Thursday morning jogs for Preakness favorites

Horseracing Betting Lines

05/13/2010 - Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Thursday morning was a time for several of the Preakness starters, including the three favorites, to get acquainted with Pimlico Race Course. The only one of the 12 not at Pimlico is Schoolyard Dreams, who will arrive Friday.

Both of trainer Todd Pletcher's Preakness horses, Super Saver and Aikenite, visited the track Thursday morning. Both colts took a mile jog around Pimlico.

The colts shipped to Pimlico from Churchill Downs on Wednesday and Pletcher said they have settled into their new surroundings.

"We took him (Super Saver) out and gave him an easy jog once around the track," Pletcher said. "The track was sloppy and we weren't looking to do much, but I thought he handled everything really well. He had a good night; rested well and cleaned up his grain. His energy level is very good. It seems like he's shipped in as well as we could have hoped."

Pletcher said that his colts would go back to the track to gallop Friday morning: Aikenite at 6 a.m. (et) and Super Saver a half-hour later.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert sent out Lookin At Lucky for an easy 1 3/8- mile jog under exercise rider Dana Barnes Thursday morning. It was the first visit to the track at Pimlico for the beaten Kentucky Derby favorite.

"He went nice. He just sort of got a feel for it," Baffert said. "On a muddy track you can't really get a good grip of it, but he looked good. That's not the surface we're going to be running on. He got a good look at the track around there. When there [aren't] any horses training on it, it's sort of weird for him, but he took in all the sights pretty good. He went easy around there. We don't do much once we get here with him. He's doing well."

Paddy O'Prado, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby, showed good energy during his jog around the Pimlico track Thursday morning.

"He bounced out of the Derby as though he never ran," said trainer Dale Romans. "That's why we're here. We normally wouldn't wheel one back in two weeks."

The updated weather forecast for the Preakness calls for sunny skies and a post-time temperature near 75.

Post-time Saturday is 6:12 p.m. (et).

Footballchancesports Horseracing Betting News

<< Valencia agrees to deal for Topal
Valencia, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Valencia has agreed to a deal for Turkey international Mehmet Topal with Galatasaray. The 24-year-old midfielder will join the La Liga club for a fee in the region of $6 million, should he pass a summ

<< Bresciano set for Palermo exit
Palermo, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Palermo midfielder Marco Bresciano is set to leave the Serie A outfit and team up with Saudi Arabia side Al Nassr. The Australian, who is expected to represent his country at this summer's World Cup f

<< Chelsea's Drogba would welcome Torres move
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Didier Drogba has given his blessing for Chelsea to launch a potential summer swoop on Liverpool for Fernando Torres. Torres has been linked with a $59 million move to Stamford Bridge following the en

<< NL West: D'Backs getting no action from Jackson
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Diamondbacks invested a lot of hope and plenty of dough on Edwin Jackson this offseason, but all he's been able to do is lead his new ballclub to just one win in eight starts. Arizona (14-21) acquired Jackson along wi

<< Neuer starts in Germany's win over Malta
Aachen, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manuel Neuer started at goalie for Germany in Thursday's friendly against Malta, but the other goalies on the provisional World Cup roster were not available. Loew lost No. 1 goalie Rene Adler to a broken

Three NASCAR teams penalized for Darlington infractions >>
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NASCAR issued penalties to two Sprint Cup Series teams and one Nationwide team on Thursday for rules violations that occurred this past weekend at Darlington Raceway. Samuel Stanley, the crew chief

Birmingham missed out on Cacau >>
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish has confirmed his club missed out on the signing of Stuttgart's Brazilian-born German striker Cacau. The 29-year-old seemed certain to leave the Bundesliga c

Hearts to show four the door >>
Edinburgh, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hearts has confirmed Michael Stewart, Jose Goncalves, Laryea Kingston and Christian Nade are all free to leave Tynecastle this summer. The quartet are all out of contract next month and will n

Scott's slam helps Orioles rally past Mariners >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Luke Scott hit his second career grand slam in the eighth inning to help the Baltimore Orioles take a 6-5 win over the Seattle Mariners in the finale of a three-game set at Camden Yards. Corey Patterso

Jankovic reaches Madrid quarters >>
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic highlighted Thursday's third-round winners at the $4.5 million Madrid Open, a clay-court French Open tune-up. The seventh-seeded Jankovic drilled Spain's own

Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

Bet on NFL

Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

Bet on NFL

Mysportsbook.com online online sportsbook accepts Visa & Mastercard