BRIEFLY : SEVEN TRAINERS ACCUSED BY CHRB IN DRUG CASE.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

California Horse Racing Board investigators have served accusations against seven thoroughbred trainers whose horses tested positive in recent months for the prohibited substance clenbuterol.

The seven accused trainers are Vladimir Cerin, Peter Eurton, Paco Gonzalez, Bruce Headley, Declan Jackson, Darrell Vienna and Ted West, all of whom run horses on the Southern California circuit. Each trainer has 15 days to request a hearing to contest the accusations.

BASKETBALL: NBA owners and players discussed getting together for another bargaining session, but the idea was dismissed when the sides couldn't agree on the ground rules.

Deputy commissioner Russ Granik and players union president Billy Hunter both acknowledged Monday that talks aimed at ending the lockout could have resumed almost a week and a half ago, though they differed on why such a meeting never took place.

Only one formal bargaining session has been held this summer, and the league is expected to begin canceling exhibition games later this week.

``We invited players to come back to the table, and they declined,'' Granik said. ``They said as long as we would be talking about a hard cap or some system that set a defined percentage of revenues to go toward player salaries, they didn't see any point of meeting.''

A Baptist minister who has asked for full custody of a 3-year-old daughter he had with Sparks forward Pam McGee says the mother's career has nothing to do with the case.

The Rev. Keith Stafford and his attorney said they asked a Mount Clemens, Mich., court to give him custody of his daughter Imani after her mother missed several scheduled visits.

``It would be a shame for her to turn off a basketball game where her mother was playing because her mother had breached a commitment with her,'' said Peter Lucido, Stafford's attorney.

Macomb County Chief Circuit Judge Peter J. Maceroni ruled last week that Stafford would continue to have temporary custody of Imani while a Friend of the Court investigation is under way.

SOCCER: Bora Milutinovic, the only man to guide four different teams into the second round of the World Cup, has became the New York-New Jersey MetroStars' fifth coach in less than three years.

The Serbian-born Milutinovic, who also was one of four candidates to replace Steve Sampson as coach of the U.S. national team, was to arrive in New York from Mexico on Monday and take over the squad today.

Milutinovic has a contract through the end of the season with an agreement to negotiate a longer-term deal. He replaces Alfonso Mondelo, who took over last December after Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira departed to coach Saudi Arabia in the 1998 World Cup.

Despite clinching a playoff berth last month, the MetroStars (14-17) have lost their last six matches with one game remaining before the postseason.