Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
Soon enough, a Vikings decision needs to arrive on Eric Wilson.
The off-ball ‘backer soaked up plenty of snaps at edge rusher, filling in for the injured Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel at various points. He did so despite being in his early 30s, not having a ton of experience at the position, and being undersized for the task at 6’1″ and 231 pounds. Wilson responded by dropping down a career-high 6.5 sacks alongside 17 tackles for loss. Not too shabby.
The Vikings Decision on Eric Wilson Looks Risky
Bringing Brian Flores back makes keeping Wilson more likely.
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Coach Flores, affectionately called “The Mad Scientist” in Minnesota, figured out how to unlock Wilson’s various skills. Not just someone who could run down running backs and tight ends, Wilson could pin his ears back to create havoc as a pass rusher. Essentially every linebacker prefers to run forward rather than backward, so one has to assume to Wilson enjoyed playing for Flores.
Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58), linebacker Eric Wilson (55) and linebacker Andrew van Ginkel (43) celebrate after a play during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images.
At the time, Mike Zimmer’s Vikings were on the cusp of one of the franchise’s all-time great seasons. The linebacker spot was being led by Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, both of whom were very good players in Minnesota.
Wilson came to town as a speedy, athletic linebacker who looked like he could stick around as a special teams menace and depth defender. For most of his career, Wilson lived up to that description, though he did earn a solid amount of playing time on defense over the years.
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What’s notable is that he has had staying power. He’s impressive on the field in a physical sense, often demonstrating good speed and physicality. So, too, have coaches uplifted his acumen, an intelligence that allows him to stay a step ahead while also helping his teammates. Add it all together and there’s a veteran defender who possesses nice athleticism (though undersized) as well as someone who thinks and communicates the game at a high level.
In February of 2026, Eric Wilson is coming off a career-best season just as he jaunts into free agency. Soon, he’s going to get paid.
Oct 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson (55) celebrates after a sack during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Wilson’s NFL journey has involved working for the Vikings, the Texans, the Eagles, the Saints, the Packers, and now for the Vikings again. At the high-end of his past paydays has been a yearly amount coming in at $3,259,000, which was when he worked for Minnesota in 2020.
Wilson is going to smash that number in March, blowing it to smithereens.
Spotrac offers an estimate that puts Eric Wilson at roughly $4.3 million per season. If that’s indeed what he’ll play for, then Minnesota would be wise to keep him around. Goodness, pay Wilson more than that. A two-year deal for $5 million per season would be a great deal for the Vikings.
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Given the success Wilson had in 2025, then the ask on the open market may be much higher. Journeying over to the linebacker section of Over the Cap clarifies that there are a lot of linebackers who make $5 million per season or more. Wilson, very likely, is going to find himself among them. How high is too high?
Sep 14, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson (55) celebrates after a play during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
In the NFL, the contracts that get handed out should be all about the future. Looking to the past is helpful only insofar as past play offers hints about future play.
Eric Wilson is coming off a sizzling season and he legitimately has earned a hearty payday. Whether that comes in Minnesota remains to be seen; the budget is snug and the roster needs to get younger. Is it too risky to pay for a breakout season for Wilson?
Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end AJ Epenesa (57) warms up prior to the game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Browns are not signing free agent defensive end A.J. Epenesa after concerns following his physical, ESPN reported on Sunday night.
The Browns were reported on March 18, per ESPN, to have agreed to sign the six-year veteran to a one-year contract worth up to $5 million. Epenesa, 27, who had spent his entire career with the Buffalo Bills, was at the Browns’ facility last Monday, per the NFL transactions wire.
Epenesa played in 16 regular-season games (two starts) for the Bills in 2025 and totaled 32 tackles, 2.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits, two interceptions and one fumble recovery. He added two tackles in two playoff games.
Buffalo selected Epenesa in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Iowa.
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Epenesa played out the final year of his four-year rookie contract, reportedly valued at $5,866,299 with a $1,834,399 signing bonus. He became an unrestricted free agent but returned to Buffalo on a two-year, $12 million contract.
For his career, Epenesa had 135 tackles, 24 sacks, 29 tackles for loss, 53 QB hits, four interceptions, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 21 passes defended in 91 regular-season games (19 starts). He also has 17 tackles in 14 playoff games (three starts).
Cameron Green’s non-availability as a bowler had trigged a sharp response from KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane (IPL/BCCI)
Cricket Australia have been forced to put out a clarification on why Australian allrounder Cameron Green is not allowed to bowl for his franchise Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026, after skipper Ajinkya Rahane took a swipe at the Australian board when asked about Green’s abstinence from bowling duties during KKR’s opening fixture against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Sunday.KKR failed to defend a total of 220, with Rahane blaming it on the inexperienced bowling unit and the true nature of the Wankhede track – the same strip which saw nearly 500 runs being scored in the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal between India and England earlier this month.KKR have been grappling with injuries, and Rahane conceded that the non-availability of Green as a bowler dented the team’s balance.“I think when hopefully Green starts to bowl soon, the combination will be slightly different,” said Rahane during the post-match interaction. “At the moment, we have to see the balance and who can bowl well for us. Batting-wise, as I said, we batted really well, but finding that balance with the ball is really important. So, hopefully, Green starts to bowl soon, then we can find out whether the combination will be okay.“And when asked why the 26-year-old was not bowling, he shot back, saying, “That question you need to ask Cricket Australia,” leaving the on-air commentators Ravi Shastri and Kevin Pietersen speechless for a bit.However, Cricket Australia responded to Rahane’s remarks, stating that Green is suffering from a lower back injury and KKR were made fully aware of the situation beforehand.“Cameron has a lower back injury which is being managed but requires him to abstain from bowling for a short period,” a CA spokesperson said, as quoted by FOX Sports.“Cameron is currently rebuilding his bowling loads in India with a view to return in around 10–12 days’ time. KKR has been communicated with and is fully aware of this information,” the report further stated, attributing it to the spokesperson.Green, the most expensive buy of the IPL 2026 auction at INR 25.20 Cr, came out to bat at one-down, scoring 18 off 10 balls, but was not pressed into action with the ball as Mumbai Indians batters made merry against an inexperienced KKR bowling unit. Every KKR bowler was taken to the cleaners by Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton of Mumbai Indians, who combined for an opening stand of 148 in just 11.1 overs.Vaibhav Arora was taken for 52 runs in his four overs, while Blessing Muzarabani leaked 34 runs in his three overs. Kartik Tyagi, the impact sub, returned figures of 4-0-43-1. But the biggest letdown for KKR were their spin twins — Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy — who proved ineffective on the Wankhede track, giving away 78 runs between them in seven overs.
Following a major patch release earlier, the developers have added several hotfix updates to Crimson Desert on March 30, 2026. Pearl Abyss has a dedicated space where players can report in-game issues, and it’s commendable that those bugs are being fixed quickly. The latest adjustments fix numerous UI features and in-game interactions.
Here are all of the included hotfixes mentioned in Crimson Desert Patch Notes Version 1.01.01.
All Crimson Desert hotfixes released with patch version 1.01.01
A hotfix with several fixes is going out across all platforms. For the best experience, we recommend receiving this latest patch. Please check the below notice for details and to see if it’s available for download on your platform.
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With Crimson Desert patch 1.01.00 improving plenty of in-game mechanics, and also adding more content to the title, the hotfix patch version 1.01.01 fixes a total of eight bugs. These updates are available for all platforms, including PC, Mac, PlayStation, and Xbox. And as for PC (Steam), the update size is only 208 MB.
With that said, here are the fixes included in patch version 1.01.01:
“Fixed an issue where the “Use” button for the Talisman of the 5 new mounts appeared on Damiane and Oongka.
Fixed an issue where Blackstar remained flying in place after death instead of disappearing.
Fixed an issue where the A.T.A.G was not destroyed even when its Health reached 0.
Fixed an issue where the UI for selecting a tempering target became unavailable in certain conditions.
Fixed an issue where holding down the button to follow NPCs during missions on horseback caused the horse to move abnormally.
Fixed an issue where Sprint could not be used while riding the White Bear.
Fixed an issue where the controls became unavailable while using “Examine” with the Constellation Helm.
Fixed an issue where Refinement of equipment was not possible for Damiane and Oongka.”
The White Bear is one of the legendary mounts that came with patch 1.01.00, and the developers have already included a bug fix around its riding interaction. With all the recent updates, it’s fair to say that if the community raises an issue (that potentially needs fixing), Pearl Abyss might fix it in time.
Consider the Orlando Magic. They have patient, deep-pocketed ownership, smart and experienced management with an eye on the big picture and loads of high-end talent.
They sold off an underwhelming core at the right time and turned the draft capital into one of the best young forwards in the game in Franz Wagner, taken eighth overall in 2021 with one of the picks they got from the Chicago Bulls. They tanked briefly but effectively and ended up with Jalen Suggs, taken No. 5 in 2021, and Paolo Banchero, taken first overall in 2022. Banchero became an all-star in his second season at age 21, and Suggs was all-defence in his third season at 22.
Having made the playoffs two years in a row, the Magic then went for it and cashed in some draft capital (as in four unprotected first-round picks and a pick swap) for Desmond Bane, a tough, two-way wing to bolster their biggest weaknesses: shot creation and three-point shooting.
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He’s played well this season.
There are more good moves — drafting up-and-coming Anthony Black in the lottery in 2023 and Tristan Da Silva in 2024. Both look like long-term rotation players.
But sometimes things just don’t come together. For the Magic, it’s been most of this snake-bitten season, but it may have culminated Sunday evening at Scotiabank Arena.
In a game with significant Eastern Conference playoff implications, the Magic looked like a team fiddling through the pre-season.
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The Raptors’ 139-87 win doesn’t quite capture the Magic’s capitulation. Over a nearly eight-minute stretch in the first half, the Raptors scored 31 unanswered points, an NBA record for the play-by-play era (since the 1996-97 season, roughly 30 years).
“I actually didn’t know that that was even happening,” said Scottie Barnes, who set a new career-high with 15 assists to go along with 23 points and three steals in 28 minutes. His three steals gave him a career-best 102 on the season, and along with his 109 blocks, make him the only player in the NBA to top 100 of each so far this year. “I think we were all super locked in. Just trying to keep causing turnovers and keep trying as hard as we can on defence that it just helped the lead grow for us.”
Orlando gave up 19 turnovers in the first half, which the Raptors turned into 30 points. It was the second-most turnovers in a half for which there are available statistics. Toronto led 70-43 at halftime.
The Raptors were their typically handsy, pesky selves as they made a season-high 18 steals, but on multiple occasions, the Magic simply made careless passes out of bounds or over their teammates’ heads or through a forest of arms and legs.
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The result was ugly. The 52-point winning margin was the second-largest in Raptors history.
The whole thing was a little weird. For the second time in a month Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic credited a higher power, for his team’s performance, which was one way to explain how his team played their most dominant basketball of the season with Brandon Ingram (heel inflammation), Immanuel Quickley (missed his fourth straight game with plantar fasciitis) and Colin Murray-Boyles (back spasms) all out of the lineup. Jamison Battle (illness) was out, too.
But who can the Magic blame? Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley tried to shoulder the blame, but he’s not passing the ball to the other team.
To their credit, against some adversity, the Raptors rallied.
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“Obviously we dealt with several injuries today and I felt in the locker room before the start of the game there was a lot of determination there. The guys really wanted to go out there and compete,” Rajakovic said.
What was the Magic’s excuse? It’s hard to fathom.
The game represented arguably Orlando’s last best chance to pull itself into contention for a top-six finish and a guaranteed playoff spot in the East. It would have given the Magic a 2-1 edge in the season series with the Raptors and pulled them within one game of Toronto.
Now it’s the Raptors that have the tiebreak, and they are three full games ahead of eighth-place Orlando (39-35) with eight to play. Toronto still has a fight on its hands to stay in the top six. They are 42-32 and a half game up on Atlanta in sixth and one game up on Philadelphia in seventh. But if they slip back into the play-in tournament, it likely won’t be due to the Magic.
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The Raptors aren’t a perfectly constructed team. What would Barnes be able to do if he actually could be something close to a full-time point guard, surrounded by shooters who can stretch the floor in every direction? We’ve never been able to see it in Toronto. Even after converting 13-of-29 threes against Orlando, the Raptors are 25th in made threes this season and 23rd in three-point percentage.
But put the ball in his hands and good things happen. Barnes has 49 assists in the last four games, third in the NBA over that span.
The Raptors do have a collective energy that, for the most part this season, has made them better than the sum of their parts.
It’s allowed a previously unproven Sandro Mamukelashvili to take his first shot at regular playing time and thrive as the first big off the bench. He was +47 on Sunday and finished with 19 points on 13 shots.
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It’s there when RJ Barrett battles through a shoulder injury to put up 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting. It’s there when Alijah Martin and A.J. Lawson, the Raptors’ little-used two-way contract players, step into a crucial game and contribute 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting combined.
Injuries are a huge part of the Magic’s story: their core of Wagner, Banchero, Suggs and Bane have played just 130 minutes together this season. They are +10.1 per 100 possessions when they do.
But if the flesh is weak, the spirit doesn’t seem much better.
They were only missing Wagner on Sunday and they completely no-showed. It was their seventh loss in eight games, their only win coming over the lowly Sacramento Kings.
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The Raptors haven’t done everything right over the past three years. A talent sell-off and four years out of the playoffs have hardly yielded a bucket full of top lottery picks. Who the future star is that will ride alongside Barnes is still very much to be determined.
But they have played together and they have committed to playing a high-energy style of defence. They pass the ball.
They have a very good chance at making the playoffs; teams a lot further along the talent acquisition curve — the Magic just being one of them — are in danger of missing them.
Credit where credit is due.
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Georgia on their minds: Mamukelashvili and Orlando Magic centre Goga Bitadze had a lengthy catch-up at centre court before the game started. The two big men are the only Georgian players in the NBA and represented the national team this past summer at EuroBasket. They have known each other forever. “Me and Goga played each other when I was like, six or seven years old, and he was tall and he was the only person able to block my shot and I really hated it. I was thinking, ‘Who is this tall guy?’ I was the tallest and he was the tallest. He was always a physically gifted and strong guy. I feel like he was the first player or second player against who I really had to adjust. [But] I’m so happy for him and hopefully he gets better. But I’m super happy to play him and I think he’s representing the country amazingly.”
To dunk or not do dunk: When you’re six-foot-one, dunking can be stressful. The outcome is not guaranteed. But every once in a while, Jamal Shead (12 points, 10 assists, three steals) will decide it’s time. “Whenever I’m actually open, I’ll try,” said Shead. “I need the time to get my legs under me. I don’t like dunking. It’s scary. It’s a long way for me.” But the stars aligned early in the fourth quarter with the Raptors leading by 51 points. Shead shot the gap, was off on a breakaway and loaded up. It was his third dunk of the season (on three attempts) and the sixth of his career (on nine attempts).
Yes, they follow the standings: “I think everyone goes home and checks it,” said Mamukelashvili. “We’re right there. We fought through the whole year to kind of get ourselves in a good position. We slipped up, we came back. Now we know that everything is so stacked, the margin of error is so small, I feel you got to be aware of it. I watch other games, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta — all the teams that are right there with us, what they’re doing and how they’re doing it and make sure we stay on top.”
Aryna Sabalenka holds the Butch Buchholz championship trophy after defeating Coco Gauff of the United States on Day 12 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on March 28, 2026. (Photo by Mauricio Paiz/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff in three sets to win the Miami Open final, holding her nerve in a match that could have easily slipped either way.
After the win, Sabalenka said:
“I was trying to remind myself I’m strong enough to handle that,” she said, talking about the pressure in the third set.
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She also opened up about the work she’s been doing behind the scenes with her team.
“We were chatting a lot, trying to dig deep and find the reason why I’m letting these finals get too much in my head… mentally we found a way to improve.”
Even after losing chances in the second set, she said her focus was simple: stay positive and reset.
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“I lost a couple of opportunities in that second set, but I was just trying to stay mentally positive.”
In the end, that shift in mindset made the difference, as she stayed composed and closed out the match, something she admitted had been a challenge for her in past finals.
Shaheen Afridi Ball Tampering Controversy: A stalwart of Pakistan cricket and skipper of the PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars, Shaheen Afridi found himself under the spotlight for a major controversy in the final phase of the match against Karachi Kings on Sunday. The incident unfolded just before Lahore pacer Haris Rauf was set to bowl the final over. In a video that surfaced on social media, the trio of Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, and Fakhar Zaman appeared to be doing something with the ball while engaged in discussion.
The umpires concluded that the ball had been tampered with and imposed a five-run penalty on the Lahore franchise. Karachi Kings capitalised on the situation and wrapped up the chase within the first three balls of the 20th over.
During the post-match presentation, Pakistan legend Ramiz Raja pressed Shaheen, the Lahore skipper, about what had transpired before the final over. The pacer fumbled multiple times while attempting to answer and claimed he was unaware of what had happened.
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“I don’t know about this, and we’ll see if it’s there in the camera and discuss what it is. Actually, five runs were taken and we can’t do anything,” Shaheen said at the presentation.
Ramiz Raja to Shaheen Afridi:
“The ball was taken from you at the end because of the ball tempering so what are your thoughts on that?”
Shaheen Afridi:
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“I don’t know about this. We will see that in cameras. We will discuss who did that.” pic.twitter.com/j2f8ofri3y
Ramiz, however, refused to let the matter slide and continued to probe Shaheen on the ball-tampering allegations.
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“You have to ask the umpires why they changed the ball. When we asked them why they changed the ball, they told us to go away. When they were making the decision, the umpires requested us, even the captain, to return to our fielding positions,” Ramiz explained.
In a statement after the match, Lahore star Sikandar Raza said: “I can only speak for myself. There was never any attempt on my part to change the condition of the ball, or even to try. All I remember is that when I was trying to dry the ball and make it shine, the umpires asked us not to dry it under the shirt. Who they are accusing, unless we see the proof, I think it’s a big decision. I have not been called for an enquiry.”
The Miami Marlins turned back the clock on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies and presented fans with a throwback uniform to kick start Teal Sundays.
The nostalgic look of the uniform may have been the lucky charm they needed to get a win over the Rockies. Owen Caissie came up to the plate with one on and two outs. He took a Victor Vodnik pitch deep to right field for the walk-off home run.
Miami Marlins’ Owen Caissie, second from right, poses with his teammates after hitting a walk-off two run home run to defeat the Colorado Rockies in a baseball game, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
The Marlins announced the organization would be hosting Teal Sundays for their home games during the season. The jersey featured the old teal uniforms with the original Florida Marlins logo stitched in.
“This jersey is so much more than just a uniform,” a message on their website read. “It’s an ode to those moments where fans fell in love with the team. It honors the Fightin’ Fish who started it all and the players who carry that legacy into the next era of Marlins baseball.”
Miami Marlins pitcher Max Meyer (23) meets on the mound during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami.(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
The Marlins were established as an MLB franchise with the Rockies in 1993. While Miami has had their share of teardowns and rebuilds, the team won World Series titles in 1997 and 2003.
Miami will look to get back to the playoffs this season under second-year manager Clayton McCullough. The Marlins haven’t made the postseason since 2023.
Miami Marlins’ Owen Caissie runs after hitting a walk-off two run home run during the ninth inning to defeat the Colorado Rockies in a baseball game, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Successfully completing the first pair of objectives in a three-phase roadmap, rising star colt Southend now aims to cap it off with a tilt at the Group 1 Champagne Stakes.
Securing the Paul Perry (1300m) at Newcastle on his first start, Southend then ventured to Rosehill on Saturday where he lifted the Group 3 Baillieu (1400m) to qualify for the Championships.
“That has always been the plan. To go to Newcastle, here today, then if he looks as though he’s had enough we’ll stop him, and if not he’ll go to the Champagne in three weeks,” co-trainer Gerald Ryan said.
“He’s a very good horse, I think.”
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Southend descends from the accomplished former English miler-sprinter Palace Pier, taker of five Group 1 victories, via a So You Think three-quarter sister of Ryan’s previous sharp galloper Peltzer.
Nevertheless, that family connection did not sway Ryan and partner trainer Sterling Alexiou when selecting Southend at the yearling sales.
“That wasn’t the reason I bought him,” Ryan said.
“The week before the sales, Sterling had gone home for a few days and when he came back I said, ‘I reckon I found one for you’. I took him down to Mill Park (Stud’s barn), there were five horses there we looked at, and I never told him which one it was.
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“This horse came out and Sterling, goes, ‘he’s a classic’ and I said, ‘I know. This is the one I want you to like’.”
Under Dylan Gibbons, Southend ($7.50) accelerated from the midway point of the straight and stormed home to pip Persian Wonder ($2.90 fav) by 1-1/4 lengths, while Nomadic ($81) was a nose behind in third place.
Gibbons remarked that Southend’s win came via innate ability and he will improve markedly with seasoning.
“The thing I loved most is that last furlong, he was just looking for some challengers. God help him when he learns what his job is,” Gibbons said.
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“I’m sure he will eat up and bounce out of the run, and we’ll have a crack at the big one (Champagne Stakes). If he can take any natural improvement again, it’s scary to see where he can get to.”
Head to betting sites for racing betting markets on the Champagne Stakes showdown.
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