up competition. The last time the U.S. blew a 2-0 advantage was the 1994 semifinals against Sweden.The Bryan twins are 10-4 in Davis Cup

BALTIMORE -- Right from the start, a horse trained by one not so over-the-hill Hall of Famer and ridden by another took control of the Preakness. The result: a huge upset and the end of any hopes for a Triple Crown attempt at the Belmont Stakes. Thanks to Oxbows wire-to-wire win Saturday over Kentucky Derby winner Orb, trainer D. Wayne Lukas and jockey Gary Stevens have themselves another classic to add to their stellar resumes. "I get paid to spoil dreams," the 77-year-old Lukas said after his record 14th win in a Triple Crown race. "Unfortunately we go over here and you cant mail em in. Its a different surface and a different time. You gotta line em up and win em." Stevens ended his retirement in January, and won his third Preakness to go along with three victories in the Derby and three in the Belmont. "At 50 years old, after seven years retirement, it doesnt get any better than this," Stevens said. "This is super, super sweet and it happened for the right guy. All the stars were aligned. Its even more special winning it for Wayne Lukas and his team." Lukas put Stevens on his first Triple Crown race winner -- when the rider guided the filly Winning Colors to victory in the 1988 Derby. Stevens last won a Triple Crown race in 2001, taking the Belmont aboard Point Given. "He supported me," Stevens said. "A lot of people were trying to get me off. He was the first guy to call me up and said Im going to have a colt for you. His name is Oxbow." Orb was unable to find his rhythm after starting from the No. 1 post, and never challenged in finishing fourth. "After we passed the half mile, he had a hard time keeping up and I kind of worried a little bit," Orbs jockey Joel Rosario said. "He just kind of steadied after that. He usually takes you there. He always runs hard, but today he never took off." Orbs loss extends the Triple Crown drought to 36 years since Affirmed became the 11th horse to sweep the races in 1978. There had been great anticipation the sport would get another Triple try just a year after Ill Have Another won the first two races but was scratched the day before the Belmont with a tendon injury. Lukas won his sixth Preakness to move one behind Robert Wyndham Walden for most wins in the second leg of the Triple Crown. The victory was a long time coming for the dean of trainers. The last Triple Crown race he won was the 2000 Belmont with Commendable. Before that, he was a regular in the winners circle after classic races. At one point, he ran off six in a row -- from the 1994 Preakness through the 1996 Derby. He also was the first to send out five horses in one Derby, and won it with Grindstone in 1996. The first trainer to gear his operation toward Triple Crown races, Lukas took a run at the coveted prize in 1999 with Charismatic. The unsung 3-year-old won the Derby and Preakness, but broke his leg in the stretch of the Belmont while finishing third. Oxbow, sent off at odds of 15-1, took charge from the start out of the No. 6 post and beat Itsmyluckyday by 1 3/4 lengths. Mylute, with Rosie Napravnik bidding to become the first female to win the Preakness, was third, followed by Orb, Goldencents, Departing, Will Take Charge, Govenor Charlie and Titletown Five. Orbs trainer, Shug McGaughey, so confident in the two weeks leading up to the race, was gracious despite his disappointment. "It was a great opportunity," the Hall of Famer said. "We were 3-5 and we finished fourth. Well pack it up and go home. Hats off to Wayne." He also recalled a brief conversation with Lukas a few days before the race. "Just two days ago, he said to me We got another one on the agenda," McGaughey said. "And darn if two days later he didnt get it ... When Wayne wasnt going good, he was still the first guy out on his pony. The guys a credit to racing. Hes always upbeat and optimistic." Orb came into the Preakness with a five-race winning streak and many expected him to win easily. But it wasnt to be on an overcast windy day at Pimlico Race Course, where 117,203 fans turned out. Oxbow went to the lead ahead of Goldencents and opened some daylight into the first turn. Orb, who broke slowly as expected, wound up in a cluster of horses around the turn and into the backstretch. While Oxbow was cruising along in front, Rosario tried to find room outside but found his path blocked. Orb dropped back to the inside, and perhaps frustrated without any space to run free like he did in the Derby, fell back to seventh and was never a threat in the stretch. "The pace was slower than I anticipated," McGaughey said. "I thought maybe they would speed it up a little bit but they didnt. I thought we would close into it but it just wasnt his day. He was just never real comfortable once he got down in there." Oxbow covered the 1 3-16 miles in a slow 1:57.54 and paid $32.80, $12 and $8.80. Itsmyluckyday, 15th in the Derby, returned $7.80 and $5 and Mylute paid $5.20 to show. Lukas had three of the nine horses in the Preakness, and it was his best Derby finisher who was able to come through. Just like that, he broke the tie with "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons for most Triple Crown wins. "I shared that record with a very special name," Lukas said. "If I never broke it, I was proud of that. But Im also proud to have it." Wholesale Basketball Jerseys Throwback . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. Stitched Basketball Jerseys Throwback . Barcelonas entertaining victory ensured the defending Spanish champions retained their share of the league lead with Atletico Madrid two rounds ahead of their meeting in the capital. Real Madrid needed a late goal by substitute Jese Rodriguez to earn a 3-2 victory at Valencia to stay in third place and three points behind its title rivals. http://www.cheapbasketballthrowback.com/throwback-clifton-mcneely-jersey-88u.html . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. Basketball Jerseys Throwback Outlet . PETERSBURG, Fla. Cheap Basketball Jerseys Throwback China . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. PORTLAND, Ore. -- Jack Sock needed a little time to get up to speed Friday in his first Davis Cup match.Once Sock got his serve straightened out, the U.S. raced to a 2-0 lead over Croatia in the best-of-five quarterfinal tie.Sock overcame a two-set deficit to beat Marin Cilic 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, and John Isner topped Borna Coric 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the second match on the Tualatin Hills hard court.The U.S. can wrap up the Davis Cup tie Saturday with a win in the doubles match between twins Bob and Mike Bryan and Ivan Dodig and Marin Draganja. Two reverse singles matches are scheduled for Sunday.Our mindset is were happy, U.S. captain Jim Courier said. For us, its about putting our hard hats on and let Bob and Mike do what they do. I like our chances.The U.S-Croatia winner will advance to the semifinals in September to face the Czech Republic-France winner. The United States is seeking its first semifinals appearance since 2012.The United States is 157-3 when leading 2-0 in Davis Cup competition. The last time the U.S. blew a 2-0 advantage was the 1994 semifinals against Sweden.The Bryan twins are 10-4 in Davis Cup doubles competition.The 23-year-old Sock set the tone Friday, though it took a while to get going. Cilic, No. 12 in the world, rushed to a two-set lead after breaking Sock three times in the second set. But Sock also had his moments during the first two sets, and he used that, along with a bit of inspiration from Courier to fuel a comeback.I had a ton of chances in the second. I didnt get blown off the court. I just had to make a few smarter decisions on the first serve and returning, Sock said.Courier noted that Cilic might be struggling a bit mentally after the 27-year-old Croatian blew a two-set lead to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon quarterfinals less than two weeks ago.I was using that as a little bit of a carrot to keep Jack in there, Courier said.The big-serving Sock bounced back, using an early service break to win the third set. Sock, No. 26 in the world, then pulled even, winning the fourth set by claiming the final two games.Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open champion, said it wasnt momentum swinging in Socks favor as much as thee young American simply improved his play.ddddddddddddJack started to serve really well ... he was not giving me too many chances in the return game, Cilic said.Sock won the fifth set after breaking Cilic to take a 5-4 lead on the Tualatin Hills hard court. Sock won the last four points of the final game, claiming the 3-hour, 13-minute match when Cilic hit his final shot into the net.Sock said the victory is a career highlight.Its up there for sure, Sock said. Havent played a ton of five-setters, havent come back from two-down. To do that in front of the home crowd, it feels really special.The win over Cilic capped a big Friday for Sock, who earlier in the day was named to the U.S. Olympic team.As a kid you grow up and its kind of on your bucket list. Im very excited to get down there and hopefully play some good tennis, Sock said.Isner rode the momentum of Socks comeback win to the three-set win over the 19-year-old Coric.Jack had a lot of positive energy on his side. ... For me, it helps a lot. Took a lot of pressure off me. Regardless of what I do, were not going to be losing. I was in a good spot, thanks to Jack, Isner said.Isner, dominating with his big serve that reached as high as 137 mph, had 23 aces to Corics 3. The 31-year-old Isner, No. 16 in the world and playing in his 20th career Davis Cup match, broke Coric once in each set.I didnt use my chances in the first two sets. I had many chances to break him, and on 5-4 in both sets, I played a really poor game, Coric said.The U.S. last hosted a Davis Cup match in 2014, when it lost in the first round to Britain in San Diego. This is the fourth time Portland has hosted a Davis Cup tie.The United States is trying to break a nine-year Davis Cup title drought. The U.S. won in 2007 when it beat Russia 4-1 in Portland. Croatia claimed its only Davis Cup title in 2005.The U.S. has won a Davis Cup-high 32 titles, but only one since 1995.Should the United States clinch the Davis Cup tie Saturday, Sundays reverse singles matches will be shortened to best-of-three sets. ' ' '