Sports briefly

Curlin wins his 4-year-old debut Curlin had an easy time winning his 4-year- old debut in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The 2007 Horse of the Year had a perfect trip and a perfect result in rolling to a 2¼-length victory in the $175,000 Jaguar Trophy Handicap on Thursday.

Curlin defeated five rivals in his first race since capturing the Breeders' Cup Classic last Oct. 27 at New Jersey's Monmouth Park. The colt also won the Preakness and ran a close second to the filly Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes.

Ridden by Robby Albarado, Curlin won for the seventh time in 10 career starts for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Former series champ needs ride Paul Tracy is looking for a ride.

A spokesman for Gerald Forsythe, co-owner of the Champ Car World Series and owner of Forsythe Championship Racing, said the team will no longer race Indy Cars and will instead compete only in the developmental Atlantic Series.

That apparently leaves former series champion Tracy, the biggest name among the drivers hoping to move to the IRL IndyCar Series in the long-awaited unification of America's two open-wheel series, without a ride for 2008.

"It kind of leaves me hung out," Tracy said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press. "I just got the information, too. ... Now I have some legal issues to jump through with this. I need to step back with my management and sort through my contract, which has a buyout."

WNBA: Five-time All-Star Tamika Catchings has agreed to a contract that will keep her with the Indiana Fever through 2011. Catchings averaged 16.9 points and led the team in scoring, rebounds, steals and assists for the sixth consecutive season last year.

Colleges: James J. Phillips was hired as Northwestern athletic director. Phillips, the AD at Northern Illinois, replaces Mark Murphy, who left earlier this year to become president of the Green Bay Packers. ... SMU quarterback Justin Willis has been suspended from spring practice by new coach June Jones for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Willis, who set a school record with 3,643 yards of total offensive as a sophomore last season, was suspended along with safety Bryce Hudman.

Swimming: World record-holder Jodie Henry won't defend her 100-meter freestyle Olympic title in Beijing because of a muscle imbalance in her pelvic area.

Soccer: Brazil playmaker Kaka, FIFA's world player of the year, signed a two-year contract extension with AC Milan until June 2013.

FROM NEWS SERVICES