ALL THAT JAS: Alston thanks Loughlin teammates after emotional state title win

Every other week during the season, Bishop Loughlin’s star junior guard Jasmine Alston took us into her world on and off the court. In this exclusive diary for NYPost.com, Alston chronicles Bishop Loughlin’s quest to prove itself as one of the city’s top programs and it winning a state Federation Class A title.

We did it for Chicken!

We know we can't bring her back, but winning this state Federation ‘A’ championship in her honor was the best thing yet. If she was here, she would have been there cheering us on no matter what.

Violence. All of this needs to stop. It takes for someone close to us to lose their life for everyone to open their eyes and realize that it's not worth it and it's not fair. Life is too short and you can be here and gone tomorrow.

Denis Gostev

Bishop Loughlin's Jasmine Alston helped lead her team to the state Federation Class A title last weekend in Albany.

I love my team with all my heart, but I don't think we couldn’t have come this far without our seniors. They came into Loughlin winning a 'B' JV championship with Chicken.

Aliyah “Nyree” Alston is my big/lil cousin, sister, shrink, teammate, etc., whatever you name it that’s her. Growing up together until today, we are still inseparable. Playing with her my whole life and going to school together with her forever, it’s hard comprehending that she is going to leave me in a few months to go to college and I won’t have her by my side whenever I need her. There isn’t a person I know wholaughs at anything I say no matter how corny it sounds and motivates me to do my best on and off the court at the same time.

Ayana “Yani” Ratliff is like the crazy sister I never had. When I play with her it’s like having Chicken on the court because she plays with so much heart, energy and emotion, it just makes you want to play harder to win. Having Yani not being part of the team next year leaves some stress on us because there is only one Yani, but we know next year we have to step up and get the job done.

Simone Charles is like my back bone/right hand and a part of my family I gained off the court because we are together all the time that she might as well be an Alston. I love her with all my heart and she has left a huge affect on my life forever.

Kiana Clark a.k.a. our freshman has stepped up to play varsity during the season. Even though it was a little difficult adjusting so fast, she will be more than ready by next season.

I am truly grateful and blessed to have all of them in my life and hope the best for them in the future.

On Sept.11, 2011, our angel Tayshana Murphy was taken from us but her legacy and name will never be forgotten. We will make sure everyone knows who Chicken was and what she stood for. She is the best basketball player I will ever meet in my life and I will aspire to fulfill her goals. I will carry her on the court with me every day and she will always be on my mind.

Some people come into your life as if they were “God sent”. They have come to assist you through a difficulty and help show you a way. That was Chicken -- she came into my life for a reason and was taken before I even got to say thank you.

I have been given a chance to honor all that have fallen before me with the skills that I have been blessed with on and off the basketball court. I vow to always give 100 percent because I am truly blessed! Thank you all for sharing a part of me.

Thank you Chicken. Ball in Peace.

Jasmine Alston, Bishop Loughlin, state Federation Class, basketball court, Alston, state Federation

Nypost.com

O’Brien takes fifth

Edith O’Brien ain’t saying nuthin’.

The former MF Global assistant treasurer , who may know the secret behind the $1.6 billion in missing client funds, declined to answer questions from House lawmakers yesterday.

The money, which disappeared during MF’s chaotic final days, may have been moved by O’Brien — and lawmakers tried to ask her about the missing moolah.

But O’Brien invoked her Fifth Amendment Constitutional right against self-incrimination to the first two questions from the House panel.

She was then dismissed — and her much-anticipated appearance was over in about three minutes.

Bloomberg

Edith O'Brien

One question O’Brien was asked was whether she is seeking immunity in exchange for cooperating with federal prosecutors with their probe into the missing funds.

O’Brien’s zipper mouth frustrated some on the panel.

“I am disappointed because I believe you have important knowledge,” Rep. Randy Neugebauer, chair of the panel, said before dismissing her.

O’Brien, who wore her reddish, brown hair conservatively pulled back behind the ears, sat for a moment in stunned silence before saying “OK.” She then swiftly darted out of the ornate conference room followed by her high-powered legal team.

O’Brien entered the public spotlight in December after MF’s fallen CEO, Jon Corzine, fingered her as the person who assured him that $175 million in customer funds transferred to JPMorgan on the Friday before the Oct. 31 bankruptcy was perfectly legit.

The $175 million transfer covered an overdraft in a JP Morgan account held by MF’s London subsidiary and was necessary to help generate liquidity for the faltering firm, a JPMorgan executive testified yesterday.

JPMorgan’s General Counsel Diane Genova told lawmakers that Corzine had assured the bank’s executives that MF “had ample funds to cover the overdrafts and that they would be covered promptly.”

Documents obtained by the House Financial Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee show that $200 million was moved that day from customers’ accounts to a firm account. Then the $175 million transfer was made from the firm account.

In an e-mail, O’Brien said she made the transfer at the request of Corzine, or “Per JC’s direct instructions.”

In a statement, Corzine said he “never directed Ms. O’Brien or anyone else regarding which account should be used to cure the overdrafts.”

MF executives were also grilled yesterday about rich bonuses they might get from trustee Louis Freeh, who is collecting assets for the main company for creditors.

Asked if he would accept a bonus while customers are left holding the bag, Henri Steenkamp, who was MF’s CFO at the time of the collapse, said, “If the trustee determines it is fair.”

kwhitehouse@nypost.com

Jon Corzine, O’Brien, O’Brien, MF Global, Randy Neugebauer, JPMorgan, lawmakers

Nypost.com

Number of people filing for unemployment benefits falls to lowest level since April 2008

The number of US workers filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell to its lowest level since April 2008, showing the labor market is continuing its steady improvement this year.

Separately, the US economy's fourth quarter expansion was unrevised at three percent, while corporate profits moderated from the previous quarter.

Initial jobless claims fell by 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 359,000 in the week ended March 24, the Labor Department said Thursday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had forecast that claims would increase by 2,000.

The prior week's figure was revised to 364,000 from a previously reported 348,000. Labor made its annual adjustment to seasonal factors this week, causing revisions to claims data back to 2007. As a result, recent weeks' figures were adjusted up.

The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, decreased by 3,500 to 365,000.

For several weeks, new claims have hovered near levels last seen before the onset of the recent financial crisis. Since October, new benefit applications have remained below 400,000. When claims fall below that mark, economists say the economy typically adds jobs.

And that's been happening in recent months. Nonfarm payrolls grew by 227,000 in February and the economy has added an average 245,000 jobs over the past three months. The March payroll report is due out next week.

Still, the unemployment rate remained high last month at 8.3 percent and may decline only gradually.

On Wednesday, a Business Roundtable survey of 128 US CEOs found that 42 percent expect to increase payrolls at their firms in the next six months, but the pace of hiring is expected to be more modest than sales growth.

Boeing Co. CEO Jim McNerney said the economy is not yet growing fast enough to overcome productivity improvements "and really drive job growth."

Thursday's report showed the number of continuing unemployment benefit claims -- those drawn by workers for more than a week -- decreased by 41,000 to 3,340,000 in the week ended March 17. Continuing claims are reported with a one-week lag.

To read more, go to The Wall Street Journal

unemployment benefits, unemployment benefit, jobless claims, Dow Jones Newswires, Labor Department, unemployment rate, claims data, economy, labor market

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Zynga insiders price new stock offering at $12 a share

Online games company Zynga Inc. said Wednesday that CEO Mark Pincus and other insiders will sell some of their stake at $12 a share, slightly below Wednesday's closing price.

Zynga earlier announced that the insiders planned to sell 43 million shares of stock, but it hadn't disclosed the price. Zynga, which had its initial public offering of stock in December, has said proceeds from the sale will go to the individuals, not the company.

Zynga is the maker of online games such as "CityVille," ''FarmVille and "Zynga Poker." Many of the games are played on Facebook, though Zynga has been working on expanding to other areas, notably mobile devices. "Words With Friends," a Scrabble-like game played mainly on smartphones, is one of its best-known titles.

It was one in a group of social Web companies that went public over the past year. Others include LinkedIn Corp., Groupon Inc. and Yelp Inc. Facebook is expected to have its IPO this spring, possibly in May.

Zynga shareholders are selling their stock, just three months after the company went public, to try to avoid a drop in its stock price. Early investors typically must wait about six months after an IPO to sell off parts of their stakes. By selling some shares now, shareholders won't be flooding the market all at once in June when the post-IPO "lock-up" is scheduled to expire. A mass wave of selling can drive down the stock price.

Pincus, who founded Zynga Inc. in 2007, will control about 35 percent of the company once the offering is complete. That's down only slightly from 36.5 percent because he will retain his Class C shares, which have 70 times the voting power of the stock being offered, Class A.

Zynga's stock fell 78 cents, or 6 percent, to close Wednesday at $12.24. That is 22 percent above the IPO price of $10 and 2 percent above the offering price for the new shares.

At $12, the 43 million shares will be worth about $516 million. Pincus is offering 16.5 million shares, worth about $198 million.

Zynga Poker, Mark Pincus, Zynga, stock price, initial public offering, Groupon Inc., LinkedIn Corp., Facebook, Yelp Inc., Zynga Inc., Class A.Zynga

Nypost.com

PSAL baseball preseason rankings

This spring starts the way last year ended – with George Washington at the top. The nationally ranked Trojans are loaded yet again and have coach Steve Mandl back in the dugout after his one-year suspension. They will have plenty competition from traditional powers Grand Street Campus, Tottenville and James Monroe and unlikely ones such as Cardozo and William Bryant.

For a full rundown of The Post’s preseason baseball rankings, read below:

1. George Washington

Despite a serious ankle injury to stud center fielder Fernelys Sanchez, George Washington remains the odds-on favorite to repeat as city champion. Catcher Nelson Rodriguez is a blue-chip prospect, shortstop Randy Rodriguez is a sparkplug at the top of the lineup and Kevin Torres, Edwin Corniel and Reynaldo Hernandez lead an absurdly deep and talented pitching staff.

An Rong Xu

George Washington and catcher Nelson Rodriguez start the season atop The Post's PSAL baseball rankings.

2. Grand Street Campus

This could be the year the Wolves finally get past the semifinals. They return an impressive core, which includes Maryland-bound shortstop Jose Cuas, speedy center fielder Basael McDonald, catcher Ernesto Lopez and pitchers Alex Cuas (Jose’s brother), Wily Santana and Geraldo Gonzalez in addition to Xaverian transfer Kevin Martir, a Maryland signee who will also catch and play third base.

3. Tottenville

The Pirates won’t quite hit like in years past – Tom Kain, Kevin Krause, Gil Mendoza and George Kantzian graduated—but they have a pair of aces to match up against anyone in the city. Southpaw Michael Sullivan, who has drawn interest from St. John’s and Rutgers, and Rider-bound flamethrower Vin Aiello will be a force, while FDU-bound catcher John Giakas and Iona College recruit Joe Sessa, a fleet-footed center fielder, are ready to lead the a rebuilt lineup.

4. Cardozo

Cardozo failed to reach the quarterfinals last year after a perfect league season in Queens A East, but expect the Queens school to take a major leap forward this spring. Junior southpaw Adrian Castano will play high Division I baseball – if he isn’t drafted too high next spring – and Townsend Harris transfer Connor Doyle is a perfect complement to him in the rotation from the right side.

5. James Monroe

This isn’t your father’s Monroe. The Eagles have just two seniors – shortstop Luis Santini and second baseman Ramger Iglesias – and are more focused on winning Bronx A East, usually a given, than competing for a city title. With that said, coach Mike Turo sees promise, particularly in a starting rotation that features junior Ricky Parra and sophomore Innoel Nunez.

6. William Bryant

Two innings away from the semifinals last spring, Bryant returns virtually its entire team. Brothers NIck and Chris Alvarez, pitchers Adonis Lao and Darlyn Valdez and infielder Chris Aubry and catcher Brian Esposito are all back to make another run at the city’s elite.

7. James Madison

For most teams, going 12-4 in a beefed up division and reaching the playoffs would be a solid season; not for Madison. Don’t expect that to continue as the Knights gained invaluable experience and will be much improved with seniors Mike Fitzpatrick, Matt Zalon and Joe Cali leading a deep pitching staff and catcher Ray Draxdorf and infielder Chris Vasquez the backbone of an improved lineup.

8. Lehman

Sure, the Lions have a myriad of positions to fill and an extremely young team – three sophomores and three freshmen – but consecutive Bronx A West titles and semifinal berths builds you plenty of credit. Look for big things out of pitcher/outfielder Steven Pinales and for longtime coach Adam Droz to get the most out of his talent, a spring ritual in The Bronx.

9. Manhattan Center

This should be the year the Rams make some postseason noise after so many first-round exits. Shortstop/ace Jesus Medina is drawing Division I interest and sophomores Jerry Liang, Alex Sanchez and Michael Pena are stars in the making.

10. Beacon

The four-time Manhattan A West defending champions started fast last spring, but ended early, surprisingly falling to DeWitt Clinton in the opening round. Beacon is yet again favored in its division with co-aces Kai Glick and Juan Adorno leading the pitching staff and first baseman Dylan Long a power bat in the middle of the Blue Demons’ potent lineup.

On the bubble: Telecommunications, John Adams, New Dorp, Susan Wagner, John F. Kennedy, DeWitt Clinton, Walton and Norman Thomas

zbraziller@nypost.com

George Washington, James Monroe, Catcher Nelson Rodriguez, George WashingtonDespite, Grand Street Campus, Nelson Rodriguez, Fernelys Sanchez, John F. Kennedy, The Eagles, center fielder, George Kantzian, Steve Mandl

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Louisville rallies past Florida to reach Final Four

PHOENIX — In the end, the mentor got the best of the student. Rick Pitino, burned in the first half by the three-point shooting of Billy Donovan’s Gators, switched from a match-up zone to a pressing man-to-man defense in the second half.

The strategy worked as the Gators, who made eight 3-pointers in the first half, made zero in the second, allowing the Cardinals to rally from an 11-point deficit to beat Florida 72-68 to win the NCAA tournament West Regional final and advance to the Final Four in New Orleans.

The fourth-seeded Cardinals closed with an 18-3 run to steal the victory at U.S. Airways Center. Russ Smith scored 19 points and Chane Behanan added 17 as Louisville advanced to its ninth Final Four. It will be Pitino’s fifth strip to the Final Four. He is already the first coach to lead three different teams to the Final Four and is now 0-7 against his protégé Donovan, who won back-to-back national titles.

Reuters

‘LOU’ CAN’T STOP THIS FEELING: Russ Smith (center) was overcome with emotion as he, Chris Smith (left) and Wayne Blackshear celebrated Louisville’s 72-68 victory in front of Florida’s Patric Young (No. 4) and Erik Murphy yesterday. The Cardinals advanced to the Final Four.

AP

Peyton Siva cut down the nets.

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“I’m happy for Coach Pitino,” said Donovan, who played for Pitino when the Providence Friars reached the Final Four in 1987. “Emotionally, going into the game it’s always difficult because of our relationship. Nobody likes to lose, but I’m happy for him at the end of his career to be able to enjoy this.”

Louisville (30-9) entered the game hoping to keep the nation’s leading three-point shooting team from getting hot from behind the arc. The Gators shredded that gameplan in the first half, burning the Cardinals matchup-zone by hitting 8 of 11 from three-point range to take a 41-33 lead at the break. Considering how well the Gators shot the ball — 66.7 percent from the field — the Cardinals did well to stay at close. Especially because point guard Peyton Siva went to the bench with 6:45 remaining in the half after collecting his second foul.

The Cardinals would trail 39-29 last in the first half and 43-33 early in the second. With senior point guard Erving Walker (12 points, seven assists) from Brooklyn orchestrating the offense, freshman Bradley Beal (14 points) showing the talent that has NBA scouts drooling and center Patric Young (11 points, six rebounds) holding his own against Louisville center Gorgui Dieng, the Gators kept the Cardinals struggling just to stay close.

The Florida lead was 58-47 minutes later after Pitino was called for a technical foul. Walker hit the two technical free throws and two for the foul for a 4-point play. They keep the lead at 11 after a dunk by Young made it 65-54 with 8:16 remaining.

But the Cardinals, having now won eight straight games, would not go away easily. The Big East Tournament champions switched to a man-to-man defense and seventh-seeded Florida couldn’t make anything from three-point range, shooting 0-of-9 in the second half.

Russ Smith, the streak-shooting sophomore from Briarwood, New York, teamed with Behanan to give Louisville a chance. They combined for 12 points that helped cut Florida’s lead to 65-64 with 4:57 to play. After a Florida free throw, Behanan converted a tough shot in the lane to tie the game at 66-66.

The Cardinals would gain their first lead since early in the first half when Behanan buried a short turn-around jumper to put Louisville ahead 69-68 with a one minute left. Louisville kept the lead for good as Florida (26-11) got stone cold.

Pitino was proud of his team, who finished without Siva, who foul out with 3:58 to play.

“It hurts to see Billy lose,” Pitino said. “But this team reminds me of the ’87 team. I’ve never wanted a Final Four more than in ’87. But I’ve never wanted a Final Four more than for these guys. They give me everything they have in their bodies. They’re going to enjoy this experience. But I’ve asked them not be satisfied with just going.”

george.willis@nypost.com

Rick Pitino, the Cardinals, Florida, Florida, Billy Donovan’s Gators, Cardinals, Russ Smith, Gators, Gators, Louisville, Louisville, Cardinals, Patric Young, Patric Young, Chane Behanan, Peyton Siva, U.S. Airways Center

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Kansas survives to set up UNC showdown

ST. LOUIS — Kansas’ NCAA tournament win over N.C. State wasn’t easy or pretty, in doubt all the way up to Richard Howell’s final shot at the buzzer. But with Thomas Robinson’s dominance and Jeff Withey’s defense it was enough — barely — to earn an Elite Eight date with a familiar face in former Jayhawks coach Roy Williams.

Second-seeded Kansas pulled off a 60-57 escape in the Midwest Regional semifinal, and it was withering defense that did it. The Jayhawks clinched a 5:05 p.m. date tomorrow to face top-seeded North Carolina and Williams with a spot in the Final Four at stake.

Reuters

REAL DEAL: Kansas forward Thomas Robinson , who scored 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds drives past N.C. State’s C.J. Williams.

“It wasn’t the prettiest game. But our first-shot defense was terrific all night,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “On a night we couldn’t throw it in the ocean, we hung around and made enough plays to eke out a win. Give credit to the guys because the last two games they found ways to pull it out when the ball wasn’t going in the hole.’’

COMPLETE NCAA COVERAGE

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Robinson had 18 points and 15 rebounds, living up to his Big 12 Player of the Year billing. Withey, blocked 10 shots — one shy of the NCAA tourney record — and altered enough others to hold the Wolfpack to 28.4 percent shooting.

“I was kind of in a zone in a zone. I knew they were going to keep on attacking. It was coming to me,’’ said Withey, whose defense helped Kansas (30-6) rally from an early 14-3 hole to take a 58-52 lead late.

N.C. State’s Scott Wood got fouled behind the arc and hit all three free throws, and after Tyshawn Taylor turned the ball over, senior C.J. Williams dunked to cut it to 58-57. The Jayhawks turned the ball over yet again to give N.C. State hope, but C.J. Leslie (18 points) got bottled up in traffic, and Kansas got a huge Elijah Johnson layup off an inbounds for a 60-57 lead with 13 seconds to play.

When a crosscourt pass sailed high and forced Wood to catch it with his foot on the sideline with five seconds left, the game was all but over. Robinson missed the front end of a one-and-one and Wood snatched the rebound, but Howell’s fullcourt catch-and-turnaround fell well short.

“[We hit] two shots outside of five feet for the game. For the game. And won. That’s amazing,’’ said Self. “We can’t be like that Sunday. But that should give us some confidence. We haven’t done it yet, and found a way.’’

Leslie scored 18 points for the 11th-seeded Wolfpack (24-13), despite sitting much of the second half with four fouls. He also shot 7-of-16, but his teammates were just 12-for-51.

brian.lewis@nypost.com

Thomas Robinson, Kansas, The Jayhawks, The Jayhawks, Jeff Withey, N.C. State, Jayhawks, Withey

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Crazy wall st.

Talk about a swing and a miss.

Exchange operator BATS Global Markets was forced to yank its much-hyped initial public offering yesterday after a software glitch caused wild pricing errors.

The price of BATS shares was not the only victim — early in the day Apple stock experienced a short but wild ride after a single, 100-share trade was priced about 9 percent lower than it should have been.

Apple shares were temporarily halted and the aberrant trades were canceled.

The embarrassing turn of events came on what was expected to be an auspicious day for the firm, which is hoping to battle for publicly listing equities alongside rivals Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange.

REUTERS

Jamie Dimon

But the BATS offering quickly went from being toasted to toast.

“This IPO was stepping off the curb into an abyss,” said Larry Tabb, founder of capital markets advisory firm The Tabb Group.

“What a mess,” he added. And it just happened on a day that would be the equivalent of their wedding day, Tabb noted.

“Although our affected market has reopened, in the wake of today’s technical issues, which affected the trading of certain stocks, including that of BATS, we believe withdrawing the IPO is the appropriate action to take for our Company and our shareholders,” said CEO Joe Ratterman.

It’s unclear exactly when BATS decided to nix its own offering entirely.

One trade of BATS of 1.199 million shares did print at $15.25, but all orders related to BATS were broken.

Numerous attempts to fix erroneous price quotes for other stocks, including Apple and BATS, continued until 12:34 p.m.

BATS’ snafu comes as published reports highlighted the fact that regulators, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, are probing the role such exchanges play, if any, in so-called high-speed electronic trading.

One report said that red-faced BATS executives had no current plans to return to the public markets.

Also, it is not known if BATS underwriters, led by Morgan Stanley, will get paid for their work.

Some market observers speculate that the underwriters should not split fees that would range up to $6 million for the botched stock sale because even before BATS’ technical glitch, they were showing cracks.

Underwriters priced BATS stock at $16 — at the low end of the expected pricing range.

“That would be indicative that it was a weaker offering from the start,” said James Angel, a finance professor at Georgetown University.

BATS was founded in 2005 by a group of broker-dealers. The planned 6.3 million sale of shares was meant to allow strategic investors in the exchange, including the estate of now-bankrupt Lehman Brothers, GETCO, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch and Nomura, to cash out.

mark.decambre@nypost.com

BATS, initial public offering, Apple, Larry Tabb

Nypost.com

Post experts pick the winners

DaSilva

Fountaine

Affrunti

Debbie L.

Vic C.

Consensus

3/18 $14.10

2/18 $5.60

6/18 $34.00

3/18 $17.40

4/18 $25.90

4/18 $16.70

1

Missilewhileuwork

Missilewhileuwork

Pure Grit

Star Distinction

Pure Grit

Pure Grit

17

Willy Beamin

Pure Grit

Willy Beamin

Pure Grit

Star Distinction

Missilewhileuwork

10

Pure Grit

The Tapinator

Star Distinction

The Tapinator

Willy Beamin

Star Distinction

9

2

Hes So Chic

Hewitts

Coosada

Hewitts

Itsagoodtendollars

Hewitts

13

Mineswept

Itsagoodtendollars

Mineswept

Mineswept

Mineswept

Mineswept

13

Coosada

Mineswept

Hewitts

Coosada

Hewitts

Itsagoodtendollars

8

3

Groomedforvictory

Manteca

Star Of New York

Groomedforvictory

Star Of New York

Groomedforvictory

17

Manteca

Star Of New York

Manteca

Star Of New York

Groomedforvictory

Star Of New York

17

Joe Vann

Groomedforvictory

Groomedforvictory

Manteca

Manteca

Manteca

13

4

Fiddlers Diva

Fiddlers Diva

Sneaky Girl

Santorini Moon

Fiddlers Diva

Fiddlers Diva

21

Social Statement

Social Statement

Fiddlers Diva

Fiddlers Diva

Social Statement

Social Statement

9

Santorini Moon

Santorini Moon

Santorini Moon

First Penny

Clean Jean

Santorini Moon

8

5

Smart Stride

Smart Stride

Smart Stride

Stockings

Love That Dance

Smart Stride

18

Love That Dance

Joonbi

Joonbi

Smart Stride

Stockings

Stockings

10

Stockings

Giant Sensation

Stockings

Joonbi

Joonbi

Love That Dance

8

6

Acadian Blues

Meeting

Crepuscolo

Austin Brown

Acadian Blues

Acadian Blues

19

Austin Brown

Acadian Blues

Acadian Blues

Acadian Blues

Meeting

Meeting

9

Meeting

Mr Beer Goggles

Buckeye Heart

Bird Tale

Bird Tale

Austin Brown

8

7

Taconic Victory

Taconic Victory

Taconic Victory

Taconic Victory

Pleasantfriday

Taconic Victory

20

Emily Allstar

Emily Allstar

Dopke Gal

Emily Allstar

Emily Allstar

Emily Allstar

12

Catreign

Pleasantfriday

Pleasantfriday

Dopke Gal

Catreign

Pleasantfriday

7

8

Thors Mjolnor

Thors Mjolnor

Frisky Warrior

Quiet Eyes

Quiet Eyes

Quiet Eyes

16

Frisky Warrior

Quiet Eyes

Dsauvage

Frisky Warrior

Thors Mjolnor

Thors Mjolnor

13

Quiet Eyes

Dsauvage

Quiet Eyes

Dsauvage

First Verse

Frisky Warrior

12

9

Shes A Listener

Blazing Arches

Blazing Arches

Blazing Arches

Shes Tuff As Nails

Blazing Arches

18

Shes Tuff As Nails

Sonata River

Shes Tuff As Nails

Sonata River

Blazing Arches

Shes Tuff As Nails

11

Takemetotherodeo

Private Councel

Fall Into Faith

Takemetotherodeo

Takemetotherodeo

Sonata River

6

Sonata River

Shes A Listener

Shes A Listener

Private Councel

Sonata River

Shes A Listener

5

Records reflect winners, starters and $2 win-bet total on top selection
Consensus is based on 5-3-1 point system. Extra point given for BEST BET.
Nypost.com

Weekly jobless claims fall by 5,000 to reach lowest level since February 2008

WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans filing requests for jobless benefits fell by 5,000 last week to 348,000, the lowest level since February 2008, the US Labor Department said Thursday.

Economists surveyed by MarketWatch projected that claims would rise to a seasonally-adjusted 353,000 in the week ended March 17. Claims from two weeks ago were revised up to 353,000 from 351,000.

The average of new claims over the past four weeks, meanwhile, declined by 1,250 to 355,000.

Continuing claims, which reflect people already receiving benefits, decreased by 9,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 3.35 million in the week ended March 10. Continuing claims are reported with a one-week lag.

About 7.28 million people received some kind of state or federal benefit in the week ended March 3, a decline of 142,499. Total claims are reported with a two-week lag.

To read more, go to MarketWatch

MarketWatch, US Labor Department, jobless benefits, claims

Nypost.com

Tebow will have to take show on road

Tim Tebow’s legion of fans will be Tebowing somewhere other than Denver this season.

Fresh off landing Peyton Manning yesterday, the Broncos reportedly are prepared to trade Tebow despite the fiercely debated quarterback leading them to the playoffs last season — and despite a postseason promise by Denver VP John Elway that Tebow would enter training camp as the presumptive starter in 2012.

Elway broke that pledge in very public fashion the past two weeks, making the Broncos the first team out of the gate to pursue Manning after the four-time MVP quarterback was released by the Colts 13 days ago.

Any thought the Broncos might keep the unorthodox Tebow around to learn from Manning and run the Wildcat formation was quickly scotched yesterday. ESPN reported Elway immediately planned to deal Tebow as soon as he found out Manning was Denver-bound.

A league source speculated the Broncos would go so far as to release Tebow if they can’t find a trade partner because the cost to their salary cap would be minimal.

Speculation on Tebow’s next stop — assuming the Broncos can trade him — centered immediately on the three teams in the former Heisman Trophy winner’s home state of Florida.

The Dolphins quickly tried to put a stop to that, signing former Jaguars passer David Garrard last night, and Tampa hasn’t shown any interest, either. But Tebow grew up in the Jacksonville area, and the Jaguars are likely to feel fan pressure to add him despite his awkward quarterbacking skills.

The Patriots also could be interested, considering new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels made Tebow a first-round pick two years ago and New England likes to use unusual sets on offense. The Eagles, too, might be in the market for a mobile backup to Michael Vick.

Tebow has not spoken publicly since the Broncos’ interest in Manning became known, a stance that included him cancelling a planned media session at one of his Florida charity events earlier this month on the same day Manning was visiting Denver’s practice facility.

Elway’s decision is hardly a surprise, considering the Hall of Fame quarterback could hardly hide his dismay — and at times disgust — last season while Tebow unconventionally pulled out comeback win after improbable comeback win.

Tebow was 8-5 in 13 starts for the Broncos last season, including a staggering playoff upset of the Steelers, but he completed just 47 percent of his passes.

“I wouldn’t say I feel bad for him,” Broncos defensive end Robert Ayers told Denver reporters yesterday when asked about Tebow. “It’s a business. And I’m pretty sure Tim understands that. ... We wish him luck, no matter what he does. I hope he’s here. He’s a great leader, a great locker room guy.”

Peyton Manning, John Elway, Tim Tebow, Tebow, Broncos, Denver, Denver, quarterback

Nypost.com

Yonkers Graded Entries

Post Time: 7:10 p.m.

Best Bet: Cam B Zipper (3rd)

FIRST: mile; pace; $8,500; cond

7 Yep

(GBrennan)

1-1-1

8-5

5 UpfrontCountryboy

(JStrttn)

1-7-2

4-1

8 Cheyenne Moishe

(CManzi)

4-3-4

12-1

1 Southwind Chase

(DDube)

1-4-7

3-1

2 Wimpus Takes All

(SSmith)

4-6-6

15-1

3 Powerful Pilot

(MMacDnald)

5-4-7

10-1

4 Loco For Cocoa

(JBartlett)

10-3-4

8-1

6 Prince Bubba

(LStalbaum)

1-6-3

10-1

SECOND: mile; trot; $11,000; cl($15000)

1 Montanachmpinne

(LStlbm)

6-1-5

4-1

6 Cc Mister C

(JGregory)

6-7-6

8-5

8 Holy Smokes

(JBartlett)

2-4-7

10-1

2 Tsarina

(DDube)

7-6-3

8-1

3 S F Ciro

(JStratton)

5-4-4

5-1

4 FourStarzConway

(GBrennn)

7-7-8

12-1

5 Chrome Finish

(CManzi)

1-2-1

15-1

7 BadboyPaparazziA

(MSimns)

4-8-2

10-1

THIRD: mile; pace; $12,500; SAGAMORE

4 Cam B Zipper

(JBartlett)

1-1-6

8-5

5 SirJonathanZTam

(PLchnce)

1-4-4

4-1

1 Great Dragon

(GBrennan)

1-2-6

3-1

2 Rock N' Roll Jet

(DDube)

2-8-6

8-1

3 Remissionofsins

(EAbbatiell)

4-1-8

30-1

6 Oat Matt Donald

(BHolland)

7-6-6

30-1

7 AskDirections

(MMacDnald)

2-4-4

12-1

8 Three Artist

(CManzi)

3-1-2

6-1

FOURTH: mile; pace; $12,500; SAGAMORE

4 Braden

(JBartlett)

1-6-3

4-5

1 UpfrontEllijayEd

(MMacDnld)

1-1-9

6-5

2 Showtime Shark

(GBrennan)

3-1-2

6-1

3 Fat Mans Alley

(DDube)

4-7-3

10-1

5 Grab A Crab

(JStratton)

5-8-1

10-1

6 It'sgottabemyway

(CManzi)

6-3-5

30-1

7 Taxed

(EAbbatiello)

4-9-1

20-1

8 Prince Sharka

(JPantaleano)

8-3-9

40-1

FIFTH: mile; trot; $11,000; cond

5 Conway Cruiser

(GBrennan)

1-3-3

8-5

1 Hardrock Kid

(JStratton)

2-5-1

4-1

2 Cinderella Man

(JBartlett)

6-5-4

5-1

3 Brickyard Toots

(RBaynes)

4-2-5

10-1

4 BrewingMaster

(MMacDnld)

3-2-5

6-1

6 Winterleebrook

(BHolland)

4-4-7

15-1

7 Sir Hajo

(CManzi)

6-6-5

20-1

8 Rule By Strength

(DDube)

5-5-3

8-1

SIXTH: mile; trot; $12,500; SAGAMORE

3 Avenue Hanover

(DDube)

1-6-5

6-5

2 Alexpanderthegreat

(BHllnd)

1-7-4

5-1

8 PanferminFestival

(JStrtton)

2-3-4

15-1

1 One On Each Lap

(JBartlett)

8-1-4

8-1

4 Get A Job

(GBrennan)

5-4-5

40-1

5 RavenswdReese

(MMcDnld)

6-8-9

12-1

6 Reited Xx

(JPantaleano)

6-2-6

20-1

7 Stonebridge Bonus

(CManzi)

6-5-2

10-1

SEVENTH: mile; pace; $12,500; SAGAMORE

5 Cruznwithdabigdog

(JBrtltt)

1-8-5

3-1

3 Waiver Hanover

(GBrennan)

3-6-7

6-1

4 WeighTheOdds

(MMacDnld)

4-1-2

4-1

1 Fox Valley Renoir

(BHolland)

4-1-2

5-1

2 Not This Time

(PLachance)

7-4-3

8-1

6 Aj's Poppop

(JMarohn)

3-2-1

6-1

7 Painted Black

(DDube)

3-1-7

SCR

8 Joe De Fino

(CManzi)

3-1-8

8-1

EIGHTH: mile; pace; $12,500; SAGAMORE

8 StonebrdgeRcket

(MMcDnld)

2-4-1

8-5

2 Bettor's Green

(DDube)

4-8-8

4-1

6 China King

(GBrennan)

2-7-5

5-1

1 Valley Fever

(BHolland)

5-3-1

6-1

3 Top Doc

(SSmith)

4-5-8

15-1

4 DrunkenFrnchman

(JBrtlett)

7-3-6

30-1

5 Cityscape

(JStratton)

6-7-3

20-1

7 Classic Call

(PLachance)

2-2-1

5-1

NINTH: mile; pace; $12,500; SAGAMORE

6 WoodmereUltimate

(JBrtlett)

3-10-4

9-5

4 Listowel

(JPantaleano)

2-4-2

5-1

5 Bettor Win

(CManzi)

2-1-2

4-1

1 LaurentHanover

(MMacDnld)

8-5-8

12-1

2 ShowdwnAtSnUp

(GBrennn)

3-2-2

6-1

3 Cheyenne Jeffrey

(DDube)

5-7-1

10-1

7 Major At Heart

(LStalbaum)

4-6-3

15-1

TENTH: mile; pace; $11,000; cl($15000)

1 Vintage Art

(DDube)

4-6-6

8-1

7 Ultimate Desire

(CManzi)

4-3-1

4-1

5 Tugboat

(GBrennan)

4-4-8

5-1

2 Kid Cruiser

(MMacDonald)

6-8-6

6-1

3 The Life Boat

(BHolland)

1-4-2

6-1

4 Magnus Deo

(JStratton)

4-1-4

3-1

6 My Time Hanover

(JBartlett)

5-5-5

8-1

8 Lets Go Blue

(JPantaleano)

2-6-5

15-1

ELEVENTH: mile; pace; $14,000; cl($25000)

1 MilitaryStratcom

(GBrennan)

1-1-1

6-5

3 Andy Baran

(MMacDonald)

2-10-5

4-1

5 Cyclone Cully N

(DDube)

8-3-1

5-1

2 Ittakestwobaby

(BHolland)

7-7-7

30-1

4 K Slater

(JStratton)

6-7-7

12-1

6 Firebreathn Dragon

(CManzi)

7-8-4

15-1

7 White Ruler

(JBartlett)

3-7-4

6-1

TWELFTH: mile; pace; $11,000; cond

2 Hi Sir

(MMacDonald)

1-8-8

5-1

4 Taylorlane Cruiser

(JBartlett)

3-2-1

4-1

5 Kid Carson

(GBrennan)

5-4-8

3-1

1 D'artagnan

(GMerton)

6-7-9

8-1

3 Strong Signal

(JStratton)

2-5-7

6-1

6 Lucky Land

(CManzi)

8-4-2

6-1

7 Pictonian Pride

(BHolland)

4-3-3

5-1

8 Roxies Big Guy

(JPantaleano)

3-8-8

10-1

Post Time, Bet, Cam B, Zipper, mile, pace, pace, Cheyenne, Cheyenne, Moishe, Southwind, Chase, SSmith, SSmith, Cocoa, Prince, Prince, cl, cl, Holy Smokes, Chrome, SAGAMORE4 Cam B, Dragon, Dragon, Jet, Matt, Donald, Showtime, Sharka, Conway, Cruiser, Cruiser, Cinderella, Toots, Avenue, Hanover, Hanover, Stonebridge, Fox Valley ebook download, Renoir, Bettor, China, Fever, Cityscape, Magnus, Baran, Cully, Ruler, Kid Carson, Roxies

Nypost.com

CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens softball preview

Mary Louis’s motto for this season is “respect all, fear none.” The Hilltoppers have been one of the city’s most talent squads, but have struggled against CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens leaders and rivals Archbishop Molloy and St. Francis Prep.

“We get into that big game with Prep and Molloy, you see the name on the shirt and they are just different,” Hilltoppers coach Ginny Peiser said of her team's play.

She believes this group has the ability to get over the hump, saying it will need to get the keys hits to go along with strong defense and pitching. Mary Louis will get three cracks at each this year in the new five-team top divison with Bishop Kearney and St. Edmund moving down.

An Rong Xu

TMLA coach Ginny Peiser believes her team has a deep and poweful line up.

Sophomore Nicole Hubert will need to be a big part of that success. She burst onto the scene last season with a lively arm and a clutch bat. Hubert takes over for Rebecca Warne as the team's ace, has added pitches and worked on her control to limit walks. She went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs during a win over Christ the King in the Brooklyn/Queens quarterfinals. JV call up Kristen Freile will be the team’s No. 2 starter.

“She is more mature on the mound,” Peiser said of Hubert. “She is throwing a lot harder and cutting down on the walks. It’s nice to see. She knows going into it that she’s No. 1. Her confidence is really high right now.”

Hubert will also hit fourth in a lineup loaded with quality bats. Senior third baseman and No. 3 batter Shannon Minihane is one of the city’s best line drive hitters and is extremely difficult to strike out. Veteran catcher Stephanie Barbaro brings a strong bat and ability to call a superb game. Deirdre Munday brings her power bat and experience back to center field and Julie Canova, who has impressed at the plate early, returns at first.

“I’m playing with it to see what combination works, but from top to bottom we really don’t have a weak batting order anywhere,” Peiser said. “It’s going to be strong.”

Alyssa Paolicelli is back at second base and could be in the leadoff spot depending on the development of super speedy sophomore Gabby Malave, who will see time in the outfield. Sam Rossi will be in left and JV call up Kim Myers should see time in right. The speedy Louisa Conway and Brittany Nicoll, a line-drive type hitter, will split time at shortstop depending on who is hitting best.

“They play well together and our defense is awesome,” Peiser said. “We just got to get the hits to go with it. Getting over that hump I think is going to be the key.”

Bobby Suarez is of the belief that you can’t let Christ the King’s youth fool you. The Royals roster boasts just three seniors this season.

“I think we are going to surprise a lot of people and I like that feeling right now,” the second-year coach said.

These three seniors have all been some of the league's best players during their careers. Catcher Erica Eddy has a strong arm behind the plate and a steady bat. Shortstop Kim Velez has good range and is impossible to get out when she get going. Josephine Phillips will be the team’s No. 2 starter.

“I think she can carry this team a long way,” Suarez said of Velez.

A lot of the Royals success will have to do with lefty windmiller Amanda Gauthier. The hard throwing junior has been gritty in the circle since coming up as a freshman. The majority of the club is made up of a talented group of sophomores, starting with athletic centerfielder Destiny Marino. Jessica Vietez will see time at catcher and in left field. Suarez raved about the glove and bat of Megan Allie at second base. Freshman Gabby Russo will be at third in the leadoff spot. Classmate Kaitlyn Finneran will add depth to the rotation.

“I’ve got a very young team, something to build for the next two or three years,” Suarez said.

Fontbonne Hall’s youth and talent is easy to see just by looking in the circle. Sophomore’s Nicolette Tripani and Maria Serrantino were both brilliant at times during their first season on the varsity last season. They will play third base when they are not pitching and will be fixtures in the middle of a quality batting order.

“We’re a year older,” Bonnies coach Frank Marinello said.

Classmate Christina Calascione will take over for Jackie Mitchell in center field and in the leadoff spot and Natalia Sroga moved from third to left field. JV call up Kristina Schiano takes over at shortstop. Freshman Arianna Dillon replaces the graduated Jenna Nixon behind the plate.

“She gets quality at bats and she’s a great athlete,” Marinello said of Calascione.

Marinello called senior Kristina Mandala at first base his "grizzled veteran." Senior Melissa Clark will be at second and classmates Karri-Ann Galante and Maria Randazzo will see time in the outfield. Liz Fox should see time at the corners and second base.

jstaszewski@nypost.com

Ginny Peiser, Archbishop Molloy, The Hilltoppers, Hilltoppers, Nicole Hubert, Mary Louis, JV, St. Francis, Bobby Suarez, Bishop Kearney, Peiser

Nypost.com

Raw deal for D’An

* Although there doesn’t seem to be much sympathy for former Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, I thought he got a bum deal. When you do everything you can do to please the boss and the boss gets rid of you as a reward, it’s a pretty tough lump to swallow. I suppose it won’t mean much if the Knicks go on to win a championship, but if they don’t, it will be hard not to look back and wonder what would have happened if James Dolan had traded Carmelo Anthony for Deron Williams and D’Antoni had remained as coach.

KEN DREXLER

North Woodmere, N.Y.

* I hope Mike Woodson does well coaching the Knicks, but I know Woodson is answering to Carmelo Anthony, so I would rather have Phil Jackson here. There is no way Jackson would answer to Carmelo, a me-first player who has never won anything in the NBA.

EDWARD DROSSMAN

Manhattan

* Let’s see: Carmelo Anthony out of the line-up, the Knicks win; Anthony in the lineup, the Knicks lose. Do you really have to be a genius to figure this out? Great players make everyone else around them better. Anthony didn’t do that in Denver, where in his eight full seasons the Nuggets only got out the first round of the playoffs once. And he doesn’t do it with the Knicks either. MSG rocked for the three weeks of Linsanity. Sadly, it’s back to the same old story for a franchise that has time and again thrown money at the wrong “stars.”

STEVE BORRELLI

Raritan, N.J.

* I may stand alone on this one, but the choice of Mike D’Antoni as the Knicks’ head coach was doomed almost from the start. D’Antoni’s Achilles’ heel was his unwavering dedication to the motion offense and his stunning inability to adapt his approach to maximize the value of his best players. For Mike Woodson, here are the keys to the kingdom, and a contract extension: Preach defense and rebounding and use your current pieces in a more traditional offense.

BRIAN VICTOR

Manhattan

Ghosts of Flushing

* I have a theory on the Mess, oops, I mean the Mets. Taking into account all of the injuries the last couple of years — Johan Santana, Ike Davis, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Jason Bay, etc., I’m starting to believe Citi Field was built over a cemetery without relocating the bodies. Can you say “Poltergeist II,” boys and girls? I can just see their new team slogan” “They’re baaaack — on the DL.”

LOUIE REY

East Meadow, N.Y.

Rangers rooters

* Do the clowns who broadcast Rangers games have any idea of who their audience is? We are Rangers fans: We are not interested in daily updates of Sidney Crosby’s health. We are not waiting with bated breath to hear how the Islanders could make the playoffs. We do not get a thrill out of hearing how great Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, et all, are dominating the league. It was laughable during one game last week when Sam Rosen stated that one opposing superstar was impossible to strip of the puck, and then on the next three tours down the ice, he was (you guessed it) stripped of the puck.

MARTY PERRY

Massapequa, N.Y.

Away from home

* It looks as if Andy Pettitte has discovered that spending more time with your family is not always such a wonderful thing.

RICHARD SIEGELMAN

Plainview, N.Y.

Carmelo Anthony, Mike Woodson, Knicks, Mike D’Antoni, Deron Williams, D’Antoni, coach Mike D’Antoni, Phil Jackson

Nypost.com

Goldstein's pioneering Elbassionys want title for Muslim female athletes worldwide

Goldstein is going for a PSAL Class A title Sunday against Curtis. In Nora Elbassiony’s mind, though, it’ll be more than just a championship for her beloved Dolphins. The senior sharpshooter believes it’ll be a victory for Muslim girls everywhere.

Elbassiony and her two sisters and teammates – Dunia and Lala – are Muslims of Egyptian and Turkish descent. In their religion, she says, just wearing a basketball uniform is considered a sin. Traditionalists would never let their daughters even take the court.

“The old-fashioned people would always say girls aren’t supposed to play sports, they should be home,” Elbassiony said. “So to win that, it would be like a smack in their faces that girls can play sports.”

An Rong Xu

The Elbassiony sisters of Goldstein will try to win a PSAL Class A title Sunday.

Instead of holding back the three sisters, their parents, Sam Elbassiony and Nervin Bekhit, have been incredibly supportive. Sam Elbassiony was a soccer player in his native Egypt, but never made it as far as he wanted because his parents were not happy with his grades. He and his wife have made sure their daughters keep their grades 90 and above to continue playing basketball. Dunia was also a key player on Goldstein’s PSAL Class B championship girls volleyball team.

“His dream was taken away from him,” Nora said. “So we just make sure we have a 90-plus averages so that we can do what we love.”

Added Dunia: “They definitely assimilated and changed their mindsets since they moved to the United States. They know it’s something we love so they support it.”

This is the first year the three sisters have played on the same team. Elbassiony is the team’s 3-point gunner and Dunia is a sophomore forward, who isn’t afraid to do the dirty work inside. Lala, just a freshman, comes off the bench. Nora, the elder of the group who will be the first female in her family to attend college next year, has taken her sisters under her wing.

Dunia was worried how other people would react to three Muslim girls being on a team, but has been pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Nora admits there have been some racial remarks made to her and her sisters after Sept. 11.

“It’s actually exciting in a weird way, originally I was like, oh my God this is going to be bad,” Dunia said. “However it got us a lot closer. We've never been on a set team together, so it’s helped us develop a stronger bond.”

The Elbassionys are hoping to take that bond upstate. They will have to beat a very good Curtis team to do it 3 p.m. Sunday at City College. Next year, Nora will be off to college and though she jokes that their youngest sister, 6-year-old Hana, is going to be the best basketball player of them all, Dunia and Lala will be on their own next year.

“Winning it with my sisters by my side would mean even more,” Dunia said. “It’s our last chance to win a championship game all together.”

mraimondi@nypost.com

Nora Elbassiony, Sam Elbassiony, Muslim girls, Muslim girls, Dunia, Rong XuThe Elbassiony, championship

Nypost.com

Knicks co-captains must lead by example

The word “accountability’’ has been a fixture in Mike Woodson’s vocabulary since taking over as interim Knicks coach Wednesday.

Friday, he specified he will hold his two co-captains Amar’e Stoudemire (eight points) and Carmelo Anthony (12 points) accountable in leadership roles — something former coach Mike D’Antoni probably did not do.

Stoudemire was the Knicks captain last season. Anthony was voted in as team captain in a player vote during training camp.

Tyson Chandler (16 points, seven rebounds, four blocks) has been the de facto leader of the team, however, but does not have a title.

Anthony J. Causi

HANGING IN THERE: Amar’e Stoudemire hangs on the rim after slamming home two of his eight points during the Knicks’ 115-100 victory over the Pacers last night at the Garden.

The lighthearted atmosphere in the locker room after losses became an issue during the team’s recent 0-4 road trip.

“I’m going to hold them more accountable for what goes on in the locker [room], what happens on the floor, because they’ve been around and know better. They know how it’s done,” Woodson said before the Knicks’ 115-100 victory over the Pacers. “I think they’re battle-tested long with Tyson Chandler.’’

Accountability is an interesting word.

D’Antoni certainly did not hold Anthony and Stoudemire accountable for their poor defense. It will be interesting to see if Woodson holds them accountable for their play and benches them if they are not doing well despite their maximum contracts totaling $37 million.

***

As reported Friday, Woodson said he will add former Knicks first-round pick Darrell Walker and his former Hawks assistant Jim Todd to the coaching staff.

Todd was finishing up at Sacramento and got out of his contract. Also being added as special adviser is his high school coach, Jim Smith, who also helped him out in Atlanta. Smith now lives in Memphis.

“Another set of eyes for me,’’ Woodson said.

Walker, meanwhile, used to coach for Isiah Thomas in Toronto.

“I’ve known him since my playing days, he’s been on benches, he’s been a head coach, they bring great experience,’’ Woodson said.

marc.berman@nypost.com

Mike Woodson, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Knicks, coach Mike D’Antoni, camp.Tyson Chandler, Stoudemire, The word “accountability

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Jets QB Sanchez says he's on better terms with WR Holmes

The mending of the relationship between Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and wide receiver Santonio Holmes began a few weeks ago in Orlando, Fla.

Sanchez visited Holmes, who lives there, and the two hashed out the issues between them over dinner.

“When I finally got a chance to see him for a couple of days it was the same old guy from our first year together, that won a bunch of games for us in the closing seconds of games,” Sanchez said. “I know it can work between us. It’s not a question of if. It’s a matter of when, and that’s now. I’m thrilled about that.”

N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg

QB AND THE KIDS: Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez poses with school children at the Randall’s Island Sports Foundation Gala last night, where he also talked with the media for the first time since the bitter end to Gang Green’s season.

Sanchez met with reporters who regularly cover the team before being honored at the Randall’s Island Sports Foundation Gala in Manhattan last night. He touched on a variety of topics, including the Jets’ struggles in 2011, the departure of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, and anonymous teammates criticizing him this winter.

Sanchez, who called the anonymous sniping “gutless” earlier yesterday on ESPN 1050’s “The Michael Kay Show,” said last night he did not pay much mind to players who were quoted anonymously.

“If you’re not going to put your name on something, why waste anybody’s time? That’s fine,” he said. “They obviously had strong opinions about it, not strong enough to say who they were. That was it.”

But the main topic Sanchez discussed was Holmes, who sulked his way through the end of the season and showed up the quarterback in the final week by acting up during and then skipping study-sessions organized by Sanchez.

Sanchez, who received a three-year contract extension last week, would not go into too much depth about his meeting with Holmes, but said they have been talking all winter and everything is fine now.

“We’ve talked about it,” Sanchez said. “We both had strong feelings about it. We got a chance to sit there and address a lot of issues. It was good.”

Sanchez took his share of the blame for the problems.

“I don’t want to speak for Santonio, but I know I underachieved,” he said. “I think there were some things I could have handled better.”

Sanchez said he did not think responding to every criticism would be worthwhile.

“It doesn’t matter unless you go win games,” he said. “That’s the ultimate goal, and that’s the ultimate defense.”

Sanchez turned the ball over 26 times last year. He said improving on that will be an area of focus for him. He said he thinks some of the offense’s problems in the 8-8 finish were because the Jets strayed from their usual Ground and Pound at the start of the season.

“We didn’t have an identity like we wanted, like we had the first two years, where we were a great downhill running team,” he said. “We had a quarterback that could move. We could get out on the edge when we needed to and we could take shots down the field. ... It just felt like we lost some of our identity. We were so enamored with a bunch of new players and it was like ‘OK, let’s figure out how to use all these guys.’ That can happen. That can totally happen to a team.”

Schottenheimer was shown the door in January and Sanchez will have former Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano as his new offensive coordinator. Sanchez called it a “personnel decision” but spoke fondly of his time with Schottenheimer.

“I don’t think it was a matter of him being a scapegoat or not,” he said. “That wasn’t the only reason we lost games. Was everybody responsible? Yeah. Did I turn the ball over too many times? Absolutely. Did he make every perfect play call? Of course not, nobody does. Whether you win the Super Bowl or not, it’s just not realistic. But I don’t think it’s his fault.”

brian.costello@nypost.com

Mark Sanchez, Sanchez, Santonio Holmes, Randall’s Island Sports Foundation Gala, Brian Schottenheimer, Jets, quarterback, quarterback

Nypost.com

All red meat is bad for you, new study says

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Eating any amount and any type of red met increases the risk of premature death, a new study says. (William Thomas Cain / Getty Images)

Eating red meat — any amount and any type — appears to significantly increase the risk of premature death, according to a long-range study that examined the eating habits and health of more than 110,000 adults for more than 20 years.

For instance, adding just one 3-ounce serving of unprocessed red meat — picture a piece of steak no bigger than a deck of cards — to one's daily diet was associated with a 13% greater chance of dying during the course of the study.

Even worse, adding an extra daily serving of processed red meat, such as a hot dog or two slices of bacon, was linked to a 20% higher risk of death during the study.

"Any red meat you eat contributes to the risk," said An Pan, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and lead author of the study, published online Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Crunching data from thousands of questionnaires that asked people how frequently they ate a variety of foods, the researchers also discovered that replacing red meat with other foods seemed to reduce mortality risk for study participants.

Eating a serving of nuts instead of beef or pork was associated with a 19% lower risk of dying during the study. The team said choosing poultry or whole grains as a substitute was linked with a 14% reduction in mortality risk; low-fat dairy or legumes, 10%; and fish, 7%.

Previous studies had associated red meat consumption with diabetes, heart disease and cancer, all of which can be fatal. Scientists aren't sure exactly what makes red meat so dangerous, but the suspects include the iron and saturated fat in beef, pork and lamb, the nitrates used to preserve them, and the chemicals created by high-temperature cooking.

The Harvard researchers hypothesized that eating red meat would also be linked to an overall risk of death from any cause, Pan said. And the results suggest they were right: Among the 37,698 men and 83,644 women who were tracked, as meat consumption increased, so did mortality risk.

In separate analyses of processed and unprocessed meats, the group found that both types appear to hasten death. Pan said that at the outset, he and his colleagues had thought it likely that only processed meat posed a health danger.

Carol Koprowski, a professor of preventive medicine at USC's Keck School of Medicine who wasn't involved in the research, cautioned that it can be hard to draw specific conclusions from a study like this because there can be a lot of error in the way diet information is recorded in food frequency questionnaires, which ask subjects to remember past meals in sometimes grueling detail.

But Pan said the bottom line was that there was no amount of red meat that's good for you.

"If you want to eat red meat, eat the unprocessed products, and reduce it to two or three servings a week," he said. "That would have a huge impact on public health."

A majority of people in the study reported that they ate an average of at least one serving of meat per day.

Pan said that he eats one or two servings of red meat per week, and that he doesn't eat bacon or other processed meats.

Cancer researcher Lawrence H. Kushi of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland said that groups putting together dietary guidelines were likely to pay attention to the findings in the study.

"There's a pretty strong supposition that eating red meat is important — that it should be part of a healthful diet," said Kushi, who was not involved in the study. "These data basically demonstrate that the less you eat, the better."

UC San Francisco researcher and vegetarian diet advocate Dr. Dean Ornish said he gleaned a hopeful message from the study.

"Something as simple as a meatless Monday can help," he said. "Even small changes can make a difference."

Additionally, Ornish said, "What's good for you is also good for the planet."

In an editorial that accompanied the study, Ornish wrote that a plant-based diet could help cut annual healthcare costs from chronic diseases in the U.S., which exceed $1 trillion. Shrinking the livestock industry could also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and halt the destruction of forests to create pastures, he wrote.

eryn.brown@latimes.com

premature death, red meat, mortality risk, Lawrence H. Kushi ebook download

Latimes.com

Top seeds of doubt in NCAA bracket

Lenn Robbins

Just when it seemed safe to go back into the water — the sparkling, March-crisp, crystal-clear pool known as picking the NCAA Tournament — the upset sharks returned, taking huge chunks out of the big fish.

Instead of blue (Kentucky) or sunset orange (Syracuse), we have blood in the water and a haze on the horizon.

The Orange were gouged by Cincinnati in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. The Wildcats were stunned by Vanderbilt in yesterday’s SEC title game.

Going into the weekend, Kentucky and Syracuse were the only BCS-conference schools with just one loss. Now 30-1 Murray State remains the only team with one defeat.

There is no safety in this pool. Swim at your own risk.

“My comment to them after is, ‘Maybe I’ll have your attention now,’ ” Kentucky coach John Calipari said after the loss, “and you’re really going to focus in and listen to what I’m saying, how we’re going to have to play these next few weekends.’’

Calipari told his players they had become arrogant.

That same charge could have been leveled at Iona, which lost in the semifinals of the MAAC Tournament. But in a shocking selection, the Gaels (25-7) got an at-large berth.

In a more shocking statement, NCAA Selection Committee chair Jeff Hathaway, the former athletic director at Connecticut, said the Gaels were not the last team in, though they will have to face BYU in a first-round game Tuesday in Dayton.

“They had a very good non-conference strength of schedule,” Hathaway said. “They’re a very good basketball team, very good on offense. We think we got that one right.’’

Seton Hall, however, wasn’t as lucky as the Big East got nine teams in. The Pirates (20-12) did not secure an at-large berth, leaving coach Kevin Willard with mixed feelings. He left Iona two years ago for Seton Hall.

The feeding frenzy didn’t stop with the nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 teams going down. Florida State beat North Carolina for a second time this year, this time in the ACC title game. Baylor took out Kansas in a Big 12 semifinal.

So as the NCAA Tournament field was unveiled last night, the same fear of wading into the pool of pools returned.

Kentucky (South), Syracuse (East) and North Carolina (Midwest) held on to their No. 1 seeds but suddenly they seem vulnerable. Michigan State, which outlasted Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, took advantage of the loss by Kansas to snag the No. 1 seed in the West.

The Wildcats, though they retained the No. 1 overall seed, might have done themselves the most harm. They face a potential third-round game against defending NCAA champ UConn and a possible regional semifinal against Indiana.

Until yesterday’s collapse, Kentucky’s only loss was at Indiana on a last-second 3. Kentucky-Indiana is a hoops holy war.

Kentucky also could face Duke in a regional final flooded with subplots. Calipari is on a quest to win his first NCAA title. Duke coach Mike Krzyz-ewski is going for his fifth. No doubt it will be billed — unfairly — as a matchup of everything right in college basketball against everything wrong.

Syracuse, which will open in Pittsburgh on Thursday against North Carolina-Asheville, limped out of the Big Apple. Seniors Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine did not show up for either game.

“The tournament that starts next week is the only one that matters,’’ coach Jim Boeheim said. “Nothing else matters anymore in college basketball.

lenn.robbins@nypost.com

Kentucky, Kentucky, Syracuse, Syracuse, NCAA Tournament, North Carolina, Wildcats, Jeff Hathaway, NCAA

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Chandler returns for Knicks against 76ers

Tyson Chandler is back in the Knicks' starting lineup against Philadelphia after missing two games with a strained left hamstring.

The Knicks badly missed their defensive anchor, yielding 118 points in San Antonio and 119 in Milwaukee in the two games without him.

Chandler is averaging 11.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in his first season with the Knicks, who host the 76ers Sunday.

Knicks, Tyson Chandler, Philadelphia online

Nypost.com

Moss to work out for 49ers on Monday: report

SAN FRANCISCO — After a stellar workout for the New Orleans Saints last week, Randy Moss will attempt to convince the San Francisco 49ers that he can still deliver in the NFL after a year out of pro football.

The veteran receiver, who announced his comeback from retirement last month, will fly to the Bay Area on Sunday ahead of a Monday workout for the team, ESPN reported, citing a league source.

Moss dazzled in front of the Saints last Tuesday, running about 45 routes and looking “like the old Randy,” according to witnesses at the workout, FOX Sports reported.

The 35-year-old Moss also ran a 40-yard dash in around 4.39-4.44 seconds, exceeding expectations, sources told sportsNOLA.com.

Moss made the Pro Bowl seven times in his career but his work ethic and sometimes lackadaisical play frustrated coaches. He retired after finding himself without a team following a dismal 2010 season with the Patriots, Vikings and Titans.

Moss was an impact wide receiver as recently as 2009, when he made 83 catches for 1,264 yards and 13 touchdowns in New England.

Randy Moss, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, FOX Sports, ESPN, NFL, SAN FRANCISCO

Nypost.com

Sweet homecoming for Nets’ Morrow

CHARLOTTE, N.C.-- For three quarters, Anthony Morrow was, well, home. Back in his home town for the second time in a week, the Nets’ shooting guard had family and friends in the stands, folks who had come out to see him play and do something. It took a while for Morrow to deliver.

But it was worth the wait.

Morrow scored all 17 of his points in the fourth quarter of the Nets’ 83-74 victory over the Bobcats Friday night, 10 of them coming in a 3:31 stretch that left the Nets ahead eight with 6:40 to play. The Bobcats made a run but Morrow delivered the dagger with a 3-pointer at 1:14.

“Anthony was just so huge for us in the second half,” coach Avery Johnson said. “We’ve been trying a lot of different ways to get him shots so we talked about it at halftime. Keep it simple. So we kind of gave him some post up looks, some isolation looks and he made the defense pay.”

And put smiles on the faces of family and friends.

“It was great,” Morrow said. “It’s a nice feeling to come home and win in front of my mom and dad and family and get that win on the road. ... We’ve been fighting through adversity all season with injuries and all kinds of stuff. It’s just that we’re sticking together. We’ve got great team chemistry on and off the court.”

***

Deron Williams pulled out an “Old School” reference when discussing the Nets’ hopes of making a playoff run.

“We want to go streakin’. In the quad. Everybody’s doing it,” Williams said, channeling his best Will Ferrell. “We need to put together some wins here especially if we want to make a playoff run. “The schedule coming up is pretty favorable to us, if we play like we’re capable of playing.”

Williams is not the only guy thinking playoffs.

“We’ve been looking at it,” DeShawn Stevenson said of the standings – the Nets ended Friday night 4¹/ games behind the eighth-place Knicks. “Coach has this thing where we’ve got to win seven out of 10 games. … Ever since Coach has been saying that, we’ve been playing harder so it’s on our minds so that’s definitely a goal.”

***

Johnson’s take on Deron Williams’ sore calf that will keep him out against Houston tonight at least.

“He’s going to get re-evaluated [Saturday],” Johnson said. “Hopefully we’ll get some good news but in the meantime, other guys will have to step up which they did tonight.”

***

Corey Maggette led the Bobcats with 19 points, while Bismack Biyombo had an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double. ... The Nets have not had a 3-game win streak this season but are 4-2 since the All-Star Break.

Next >

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Anthony Morrow, Bobcats, Bobcats, Avery Johnson, Deron Williams, Nets

Nypost.com

Titles won’t define top-seeded McIlroy

DORAL, Fla. — The proud parents and their successful son sat together over some pub food on Tuesday night at the Doral Resort and Spa and talked. It had been such a whirlwind 48 hours for Rory McIlroy that he and his parents hadn’t had a chance to chat about his historic accomplishment.

On Sunday afternoon, the 22-year-old McIlroy won the Honda Classic and became the second youngest player ever to become the No. 1 ranked player in the world.

On Sunday night, he was on a plane to New York to visit with his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, who was in town to play an exhibition match against Maria Sharapova at Madison Square Garden.

On Monday night, Wozniacki called McIlroy out from the stands to the court to play a point against Sharapova and he won it.

“I’ve never been so nervous in my life,’’ McIlroy said. “Maria was nice; she hit it back to me at quite a gentle pace.’’

By Tuesday afternoon, McIlroy had flown back to Miami to practice for the WGC-Cadillac Championship, which begins today at Doral’s Blue Monster.

On Tuesday night he was with his parents, Gerry and Rosie, enjoying a quiet meal.

“With everything that had gone on we hadn’t really had a chance to talk about it,’’ Gerry McIlroy was saying over a vodka and Diet Coke. “When I asked him what it feels like, he said, ‘It feels great, but it’s just another milestone.’ ’’

This is who McIlroy is. He’s driven to be great, but he’s not Tiger Woods, whose drive to be great always bordered on obsession dating back to his youth.

When he was a kid, Woods famously had a poster of Jack Nicklaus on his bedroom wall and he used it as motivation, determined to win more major championships than the record 18 Nicklaus won.

When he was younger, McIlroy had a magazine picture of a mansion Woods lived in pinned to his wall, telling his parents he’d love to live in a place like that someday.

Now he can. And he does.

But McIlroy is not obsessed with winning more majors than Woods or Nicklaus. He’s not interested in that defining him.

“Rory,’’ Gerry McIlroy said, “is happy just being Rory.’’

Still, though, the comparisons between Woods and McIlroy are inevitable. And they have intensified since McIlroy staved off the scorching 62 Woods shot in the final round at Honda to win on Sunday.

Dating back to the days of Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, golf has always pined for rivalries. For years, we’ve been begging for a Phil Mickelson-Woods rivalry and have gotten little tastes along the way, such as Mickelson’s Pebble Beach beatdown of Woods last month.

“I don’t see myself as anyone’s rival out here,’’ McIlroy said. “I’m going to let other people make the comparisons. I’ve never said that I want to be the next anyone. I just want to be the first Rory McIlroy. It’s never like I set out to win 18 majors like Tiger has.”

* Mickelson arrived to Doral yesterday after having played a practice round at Augusta with Keegan Bradley and Dustin Johnson on Tuesday and he delivered a playful tweak of Woods when asked about his reaction to Woods’ final-round 62 last Sunday.

“Yeah, obviously he was paying attention a couple of weeks ago, which is nice to see,’’ Mickelson said. “It is good to see him back and playing well.’’

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

Rory McIlroy, McIlroy, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Gerry McIlroy, Maria Sharapova, Jack Nicklaus, Caroline Wozniacki, Doral Resort and Spa, DORAL, Fla.

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Oil speculation costing airline, trucking industries $39 billion a year: CFTC Commissioner

Runaway oil speculation is costing the airline and trucking industries $39 billion a year in added expenses, according to new data to be released today.

The airline sector alone could save as much as $9.8 billion annually if Wall Street speculation is curbed, Commissioner Bart Chilton of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is expected to announce today.

The trucking industry stands to save even more, as much as $29.1 billion a year, according to Chilton, who will reveal the data in a speech before a group of traders at the Javits Center.

The staggering numbers are the latest salvo in a bitter battle over the impact oil speculators are having on fuel prices, which sailed past $106 a barrel and are creating $4-a-gallon pump prices.

At the center of the feud is the CFTC, which passed new rules in October to limit certain traders — those who don’t take physical delivery of crude or oil supplies — to 25 percent of the deliverable supply per month.

Groups representing Wall Street are suing to quash those rules, saying the CFTC never crunched the numbers to prove their case. They are pressing a federal judge to halt the rules.

“We’re expecting it at any moment,” Ira Hammerman, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association’s lead lawyer, said of the decision.

Chilton, meanwhile, is seeking to speed the rules, preferably by June, he told The Post. Otherwise, the rules will have to wait for the CFTC and the Securities and Exchange Commission to define the term “swap,” a process that has already been delayed multiple times.

Today, Chilton is expected to tell the traders that the “speculative premium” on oil adds 56 cents to every gallon of gas, which he calls “an enormous drain” on businesses. Chilton has previously said oil speculation costs every consumer up to $757 extra a year.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Commissioner Bart Chilton, oil speculation, oil speculation, CFTC, Wall Street speculation, Chilton, oil speculators, Ira Hammerman, oil supplies

Nypost.com

Up to D’Antoni to solve Knicks' mystery mix

Mike Vaccaro
Follow Mike on Twitter

DALLAS — We have reached the crossroads of Mike D’Antoni’s time as the Knicks’ head coach, halfway through this seminal four-game road trip. The Knicks are a jigsaw puzzle of both promise and petulance, of hope and haplessness.

They are a jumbled mess and an improvisational curiosity. They are entertainingly frustrating and frustratingly entertaining, they are unpredictable, they are impossible to write off yet impossible to stand behind.

Mostly, after this 95-85 loss to the Mavericks, they are two games south of .500 for the first time in three weeks, entrenched in eighth place in the Eastern Conference when they were supposed to be on a mission for sixth … or higher. They are a roster of moving parts and square pegs trying too often to fit into round holes.

Reuters

MELO OUT: Carmelo Anthony battles Dirk Nowitzki for position as the Knicks lost in Dallas last night.

“We have the talent to compete,” Amar’e Stoudemire said last night. “You can’t say we don’t have enough guys.”

Sometimes, in truth, it seems they have too many guys, too many options and too many combinations. The rule is supposed to be that you can never have too much talent.

D’Antoni is disproving that credo.

“We have to find combinations that work,” he said yesterday, and he’s right, but the fact is all that does is complicate matters further for him. Yesterday, those combinations excluded Carmelo Anthony, who was mostly a spectator as the Knicks turned 66-47 down into 78-77 up.

The depth that has allowed them to come back in three straight games — including a win last week against the Cavaliers — has complicated the Knicks’ most basic mission. We were treated to the very worst of J.R. Smith last night, for example — poor shot selection, worse decision making, and a technical foul thrown in at no extra charge — and yet D’Antoni still played him 14 eventful minutes.

Stoudemire, playing his best game in weeks, capped the Knicks’ comeback with a driving shot with just under five minutes to go, then watched as the Minutemen reserves, one-by-one, were replaced by the starters. The one-point lead quickly reverted to a 10-point deficit. Coincidence? Maybe. Probably. Basketball is a game of cycles and a game of runs.

But that’s where D’Antoni has to adapt and adjust and study how to make all of these parts fit, how to make them functional. It would help if he could have a reasonable facsimile of Anthony at his best, because that version of Melo is the kind of talent you don’t worry about, who can play with anyone else and make them better. The version he got last night — 2-for-12 shooting, little explosion, alternately indifferent and ineffective — only adds to his complications.

The easy part for D’Antoni were those heady first few days of the Jeremy Lin Era, the Knicks decimated by injury and personal tragedy, shrinking the roster and limiting his options. There was the night he famously said of Lin, “I’m gonna ride him like friggin’ Secretariat,” but he could have been talking about his whole eight-man Iron Man rotation.

You can’t live that thin in the NBA, certainly not in the double-quick 66-game version of the schedule this year, but as the Knicks rattled off seven straight wins and clawed their way back to sea level at 15-15, it sure helped add layers to the story. It wasn’t just Lin cobbling together the resolve to keep the season from slipping away night after night. It was everyone.

It’s just that “everyone” was a lot smaller group then.

Now D’Antoni has options. He has talked about an 11-man rotation. He mixes and he matches, and sometimes the results are glorious: an 18-point turnaround late in Sunday’s game at Boston, that remarkable 20-point turnaround last night from 19 down with 19½ minutes left in the game to one up with 4:55 left in the fourth.

And sometimes the results are horrid. The Celtics outscored the Knicks by 27 in one awful stretch Sunday. The Mavs mostly toyed with the Knicks last night for three quarters.

The Knicks can look glorious. They can look ghastly. They can inspire crazy optimism. They can make you want to throw your remote control at the TV.

Maybe they can’t be corralled. Maybe they can’t be fixed. Before time runs out for good in Mike D’Antoni’s hourglass, it would be nice if he could find out for sure.

michael.vaccaro@nypost.com

Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Mike VaccaroFollow Mike, D’Antoni

Nypost.com

Morgan Stanley ID's broker as 'madam's' potential mystery investor

Investment giant Morgan Stanley has identified one of its brokers as the mystery man who was in talks with accused Upper East Side madam Anna Gristina allegedly about setting up an online prostitution business right before her arrest in Manhattan, sources told The Post today.

The broker, David Walker, works in Morgan Stanley's wealth management unit, sources said.

Prosecutors, without naming Walker, said at Gristina's Feb. 23 arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court, "We picked her up yesterday with a Morgan Stanley banker who she counts a close friend and she had been present at his office for a meeting in which she was trying to solicit money to fund what we believe is another business venture on the internet that involves matching up male clients with female prostitutes," court records show.

New York Post \ Natan Dvir

The entrance to Anna Gristina's alleged 78th Street brothel.

UES MADAM HAD MILLIONAIRE CLIENTS, LED LIFE OF SUBURBAN MAN

Assistant District Attorney Charley Linehan also said as that court hearing of the 44-year-old mom-of-four Gristina, "She has business contacts worldwide. . . she counts many 'high wealths' among her friends and clients."

Morgan Stanley declined to comment today, saying the bank is still investigating the allegations that one of its employees had been meeting with Gristina.

The allegations are the second major black eye involving the investment behemoth recently.

Last week, managing director and top banker W. Bryan Jennings was arrested by Darien, Conn., cops on charges that he stabbed a New York City cabby who had driven him to his suburban home Dec. 22, and had made racial slurs against the Egyptian-born hack.

Jennings has gone on indefinite leave from his job, which paid him about $2 million last year.
Nypost.com

SEC sues LI man

A money manager from Old Westbury was accused of running a scheme in which he lied to 24 investors who gave him $74.9 million from 2005 to 2012, telling them the money would be put into hedge funds.

Brian Raymond Callahan used the money to pay back other investors and for personal expenses such as a “multimillion-dollar cooperative unit on Long Island,” the Securities and Exchange Commission said yesterday in a civil complaint filed in federal court in New York.

“Callahan’s solicitation of investors involved material misrepresentations about the use of their money, the liquidity of their investments and the asset diversification,” the SEC said.

The agency asked for an immediate freeze on his assets. It said Callahan refused to appear for sworn testimony pursuant to a subpoena.

The case was assigned to US District Judge Arthur Spatt in Central Islip. Robert Knuts, a lawyer for Callahan, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment on the lawsuit.

Raymond Callahan, Old Westbury, money manager, investors, Callahan, Robert Knuts

Nypost.com

Tomorrow’s Parx Racing Entries

All horses appear in post position order

FIRST-1m&70y; $20,000; cl($5,000); 4up; (f&m)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

2 Domesticalista(L),122

C Orm

10-12-11

Taylor

30-1

3 HabbyQuatorze(L),122

SBermudz

6-7-6

Carango

10-1

4 Getting Bold(L),122

JHmpshrJr

7-7-3

Dandy

4-1

5 Country Green(L),122

V Molina

2-3-5

Dunn

5-2

6 Done(L),115

ABowman

3-2-5

Neilson

8-5

1 a-Cherry Lady(L),122

G Wales

10-5-6

Day

7-2

1A a-What a Smile(L),122

F Garcia

4-3-5

Day

7-2

a-Coupled

SECOND-1m&70y; $17,000; mdn cl(($10,000); 4up; (f&m)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Quiet Liveing(L),115

ABowman

5-7-8

Nicholsn

20-1

2 Border(L),122

E Rivera

7-6-7

Carango

15-1

3 Pioneer Bird(L),122

G Wales

4-5-4

Polanco

12-1

4 Mi Esposa(M),122

S Elliott

6-x-x

Sacco

9-2

5 Kiwi Mistress(L),122

C Orm

5-3-6

Montoya

7-2

6 Five Star Plus(L),115

W Corujo

2-2-2

Wolf

3-1

7 AllPeaceNQuiet(L),122

KMcMngll

6-6-5

Simon

8-1

8 DefrereofFlying(L),122

O Castillo

6-10-x

Coletti

5-2

THIRD-1m&70y; $27,000; cl($16,000); 4up; (f&m)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Arcina(L),118

K Frey

7-3-4

Reid

9-2

2 EmprssHtshpst(L),118

A Arroyo

3-5-2

Wells

3-1

3 Billysingssinatr(L),116

A Castillo

1-2-8

Abrams

5-1

4 Broad Outline(L),118

F Boyce

5-4-1

Small

2-1

5 Face ofanAngel(L),114

J Bisono

5-6-1

Estrada

10-1

6 Too Funny(L),113

K Pellot

1-1-2

Hedus

10-1

7 Quinta(L),107

R Richard

4-1-6

Wlhel-S

12-1

FOURTH-6f; $30,000; str alw; 4up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 FearlessCowby(L),117

THmmngs

4-4-1

Lauro

12-1

2 Pluracity(L),122

RAlvardJr

1-1-3

GPreciad

5-2

3 RoughRoadAhd(L),117

F Garcia

2-1-5

Auwarter

7-2

4 Hadrian'sImage(L),119

A Arroyo

1-2-1

GPreciad

2-1

5 Bavaria(L),119

RMontanz

1-6-3

Ryerson

10-1

6 NorthpointCsts(L),110

ABowman

4-3-6

Nicholsn

9-2

7 RaisedforSpeed(L),117

V Molina

3-2-6

Mick

10-1

FIFTH-6f; $23,000; cl($7,500); 4up; (f&m)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Princessofthlnd(L),118

RAlvardJr

4-8-5

Velzqez

10-1

2 Marino'sPromis(L),120

J Bisono

1-3-2

Mosco

6-1

3 After Words(L),118

S Uske

9-1-2

Tammar

12-1

4 Freezercrowd(L),108

LVillanuev

6-4-2

Neilson

6-1

5 Impadoodle(L),118

JHmpshrJr

3-3-4

Dandy

5-2

6 Abbaye(L),115

K Pellot

7-1-2

Woodhse

8-1

7 Prttyhpphphtty(L),118

J Flores

4-1-5

Demasi

4-1

8 LaddertotheMn(L),118

L Rivera,Jr

2-4-5

Noble

9-2

SIXTH-1m; $45,000; mdn spcl wt; 4up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 MineshaftTavrn(L),114

ARodriguz

8-x-x

Houghtn

30-1

2 Joey Whispers(L),123

JHmpshrJr

2-3-3

McBrney

5-2

3 Quiet and Foxy(L),123

D Whitney

3-4-5

Houghton

6-1

4 Sinatr'srzdbrw(L),123

RMontanz

2-3-2

Mullin

5-1

5 Valentinos Gold(L),123

A Arroyo

3-4-2

Serey

9-2

6 Deputy Dillon(L),116

R Richard

3-x-x

Wlhel-S

20-1

7 OoohsandAahs(L),123

FPnnngtn

x-x-x

A Dutrow

4-1

8 PlymouthSquar(L),123

S Elliott

6-2-2

Servis

3-1

SEVENTH-1m&70y; $30,000; str alw; 4up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Disco Rhythm(L),118

RMontanz

4-3-4

Allard

12-1

2 Layers(L),120

KCarmoch

1-5-2

Dotolo

7-2

3 SerendipperMn(L),111

J Ortiz

6-1-4

Servis

8-1

4 Eze Does It(L),120

K Frey

1-3-2

Catalan

10-1

5 Silver Prado(L),118

N Petro

3-5-1

Petro

8-1

6 Padre Ed(L),118

S Uske

4-2-2

Tammar

12-1

7 PerfectGentlmn(L),118

S Elliott

1-6-3

Nunley

8-1

8 My Nicky(L),120

A Arroyo

2-3-1

Calderon

9-2

9 He Belongs(L),118

J Flores

6-1-5

Casey

20-1

10 Dan's My Man(L),118

J Bisono

2-1-3

Guerrero

5-2

EIGHTH-6 1/2f; $25,000; cl($12,500-); 4up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Beaureal(L),118

J Flores

2-3-1

GPreciad

9-2

2 Two Brash(L),118

RAlvardJr

3-2-4

Parker

7-2

3 Harlequin Sky(L),118

V Molina

2-5-3

Curry

12-1

4 Threeo'ClckRck(L),120

F Boyce

1-5-3

Allard

10-1

5 Score the Gold(L),120

J Bisono

1-2-4

Maymo

6-1

6 Dad's LittleMan(L),120

L Flores

6-1-5

Landicini

8-1

7 Calvin's Dream(L),113

K Pellot

4-1-4

LeBarron

5-2

8 Tyzach(L),118

K Frey

5-6-5

Reid

5-1

NINTH-1m&70y; $47,000; alw; 4up; (f&m)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

2 Queen's Rule(L),117

J Bracho

5-3-1

Bracho

12-1

3 My Sweet Emily(L),119

RAlvardJr

3-1-3

GPreciad

4-1

4 Cupolatte(L),117

K Frey

3-2-1

Zulueta

9-2

1 a-Be My Candy(L),117

KCarmoch

5-5-3

Demasi

5-2

5 Pure Strike(L),117

FPnnngtn

4-6-2

Doran

6-1

6 For Real Too(L),117

A Arroyo

6-1-1

Levine

10-1

1A a-Red for Certain ,117

KCarmoch

1-4-4

Demasi

5-2

7 Lightshaft(L),117

J Bisono

1-2-2

Servis

3-1

a-Coupled

TENTH-6f; $45,000; mdn spcl wt; 3YO

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Came Back(L),121

V Molina

x-x-x

Goldberg

8-1

2 Edge of Glory(L),121

S Russell

3-4-x

Shuman

5-1

3 Rovin Man(M),121

RAlvardJr

6-x-x

GPreciad

8-1

4 MakerofthCrwn(L),121

M Rispoli

5-6-5

Rispoli

20-1

5 Quiet Rally ,121

JHmpshrJr

x-x-x

Farro

12-1

6 Nofinancingndd(L),121

KCarmoch

7-2-3

Trombett

4-1

7 Arrogant Officer ,121

J Nguyen

7-3-4

Noble

20-1

8 Shamrock Ruler(L),121

O Castillo

3-2-x

Madrigal

6-1

9 Greyfriars(L),121

RMontanz

x-x-x

Zulueta

10-1

10 License to Cary ,121

FPnnngtn

x-x-x

Pollara

12-1

11 Jake N Elwood(L),121

K Frey

2-x-x

Petro

5-2

12 Western Ice ,121

E Rivera

6-x-x

DeSncts

20-1

PN Horse, PN Horse, 4upPN Horse

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