Mike Smith

Trainer John Shirreffs said he was eating at a Pasadena restaurant Christmas day when he overheard a bartender ask another worker, "Are you going to the races tomorrow?" That might have been a clue to the interest in opening day at Santa Anita, where on Monday the on-track attendance was 44,579, the largest opening-day crowd since 1994. It resulted in traffic jams, filled parking lots and long lines for bathrooms, beer and betting. "I think it's so much fun," Shirreffs said.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Around Clockers' Corner at Santa Anita, they will tell you never to ignore jockey Mike Smith in a big race, no matter the odds. Those who heeded that advice in the $1-million Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old females were happy Friday. Smith, riding 38-1 shot Princess Of Sylmar, dawdled near the rear of the field most of the race and then found a hole on the homestretch and guided the filly past all the bigger-name horses to victory. The Princess paid $79.60, $29.40 and $14. Smith's horse paid $727 for a $2 exacta, $3,470.80 for a $2 trifecta, and $12,445 for a $2 superfecta.

The way Mike Smith recalled his first moment of Derby fever, he was afflicted while at home in Roswell, N.M. Because he wasn't yet 8 years old and he was small enough to envision a future as a jockey, he had an unusual vantage point for the 1973 telecast of the Run for the Roses. "I was sitting on the coffee table," he said. Because his uncle was a trainer and his father rode for a time, Smith already had been on horseback.

How much is experience worth? The Atlanta Falcons are about to find out, as they're hoping the fourth time in the playoffs is a charm. They've reached the postseason four times in Coach Mike Smith's five seasons but were one and done in their previous three playoff games. Smith said the top-seeded Falcons are “much more mature” than they were in previous years because of the disappointment and frustration they have endured in the playoffs. “I think you learn from your previous experiences in the playoffs,” Smith said.

Quite the ladies' man, this Mike Smith. He may be bald, he may be just a little guy, and he may be just three years shy of that symbolic male decline age of 50. But put him in the saddle of a filly or mare in a big-money horse race and it is instant mutual love. Friday at Santa Anita, in a $2-million Ladies' Classic Breeders' Cup race that was expected to be the best and most closely contested of all the 15 races in this two-day, $25.5-million thoroughbred extravaganza, Smith guided his current girlfriend, Royal Delta, to a convincing length-and-a-half victory.

Weekend sports anchor Mike Smith is out at Channel 4, and the station has already hired a replacement. Tom Capra, Channel 4's news director, confirmed Tuesday that Bret Lewis, a Miami, Fla., sportscaster, will replace Smith. Lewis will begin his new job in late March or early April. Lewis, 40, has been the No. 1 sports anchor for WSVN, the NBC affiliate in Miami, the past four years. He previously worked at KSFW, the CBS affiliate in Dallas, which is Lewis' hometown.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Around Clockers' Corner at Santa Anita, they will tell you never to ignore jockey Mike Smith in a big race, no matter the odds. Those who heeded that advice in the $1-million Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old females were happy Friday. Smith, riding 38-1 shot Princess Of Sylmar, dawdled near the rear of the field most of the race and then found a hole on the homestretch and guided the filly past all the bigger-name horses to victory. The Princess paid $79.60, $29.40 and $14. Smith's horse paid $727 for a $2 exacta, $3,470.80 for a $2 trifecta, and $12,445 for a $2 superfecta.

The art of shaping a custom surfboard requires persistence: you must fail before you can begin to succeed. "The surfer comes back and complains," said Bill (Blinky) Hubina, who has spent decades pondering the perfect outline, the finely crafted tail. "You look at the board and figure out what's wrong. You make adjustments."

To read that Clippers announcer Michael Smith babbled out some on-air, racist-sounding inanities, apparently intended to be humorous, is one thing. To find out that Ralph Lawler, a Hall of Fame-quality broadcaster, went along for the ride is, however, surprising. They both ended up sounding like a couple of dumb yokels just off the bus in the big city. But from Lawler we expect more. He should have had the presence of mind to stop the chatter as soon as he sensed its offensive nature. After all, Los Angeles is a cosmopolitan city, not some backwoods burg where ignorance passes for comedy.

It's a week before the Breeders' Cup World Championships and Mike Smith sits in a quiet corner of the Santa Anita jockeys' room, searching for words to describe Zenyatta's special qualities. The 5-year-old mare will try to extend her undefeated streak to a record 14 major races today when she competes for the first time against males in the marquee Breeders' Cup Classic. Smith, 44, a Hall of Fame jockey whose remarkable career spans nearly 30 years, says that Zenyatta is probably the best horse he has ridden and that if she prevails "she'll have to go down as one of the all-time greats."

Game On Dude won the $242,500 Native Diver Stakes by 11/4 lengths at Betfair Hollywood Park, rebounding from a poor performance in the Breeders' Cup Classic last month. Ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith , Game On Dude ran 11/8 miles on Cushion Track in 1:52.27 and paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10 as the 3-10 favorite. He became the shortest priced winner in the race's history, paying less than the $2.80 of Twilight Agenda in 1991. Nonios returned $3.20 and $2.40, while defending champion Kettle Corn was another 4 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $3 to show.

Quite the ladies' man, this Mike Smith. He may be bald, he may be just a little guy, and he may be just three years shy of that symbolic male decline age of 50. But put him in the saddle of a filly or mare in a big-money horse race and it is instant mutual love. Friday at Santa Anita, in a $2-million Ladies' Classic Breeders' Cup race that was expected to be the best and most closely contested of all the 15 races in this two-day, $25.5-million thoroughbred extravaganza, Smith guided his current girlfriend, Royal Delta, to a convincing length-and-a-half victory.

Santa Anita's Great Race Place, with lots of workers and media on hand Monday, was abuzz. Down the street a couple of blocks, having lunch and itching to get to this weekend's Breeders' Cup, jockey Mike Smith was aglow. "Boy, I'm mounted well," he said. They will run six Breeders' Cup races Friday and nine more Saturday, with a total purse of $25.5 million. Like the money, story lines will be in abundance. Smith is best positioned to be a main character. It isn't just that he will ride in eight races, or that any of several rides could produce a treasured jockey record.

Atlanta Falcons Coach Mike Smith is very disappointed in running back Michael Turner, who was arrested on charges of drunk driving and speeding early Tuesday, just hours after he scored a touchdown in the team's win over the Denver Broncos. “First and foremost, any time a player sheds negatively on our football team and on our organization, we are very disappointed,” Smith said. “This is a legal matter, and it's very well-defined how we have to proceed with it through the league, and we'll let this process run its course.” Smith met with Turner on Tuesday and let him know in person his feelings on what happened.

First, the feared traffic nightmare didn't materialize Sunday, when cycling and hockey fans minded their transit rules in the morning. Then another doomsday scenario was averted when the Coyotes and goalie Mike Smith cooperated by shutting out the Kings. Result No. 1: Traffic flowed on the road and at Staples Center. The hockey game ended in regulation, meaning the NBA playoff game between the Clippers and Spurs could start on time. Result No. 2: The road it is for the Kings.

Now the Kings will feel some heat. Not so much in the Western Conference finals. They still  have a 3-1 series lead on Phoenix. But the Coyotes' 2-0 victory at Staples Center on Sunday afternoon sent things back to the sweltering desert for Game 5 on Tuesday, where life will be a less-than-comfy 106 degrees, according to accuweather.com. Shane Doan's two goals will force the Kings to sweat out one more game, spoiling Sunday's coronation plans that had even brought owner Philip Anschutz out of hiding.

Game On Dude won the $242,500 Native Diver Stakes by 11/4 lengths at Betfair Hollywood Park, rebounding from a poor performance in the Breeders' Cup Classic last month. Ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith , Game On Dude ran 11/8 miles on Cushion Track in 1:52.27 and paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10 as the 3-10 favorite. He became the shortest priced winner in the race's history, paying less than the $2.80 of Twilight Agenda in 1991. Nonios returned $3.20 and $2.40, while defending champion Kettle Corn was another 4 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $3 to show.

GLENDALE, Ariz. --  The Kings went with new media after their Game 1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the playoffs, posting, "To everyone in Canada outside BC. You're welcome," on Twitter. They appeared to go old school in delivering a message to the Phoenix Coyotes on Sunday. Justin Williams employed traditional hockey social graces by barreling into Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith a little more than four minutes into the series. It provoked a similar response from Smith, who jumped Williams after the whistle and received a roughing penalty.

Every fan base needs a villain in a playoff series. Kings fans seem to be befuddled by which Phoenix Coyote to pick. There was Shane Doan , who scored two goals Sunday and continued his seek-and-hit ways in a 2-0 victory Sunday at Staples Center. There was goaltender Mike Smith , who made 36 saves to help the Coyotes avoid elimination in the Western Conference finals. Whom do you hate? "How about Dustin Brown ?" Coyotes backup goaltender Jason LaBarbera said.

GLENDALE, Ariz. --  The Kings went with new media after their Game 1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the playoffs, posting, "To everyone in Canada outside BC. You're welcome," on Twitter. They appeared to go old school in delivering a message to the Phoenix Coyotes on Sunday. Justin Williams employed traditional hockey social graces by barreling into Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith a little more than four minutes into the series. It provoked a similar response from Smith, who jumped Williams after the whistle and received a roughing penalty.