LOUISVILLE, Ky. >> Rodriguez has been scratched from the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, leaving trainer Bob Baffert with one entry in his return to Churchill Downs after serving a three-year suspension.

Baffert made the decision Thursday, leaving fellow Hall of Famer Mike Smith without a mount in what would have been his record-extending 29th Derby start.

There was no immediate reason given for the scratch.

Baffert will saddle Citizen Bull, last year’s 2-year-old champion, in pursuit of a record-breaking seventh Derby win. The colt drew the dreaded No. 1 post and will be under pressure to break quickly before the rest of the field comes over on him.

With the defection of Rodriguez, Baeza will make the field of 20 3-year-olds. The colt has been on the grounds since last week training in the hopes he would get in. He is trained by John Shirreffs.

Baeza was runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby last month.

Tennis

Gauff routs Swiatek to reach Madrid final >> Coco Gauff overpowered defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 to reach the Madrid Open singles final for the first time.

Gauff broke Swiatek’s serve three times in the first set and twice in the second to cruise to a 64-minute semifinal victory over the second-ranked Swiatek at the clay-court tournament.

Gauff will face top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-5 to reach the Madrid final for the fourth time in her career.

In the men’s quarterfinals, Casper Ruud advanced by defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-5 to become the first player born in 1990 or later to reach 30 tour-level semifinals on clay.

The 15th-ranked Norwegian had been 0-3 against Medvedev in his career.

College athletics

Kentucky changes its athletic department to an LLC >> With college athletics bracing for the expected approval of a $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement, the University of Kentucky is believed to be the first school to convert its athletic department to a limited-liability holding company.

The creation of Champions Blue LLC, approved last week by the university’s Board of Trustees, is seen as a way for Kentucky to become more nimble in finding new revenue. The pending settlement in the House case will clear the way for schools to share up to $20.5 million annually with their athletes, but name, image and likeness deals on top of that are seen as a key asset in landing and keeping elite recruits — and that takes money.

Izzo will be co-interim AD at Michigan State >> Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller is leaving the school and deputy athletic director Jennifer Smith and men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo will serve as co-interim ADs, university president Kevin Guskiewicz announced.

Haller’s last day will be May 11. Guskiewicz did not disclose the reason for Haller’s exit.

Guskiewicz said a national search would begin to find a successor to Haller, who was promoted from deputy athletic director in 2021.

Golf

Scheffler takes 1st-round lead at Byron Nelson >> Scottie Scheffler is happy to be back at his hometown event and showed it. Cameron Champ isn’t far from familiar territory, either, which is a good thing considering he got the call that he was in the Byron Nelson as an alternate about 18 hours before his tee time.

Scheffler made the turn in 29 on his way to a 10-under 61 for a two-shot lead over Rico Hoey and Jhonattan Vegas, with Champ among seven players another shot back at 64.

Defending champion Taylor Pendrith shot 67 with players allowed to lift, clean and replace their shots in the fairways after the par-71 TPC Craig Ranch got heavy rainfall Wednesday.

Ryu, Jutanugarn have solid start on LPGA >> Haeran Ryu and Ariya Jutanugarn didn’t waste time moving on from the disappointment of the first LPGA major behind them, both opening with bogey-free rounds for an ideal start in the inaugural Black Desert Championship.

Ryu missed only one fairway, one green and took 27 putts in her round of 9-under 63, giving her a one-shot lead over Jutanugarn in the LPGA’s return to Utah for the first time in just over 60 years. Black Desert hosted a PGA Tour event last fall.

Pickleball

Agassi wins his professional debut >> Andre Agassi won his professional pickleball debut a day after turning 55, teaming with 18-year-old Anna Leigh Waters to defeat a pair of even younger teens 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 in the mixed pro division at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships on Wednesday.

Agassi is an eight-time Grand Slam champion who retired from professional tennis in 2006. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame five years later.

He has participated in made-for-TV pickleball exhibitions with other former tennis players and can be seen pitching pickleball equipment via social media.

Soccer

Man United and Tottenham take commanding leads >> The rescue act is on for Manchester United and Tottenham. Big wins for both teams in the first legs of the Europa League semifinals kept alive their hopes of lifting a major trophy and qualifying for the Champions League.

United beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 at the San Mames in Spain and Tottenham won 3-1 at home against Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt.

Both United and Spurs have endured miserable domestic campaigns and are languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League. But European club soccer’s second-tier Europa League could yet see one of them salvage their season.

Not only is silverware on the line, but so is an unlikely route to the lucrative Champions League as the prize for winning the competition.

Baseball

Man who fell over railing in critical condition >> A man who fell from the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during Wednesday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs remained in critical condition.

Pittsburgh Public Safety, which includes Pittsburgh Police and EMS, posted on X that the “incident is being treated as accidental in nature.”

The unidentified man fell onto the warning track in right field just as Pirates star Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to put Pittsburgh ahead 4-3. Players began waving frantically for medical personnel and pointing to the man.

Red Sox’s Buehler returns to Boston for tests >> Red Sox right-hander Walker Buehler returned to Boston to have tests on his sore right shoulder and won’t start against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, manager Alex Cora said.

Buehler is 4-1 with a 4.28 ERA in his six starts since signing a one-year, $21.05 million contract with the Red Sox last December. He allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings to beat Cleveland last Saturday, his third straight winning start.

Yankees put Stanton on 60-day IL >> The New York Yankees transferred outfielder and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton to the 60-day injured list while claiming outfielder Bryan De La Cruz off waivers from the Atlanta Braves.

Stanton is rehabbing from torn tendons in both of his elbows and hopes to be back sometime in June. He began doing some on-field hitting about a week ago with the Yankees, who open a series against the Rays on Friday night in New York.

Motor sports

Verstappen awaits birth of first child >> Four-time reigning Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen skipped activities at the Miami Grand Prix to be with his partner as she awaits the birth of their first child.

It is not clear when Kelly Piquet is due and Red Bull only announced that Verstappen would not attend media activities. The team said no further details would be released and that Verstappen is expected in Miami in time for Friday on-track action.