Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Lefty wins his 40th PGA Tour event with his never-ending supply of tricks up his sleeve. What We Learned this week at Pebble Beach.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
AP
NEW YORK - It’s been quite a wonderful winter for Bill Kaplan.
The South Florida-based trainer is flying high these days with a trio of 3-year-olds on the road to the Kentucky Derby. His latest prospect is Imawildandcrazyguy, who finished second to Notional in the Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans this past Saturday.
“I thought he ran fantastic,” Kaplan said of his gray gelding who was 2¼ lengths behind the winner and a head in front of Zanjero. “He was in very tight quarters in the race, but he closed well when he got clear and he came out of the race very well.”
Kaplan’s other Derby hopefuls are Drums of Thunder, runner-up in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park behind top Derby contender Nobiz Like Shobiz, and Storm in May, winner of the Sunshine Millions Dash last month.
While Kaplan’s horses are showing promise, little changed this week in the AP’s Run to the Roses’ Top 10 — Notional moves in at No. 8, Drums of Thunder is No. 9.
The Risen Star produced a scare when Slew’s Tizzy clipped heels and dumped his rider right in front of favorite Circular Quay, who was pulled up sharply at the top of the stretch and had no chance to win although he finished fifth. Imawildandcrazyguy was steered clear of trouble by jockey Fernando Jara.
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“It’s great to have just one top 3-year-old,” Kaplan said before the Holy Bull. “To have three at the same time is unbelievable.”
Drums of Thunder, with four wins in nine career starts, likely will run in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream on March 3.
Dropping out of the Top 10 were Dreaming of Anna, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner who was third in the Old Hat Stakes, and Stormello.
Summer Doldrums, winner of the Whirlaway; Noble Court, who took Sunday’s San Vicente; and Imawildandcrazyguy move into the “keep an eye on” category.
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Three Derby preps are on tap Saturday, including the Sam F. Davis Stakes, which is expected to feature trainer Todd Pletcher’s Any Given Saturday.
The Derby is May 5.
The contenders
1. Nobiz Like Shobiz (Barclay Tagg, trainer; Cornelio Velasquez, jockey): Tagg on Derby trail for third time, and this time he has early favorite. ... Bay colt has won 3-of-4, and did not run in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. ... Next start: Fountain of Youth (Gulfstream, March 3) or Louisiana Derby (Fair Grounds, March 10). ... Derby future odds: 8-1.
2. Street Sense (Carl Nafzger, Calvin Borel): Scheduled for two preps before Derby, the Hutcheson and the Blue Grass. .... Last Derby winner off two preps was Sunny’s Halo in 1983. ... Worked 4 furlongs in 49.40 at Palm Meadows on Monday. ... Next start: Hutcheson (Gulfstream, March3). ... Odds: 10-1.
3. Great Hunter (Doug O’Neill, Victor Espinoza): Worked 6 furlongs in 1:13.40 Monday at Hollywood Park’s all-weather track. ... Next start: Robert Lewis (Santa Anita, March 3). ... Odds: 24-1.
4. Hard Spun (Larry Jones, Mario Pino): Trainer’s first colt on Derby trail. ...Unbeaten Pennsylvania-bred worked 5 furlongs in 59.00 at Oaklawn Park on Monday. ... Next start: Southwest (Oaklawn, Feb. 19). ... Odds: 10-1.
5. Scat Daddy (Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez): Needs big effort next time out to remain top contender. ... fourth in BC Juvenile, third in 3-year-old debut in Holy Bull. ... Next start: Undecided. ... Odds: 44-1.
6. Ravel (Pletcher, Garrett Gomez): Made successful transition from synthetic surface to dirt with Sham win. ... Next start: Robert Lewis (March 3) or San Felipe (Santa Anita, March 17). ... Odds: 11-1.
7. Circular Quay (Pletcher, Velazquez): Despite near fall in stretch, colt still bounced back and finished fifth in Risen Star. ... Next start: Louisiana Derby (March 10). ... Odds: 12-1.
8. Notional (O’Neill, Robby Albarado): Avoided trouble and won Risen Star by 2 1/4 lengths. ... Also won San Rafael last month. ... Next start: San Felipe (March 17). ... Odds: 27-1.
9. Drums of Thunder (Bill Kaplan, Manoel Cruz) .... Finishing second to Nobiz Like Shobiz in Holy Bull not a disgrace. ... May be best of trainer’s three Derby chances. ... Next start: Fountain of Youth (March 3). ... Odds: 41-1.
10. Came to Pass (Tom Albertrani, Edgar Prado): Bred to run long, as in 1¼-mile Derby distance. ... Gives Sheik Mohammed’s Darley Stable legit prospect. ... Next start: Undecided. ... Odds: 5-2 (mutuel field).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Imawildandcrazyguy, Liquidity, Noble Court, Stormello, Summer Doldrums.
The first of three pools of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager begins its three-day run on Friday and the bet's opening scenario is very similar to each of its opening pools since the wager was created in 1999.
It's first time that Classic will be broadcast in primetime on Nov. 3.
 | INTERACTIVE |
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 | Slideshow |
 | Derby celebs Plenty of stars from the entertainment and sports world attend the 136th Kentucky Derby. more photos |
| INTERACTIVE |
 | Triple Crown winners The horses that have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont in the same year. |
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
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