Around the Backstretch: Shackleford and Animal Kingdom Probable for Belmont Stakes

They'll be no Triple Crown winner (again) but the Belmont Stakes could go a long way to deciding which colt is named Champion Three-Year-Old of 2011.  A look at some of the post-Preakness stories and other items making news on this Monday:

Shackleford likely to face Animal Kingdom again in Belmont - ESPN
Shackleford, who won the 136th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, came out of the race well, and his chances of running in the Belmont Stakes on June 11 are better than 50-50, his trainer, Dale Romans, said Sunday morning here at Pimlico.

Preakness Day business a mixed bag at Pimlico - Daily Racing Form
Business figures for the Preakness Stakes and its undercard on Saturday were a mixed bag, with an increase in handle on the race but a decrease on the card.

Shackleford 'Better Than 50-50' for Belmont - BloodHorse.com
Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Shackleford returned to Churchill Downs in Kentucky May 22, and trainer Dale Romans said there's a "better than 50-50 chance" the colt will race in the June 11 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

Day After Preakness Thoughts - Daily Racing Form
Whether I can make a case for him after the race is irrelevant. Shackleford deserves full credit for what he did Saturday.

Around the Country

Paddy O'Prado's retirement expected to be announced at teleconference - Daily Racing Form
A news teleconference has been scheduled for Monday at 1 p.m. Eastern at which time it is expected to be announced that turf standout Paddy O'Prado, who won Saturday\'s Dixie Stakes at Pimlico, has been retired. 

Emerald: Noosa Beach continues run with Governor's victory - Daily Racing Form
Noosa Beach picked up Sunday where he left off at Emerald Downs last summer, capturing the $50,000 Governor\'s Handicap to run his latest winning streak to five and his overall record since the beginning of 2010 to eight victories in nine starts.

Around the World

Roderic O'Connor wires Irish Guineas under Joseph O'Brien - Handicappers' Edge
Mrs. John Magnier's RODERIC O'CONNOR (Galileo [Ire]), trained by Aidan O'Brien and enterprisingly ridden by his 17-year-old son, Joseph, made every yard of the running in Saturday's Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1). The 7-2 chance rebounded from a clunker in the April 30 Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) at Newmarket, where he finished a remote 11th behind Frankel (Galileo [Ire]), to hand his young jockey his first classic victory.

Tenacious Wavering Winner of Prix Saint-Alary - BloodHorse.com
Wavering stormed down the center of the course to post a mild upset in the $353,785 Montjeu Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary (Fr-I) at Longchamp May 22.

So You Think Cruises in Tattersalls Gold Cup - BloodHorse.com
Heavily-favored So You Think improved his European record to two-for-two with an easy 4 1/2-length victory in the $297,179 Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-I) at the Curragh May 22.

Gitano Hernando, Rocket Man win Group 1s in Singapore - Thoroughbred Times
Gitano Hernando (GB) made his winning bid with 400 meters remaining in Sunday’s $2,423,100 Singapore Airlines International Cup (Sin-G1) at Kranji Racecourse, and the well-traveled Hernando (Fr) horse found enough stamina to turn back a late charge by South African Group 1 winner River Jetez en route to his second Grade/Group 1 win.

FRANCE Sarafina scores cosy Saint Cloud success - Horse Racing News - Racing Post
The classy Sarafina recorded her first win for nearly a year when she scooted to a comfortable success in the Prix Corrida at Saint Cloud on Monday.

Erin Court fashions 37.20-to-1 Japanese Oaks stunner - Thoroughbred Times
Erin Court produced an explosive late rally to win her stakes debut by a neck, taking the Yushun Himba (Jpn-G1) (Japanese Oaks) at 37.20-to-1 odds for owner Teruya Yoshida.