Team Valor calls audible for Animal Kingdom

Horseracing Betting Lines

02/17/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Saturday marks the return to competition for 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom after eight months on the sidelines. The 4-year-old colt last raced in the Belmont Stakes in June.

Owner Team Valor International and trainer Graham Motion made a surprise move on Wednesday by entering the champion colt in a $60,000 allowance race on the turf at Gulfstream Park for Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile grass race has a six- horse field with none of the other five starters having close to Animal Kingdom's credentials.

Early this month, the colt's connections announced that the Eclipse Award winner would hit the track in the Tampa Bay Stakes on February 25 to begin his 2012 season.

"He (Motion) would have worked the horse seven furlongs next Monday to get him ready for the Tampa race, but for this kind of allowance race, I think the horse will be fine on Saturday," Team Valor president Barry Irwin said. "He's doing super, but we don't want him to be too primed for a big race first time back. We want him to get something out of the race, not leave his Dubai World Cup race on the course."

Animal Kingdom will have the services again of jockey John Velazquez for the colt's second start on the turf. Motion is using the grass race as a prep for the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31.

"I believe that I'm running him with the bare minimum of works that I would want to run him with. But with this race being this weekend, it gives me six weeks to Dubai, which I think gives me ample time for him to recover from the race," Motion indicated. "In whatever race we ran him in, the objective of running him was to get him to Dubai in the best possible shape.

"The problem with waiting until next weekend at Tampa is that it would be the only option I would have before running in Dubai. If for some reason we had bad weather like we had last weekend, I wouldn't have a backup plan. That's what's so attractive running this week."

Animal Kingdom was voted the 2011 champion 3-year-old male despite not having started the second half of the year. After finishing second in an allowance race last March at Gulfstream, the colt captured the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park.

For the Run for the Roses, Animal Kingdom was a 20-1 long shot in the 19-horse field. Ridden by Velazquez, he powered down the stretch to a 2 3/4-length victory over Nehro.

The Preakness, two weeks after the Derby, saw Animal Kingdom go off as the 2-1 favorite versus 13 rivals. Following a slow start, Velazquez got the colt rolling, but missed by a half length from catching Shackleford and jockey Jesus Castanon.

The Belmont Stakes was a lost effort for Animal Kingdom. He finished sixth, nearly 10 lengths behind Ruler On Ice. It was later discovered he had suffered an injury that ended his 3-year-old season.

"I believe he is a special horse that did not get to show how good he was, and I hope he gets that chance this year," Motion said. "This is just a start, but it doesn't all have to happen this weekend. But I hope he gets a chance this year to show what a super horse he is."

In seven career starts, Animal Kingdom has three wins and an equal number of seconds for more than $1.9 million in purses.

Goldclubcasinio Horseracing Betting News

<< Timberwolves, Rockets square off in Space City
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Timberwolves will try to take the season series from the Houston Rockets and their old friend Kevin McHale when the two teams hook up at Toyota Center on Friday. Houston had traditionally dominated the

<< Magic entertain Bucks at Amway Center
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Orlando Magic take aim at a fourth straight win this evening when they conclude a three-game homestand versus the Milwaukee Bucks at Amway Center. The Magic continued to roll on Wednesday, as Ryan Anderson scored

<< Rounding Third: In Carter, baseball loses one of its good guys
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Growing up in New York whether you were a fan of the Yankees or the Mets, it was hard not to get caught up with what was going on at Shea Stadium in the Summer of 1986. A big reason for the excitement that

<< Wizards pay a visit to Jazz
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington will resume a five-game road trip on Friday against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. After winning during the first two stops on their trip against the Pistons and Blazers, the Wizards were tripped

<< Lakers open home-and-home set with Suns
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pacific Division rivals renew hostilities at Staples Center on Friday when the Los Angeles Lakers open up a home-and-home series with the Phoenix Suns. Fresh off a 3-3 Grammy Road Trip the Lakers returned to SoCal on Tu

Thunder welcome Warriors to OKC >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder have performed quite well following a loss this season and look to keep it that way when the Golden State Warriors pay a visit to Chesapeake Energy Arena tonight. The Th

Hornets try to stop Lin, Knicks at MSG >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Some think New Orleans will put an end to the Lin-sanity that has engulfed New York City on Friday. Others think it will eventually be Carmelo Anthony. The thought was Jeremy Lin and Anthony could be in the star

J.R. Smith bound for New York >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Free agent swingman J.R. Smith used social media to reveal who he'll be playing for this season, tweeting on Friday, "New York Knicks It Is!" There has been no official word from the Knicks yet. Smith, who recently r

Mertesacker out 'for a while' >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger revealed Friday that defender Per Mertesacker will be out for unspecified period of time after undergoing surgery to repair an ankle problem. The German defender sus

Almagro reaches Brasil Open semis >>
Sao Paulo, Brazil (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top seed and defending champion Nicolas Almagro was an easy quarterfinal winner Friday at the $475,300 Brasil Open. The Spanish Almagro cruised past fifth-seeded Argentine Carlos Berlocq 6-3, 6-2 in

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds

Will he or won't he?  Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team.

Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team.

"I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success."

Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate.

Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns.

But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches.

Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback.  It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips.

Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1


Atlanta Falcons 50-1


Baltimore Ravens 15-1


Buffalo Bills 50-1


Carolina Panthers 18-1


Chicago Bears 10-1


Cincinnati Bengals 15-1


Cleveland Browns 100-1


Dallas Cowboys 15-1


Denver Broncos 15-1


Detroit Lions 100-1


Green Bay Packers 50-1


Houston Texans 100-1


Indianapolis Colts 6-1


Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1


Kansas City Chiefs 30-1


Miami Dolphins 40-1


Minnesota Vikings 75-1


New England Patriots 10-1


New Orleans Saints 18-1


New York Giants 20-1


New York Jets 30-1


Oakland Raiders 100-1


Philadelphia Eagles 18-1


Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1


Saint Louis Rams 60-1


San Diego Chargers 6-1


San Francisco 49ers 75-1


Seattle Seahawks 20-1


Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1


Tennessee Titans 40-1


Washington Redskins 50-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook credit cards needs.