SOCCER

BRADLEY TO LOSE ‘INTERIM’ TAG

Bob Bradley is keeping the job of U.S. soccer coach. The U.S. Soccer Federation called news confer ence today to announce the inter im coach is becoming the perma nent coach, a USSF official said speaking on condition of anonymity because of a directive the matter not be discussed with reporters.

“He’s done a really good job. I think he’s earned it. He deserves it,” U.S. star forward Landon Donovan said yesterday. “I was pretty impressed by how he han dled it from his standpoint. It’s not easy to have this, `Well, you’re the interim coach’ waved over your head the whole time. He treated it like he’s going to be around forev er. And I think that’s the only way you can go about it.”

Bruce Arena, hired after the Americans finished last at the 1998 World Cup, was told after last year’s tournament he wouldn’t be brought back for another four year cycle. Following the with drawal of Juergen Klinsmann Bradley was hired on an interim basis on December 8.

HORSE RACING

PLETCHER WILL HAVE TWO FOR THE PREAKNESS

Trainer Todd Pletcher most like ly will have two chances to win Sat urday’s $1 million Preakness and end an 0-for-26 streak in Triple Crown races.

Pimlico officials said yesterday that Circular Quay, who finished sixth behind Street Sense in the Kentucky Derby, is set to join Pletcher’s King of the Roxy in what would be a field of nine 3-year-olds.

Final entries for the 1 3-16-mile Preakness will be taken today.

Michael and Doreen Tabor, who own Circular Quay, and bloodstock agent Demi O’Byrne have made arrangements to attend the Preakness, Pimlico officials said.

Circular Quay, expected to be ridden by John Velazquez, would be the fourth Derby horse in the field, joining Street Sense, runner-up Hard Spun, and third-place finisher Curlin.

BASKETBALL

WADE UNDERGOES SURGERIES ON LEFT KNEE, SHOULDER

Heat guard Dwyane Wade had surgery yesterday on his left shoulder and left knee, and the MVP of last season’s NBA finals might need the remainder of the offseason to fully recover.

Wade averaged 27.4 points this past season for the Heat, missing 31 games with a variety of injuries — primarily a dislocated left shoulder suffered in February.

But it was the knee, not the shoulder, that pained Wade most once he returned to the Heat lineup with six games remaining in the regular season. Commonly called “jumper’s knee,” his condition caused him to wince while trying to dunk.