by Todd Pletcher, Protonico was a top-class stakes competitor in late 2014 and early 2015, winning the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap, Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes and Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes and finishing second by a half-length to Hoppertunity in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap. Protonico wasnt as sharp during

Matthew Suckling looms as the Western Bulldogs hard-luck story for the AFL grand final as they named an unchanged side.The weeks selection intrigue will continue until the final teams are confirmed on Saturday afternoon, with Sydney naming co-captain Jarrad McVeigh and Rising Star winner Callum Mills to return from injury.Sucklings continued omission means the Bulldogs will have no players in their 22 on Saturday with grand final experience.The last team without any experience in the premiership decider was St Kilda, when they lost the 1997 grand final to Adelaide.Suckling was left out of their preliminary final side because of an Achilles problem.But it also emerged later he did not play against the Giants because of team balance.The two-time Hawthorn premiership player joined the Bulldogs this season under free agency and had played 17 games, including their elimination and semi-finals.Bulldogs ruckman Jordan Roughead will need medical clearance on Friday before he is a confirmed selection.Roughead suffered an eye injury when a ball was kicked into his face during last Saturdays preliminary final win over the Giants.He trained on Thursday and at this stage is expected to play.After an injury-ravaged season, the Bulldogs have had the rare luxury of naming an unchanged side.Suckling and Lin Jong were added to their emergencies for the grand final, joining Tom Campbell - the obvious choice to replace Roughead if he is a late withdrawal.Jong has made a remarkable comeback after suffering a broken collarbone in the elimination-final defeat of West Coast.He furthered his selection claims last Sunday when he was best afield in Footscrays VFL grand final triumph.There were also reports that Bulldogs defender Dale Morris had to do some extra training during the week.But the Dogs have been adamant Morris will play against the Swans.With McVeigh and Mills recalled, first-year defender Harry Marsh was the unlucky omission.The 22-year-old had played seven senior games this year, including the last four.Fellow defender Aliir Aliir was already ruled out on Wednesday because of the knee injury he suffered last Friday night in the preliminary final win over Geelong.Mills suffered a hamstring injury in the qualifying-final loss to the Giants and McVeigh hurt a calf as they beat Adelaide in the following weeks semi-final.McVeigh said before last Friday nights game that he was only a couple of days away from being fit to play.Marsh, Harry Cunningham and Toby Nankervis are the Swans emergencies.Oscar Robertson Kings Jersey . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Peja Stojakovic Kings Jersey . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. http://www.nbakingsonline.com/Authentic-Mitch-Richmond-Kings-Jersey/ . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. Mike Bibby Kings Jersey . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Mike Bibby Jersey .Gather a group of friends, or find a league to join online, draft your team, set your lineup and compete in a number of different formats.With just four weeks remaining until the Breeders Cup World Championships, the last major prep race for the $6 million Breeders Cup Classic will be held this Saturday, that being the historic Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes at Belmont Park.The Jockey Club Gold Cup will be telecast on NBC Saturday with live coverage beginning at 5 p.m. ET.The 1-1/4-mile race has drawn a small but elite group of six horses, two of which faced off against Breeders Cup Classic favorite California Chrome earlier this year.Those two horses are Mubtaahij (#2) and Hoppertunity (#3), who finished just a neck apart when second and third behind California Chrome in the March 26 Dubai World Cup, the richest race in the world with a purse of $10 million.Since then, Mubtaahij and Hoppertunity have gone their separate ways. While Mubtaahij has compiled a better record this summer -- finishing third in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap and a close second in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes -- Hoppertunity has arguably faced tougher competition, finishing fourth behind the talented Melatonin in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita and fourth behind California Chrome, Beholder, and Dortmund in the TVG Pacific Classic Stakes.Of the pair, I narrow prefer Hoppertunity. Even though he is shipping in from California and has never run at Belmont Park, he has done well shipping to other locations and has handled a wide variety of racetracks, including Churchill Downs, Keeneland Race Course and Oaklawn Park. In addition, he won the 2014 Rebel Stakes on a sloppy track. With a chance of rain on Saturday at Belmont, Hoppertunitys proven ability on wet tracks is a positive.Hoppertunitys schedule this summer was interrupted by a slight illness: he missed the Cougar II Handicap in July as a result and entered the Pacific Classic off a two-month layoff, which probably wasnt ideal. He has trained in uninterrupted fashion since then, turning in a series of eye-catching workouts at Santa Anita, and looks ready for a winning effort while facing an easier field than the oone he tackled in the Pacific Classic.ddddddddddddEffinex (#6) is another major contender capable of running a huge race on his best day. Hes got a great record at 1-1/4 miles and won the Suburban Handicap at this distance in July. While he was no match for Frosted in the shorter Whitney Stakes, he raced wide on the turns that day and was beaten just a half-length for second place. He is a candidate to win, but enters the Jockey Club Gold Cup off a two-month layoff. Effinex seems to do better with more frequent racing, and its very likely that this race is being used as a prep for the Breeders Cup Classic, in which Effinex finished a strong second last year. Additionally, a wet track probably wouldnt be to Effinexs liking -- he finished a distant third in the 2015 Jockey Club Gold Cup on a sloppy track.One longshot who could contend for a spot in the top three is Protonico. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Protonico was a top-class stakes competitor in late 2014 and early 2015, winning the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap, Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes and Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes and finishing second by a half-length to Hoppertunity in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap. Protonico wasnt as sharp during the second half of 2015, but after a long rest, he returned on Sept. 9 to win a one-mile allowance race at Belmont Park, winning by a nose in a fast time to bring his record at Belmont to a perfect 2-for-2. Pletcher has enjoyed great success with horses making their second start off long rests, and Protonico will be ridden by the three-time Eclipse award-winning jockey Javier Castellano. If any horse can step up with a surprisingly big performance, I think Protonico is the one.Wagering Strategy A$5 exacta: 3 with 1,2,6 ($15) $3 exacta: 1 with 2,3,6 ($9)Wagering Strategy B$2 trifecta: 1,3 with 1,2,3,6 with 1,2,3,6 ($24)Good luck, and enjoy the race!For more stories like this check out Americas Best Racing. ' ' '