Lanschaften » served notice in the

Minnesota Wild forward Thomas Vanek appeared in a courtroom in Rochester, N.Y. on Monday afternoon to give witness testimony in a federal investigation. The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported Monday that Vanek appeared voluntarily, while his agent Steve Bartlett said Vanek is not under any suspicion and has done nothing wrong. "Representatives of the U.S. Federal Government have asked for my cooperation in an investigation," Vanek wrote in a statement released by Bartlett on Monday. "I am not the subject of any investigation or prosecution. I will fully cooperate with the U.S. Federal authorities in their investigation or in any proceedings arising out of it." Neither Bartlett nor Vanek mentioned the subject of the investigation, while Bartlett added that the legal proceedings should not lead to any repercussions from the National Hockey League. "He is not going to be charged," Bartlett told the Democrat and Chronicle. "He wont be charged with a crime because he hasnt done anything wrong." Vanek played last season with the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens, scoring 15 points in 18 regular season games after being acquired by the Habs at the trade deadline. He also tallied 10 points in 17 games in the playoffs, helping lead the Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Final. Vanek signed a three-year contract with the Wild as an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Files from The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle were used for this report. Willie Horton Jersey . The NFL says Wednesday that the game between the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions at Wembley on Oct. 26 will start at 1:30 p. Travis Wood Jersey . Alen, 28, hit .315 with five home runs, 59 RBI and a career-high nine stolen bases for the Goldeyes last season. He is the longest serving catcher in Goldeyes history, having already spent five seasons with the organization. http://www.tigersgearshop.com/Tigers-James-Mccann-Kids-Jersey/ . In sunny and almost windless conditions, the Swede shot four consecutive birdies on the front nine on his way to a 68 and went 9 under for a one-shot lead over Englands Lee Slattery and two over Paraguays Farbrizio Zanotti (68). Jack Morris Jersey . Anaheim Ducks Reassign D Colby Robak to Norfolk Admirals (AHL). - Team Website D Eric Brewer (foot) removed from injured reserve. Victor Martinez Jersey . Brad Malone had the other goal for the Monsters (1-1-0), while Elliott chipped in an assist for a three-point night and the games first star. Bryan Lerg also had two assists. Corban Knight and Max Reinhart scored for the Heat (1-1-0), who opened their season Friday with a 5-2 win over the Monsters in Cleveland. 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." ' ' '