David Beckham will miss the World Cup and most if not all the Los Angeles Galaxy season after tearing his left Achilles' tendon yesterday while playing for AC Milan.

His international career for England is all but over. It remains to be seen how much he'll have left for the Galaxy and Major League Soccer.

"He will miss the World Cup (starting in June) for sure," a person familiar with the injury told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because an official announcement had not been made. The person said it was likely the 34-year-old midfielder will play again.

Beckham was injured without getting hit during AC Milan's 1-0 Italian League win over visiting Chievo Verona.

With only a few minutes remaining and the score 0-0, Beckham was by himself with the ball at his feet, shifted his weight and reached a hand down to his left heel. Beckham then stood up and snapped his wrists like he was breaking a twig in half in a gesture to show the AC Milan bench he knew the tendon was broken.

Italy's Sky TV reported that Beckham said, "It's broken, it's broken," when he came off.

"He'll probably be out for five or six months," AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani told Sky.

HORSE RACING

MARQUEE RACE OFF

The owner of Rachel Alexandra says his Horse of the Year won't run against unbeaten Zenyatta next month in Arkansas.

Jess Jackson said his 4-year-old star filly is not up to top form following her second-place finish in Saturday's New Orleans Ladies at the Fair Grounds.

Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta were making their first starts of the year in what were supposed to be prep races for their highly anticipated first-time showdown in the $5 million Apple Blossom on April 9 at Oaklawn Park.

While Zenyatta did her part in winning her race, Rachel was not as fortunate.

Jackson issued a statement yesterday that said that after talking with trainer Steve Asmussen, "I decided today she will not be going" to the race.

TENNIS

FEDERER ADVANCES

Roger Federer had to work a little harder than expected last night before beating Victor Hanescu, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1, in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Calif.

Hanescu won a set from Federer for the first time in their five meetings. But the challenge the Romanian seemed to be mounting against the world's top-ranked player by winning the final two points of the tiebreaker was quickly dashed in the final set.

Seventh-seeded Andy Roddick, Federer's potential opponent in the quarterfinals, beat qualifier Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan, 6-4, 6-4, late last night.

Earlier, 2009 tourney runner-up Andy Murray beat Andreas Seppi, 6-4, 6-4, in another second-round match.

AND WHAT'S MORE...

NASCAR driver Kurt Busch has lost his drag-racing debut in the opening round of eliminations at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. His 1970 Dodge Challenger covered the 1,000-foot drag strip in 10.10 seconds, a bumper behind Wes Neely's 1967 Chevrolet Camaro yesterday. ... Australian Will Power won the rain-shortened IndyCar season-opener yesterday, making a late overtaking move to pass American Ryan Hunter-Reay to claim the inaugural Sao Paulo Indy 300 and clinch his second career victory. ... Alberto Contador of Spain won the Paris-Nice cycling race for the second time, earning an 11-second win over Alejandro Valverde. Luis Leon Sanchez took third to make it an all-Spanish podium yesterday.