Latest news with #ILLINOIS
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chester May Festival 2025 day two: Mount Kilimanjaro can win the Dee Stakes
-Credit:MOUNT KILILMANJARO can give Aidan O'Brien a record-breaking 12th victory in the Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes (Colts & Geldings) (2.35pm) on day two of the Boodles Chester May Festival. And with success in the Listed contest on the Roodee, the three-year-old may book his ticket to next month's Betfred Derby at Epsom. O'Brien drew level with Barry Hills on 11 victories in the Dee Stakes last year with the victory of Capulet and a similar type Mount Kilimanjaro can progress from his first five starts to triumph and hint at an even better in future. The son of Siyouni out of a Galileo mare has won once in those five starts when landing Arqana Series – Haras de Bouquetot Criterium d'Autome Stakes at ParisLongchamp in October before finishing second to his smart stable-mate Twain in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud last that month. Both those were over a mile and Mount Kilimanjaro was third over the same distance on his seasonal return at Dundalk in March. He looks ready for a step up in trip and it should bring out the required improvement to enhance his Classic aspirations. Although the Dee Stakes has thrown up some decent performers, not least those trained by O'Brien, no horse has won the extended 1m2f contest on the Roodee and gone on to Derby glory at Epsom since Sir Michael Stoute's Kris Kin in 2003 and Oath four years earlier. READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025: Lambourn wins the Chester Vase to book Derby ticket READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025 day one: Lambourn can win the Chester Vase O'Brien stable-mate ILLINOIS can bring up a big-race double in the Group Three Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes (3.05pm) and book a trip to next month's Royal Ascot. The four-year-old son of Galileo won at the Royal meeting last year when taking the Group Two Queen's Vase and was also second to stable-mate Jan Brueghel in St Leger at Doncaster in September. Illinois also scored in the Group Two Prix du Chaudenay over 1m7f on Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp the following month. A powerful traveller, he stays well and this looks an ideal starting point for a campaign at distances from 1m4f to two miles. He can triumph and give O'Brien a record-breaking seventh victory in the extended 1m5f contest before heading to Royal Ascot or even the Coronation Cup at Epsom on Derby weekend. ROSENPUR has been in good form on the all-weather tracks recently and can transfer that back on Turf with victory in the CAA Stellar Handicap (1.30pm). The Jennie Candlish-trained five-year-old has been third, second and then first in his three starts since March, all at Wolverhampton. The prominent racer made all on that latest win at the end of last month and with a good draw in stall two may be able to do something similar despite being out of the handicap in a tougher contest. Course and distance winner Copper Knight is well drawn in stall three and Fair Taxes – from the plum draw in one – rate big dangers to the selection. Trainer Hugo Palmer – from the nearby Manor House Stables of former England and Liverpool FC forward Michael Owen – targets this meeting at the yard's local track and newcomer TRICKY TEL, who is drawn in stall two, may be able to make a winning debut in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (GBB/IRE Incentive Race) (2.05pm). OUR MIGHTY MO can build on his comeback fourth at Musselburgh to go a few places better in the Louise Keegan Handicap (3.40pm). Trained by Liverpool FC fan Karl Burke in North Yorkshire, the three-year-old won two of his nine starts as a juvenile including at Haydock Park last September. Having been gelded over the winter, he had a troublesome passage at Musselburgh and did well to finish fourth behind Thunder Wonder on his return. He should be fit and ready for this and may be able to return to winning ways. David Easterby's AUSTRAIN THEORY can win the Halliwell Jones Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (4.10pm). The six-year-old won over this sort of distance at Pontefract last October, having run well over distances around a mile for much of the campaign. Over the shorter distance he made a pleasing return to action when second, a length behind Classic Encounter, in a handicap at Redcar at the start of last month. With that run under his belt he can go one better and triumph. Charlie Johnston's SPIRIT OF JURA has also been in fine form on the all-weather and can transfer that on her first start back on Turf since her debut to win the Oxford Natural Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (4.45pm). The three-year-old daughter of Masar has won three of her last four starts at Chelmsford City and twice at Southwell. Those last two were over 1m3f and she steps up again slightly in distance to 1m4f. Her sire Masar won the Derby over that distance in 2018, so she should improve again for it and can land a first victory on the grass. Wright Ones CHESTER MAY FESTIVAL 2025 (Day Two) 1.30pm Rosenpur 2.05pm Tricky Tel 2.35pm Mount Kilimanjaro 3.05pm Illinois 3.40pm Our Mighty Mo (NAP) 4.10pm Austrian Theory 4.45pm Spirit Of Jura
Newsweek
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Chicago Cubs Must Improve Third Base Position; Here's How They Can Do It
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Despite having baseball's hardest schedule in April, the Chicago Cubs are going to come out of the month at least three games over .500, and they hold one of the easiest remaining schedules. After a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, Chicago sits at 17-12 atop the NL Central division. There is one thing still preventing Chicago from being a true contender in the NL, and that is third base. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 18: Vidal Bruján #17 of the Chicago Cubs plays third base during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field on April 18, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 18: Vidal Bruján #17 of the Chicago Cubs plays third base during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field on April 18, 2025 in Chicago, their pursuit of Alex Bregman in the offseason, the Cubs clearly did not feel comfortable with what they were entering the season with at the position. Top prospect Matt Shaw was given the starting job after his performance in spring training and Chicago hoped he would be the answer. That was not the case, and Shaw was optioned to Triple-A Iowa after just 18 games played. Five players have spent time at third base for the Cubs already this season. That list includes Shaw, Gage Workman, Justin Turner, Jon Berti and Vidal Brujan. Those five players have given Chicago the No. 21 spot (-0.3) in Wins Above Average at the third base position. It is not just the offensive struggles that are cause for concern, but the defensive struggles as well. Workman made two errors in just nine total chances, good for a .778 fielding percentage. Brujan made a costly mistake on Sunday that led to a Phillies run in the top of the 10th inning. 'You can argue up and back whether Bruján could have charged that ball and made a different play … He's playing way too deep to do that.'@MLBBruceLevine on the play that led to the Phillies' 2nd run in the 10th. — Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) April 28, 2025 It is a position that is a clear weakness that Chicago must address before it becomes too late. There are a couple of different ways that the Cubs could approach the situation. The first would be to bring Shaw back up to the major leagues and let him work out his issues. Yes, the struggles at the plate would be tough to look past, but his defense would be levels above anyone else currently playing the position. The second way is to explore the third base trade market. There are a few trades that Chicago could explore to make a splash and massive upgrade at the position. Whatever the final decision is, it is important that the Cubs address the situation sooner rather than later, before it begins to cost them games and potentially even a division championship. More MLB: Phillies Predicted to Target $8.2 Million All-Star Closer in Blockbuster Trade
Forbes
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
WWE Raw Results: Randy Orton Sends John Cena A Message After Raw
ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS - APRIL 4: Randy Orton (Photo by Eric Johnson/WWE via Getty Images) John Cena has faced Randy Orton 10 times in a WWE premium live event or pay-per-view. After what we saw on the Monday Night Raw episode after WrestleMania 41, it's pretty clear we're going to see their historic rivalry at least one more time on one of WWE's big shows. WWE Backlash is May 10 in St. Louis, which is Orton's hometown. I figured something major was brewing with Orton when he was featured on the PLE's poster surrounded by his signature vipers. I didn't know he would be the man to test Cena next after the G.O.A.T's history making win over Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41. On Raw, Orton snuck up behind Cena following another masterful promo from the new champion and hit him with an RKO. That sent a message, but Orton also took to social media to send Cena another one accompanied by a picture of the moment as the Viper set things up. Here is a look at the complete segment. This isn't just about nostalgia. It's a setup for a massive collision that's likely headed for Backlash. Cena just became a 17-time world champion after knocking off Rhodes, and if there's any familiar face fit to battle him during his farewell tour, it's Orton. Cena defeated Rhodes at WrestleMania 41 to become a champion for the 17th time. He came out on Raw and berated the fans and said there was no one else left to challenge him. That's when Orton came and attacked. This moment doesn't just affect Cena and Orton—it hits home with WWE fans who've followed both of these legends since the mid-2000s. Orton has benefitted greatly from Triple H's handling of veteran talent. He's provided them time off when needed and it has seemingly kept them happy and able to perform and look on top of their game. Orton showed up for his impromptu match with Joe Hendry at WrestleMania 41 looking as if he was carved out of the side of a mountain. He looks to be in the best shape of this last stage of his career, and that'll only help him go over in this potentially epic rekindling of a feud with Cena. If you need a history lesson on the Cena-Orton rivalry, this video does a solid job of telling the story. If you're wondering about Rhodes, he wasn't on Raw on Monday. However, he was featured consistently with other WWE Superstars for Clash of Clans commercials. The mobile game was a major sponsor for WrestleMania 41. It wouldn't shock me to see Rhodes return to help Orton dethrone Cena at some point this year. If you're not following WWE Superstars on social media, you're likely missing out. This generation of stars understands that it is crucial for them to keep the story moving online after and during programming. Cena and Orton are on a collision course for Backlash. While nothing's official yet, Orton's RKO, his X post, and the Raw setup leave little doubt. With Rhodes out of the picture for now, this Cena-Orton chapter might be the spring storyline WWE leans on—and the fans are already locked in.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Big Ten Spotlight: Three programs on a roll in recruiting
The calendar has turned to spring and there are several programs across the country that are riding a wave of momentum in recruiting. Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith looks at three such programs in the Big Ten. RELATED: Big Ten team rankings for 2026 class RUMOR MILL: Big changes after key visits CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker Coach Bret Bielema and his program have had a strong offseason recruiting in the 2026 class. The program is coming off a double-digit win season and bowl game win over an SEC foe. So the question was if Illinois would be able to keep it rolling and see the benefits in recruiting. So far, so good. The program is sitting at No. 9 in the Rivals Team Recruiting Rankings at the moment due to a surge of verbal commits. The formula seems to be clear. Load up on good regional talent and then pluck some standouts from Florida. The Illini have a pledge from versatile Ohio four-stars Cam Thomas and Victor Singleton. They've gone down to Florida to land four-star quarterback Michael Clayton and three-star wide receiver Kenyon Alston. ILLINOIS' 2026 COMMITMENT LIST SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ILLINOIS FANS AT It's not hyperbole to say there might not be a program in the country that fits the 'on fire' category more than USC. The Trojans totally revamped their recruiting department and it's given the team a lot of juice on the recruiting trail. They picked up five commitments for 2026 during the winter months, most notably from still-rising four-star quarterback Jonas Williams. Getting the face of the recruiting class to flip from rival Oregon was a huge deal. That momentum hasn't slowed down as spring approaches. USC has picked up four commitments in March as spring football gets underway. The team has several blue-chip prospects slated to visit campus between now and June. With the way things are going the Trojans will push for a top-five recruiting class this cycle. USC feels 'back.' At least on the recruiting trail. USC'S 2026 COMMITMENT LIST SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH USC FANS AT Nick Lucero/ The Huskies have been a sneaky surprise the last couple months. They pulled off a major recruiting win, landing four-star Ksani Jiles, a one-time Miami commit who had options all around the country. Keeping three-star defensive back Elijah Burr home was also a nice win for the program. But another big thing the Huskies have going right now is momentum behind the scenes. Recruits have been buzzing about their visits to check out the program under coach Jedd Fisch. The team is in the thick of several high-profile recruitments including five-star quarterback Brady Smigiel, four-star running back Deshonne Redeaux and four-star defensive end Anthony Jones. The Huskies have a path to being one of the biggest surprises of the cycle in the conference. WASHINGTON'S 2026 COMMITMENT LIST SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH WASHINGTON FANS AT
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
American Lung Association calls for action, IL grades remain mostly the same since 2020
ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Illinois, but the American Lung Association (ALA) said there are some direct actions that officials across the state can take. The ALA released their annual State of Tobacco Control report that grades federal and state policies with a goal to reduce tobacco use and save lives. As part of the report, the ALA calls for three specific actions to be taken by elected officials in Illinois to reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke: CUPHD warns of fraudulent public health official in Champaign Co. Increase funding for state tobacco control programs Allocate all Juul settlement funds to tobacco prevention Ensure tax parity between other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and cigarettes While Illinois has made progress in reducing tobacco use overall, the ALA said there is still work to be done in increasing funding for prevention. One area the state did the worst in was 'Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding.' Illinois received an F grade, largely because they are at less than 10% of CDC recommended funding levels. Overall Grade F FY2025 State Funding for Tobacco Control Programs: $10,250,000 FY2025 Federal Funding for State Tobacco Control Programs: $2,241,976* FY2025 Total Funding for State Tobacco Control Programs: $12,491,976 CDC Best Practices State Spending Recommendation: $136,700,000 Percentage of CDC Recommended Level: 9.1% State Tobacco-Related Revenue: $964,900,000 The state also received an F grade for 'Flavored Tobacco Products.' At this time, Illinois does not have any state law or regulations on flavored tobacco products. Illinois also earned a subpar grade in the 'Tobacco Taxes' category. Illinois was given a C for it's tobacco taxes, but it was above the middle of the pack. 36 states received either a D or an F. Central IL areas receiving Regional Site Readiness Program grants Overall Grade C Cigarette Tax per pack of 20: $2.98 Tax on little cigars: Equalized: Yes; Weight-Based: No Tax on large cigars: Equalized: No; Weight-Based: No Tax on smokeless tobacco: Equalized: No; Weight-Based: Yes Tax on pipe/RYO tobacco: Equalized: No; Weight-Based: No Tax on E-Cigarettes: Equalized: No; Weight-Based: No Illinois did, however, receive two A grades. One was in the category of 'Smokefree Air,' the other was in the category of 'Access to Cessation Services.' According to the ALA, Illinois provides comprehensive coverage for all tobacco cessation medications and types of counseling to Medicaid enrollees with minimal barriers. Overall Grade A State Medicaid Program: Medications: All 7 medications are covered Counseling: All 3 forms of counseling are covered Barriers to Coverage: Some barriers exist to access care Medicaid Expansion: Yes State Employee Health Plan(s): Medications: Most medications are covered Counseling: Some counseling is covered Barriers to Coverage: Some barriers exist to access care State Quitline: Investment Per Smoker: $5.01; the median investment per smoker is $2.26 Other Cessation Provisions: Private Insurance Mandate: Yes Tobacco Surcharge: No prohibition or limitation on tobacco surcharges Illinois received an A in 'Smokefree Air.' 2024 in review: Champaign Co. Sheriff responds to less shootings, more crashes Overall Grade A Government Workplaces: Prohibited Private Workplaces: Prohibited Schools: Prohibited Childcare Facilities: Prohibited Restaurants: Prohibited Bars: Prohibited Casinos/Gaming Establishments: Prohibited Retail Stores: Prohibited E-Cigarettes Included: Yes Preemption/Local Opt-Out: No The historical data shows that Illinois has not improved in any of the categories since 2020, except for a slight improvement from a B to an A, in access to cessation services from 2023 to 2024. Otherwise, grades in the other four categories have remained the same for the last five years. For more information about the ALA's findings in Illinois, visit their website. You can also compare Illinois' results to other states here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
