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Today had the promise of history — that is, until the horse I'll Have Another was scratched from the Belmont Stakes. Also scratched: hopes for a long-awaited Triple Crown winner. It was yet another piece of bad news for the horse racing industry, which is under new scrutiny over the safety and treatment of the horses.

The dirt track at the hallowed Churchill Downs is known for crushing dreams and cementing equine legacies. Raymond "Butch" Lehr leads a team of dozens that carefully tends the one-mile oval. On Saturday, Lehr will end his 30-year career.

In France Sunday, Socialist Francois Hollande defeated conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy. Hollande has railed against austerity measures and urged national unity.

Big name medal winners in high-profile Olympic sports can count on support from sponsors. But not so for lesser known athletes. That's forced some of them to take an unorthodox approach to fundraising.

Exotic animals are already restricted in many states. Lawmakers in Ohio are considering legislation that would ban dozens of exotic animals as pets. Among other things, owners would have to apply for permits for existing animals.

The Catholic Church has been in the public spotlight a lot this year. The issues of contraception and gay marriage have been part of the presidential campaign and church leaders have weighed in. There have also been new revelations in a case involving leaked Vatican documents, and it may actually be a case where the butler did it. Host Rachel Martin speaks with John Allen, a senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter.

In Egypt, Ahmed Shafiq and the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Mohammed Morsi, will face each other in a presidential runoff election next month. David Greene talks with NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson about what these results might mean for Egypt's future.

Coconut water, both fresh and canned, is a popular post-workout drink, but unless you run marathons or workout for more than 90 minutes, you can probably stick to water for rehydration.

Host Scott Simon talks sports with ESPN's Howard Bryant about whether this is LeBron James' make-or-break moment and no-hitters in baseball.

Melissa Block speaks with Capt. Beverly Havlik, from the Coast Guard ice-breaker Cutter Healy, who talks about the challenges of helping a Russian tanker make its way through the Arctic ice to Nome, Alaska.