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LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- All year long, Gun Runner had dodged no one when frequently competing against the very best 3-year-olds of 2016.Late Friday afternoon, beneath the glare of the Churchill Downs lights, the hard-knocking colt finally got his first Grade 1 victory, leading wire to wire in the 142nd running of the $500,000 Clark Handicap, the annual marquee race of the fall meet.He deserved this, said Steve Asmussen, who trains Gun Runner for the partnership of Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm. All those Grade 1 winners hed beaten, all the good races hed run. Im really happy for the horse and everyone involved.Sent away the 2-1 favorite as the only 3-year-old in a field of 10, Gun Runner made the early lead from post 1, with jockey Florent Geroux finding himself on a solo lead that seemed unlikely -- at least on paper.The expected frontrunner in the 1-1/8-mile race, Noble Bird, broke tardily under Julien Leparoux and quickly found himself in traffic, altering the complexion of the race as Gun Runner went unchallenged on opening fractions of 23.72 and 48 seconds.That horse [Noble Bird] doesnt always break well, so was I surprised I was by myself? Yes and no, said Geroux.He does that sometimes, Leparoux said afterward with a shrug. He doesnt break for some reason.Into the far turn, Noble Bird had made his way up to the flank of Gun Runner as the closest pursuer, but with a quarter-mile remaining, Noble Bird was spent and Geroux was bracing for Breaking Lucky, a 46-1 shot who was in full flight and angling out to challenge. Geroux put Gun Runner to a drive, and soon it was all over, with the final margin being 2-3/4 lengths.Breaking Lucky, ridden by Luis Contreras, finished another 3-1/2 lengths before Shaman Ghost. Hoppertunity was fourth, followed by Hawaakom, Effinex, Noble Bird, Are You Kidding Me, Prayer for Relief, and Mr. Z.Gun Runner returned $6.20 after after finishing 1-1/8 miles in 1:48.50 over a fast track. Under handicap conditions, he carried 118 pounds, six fewer than Hoppertunity, the 2014 Clark winner as a 3-year-old.Geroux, who rode Gun Runner in every one of the colts starts this year, was effusive in his praise.He ran in some very tough races all year, he said. Most of the other 3-year-olds are gone, referring to the retirements of Nyquist, Exaggerator, and Creator. Hes a pretty amazing horse.Gun Runner, a chestnut Kentucky-bred by Candy Ride, won the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby before finishing third at 10-1 behind Nyquist and Exaggerator in the Kentucky Derby. Withheld from the Preakness and Belmont, he then won the Matt Winn at Churchill in preparation for the Haskell, in which he turned in his only subpar finish of the year when fifth. He then was third in the Travers, second in the Pennsylvania Derby, and second in his first try against older horses in the Nov. 4 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita.Asmussen and David Fiske, racing manager for Winchell, were slow to commit to the Clark before the colt breezed an easy half-mile here Monday.We were aware of this race, aware of the prospects, said Asmussen. Being just three weeks after the Breeders Cup, we wanted to make sure.Gun Runner will travel in the next few days to Asmussens main winter base, the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. He will be pointed to a 4-year-old campaign, with the $12 million Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 28 at Gulfstream being a possibility, said Doug Cauthen, vice chairman for Three Chimneys.Gun Runner finishes the year with four wins, two seconds, and two thirds from nine starts. The $294,500 winners share from the Clark lifts his earnings to $1,970,880 for 2016.The $2 exacta (1-7) paid $152.40, the $1 trifecta (1-7-4) returned $492.10, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-7-4-9) was worth $215.26.Racing resumes Saturday at Churchill with a 12-race Stars of Tomorrow card featuring twin 2-year-old stakes, the Kentucky Jockey Club and Golden Rod. The Single 6 jackpot (races 7-12) stands at $163,510 for Saturday.The 21-day fall meet ends Sunday with a 12-race card and a mandatory dispersal of the Single 6 pool. Post time daily is 1 p.m. Eastern.Wholesale Jordans China . PETERSBURG, Fla. 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First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark".PHILADELPHIA -- The New York Mets clinched a playoff spot Saturday, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 to secure the top National League wild card.The defending NL champions will host San Francisco or St. Louis on Wednesday night at Citi Field, with the winner advancing to face the Chicago Cubs.James Loney hit a two-run homer to back Bartolo Colon (15-8), and Jeurys Familia closed for his major league-high 51st save. T.J. Rivera, Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera each had an RBI single.The only other time the Mets made the postseason in consecutive years was 1999-2000. New York won the NL East last season and went all the way to the World Series before losing to Kansas City.By clinching with one day to spare in the regular season, the Mets can save All-Star ace Noah Syndergaard for the wild-card game. The big right-hander could still get a brief tuneup Sunday against the Phillies, but should be fresh for Wednesday.Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer in what was likely his penultimate game with the Phillies, who have dropped six straight. Patrick Schuster (0-1) took the loss.GIANTS 3, DODGERS 0SAN FRANCISCO -- Giants rookie Ty Blach outpitched ace Clayton Kershaw, and San Francisco held its lead for the last NL playoff spot going into the final day of the regular season.The Giants stayed one game ahead of St. Louis for the second wild card.Blach (1-0) earned his first big league victory, pitching eight innings of three-hit ball. He struck out six and walked one in his second start in the majors, and also got his first two hits.Sergio Romo closed for his fourth save.Angel Pagan homered in the fifth off Kershaw (12-4) to break a scoreless tie. Kershaw will start Game 1 of the Division Series against Washington -- the Los Angeles loss gave the Nationals home-field advantage.CARDINALS 4, PIRATES 3ST. LOUIS -- Jedd Gyorko hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning, Matt Holliday provided another big boost and St. Louis pushed the playoff race to the final day.The Cardinals trail San Francisco by one game for the second NL wild card.Gyorkos 30th homer came off Felipe Rivero (1-6).Kevin Siegrist (6-3) pitched the eighth. Seung Hwan Oh left runners at second and third for his 19th save.YANKEES 7, ORIOLES 3NEW YORK -- Tyler Austin tied the score with a seventh-inning home run, Austin Romine and Brett Gardner drove in two runs each in the eighth and New York rallied from a three-run deficit to stall Baltimores playoff push.Thanks to Detroits loss Saturday night, however, Baltimore (88-73) can clinch an AL wild card with a win Sunday at Yankee Stadium.All-Star setup man Brad Brach (10-4) took the loss. He was charged with a season-high four runs.Tyler Clippard (2-3) pitched a perfect eighth, and Dellin Betances struck out the side after an infield hit in the ninth. The Yankees stopped the Orioles three-game winning streak and sent them to their second loss in eight games.Mark Trumbo had four hits for Baltimore, which built a 3-0 lead against Luis Severino on Michael Bourns two-run single and Manny Machados 37th home run. Machados third-inning, opposite-field drive to right ended an 0-for-17 slide.BRAVES 5, TIGERS 3ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis homered, rookie Aaron Blair had a career-high 10 strikeouts and last-place Atlanta damaged Detroits playoff hopes.Detroit began the day a half-game behind Toronnto for the second AL wild card.dddddddddddd The loss meant the Tigers no longer controlled their own fate.The Tigers will have ace Justin Verlander on the mound Sunday. Depending on the playoff scenario, Detroits regular season might extend with a makeup home game Monday against Cleveland.Atlanta took a 5-2 lead in the seventh on Adonis Garcias two-run single, but reliever Mauricio Cabrera loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth. Chaz Roe struck out Miguel Cabrera and got J.D. Martinez to ground into a double play.Braves closer Jim Johnson gave up a run in the ninth on Jose Iglesias infield single but retired pinch-hitter Victor Martinez to earn his 19th save. The Braves have won 11 of 13 heading into the last game at Turner Field.Blair (2-7) entered with an 8.02 ERA but gave up four hits and two runs in five innings.Detroit starter Jordan Zimmermann (9-7) went four innings and is 0-4 with an 11.64 ERA in four starts since June 24.NATIONALS 2, MARLINS 1WASHINGTON -- Nationals rookie Trea Turner hit his 13th homer, Tanner Roark tuned up for the playoffs with 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball and Washington beat Miami while clinching home-field advantage in the NL Division Series.NL East champion Washingtons third trip to the postseason in five years will begin Friday in the nations capital against the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers, with Max Scherzer slated to face Clayton Kershaw.The Nationals, it turned out, didnt need to beat the Marlins -- which they did, thanks to Turner, Roark (16-10) and Bryce Harpers RBI single. The Dodgers loss to San Francisco assured Washington a better record and was announced before the bottom of the seventh to the Nationals Park crowd of 31,635, which responded with a standing ovation.Wei-Yin Chen (5-5) allowed two runs in five innings.Mark Melancon got four outs for his 46th save.INDIANS 6, ROYALS 3KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Francisco Lindor hit a two-out, two-run double during an eighth-inning rally to help Cleveland beat Kansas City .Kevin McCarthy replaced Matt Strahm (2-2) with a runner on and walked the bases loaded before Lindors double over third base.Mike Clevinger (3-3) won for the AL Central champs by retiring the only two batters he faced. Cody Allen worked the ninth for his 31st save in 34 opportunities.Trevor Bauer tuned up for the postseason by striking out nine over six innings of three-run ball. Bauer will start Game 1 of the Division Series against Boston.REDS 7, CUBS 4CINCINNATI -- Jon Lester failed to become a 20-game winner, struggling for the first time since mid-July as the Reds pulled away to a victory over whats likely to be the Cubs lineup for the first game of the playoffs.Lester (19-5) gave up five runs in five innings, including Eugenio Suarezs two-run homer and a pair of RBI by Joey Votto. The left-hander hadnt allowed five runs in a start since July 9.Cubs manager Joe Maddon has been getting players -- especially his starting pitchers -- some rest heading into the postseason. Even so, the Cubs have won eight of 12, finishing one of their best regular seasons with a flourish. Chicagos 102 victories are its most since 1910.Tim Adleman (4-4) gave up three runs in five innings as part of a rare Reds victory over Chicago. ' ' '