Leading Off

They ShootHorses
The fans at Churchill Downs treated the start of the Kentucky Derby as a photoop, snapping away as the 20 horses left the gate last Saturday. Barbaro, a6-to-1 shot with Edgar Prado up (inset), broke from the eighth post positionand ran away with the 132nd Run for the Roses by 6 1/2 lengths (page 54).

Some Drive ItHot
At the Crown Royal 400 in Richmond last Saturday, the engine in Kevin Lepage'sDodge blew after 90 laps, causing an oil fire. Lepage walked away, but his carwas finished for the night. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (inset) won the race, his firstvictory on the Nextel Cup circuit in his last 27 starts.

Shot in theDark
As Phillies catcher Sal Fasano and umpire Paul Nauert watched, Barry Bondslaunched career homer number 713, off Jon Lieber on Sunday night at CitizensBank Park. The ball (above the rightfield lights) struck the McDonald's sign onthe facing of the upper deck. Bonds's solo blast, estimated at 450 feet, lefthim one shy of Babe Ruth's total (page 39), but it was not enough for theGiants, who lost 9--5.

> For moreLeading Off pictures, go to SI.com/photos.

PHOTO

Photograph by John Iacono

PHOTO

BILL FRAKES

PHOTO

Photograph by Doug Benc/Getty Images

PHOTO

RUSTY JARRETT/GETTY IMAGES

TWO PHOTOS

Photographs by Al Tielemans