Shackleford

Preakness champion Shackleford arrived Monday at Belmont Park 12 days before a probable start in the Belmont Stakes. The 3-year-old colt got to the Elmont, N.Y., track shortly before 10 a.m. after an overnight van ride from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. "He looks good," said Scotty Everett , assistant trainer to Dale Romans . "We are excited to have him here at Belmont. " Shackleford, fourth in the Kentucky Derby, will go to the track Wednesday to become familiar with the 11/2-mile oval.

Other trainers and owners, Bill Beatson said, took a look at the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, saw the name "Shackleford" and passed. Even Beatson, and his partners at Dark Hollow Farms, David and JoAnn Hayden, knew that a win against the 2011 Preakness winner would be unlikely. They decided to enter the horse, Poseidon's Warrior, anyway, and so on Sunday the Maryland-bred horse was at the gate of an off track at the grade I race at Saratoga. His odds were 36-1, the second longest shot in the field.

Preakness winner Shackleford worked five furlongs in 1 minute, 0.3 seconds Saturday morning at Belmont Park, after which trainer Dale Romans announced that the horse will run in the 143rd renewal of the Grade 1 $1 million Belmont Stakes next Saturday. "As long as he comes out of the work good he will run," Romans said after conferring via telephone with owner Michael Lauffer. "I think he's going to be very competitive. " The announcement sets up a rubber match between Shackleford and Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom that will represent just the 22nd time in the history of the Triple Crown that the Derby and Preakness winners have met in the Belmont.

What a scene it would have been. Bodemeister, the 4-1 morning line favorite, seemed to run effortlessly around most of track at Churchill Downs on Saturday, opening a lead of four lengths coming out of the final turn. He would have been trainer Bob Baffert's fourth Kentucky Derby winner. He would have invoked reverential talk of horses gone by. He would have been the next one with a true shot at ending a Triple Crown drought that has lasted since 1978. But Bodemeister - whose name comes from a nickname for Baffert's son Bode - got tired.

Trainer Dale Romans said Sunday morning there is a better than 50 percent chance Preakness winner Shackleford will run in the Belmont Stakes in three weeks. "If he trains like he did going into the Derby, I don't know why we would pass," Romans said. "I've always thought, just like Woody Stevens said along time ago, that the Belmont is really a speed horse's race. A mile and a half is such a grueling race, they'll all be tired when they get to the eighth pole. " Romans said he hopes Animal Kingdom will be there as well because a rivalry between the two would be good for horse racing.

Dale Romans and his older brother Jerry were eating breakfast Saturday morning at their hotel in Cross Keys, trying to keep their mind off of the 136th running of the Preakness, when the two of them -- for reasons they can't quite explain -- started to think about the beginning of their career as trainers, close to 25 years ago. The two brothers began to chuckle, and with good reason. The horses they worked all those years ago when they were living at Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky, were not exactly the stuff dreams are made of. In fact, they were pretty awful as far as thoroughbreds go. "We had a lot of horses, and some were the cheapest of the cheap," Romans said.

On January 6, 2004, DORIS MAE SHACKLEFORD; beloved wife of the late David Shackleford, Sr.; devoted mother of David Jr., Robert, Richard and Renee Shackleford; dear sister of Zeke Ziler. Also survived by five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Funeral from the family owned Bruzdzinski Funeral Home, P.A., 1407 Old Eastern Avenue, Essex at route 702 (beltway exit 36), on Saturday at 8:30 A.M. A Mass of Christian Burial in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 9 A.M. Visitation on Friday, 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. Christian Wake Service, 7:30 P.M. A private interment will be held in Garrison Forest Veteran Cemetery.

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers have reached tentative contract agreement with free-agent center/forward Charles Shackleford and were scheduled to have a news conference this afternoon.Shackleford, a 6-foot-10 rebounding specialist, quickly worked his way to the top of a short list of obtainable big men compiled by the Sixers. He reportedly will sign a multi-year contract, with the salary per season believed to be at least $1 million.The team freed up space beneath the NBA-imposed salary cap by not exercising a contract option on forward Rick Mahorn, who had played two seasons in Philadelphia.

NORTH EAST -- Derek Shackleford scored 24 points and Craig Collins added 21 last night, as Frederick Community College (12-10) defeated host Cecil Community College, 116-86.FREDERICK CC (116) -- Shackleford 24, White 12, Thomas 10, Young 9, Collins 21, Edwards 16, Dennis 9, Robertson 6, Boyd 9. Totals 47 13-17 116.CECIL CC (86) -- Dale 19, Unger 29, Willis 2, Harris 8, Colenda 17, Smith 11. Totals 38 7-13 86.Halftime--Frederick 48-36.

Kentucky Derby May 7 Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky. Win: Animal Kingdom Place: Nehro Show: Mucho Macho Man What happened: Animal Kingdom, trained by Graham Motion and based at Fair Hill, Md., laid off the pace for much of the race, but he flew past the pack down the stretch to win by 2 3/4 lengths. Jockey John Velazquez held Animal Kingdom back, but when it came time to run, Velazquez steered him outside and he began passing horses with ease.

Navy men's lacrosse Ex-Mids Reppert, Jarboe added to staff Navy completed its coaching staff with the additions of Ryan Wellner , J.L. Reppert and Mickey Jarboe . Wellner spent the past three seasons alongside head coach Rick Sowell at Stony Brook. Reppert, a four-year starter at Navy from 1996 to 1999, was an assistant last season at Washington College. Jarboe won the Ens. C Markland Kelly Award for the Midshipmen as the nation's best goalkeeper in 1999 and 2000.

Here are five storylines to watch for in the 143rd running of the Belmont Stakes 1. How will Animal Kingdom handle the sandy track at Belmont Park? It seemed as if Animal Kingdom had put to rest any questions about how comfortable he is running on dirt after his impressive win at the Kentucky Derby. When he fell well back going around the first turn in the Preakness, though, it was clear that having a considerable amount of dirt and mud kicked in his face bothered him. Trainer Graham Motion said this week he didn't blame jockey John Velazquez for putting the colt in that position.

Kentucky Derby winnerAnimal Kingdom was made a 2-1 morning-line favorite Wednesday for the 143rd running of the Belmont Stakes after he drew the No. 9 stall in the post position draw. Animal Kingdom, who is conditioned by Maryland trainer Graham Motion, will have his work cut out for him as he tries to become just the 12th horse to win the Derby and the Belmont. Only four winners have come from that position since 1905. But Motion said he doesn't think it will matter much. When horses are running a mile and a half, post position is less important.

Preakness winner Shackleford worked five furlongs in 1 minute, 0.3 seconds Saturday morning at Belmont Park, after which trainer Dale Romans announced that the horse will run in the 143rd renewal of the Grade 1 $1 million Belmont Stakes next Saturday. "As long as he comes out of the work good he will run," Romans said after conferring via telephone with owner Michael Lauffer. "I think he's going to be very competitive. " The announcement sets up a rubber match between Shackleford and Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom that will represent just the 22nd time in the history of the Triple Crown that the Derby and Preakness winners have met in the Belmont.

Kentucky Derby May 7 Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky. Win: Animal Kingdom Place: Nehro Show: Mucho Macho Man What happened: Animal Kingdom, trained by Graham Motion and based at Fair Hill, Md., laid off the pace for much of the race, but he flew past the pack down the stretch to win by 2 3/4 lengths. Jockey John Velazquez held Animal Kingdom back, but when it came time to run, Velazquez steered him outside and he began passing horses with ease.

Preakness champion Shackleford arrived Monday at Belmont Park 12 days before a probable start in the Belmont Stakes. The 3-year-old colt got to the Elmont, N.Y., track shortly before 10 a.m. after an overnight van ride from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. "He looks good," said Scotty Everett , assistant trainer to Dale Romans . "We are excited to have him here at Belmont. " Shackleford, fourth in the Kentucky Derby, will go to the track Wednesday to become familiar with the 11/2-mile oval.

On January 28, 2007, MARY E. (nee Speaker); beloved wife of Clarence F. Thompson; devoted mother of Mary Shackleford, Barbara Chaney, Alice Lea, Charles, Christine and Joseph Lodwick; stepmother of Vernon, William, Allen, and Ralph Thompson and Laura Calzone; dear sister of Clarence Speaker, Rose Earl, Margaret Hadley, Anne McMillan, and Alice Thompson. Also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, loving relatives and friends. Funeral Services will be held at the family owned Lilly Zeiler Inc. Funeral Home

With Animal Kingdom committed to run in the Belmont Stakes, can Shackleford be far behind? Those horses, winners of the first two legs of racing's Triple Crown, are expected to contend for the third time at Belmont on June 11. After Animal Kingdom jogged 1-1/2 miles Friday morning at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, trainer Graham Motion pronounced the Kentucky Derby winner fit to go in the race many see as the rubber match between the...

Each morning, Monday through Friday, I'll hook you up with reading material to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday -- that way I'll have an excuse to do the same at the start of mine. Running it back: Vladimir Guerrero's two-run homer on Sunday powered the Orioles to a 2-1 win and a series victory over the Nationals. ... Brian Roberts will go to Pittsburgh on Tuesday to have a consultation with a renowned expert in sports-related concussions . ... Kevin Gregg said Matt Wieters is "probably the best" in baseball at throwing out would-be base stealers . ... There is a better than a "50-50 chance" that Preakness winner Shackleford will run in the Belmont Stakes . ... Ray Lewis believes crime would increase if there is no NFL season . ... Grant Catalino's overtime goal pushed Maryland past Syracuse and into the NCAA men's lacrosse semifinals . Hitting the links: 1. Peter Schmuck: Animal Kingdom put on another great show at the Preakness [ Baltimore Sun ]