Animal Kingdom returns with win at Gulfstream

Horseracing Betting Lines

02/18/2012 - Hallandale Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eclipse Award winner Animal Kingdom made a successful return to the races on Saturday with a worst-to-first result at Gulfstream Park. The four-year-old was making his first start since last year's Belmont Stakes.

Trained by Graham Motion, Animal Kingdom was the 3-5 post-time favorite in the six-horse field and was ridden by John Velazquez. The chestnut colt, owned by Team Valor, was using the 1 1/16-mile allowance race on the turf as a prep for the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31.

The colt originally was to start in the Tampa Bay Stakes on the grass at Tampa Bay Downs on February 25.

After trailing the field in the early going during the race, Animal Kingdom began to advance from the outside with a half-mile to run. The favorite drew even with the leaders on the final turn and took the lead entering the stretch.

"They went slow enough where he just pulled me into contention all on his own," said Velazquez. "I let him do what he wanted as opposed to wrangling him back behind horses."

Animal Kingdom drove down the stretch to register a two-length victory over 2-1 second choice Monument Hill. Bell by the Ridge was third followed by Royal Hill, Tannersville and Midnight Mischief.

"The second I started kissing at him in the stretch, he picked it right up and took off," Velazquez said. "It was a great feeling today and great to have him back. He felt as good as ever."

The time for the race on a firm turf course was 1:41.72.

"All we were worried about was having him run too big. We didn't want to see a big race and have him leave it on the track. We did not need a big race here. All we wanted was a nice quiet race and we got it," said Barry Irwin, founder and CEO of Team Valor International. "He's much better than he was last year. This race is not going to prove that, but we can tell by the way he trains and the way he looks, he's a much better horse this year."

The 2011 Kentucky Derby winner and champion three-year-old picked up $30,000 with the win and now has earnings of more than $1.96 million. It was his fourth win in eight career starts.

"Obviously, I would have been disappointed if he hadn't won today, when you've have a race that's set up for you. But this was the best thing for us. He still had to go out there and it," Motion said. "He needed a race and still has six weeks to regroup to get him to Dubai in the right way."

Animal Kingdom suffered a hairline fracture during the running of the 2011 Belmont Stakes. Prior to that he was second in the Preakness Stakes in addition to taking the Run for the Roses. In March of last year he captured the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park.

"This horse has come a long way since October. Nothing was more heartbreaking than to see this horse stuck in a stall a week after the Belmont. He went from being the fittest horse in the country to not being able to get out of his stall. That was tough," said Motion, whose Derby winner underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his left hind leg in June. "To see him today, back to himself, obviously Im elated."

Animal Kingdom returned $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10. Monument Hill paid $2.80 and $2.10, and Bell by the Ridge paid $4.20 to show.

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Super Bowl XLIII Betting - Super Bowl 2009

Super Bowl 2009, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Let’s take a look at the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds and the betting line and figure out where they’ve been and where they are going to go.

MySportsbook.com put up the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds late on Sunday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers favored by 6.5 points and a total betting line at 47.5 points.

Since then, however, the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds have seen a good deal of movement and you’ll want to be on top of where they are likely to move to make sure you get the best line value for the big game.

Since opening, the Super Bowl 2009 betting lines went to Steelers -7 in the span of roughly 3 hours but were quickly bought back down just minutes later to 6.5 again.

After that is took about 5-6 more hours before the betting line went back to -7 where it has sat for a while now and is likely to remain. The opening betting total of 47.5 was bet down right after the line became available and went to 47 within minutes.

Roughly a day later it has been bet even further down to the 46.5 tally it currently is set at.

Roughly 60% of gamblers seem to be on the Cardinals here so the point spread will be bet down and a 7.5 would not last very long at all with many taking the early 6.5 in hopes of finding a potential middle in the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds.

If you like Arizona and see a 7.5, I’d take it as soon as possible because it’s unlikely to last. For Pittsburgh backers, the -7 might be the best you’ll be able to find but a 6.5 is definitely possible close to game time.

Regarding the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds for the total, most tracked gamblers are already on the over and with those who took the under 47.5 already securing a middle on the over 46.5, the only way I see it moving is back up to 47 so if you like the over, I’d recommend betting now.

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