The Enquirer and wire reports

Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey expects heavily favored Birdstone, one of three Nick Zito-trained Kentucky Derby prospects, to run well in Saturday's Grade II $500,000 Lane's End Stakes at Turfway Park.

Bailey is eager to see how Birdstone has progressed since last month at Gulfstream Park, where he guided the Grindstone colt to an easy three-length win in a 7-furlong allowance race.

"He needs to run a little harder while saving a little something for down the road," Bailey said during a teleconference Tuesday.

The probable second choice is Silver Minister, who swept all three of the Turfway preps for the Lane's End. Record-breaking Turfway jockey Rafael Bejarano will ride Silver Minister for trainer Greg Foley.

There was one defection Tuesday. With only one Richard Migliore and two prep races on the same day, trainer Jennifer Pedersen has decided to send Song of the Sword to the Illinois Derby April 3 instead of the Lane's End Stakes. That will free Migliore to ride Pedersen's Redskin Warrior in the Gotham at Aqueduct Saturday and still keep the ride on Song of the Sword.

Hockey

MIAMI REDHAWKS: The CCHA awards banquet is tonight in Detroit. MU senior captain Derek Edwardson, the league's leading scorer in conference games, and freshman linemates Matt Christie and Marty Guerin are candidates for player of the year and rookie of the year. Edwardson is also a good bet to be named today as one of the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the top college hockey player.

Enrico Blasi, who guided the RedHawks to second place behind Michigan in the regular season after MU was picked sixth in the coaches' and media preseason polls, is a candidate for his second CCHA coach-of-the-year honor in five seasons at the helm of his alma mater.

CCHA Super Six

At Detroit Joe Louis Arena

Thursday's Quarterfinals

(6) Northern Michigan vs. (3) Michigan State, 4 p.m.; (5) Notre Dame vs. (4) Ohio State, 7:30 p.m.

Friday's Semifinals

TBD (4) seed vs. (1) Michigan, 4 p.m.; TBD (3) seed vs. (2) Miami, 7:30 p.m.

Note: Third-place and championship games are 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday.

Tennis

PACIFIC LIFE OPEN: Top-ranked Roger Federer, Juan Ignacio Chela and Lindsay Davenport advanced to the quarterfinals by winning in straight sets at Indian Wells, Calif. Federer ran his record for the year to 19-1 with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Mardy Fish. The win was the Swiss star's 24th in 25 matches dating to his Tennis Masters Cup championship in November.

Davenport will play qualifier Gisela Dulko, who has reached the last eight at a major event for the first time.

• Serena Williams will play her first match since winning Wimbledon at the Nasdaq-100 Open next week.

College basketball

MURRAY STATE: Forward Kelvin Brown was suspended indefinitely and will miss the team's NCAA Tournament opener after his arrest on drug charges. Starting point guard Adam Chiles was also arrested, but Murray State cleared him to play for the Racers in Friday's game against Illinois.

Elsewhere

SOCCER: Angela Hucles scored her third goal in two games, leading Team USA women over Denmark 1-0 in the Algarve Cup.

GOLF: U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk will not play in The Players Championship because of a wrist injury.