Pirate Galaxy » you can see he is a throwback to the Neanderth

OCEANPORT, N.J. -- Leaving Monmouth Park hours after Triple Crown winner American Pharoahs triumphant return to the races in last years Haskell Invitational, track president Bob Kulina already was thinking ahead.The guy who has been around the Jersey shore track since the early 1970s knew nothing could top the spectacle of American Pharoah: 60,000 fans standing and cheering as the champion charged down the stretch in his first race as the first Triple Crown champion in 37 years.Kulina, though, caught some racing luck for Sundays 49th running of the Haskell: Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist vs. Preakness winner Exaggerator, with Pharoah trainer Bob Baffert in the mix with American Freedom.I have to tell the truth, Kulina said this week. A year ago Sunday driving home, if you told me I was looking at this type of race the year after American Pharoahs Triple Crown and Haskell victory, I would have said `Sign me up now.Theres plenty of storylines:- The Nyquist-Exaggerator rivalry resumes. Nyquist won the first four meetings, including the Breeders Cup Juvenile and the Derby. Exaggerator ended the streak -- and any chance for another Triple Crown try -- by handing Nyquist the only loss of his career in the Preakness.- Baffert has won five of the last six Haskells and is seeking a ninth win in Monmouth Parks showcase race.- Its the first time the top three Derby finishers -- Nyquist, Exaggerator and Gun Runner- are running in the Haskell. Its the first time since 2010 that its Derby winner vs. Preakness winner.- On the local front, trainers and brothers-in-law Eddie Plesa Jr. and Jason Servis will saddle long shots Awesome Slew and New Jersey-bred Sunny Ridge. Sunny Ridge is bred and owned by Dennis Drazin, an advisor to the group that operates the track.You couldnt have asked for a better field or a greater race, Kulina said.While anticipation builds for the 1 1/8-mile Haskell, there was a huge upset in Saturdays $600,000 Jim Dandy for 3-year-olds at Saratoga -- Laoban went wire-to-wire and won the first race of his career after an 0-for-7 start. A son of Uncle Mo, Laoban returned $56 on a $2 win bet. Belmont Stakes winner Creator never challenged and finished last in the six-horse field. Governor Malibu was second.Nyquist is the 6-5 morning-line favorite for the six-horse Haskell, with Exaggerator next at 5-2. The Derby winner leaves from the rail; the Preakness winner from the outside post.This will be Nyquists first race since running third in the Preakness on May 21. He then developed an elevated white blood cell count and was returned to his home base at Santa Anita. Trainer Doug ONeill now says his colt is ready to go again.Hes doing really well. His last few works have been exceptional, ONeill said. Were coming into this race with a lot of optimism. For a six-horse field, its very deep.Nyquist, owned by J. Paul Reddam, is the reigning 2-year-old champion and has eight wins in nine career starts for earnings of $5.1 million.Exaggerator, trained by Keith Desormeaux and ridden by his brother, Kent, finished 11th in the Belmont but appears charged up again for the Haskell.His entry was a surprise since hes been training at Saratoga, with plans calling for him to run in the Jim Dandy, then the Travers on Aug. 27. The Travers could be next for Nyquist, too.Those kinds of things are always fun, Keith Desormeaux said of the rivalry. Nyquist is a top horse and its always fun to outrun top competition.ONeill called it kind of a shock when he found out Exaggerator was Haskell-bound.Hes such a hard-trying horse and a class horse. His move in the Preakness was stunning, ONeill said. Weve faced him a bunch. We respect him a ton.Look for Nyquist, under jockey Mario Gutierrez, to be on or close to the lead. Exaggerator relishes a late charge to the wire, and splashed his way to victory in the Preakness.Baffert comes into the Haskell quietly, unlike last years Pharoah Fest. American Freedom was the 3-1 third choice, coming in with wins in the Sir Barton Stakes and the Iowa Derby. Gun Runner is 4-1, Awesome Slew 15-1 and Sunny Ridge 20-1.Plesa understands what hes facing in sending out long shot Awesome Slew.I feel like David fighting Goliath in this race when you look at these horses, he said.---The field, from the rail out, is Nyquist (Mario Gutierrez, 6-5), Sunny Ridge (Nik Juarez, 20-1), Awesome Slew (Paco Lopez, 15-1), Gun Runner (Florent Geroux, 4-1), American Freedom (Rafael Bejarano, 3-1) and Exaggerator (Kent Desormeaux, 5-2).---Follow Richard Rosenblatt on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/rosenblattap---AP freelance writer Mike Farrell contributed to this report.Sale Air Max Online . PETERSBURG, Fla. Black Air Max 95 2018 . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. http://www.discountairmax.com/ . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. Cheap Air Max 2018 Shoes .ca. Hey Kerry, big fan of yours, just finished reading your book. I think that we all saw the Canucks/Flames line brawl just after puck drop. It was obvious that something was about to happen, even to the referees because the fourth lines were on to start. Wholesale Nike Air Max Shoes . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in.Shortly after Michael Bisping agreed to defend his unlikely middleweight title in a rematch with Dan Henderson, he sat down with his wife to watch the fighters first bout seven years ago at UFC 100.It doesnt take much to get Bisping riled up, and that defeat still does the trick.Its embarrassing as hell when I watch that first fight, Bisping said. Im skinny as hell. Im so skittish. Im mentally, physically beaten in that fight. I was just, `Oh God, turn this off. I wanted to watch it, but it didnt resemble me at all. Thats not how I fight. I was disgusted with my performance. I was embarrassed. It was horrible. But we all have it. We all have bad nights at the office. It was a good night for Dan, and it was a bad night for me.He didnt even have to mention the ending: Henderson literally knocked out Bisping with one spectacular right hand, and he punctuated it with a flying elbow onto Bispings defenseless face on the ground. Its one of the most memorable stoppages in UFC history, and its the main reason Bisping eagerly agreed when the UFC offered him a chance to make it right.Bisping (30-7) is back in his native northern England to take on the 46-year-old Henderson (32-14) in the main event of UFC 204 this weekend, making his first defense of the belt that he won at UFC 199 in June with a stunning victory as a late replacement opponent for fearsome Luke Rockhold.Dana White called me, and I was still hung over from that fight, Bisping said. They were thinking Dan Henderson. I said, `Absolutely. Line him up. Ill knock him down. ... He knocked me out. I want revenge. He was on steroids, and now I get to shut him up.The 37-year-old Bisping grew into a successful broadcaster and actor even before he upset Rockhold to claim the belt, but he remains one of mixed martial arts most polarizing fighters. Many fans love his trash talk and humor in his broad Lancashire accent, whhile others despise his bravado and cockiness.ddddddddddddNobody can argue about Bispings fight promotion skills, and he has aggressively sold this seeming mismatch with Henderson, who has lost six of his last nine fights and has claimed hell retire after this one.Bisping and Henderson have needled each other for weeks, with Bisping coming down hard on Hendersons sanctioned use of testosterone replacement therapy before their first bout. Bisping also refers to Henderson as Captain Caveman, Fred Flintstone. Whatever you want to call him, you can see he is a throwback to the Neanderthal man.I dont even see this fight as a rematch, to be honest with you, because the two versions of ourselves are so completely different, Bisping added. Im much better. Ive improved mentally and physically. Dan Henderson, hes the opposite. Hes not on the steroids. Hes older. Look at the muscle mass he had in that first fight compared to now. Its like two different fighters.Bisping expects to have the English crowd behind him when he fights early Sunday morning -- the UFC schedules its pay-per-view fights to run in the U.S. markets prime Saturday night viewing hours. After a night of carousing and cheering, the fans will be more than ready for Bisping, who now lives in Orange County, California.The card from 21,000-seat Manchester Arena, which sold out almost immediately, also features veteran Vitor Belfort against Gegard Mousasi, along with bouts for light heavyweight Ovince Saint Preux and heavyweight Stefan Struve.I just think there will be more fights in the crowd than there will be in the octagon, Bisping said. But Ill be prepared. Fighting in your hometown brings massive pressure. I dont just want to be one-and-done. Fortunately, I thrive under pressure. ' ' '