Animal Kingdom returns to spotlight

Remember Animal Kingdom? No, he isn’t retired. He just hasn’t been seen for quite a while. The 2011 Kentucky Derby winner (pictured right) is scheduled to run Saturday for only the second time since fracturing his left hind leg almost 16 months ago in the Belmont Stakes. Trainer Graham Motion couldn’t have picked a more ambitious spot: the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile, featuring Horse of the Year candidate Wise Dan and English star Excelebration on Santa Anita’s grass. The huge chestnut colt’s last race was an easy allowance win Feb. 18 on Gulfstream’s …

Remember Animal Kingdom? No, he isn’t retired. He just hasn’t been seen for quite a while. The 2011 Kentucky Derby winner (pictured right) is scheduled to run Saturday for only the second time since fracturing his left hind leg almost 16 months ago in the Belmont Stakes. Trainer Graham Motion couldn’t have picked a more ambitious spot: the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile, featuring Horse of the Year candidate Wise Dan and English star Excelebration on Santa Anita’s grass. The huge chestnut colt’s last race was an easy allowance win Feb. 18 on Gulfstream’s grass course. It was supposed to be his prep for the Dubai World Cup, but three weeks later, Animal Kingdom was diagnosed with a fractured pelvis. – Newsday