Enquirer staff and wire reports

The toughest test for the defending champion Americans in the upcoming eight-nation World Cup of Hockey tournament figures to be the Canadians, who visit Columbus for an exhibition game at 7 p.m. today in Nationwide Arena.

Team Canada features such NHL scoring threats as Mario Lemieux, MVP Martin St. Louis of Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay and Calgary's Jarome Iginla. This doesn't bo`e well for the Americans, whose weakest position is goaltending.

While the Canadians have Martin Brodeur, the NHL's best in net the past two seasons, USA coach Ron Wilson has to choose between three 20-somethings who are unproven in international competition. He'll use exhibitions against Canada and Russia to evaluate Ty Conklin (Edmonton) Rick DiPietro (Islanders) and Robert Esche (Philadelphia).

"This is a little different for me than '96 when it was clear that Mike Richter was the No. 1 goalie, and we were able to focus on getting him ready," Wilson said. "This is a different ball game altogether. It's wide open."

The tournament runs Aug. 30 through Sept. 14.

Horse racing

PACIFIC CLASSIC: Pleasantly Perfect, the even-money favorite under jockey Jerry Bailey, gamely held off the late charge of Perfect Drift to win the 14th running of the $1 million race for older horses.

"I don't think this was his best race," said trainer Richard Mandella, who won his third Pacific Classic. "I think that will come in the (Oct.  30) Breeders' Cup."

Pleasantly Perfect is the reigning champion of the Breeder's Cup Classic and Dubai World Cup.

SARATOGA: Evening Attire drew away from 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide through the final furlong to win the Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap by 5 lengths. Funny Cide lost by 5 lengths before 70,175, second-largest crowd in Saratoga history.

RIVER DOWNS: Destiny Farm's Oh So Easy, last year's Ohio-bred champion 3-year-old female horse, established herself as Ohio's leading distaffer this season with a head victory in the Vivacious Handicap. Under Ricardo Feliciano, Oh So Easy recorded her third consecutive stakes win and increased her bankroll to $253,145.

Tennis

HEWITT WINS THIRD: Lleyton Hewitt defeated Gilles Muller 6-3, 6-4 in the final in Washington. The second-seeded Australian became the fifth player this year with at least three ATP Tour titles.

Muller eliminated top-seeded Andre Agassi on Saturday to reach his first final but struggled to handle the pressure applied by Hewitt.

• Agassi withdrew from this week's TD Waterhouse Cup because of fatigue.

GOLD MEDALIST FETED: Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne was met by a car on the runway at Brussels Airport and whisked away without passing through the lobby packed with fans. More than 200 came out to celebrate Henin-Hardenne's Saturday win that gave Belgium its first gold medal of the Athens Olympics.

Informed that her departure had left fans disappointed, Henin-Hardenne returned to the terminal wearing her medal and signed autographs.

MARTINA ENTERED: Martina Navratilova and doubles partner Lisa Raymond, who lost Wednesday in the Olympic quarterfinals, are entered in this week's Pilot Pen in New Haven, Conn.

Football

COMETS BLANKED: Detroit (5-0) defeated the Kings Comets 34-0 in a Mid-Continental Football League game Sunday at Princeton High. Kings fell to 3-2 in the MCFL.