e did our best but Lexie Lou was just

GLASGOW -- Ryan Cochrane was supposed to have a down year. The decorated Canadian swimmer was focused on graduating from university before ramping things up again for next summers Pan American Games ahead of what will be his final Olympics in 2016. Instead, Cochrane is back where he always seems to be. The 25-year-old put in a dominating performance in the final of the mens 1,500-metre freestyle at the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday for his second gold medal in Scotland. "Its funny how quickly you can get talked into things," said Cochrane, who also won the 400-metre freestyle on Thursday. "I said that school was my focus this year, but with that said I like the balance of being able to work at my academics as well as in the pool. "I think it put things really into perspective. I was able to enjoy both processes and not get overwhelmed." It was the competition that was overwhelmed on this night as the Victoria native raced to a time of 14 minutes 44.03 seconds on what was Canadas best day at the Games. With his legs and arms churning towards his countrys fourth gold medal in the pool, Cochrane ignored the fatigue and powered through with the knowledge it would be his final race on this stage. "When it started to get hard at about 1,200 metres I kept telling myself, This is one of your last chances to have a kick at this race," said Cochrane. "It can be really hard and it can be shocking when you can count down the races you have left, but with that being said I think I used it to my benefit." Cochranes performance repeated his double-gold performance from the Commonwealth Games four years ago in New Delhi, and was one of a number of impressive performances on Tuesday as Canada rose from sixth to third in the overall standings with 39 medals (16 gold, five silver and 18 bronze). The day started with a 1-2 finish in womens cross-country mountain biking. Catharine Pendrel of Kamloops, B.C., led from the opening lap and didnt look back, finishing 70 seconds ahead of Emily Batty of Brooklin, Ont. In womens wrestling, Erica Wiebe of Stittsville, Ont., won gold in the 75-kilogram division and Korey Jarvis of Elliot Lake, Ont., won gold in the mens wrestling 125-kilo division. Jasmine Mian of Barrie, Ont., added bronze in the 48-kilo category. At the track, Damian Warner of London, Ont., won gold in the decathlon, James Steacy of Lethbridge, Alta., won gold in the hammer throw and Kate Van Buskirk of Brampton, Ont., took bronze in the womens 1,500 metres. Meanwhile, weightlifter Marie-Eve Beauchemin-Nadeau of Montreal won gold in the 75-kilo category and Jim Paton of White Rock, B.C., won silver in the fullbore individual shooting event. In mens artistic gymnastics, the team of Zachary Clay of Chilliwack, B.C., Calgarys Nathan Gafuik, Anderson Loran of Saskatoon, Kevin Lytwyn of Stoney Creek, Ont., and Scott Morgan of North Vancouver, B.C., took the bronze. Apart from Cochranes success in the pool, the womens 4x100-metre medley relay team won a bronze, as did Calgarys Brooklyn Snodgrass in the womens 50-metre backstroke, and Montreals Aurelie Rivard in the womens para-sport 200-metre individual medley S10. Cochrane was never threatened in his final, finishing 4.73 seconds ahead of Australias Mack Horton and bettering Daniel Jervis of Wales by 11.30. He won both the 400- and 1,500-metre freestyle events at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, but said before heading off to Glasgow that a repeat would be difficult at Tollcross International Swimming Centre. In the end, it wasnt. "The consistency is always wanting to be the best in the world," said Cochrane, who has won bronze and silver in the 1,500 at the Olympics. "Ive been chasing that dream for a lot of years and Ive been really proud of my results here to show that I can keep getting better even in my mid-20s." As Cochrane focused on his studies at the University of Victoria -- he graduated this spring with a degree in psychology -- he also decided to try new training techniques, including spending less time in the pool. The results in Glasgow speak for themselves. "We could have kept doing what weve done for the past six to eight years and it would have been good and we would have got the results we wanted, but maybe not quite the next step," said Cochrane. "My times are a little bit faster or similar to where Ive been, but it was such better racing. Im going to take that as a huge benefit going into the next two years." Snodgrass snatched the bronze in the womens 50-metre backstroke with a time of 27.97 second for her first Commonwealth Games medal. "It was really exciting. I felt really good in warmup so I knew I was going to have a good 50," said the 20-year-old Canadian. "I didnt know where that was going to place me, but Im more than happy with the result. "I just wanted to come here and swim fast for my country and I wanted to learn as much as possible." In the womens para-sport 200-metre individual medley S10, Rivard was third in 2:32.09. "I feel pretty great. That was my goal, to stand on the podium," said the 18-year-old, who has a disability in her left hand. "Im happy with my time and with my race. It gives me confidence for the future." Canada capped the final day of swimming at the Games nicely when Tera van Beilen of Oakville, Ont., Sinead Russell of Burlington, Ont., Katerine Savard of Pont-Rouge, Que., and Sandrine Mainville of Boucherville, Que., finished third in the womens 4x100-metre relay in 4:03.57. Canada finished with 11 overall medals in the pool, including four gold, one silver and six bronze. "Our goal was to get a medal and we did that," said van Beilen. "It was just a great way to end off an amazing meet for Canada." Devin Setoguchi Jersey . -- James Harden scored 31 points, including 25 in the second half, and the Houston Rockets dug out of a double-digit, first-half hole to beat the Orlando Magic 101-89 on Wednesday night. Custom Calgary Flames Jerseys .Cullen scored the go-ahead goal at 13:47 of the third period and Nashville beat the slumping Dallas Stars 3-2 on Thursday in a game that wasnt decided until the last shot of the night. http://www.jerseyofficialhockeyflames.c ... ey-jersey/. 25 against Miami. Hillis left Browns Stadium about two hours before kickoff, a decision that has led to speculation he was upset over ongoing negotiations with the club on a contract extension. Matthew Tkachuk Jersey . Napoli hit two home runs, Jonny Gomes and prized rookie Xander Bogaerts also connected, and the Red Sox kept up their dizzying scoring spree at Yankee Stadium by bashing New York 13-9 Saturday for a fifth straight win. Jonas Hiller Jersey . - Ryan Spooner scored twice to lead the Boston Bruins to a 6-1 victory over the New York Islanders in a preseason game Friday night. TORONTO -- Mark Casse finally has his first Queens Plate victory. Filly Lexie Lou captured the $1-million race Sunday at Woodbine Racetrack, giving the six-time Sovereign Award winner as Canadas top trainer his first Plate win. The 53-year-old American came close in 2011, finishing second to Inglorious with Hippolytus, but admitted becoming emotional after Lexie Lou crossed the finish line 1 1/2-lengths ahead of runner-up Amis Holiday, a 9-1 longshot. "My son, Colby, just started crying afterwards and to see it mean that much to him got me crying," said Casse, a 34-year racing veteran. "There was a lot of crying . . . I think I wouldve been OK had Colby not started crying. "When all youve done your entire life is been around race horses . . . I really dont know anything else. Ive been following the Queens Plate since I was a little boy and so to finally win it, I just pinch myself. I thought wed win it sooner or later. I knew I wasnt going to give up." The daughter of Sligo Bay-Oneexcessivenite served notice in the Woodbine Oaks on June 15 that she was indeed a Plate contender. Lexie Lou earned a comfortable 4 1/2-length win and covered the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:49.77, a full second faster than We Miss Arties winning time in the Plate Trial a race earlier. Breaking from the No. 14 post in the 15-horse field, Lexie Lou sat comfortably in ninth at the halfway point before steadily working up the field. She sat second behind Asserting Bear after a mile before surging into the lead, then holding off Amis Holiday to finish the 1 1/4-mile race on Woodbines polytrack in 2:03.94. "I think a lot of times theres too much preparation, too much training and we did very little with her," Casse said. "After the Oaks we sent her out to our farm, which is about an hour north of here, and let her eat grass. "When I saw her in the paddock today walking around with not a care in the world, I said to my wife, Shes going to be really really tough, because the first time we ran her she was kind of nervous. But not today." Asserting Bear finished third ahead of We Miss Artie, the 9/5 favourite who rallied to take fourth after a terrible start. The remainder of the field included: Niigon Express; Lions Bay; Matador; Heart to Heart; Coltimus Prime; Athenian Guard; Cap in Hand; One Destiny; Man o Bear; Tower of Texas; and Majestic Sunset. Lexie Lou paid $8.20, $4.50 and $3.30 while Amis Holiday returned $9.70 and $5.80. Asserting Bear paid $6. Jockey Patrick Husbands earned his second career Plate win but first since 03 when he guidedd Wando to a Triple Crown, the last horse to register that achievement.dddddddddddd But the victory was almost anti-climatic for the veteran rider. "I breezed this filly Saturday and when I pulled her up I started crying because I couldnt believe I had another Queens Plate winner," Husbands said. "On the way back to the barn I told the assistant, Could you tell Mark I dont think they will beat this filly. "I went back to my car, I called Barbados and told everybody Im coming home to celebrate. Im on the flight (Sunday night) to Barbados to celebrate (Monday)." Javier Castellano, We Miss Arties jockey, said the poor start cost his horse the race. "I think with the big field my horse got a little nervous in the gate, he completely sat down behind the gate," Castellano said. "Thats why he broke straight in the air . . . it took a lot out of him. "He was too far behind. I lost a lot of ground going around horses." Jockey Luis Contreras had no such complaints about his trip or Amis Holiday starting from the No. 15 post. "We didnt need to be on the lead and I could see all the horses from the outside position," he said. "My horse gave a tremendous kick and we almost got there." Chantal Sutherland-Kruse, the jockey aboard Asserting Bear, said Lexie Lou was a deserving winner. "We did our best but Lexie Lou was just powerful," she said. The victory was the fifth in 12 career starts for Lexie Lou, with the $600,000 winners share boosting her all-time earnings past $1.2 million. Last year, Lexie Lou ran for owner-trainer John Ross, earning more than $300,000. But after her first start this year, Ross sold the filly to Gary Barber, the chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). "I dont buy horses thinking Im going to win the Oaks," Casse said. "I buy them just thinking and hoping Im making a good buy and can make it work and sometimes funny things happen. "John Ross did a wonderful job with her, she came to us in great shape and we couldnt have done it without him. We were just in the right place at the right time and got lucky." Casse was non-commital about Lexie Lou running July 29 in the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown at Fort Erie Racetrack. "A third race in a short time and, of course, a surface shes never been over," Casse said. "Well see, we could go there. "Gary is from California and they have synthetic there and it wouldnt shock me if she ends up in California." Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Disocunt Football Jerseys White NFL Jerseys Cheap Discount Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Wholesale NFL T-shirts NFL Jerseys China ' ' '