett Favre jersey who identified himself only as Lou (no last name, please; I aint supposed to be here) said he especially enjoyed when McGraw changed a line in I Like It, I Love It. The lyric usually is: I aint seen the Braves play a game all year, but McGraw substituted Packers.Hey, Tim McGraw one night, Brett going into the Hall of Fame the next, Lou said. Thats heaven.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '