Juventus rescues late point in draw with Cagliari in Serie A

GENOA, Italy (AP) — Cagliari scored two first-half penalties but gave up a late own goal for Juventus to draw 2-2 in a thrilling Serie A game on Friday.

Gianluca Gaetano opened the scoring for the home side after half an hour and Yerry Mina got a second with an almost identical spot kick six minutes later.

Juventus had a first-half goal from Dušan Vlahović disallowed after a video review but the Serbian forward got one back in the 61st minute with a swerving free kick.

Just when it looked like Cagliari would get the win and distance itself from the relegation zone, Alberto Dossena put the ball into his own net with three minutes left.

Juventus was five points behind second-placed AC Milan and 19 behind champion-elect Inter Milan. Juve has won only one of its last seven league games.

Cagliari was five points above the relegation zone but still in a dogfight.

Only six points separated Sassuolo in 19th place and Lecce in 13th.

With Salernitana almost certainly going down, two others will join it.

A second-half goal from Luis Alberto gave Lazio a 1-0 win at Genoa and moved the capital club into sixth and within touching distance of a Champions League spot.

The result snapped Genoa’s four-game unbeaten run and was another good result for a visitor which has won four of its last five league games.

Lazio was one place and one point ahead of Atalanta, which has two games in hand.

The top five teams in Serie A are guaranteed a place in next year’s expanded 36-team Champions League. Sixth spot could be enough if Roma or Atalanta win the Europa League.

Genoa remained in 10th place.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Cagliari's coach Claudio Ranieri follows the Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Juventus at the Unipol Domus stadium in Cagliari, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (Gianluca Zuddas/LaPresse via AP)

Juventus's Dusan Vlahovic celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Juventus at the Unipol Domus stadium in Cagliari, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (Gianluca Zuddas/LaPresse via AP)

Cagliari's Yerry Mina celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Juventus at the Unipol Domus stadium in Cagliari, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (Gianluca Zuddas/LaPresse via AP)

Cagliari's Yerry Mina celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Juventus at the Unipol Domus stadium in Cagliari, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (Gianluca Zuddas/LaPresse via AP)

Genoa's Djed Spence, left, fights for the ball with Lazio's Manuel Lazzari during the Serie A soccer match between Genoa and Lazio at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium in Genoa, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (Tano Pecoraro/LaPresse via AP)

Genoa's Albert Gudmundsson, left, fights for the ball with Lazio's Luis Alberto, number 10, during the Serie A soccer match between Genoa and Lazio at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium in Genoa, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (Tano Pecoraro/LaPresse via AP)

Jayson Werth got to Churchill Downs in the middle of Kentucky Derby week and was overcome by a familiar feeling.

“It has some fragrance of the World Series,” he said. “Things are totally different now. We’re at the barns, roads are blocked off, there’s security everywhere. It’s definitely heightened, and you get the sense, ‘This is it, this is the highest level of the sport.’”

Werth won the World Series with Philadelphia and played 63 playoff games during his major league career with the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Phillies and Nationals, and still nothing compares with the adrenaline rush of his new favorite sport. The retired outfielder has shares of more than a dozen thoroughbreds, and on Saturday has the chance to become a Kentucky Derby-winning owner with Dornoch running in the 150th running of the famous race.

“It’s surreal: We kind of got into this as a hobby, and it’s turned into a passion," Werth told The Associated Press by phone. “I’ve got a passion for the sport like I would’ve never thought, and I want to share it with the world."

Werth has used horse racing to fill the competitive void baseball once did, a few years after learning about the sport from golfing buddy Rich Averill, who has been involved in the industry for decades.

Having a prominent athlete espousing his love for horse racing certainly doesn't hurt as work is ongoing to bring in new fans.

“The connection between racing and professional sports has always been strong, going all the way back to Babe Ruth, who loved to bet the horses,” said NBC Sports analyst Randy Moss, who is working his 44th Derby this weekend. “Especially when an athlete like Jayson Werth buys into a few horses and actually makes it into the Derby.”

Werth thinks regular people owning racehorses — even micro shares like 2023 Derby winner Mage, a full brother of Dornoch — is a way into the sport that has historically had a high barrier of entry because of costs. He describes watching a race now like being in the dugout with a teammate trying to round the bases to score and win a game.

Werth, whose stable Two Eight Racing is a nod to his jersey No. 28 with the Dodgers, Phillies and Nationals, is looking into starting an ownership collective to “do something on a much larger scale in horse racing.” Werth has 10% of Dornoch and similar percentages of other horses.

But first, there's the Derby, with Dornoch trained by Danny Gargan and ridden by Luis Saez, breaking from the rail. Werth was upset about Dornoch getting the No. 1 spot inside before recalling the horse likes to sprint out to the lead. The horse is a long shot that opened at 20-1.

“I really do think this could be a perfect storm of us,” Werth said. “If Dornoch can skid out in front and stay on the lead and keep the dirt off his face, I think we’ve got a real shot.”

A filly has dropped out of the Kentucky Oaks ahead of Friday's $1.5 million race at Churchill Downs.

Tapit Jenallie was withdrawn Thursday because of a slight injury to her back end, trainer Eddie Milligan Jr. said. She was 30-1 on the morning line.

“We felt like she’s just too nice of a filly to do anything detrimental to her health,” Milligan said. "It’s very disappointing, very disheartening, but that’s how this game is.”

He said Tapit Jenallie will get an extended break from racing and be re-evaluated.

Our Pretty Woman moves into the Oaks from the also-eligible list. She's trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and will be ridden by Joel Rosario, who was just elected to racing's Hall of Fame.

Whit Beckman is back at his Churchill Downs barn and overseeing Derby preparations for Honor Marie after getting out of the hospital.

The 42-year-old trainer from Louisville was diagnosed with rhabdomyolyis, a potentially serious condition in which damaged muscle tissue releases its proteins into the blood, which can damage the heart and kidneys, according to the Daily Racing Form. He was hospitalized for five days.

Beckman said his legs were numb and he couldn't walk last Friday. He said he had a blood infection and received fluids in the hospital.

AP Racing Writer Beth Harris and AP Sports Writer Gary B. Graves in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed to this report.

AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing

Kentucky Derby hopefuls Dornoch, front, and Endlessly work out at Churchill Downs Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kentucky Derby hopeful Dornoch, front, works out at Churchill Downs Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kentucky Derby hopefuls Dornoch, front, and Endlessly work out at Churchill Downs Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

FILE - Philadelphia Phillies' Jayson Werth celebrates after Game 5 of the baseball World Series in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008. The Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 to win the series. Werth won the World Series with Philadelphia and played 63 playoff games during his major league career with the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Phillies and Nationals, and still nothing compares with the adrenaline rush of his new favorite sport, horse racing. Werth owns over two dozen thoroughbreds, including Dornoch, who will run in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

FILE - Former Washington Nationals baseball player Jayson Werth stands near the House floor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019. Werth won the World Series with Philadelphia and played 63 playoff games during his major league career with the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Phillies and Nationals, and still nothing compares with the adrenaline rush of his new favorite sport, horse racing. Werth owns over two dozen thoroughbreds, including Dornoch, who will run in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

FILE - Washington Nationals right fielder Jayson Werth celebrates after scoring the winning run in a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014, in Washington. The Nationals won 6-5 in 11 innings. Werth won the World Series with Philadelphia and played 63 playoff games during his major league career with the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Phillies and Nationals, and still nothing compares with the adrenaline rush of his new favorite sport, horse racing. Werth owns over two dozen thoroughbreds, including Dornoch, who will run in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)