Jun 17, 2019 3 min read

At The Meadows

Rebounding from a disastrous trip at Northfield Park, Barn Girl shot to the lead and held off a pair of talented challengers to capture Monday’s $20,000 Open 1 Handicap Trot at The Meadows.

In that journey at Northfield, Barn Girl was parked most of the way, making the lead briefly but finishing a weary seventh. She had no such difficulties Monday, as she shot to the lead from post 4 for Aaron Merriman, thwarted the extended first-over bid of Bluebird Jesse and scored in 1:53.3. The pocket-sitting Cue Hall was second, a length back, while Bluebird Jesse saved show.

Bill Bercury trains Barn Girl, a 7-year-old daughter of Cash Hall-Turquoise Sweetie who now has banked $771,168, for Renee Bercury.

Brian Zendt collected three wins on the 13-race card.

Journeyman QB McCown retires

Quarterback Josh McCown has announced he is retiring from playing football after an NFL career that spanned 16 NFL seasons and included stints with 10 teams.

McCown, who turns 40 on July 4, writes in a piece for The Players’ Tribune on Monday that he will be helping coach his two sons – also quarterbacks – in high school this year.

He played the last two seasons with the New York Jets, serving as the starter in 2017 and as a veteran backup to rookie Sam Darnold last year.

McCown issued a statement through agent Mike McCartney shortly before the NFL’s new business year began in March that his desire to continue playing remained strong, but he wanted to spend more time with his family to consider his options. McCown, an unrestricted free agent, made the Jets aware of his situation, and New York signed Trevor Siemian to serve as the backup to Darnold this season.

McCown finished with 17,707 career yards passing with 98 touchdowns and 82 interceptions. He was a third-round draft pick of Arizona in 2002 and also spent time with Detroit, Oakland, Miami, Carolina, San Francisco, Chicago, Tampa Bay and Cleveland before joining the Jets.

In baseball

San Diego Padres star Manny Machado has been suspended one game and fined for making contact with an umpire who ejected him over the weekend for arguing called strikes.

• New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway says right-hander Noah Syndergaard has a low-grade hamstring strain and will miss at least one start.

Syndergaard underwent an MRI on Sunday and was placed on the 10-day injured list. Callaway hopes Syndergaard misses just one start but says it’s too early to tell if he will need more time to recover.

• Scooter Gennett has begun a rehab assignment, the final step in returning from a severe groin sprain in spring training that has sidelined the Cincinnati Reds’ All-Star second baseman all season.

Gennett will play five days with Single-A Daytona and move up to Triple-A Louisville to continue the rehab. In the last two years, Gennett has 50 homers and 189 RBI.