Sports Beat

One of the first things that occurred to Rita Santos after her husband, Jose, rode Funny Cide to victory in the Kentucky Derby on May 3 was, "Oh, God. I'm not going to have time to get the children dressed for the Preakness." She was right; with two weeks of hoopla, travel and fending off silly Miami Herald articles, who has time to shop? Fortunately, the lovely Rita has connections at Saks Fifth Avenue of Garden City, N.Y., where she is to appear in a charity fashion show on June 6, the day before the Belmont Stakes. The store offered to dress the jockey's family for the Maryland classic, which resulted in a sky-blue Theory pantsuit for Mom and similarly smart duds for the Santos children: Nadia, 15, Selena, 7, Jose Jr., 8, and Savannah, 5. "I don't know what I would have done," Rita says. "They saved me." Dad didn't look too shabby either as he steered Funny Cide to victory wearing the maroon and silver silks of the Sakatoga Stable.

?As part of the same NBC promotion that had Katie Couric switch with Jay Leno, soccer star Mia Hamm and Today anchor Ann Curry swapped jobs last week. Curry worked out with the Washington Freedom of the WUSA, while Hamm woke early to toil in front of the camera. Curry had trouble adapting to the Beautiful Game, but Hamm smoothly interviewed Henry Winkler about the children's book he has written and delivered a flawless sports report, which included a mention of a big game by her fianc�, Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. "That was great," Matt Lauer told Hamm. "And I'm surprised you didn't say 'All-Star shortstop and all-around cutie pie Nomar Garciaparra.' " Said Hamm, "We're trying to keep it professional, Matt."

? Dennis Rodman married his girlfriend of four years, Michelle Moyer, in Newport Beach, Calif., on May 13—his 42nd birthday. It's Rodman's third marriage, but it doesn't necessarily mean the Bad Boy is settling down. Rodman and his bride, with whom he has two children, have separate homes two miles apart in Newport Beach, Calif., and they won't cohabitate. "I like it like that," Rodman told the Los Angeles Times. "She and the kids come over on weekends."

?What's a high-strung guy who served in the Marine Corps to do when he suspects his wife is fooling around? That dilemma faces Hall of Fame running back John Riggins, who has joined the cast of Guiding Light. Riggins, who recently got good reviews in the off-Broadway play Gillette, plays Mitch Hendon, a government operative whose wife, Ramona, may or may not be having an affair.... The Tennis Channel launched last week with a bash at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. Guests included Dr. Phil and Rae Dawn Chong, who won the celebrity "First Serve Contest" with a serve clocked at 74 miles per hour. "If there's anything that we need right now, it's being able to watch tennis for 24 hours a day," said actress Wendie Mallick. "I think the world will be a much mellower, happier place." ...When Jay-Z was choosing a name for his new club on West 25th Street in New York City, he wanted to convey exclusivity. So he picked 40/40, a nod to baseball's 40-steal, 40-homer brotherhood, of which only Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez are members. "It's a great name," says A-Rod, who'll be able to slide in under the velvet ropes to get in.