If you have been following ESPNs Monday Racing Wraps over this Spring Racing Carnival, there has been one name often featuring in the blackbookers section. For So Si Bon, the Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby over 2500 metres is this three-year-old colts D-Day.He probably shouldve gone closer, or won, the Caulfield Guineas, So Si Bons trainer, Robbie Laing, told ESPN.Aiming for his second win in the Derby, after Polanksi saluted in 2013, Laing and jockey Hugh Bowman -- who must still be feeling the rush after Winxs breathtaking win in last Saturdays Cox Plate -- will team up once again for at tilt at this 2016 edition.Luck , or conditions, just hasnt been kind to the colt in his major lead-up runs, most notably with his fifth placing in the Group 1 Guineas (1600m) run three weeks ago.He got back [in the field], which was fair enough because he drew an outside alley, and was set to make a run at them at the 300 metre mark. He got blocked by a horse on his outside and then Seaburge [who is also engaged in the Derby] came from the inside and went under his neck [inconvenienced him] which probably cost him about two lengths in running, Laing told ESPN.His last 100 metres was very quick and was beaten a length-and-a-half. Thats probably the one that got away.The Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase [2040m] last Saturday saw So Si Bon finish third behind $2.80 Derby favourite Sacred Elixir.Last week he went better than expected because I dont think he can handle soft ground, and I thought his run was terrific. Should he have won? No.So Si Bon is rated a $9 chance with UBET for the Derby. While Bowman has a 100 percent strike rate in the Derby when riding for Laing, he will be shooting for a fourth win of his own in this classic.On Saturday therell be similar horses and Bowman [now] takes the reins. Hughies got the Derby record on the board and, who knows? Hes a guy that doesnt get his knickers in a knot and hopefully that transfers to the horse. They [horses] can definitely feel it [when a jockey is relaxed].After the Caulfield Guineas, his management team thought that he might be the horse to ride in the Derby.Robbie Laings father, Eddie, was a successful jockey and trainer himself. When Robbie took out his trainers license in his early 20s, he quickly enjoyed success at Group 1 level in the 1983 Thousand Guineas. Despite consistently training winners at all ages and distances, it is as a trainer of jumpers that has become a label which has proven hard to shake and, in reality, is somewhat of a misnomer.Its hard to lose the jumping tag, Laing laughed.Laing was one of the top trainer of jumpers in Victoria throughout the latter part of the 1990s and 2000s. With wins in races like the Grand Annual Steeplechase, and other majors, he was fast becoming pigeonholed as such with that success. But as the dwindling situation and politics around jumps racing in Australia has become headline news in the past decade, the perception of this specialty required reversing as much for Laings career progression as for any other reason.I had to [diversify]. With the amount jumpers that I had in my stable and with the depletion of jumps racing in Victoria, it was silly being top-heavy with jumpers in the yard. Weve tried to re-invent ourselves and were pretty happy.Laing said he really put my head down into training jumpers to try and save jumps racing, noting that Jim Houlahan [legendary trainer of jumpers] was in his 90s, Eric [Musgrove, another notable jumps trainer] was entering two or three horses in races to keep it buoyant.I thought, gee, if I could win -- and I love the jumping, obviously - its no good just sitting on my hands if they wind it down and I shouldve done something about it, so I ended up with a team of jumpers.Probably the thing that was detrimental was that I had so many good ones. If I had average jumpers then not too many people wouldve labelled me as a jumping trainer, but my name was up in lights as just that.But it is horse racing overall that is a passion for people such as Robbie Laing. His upbringing determined that, but it is the Winx-like moments can create an impression on a child wherever and whenever they might occur.I was at Caulfield when Tobin Bronze won the Caulfield Cup, Laing said of the Hall of Famers famous victory in 1967.It was huge. I dont know how many people jammed into Caulfield that day but ladies were taking little bits and pieces of his tail as souvenirs because he was heading to America soon after. Most of the women in the crowd were crying. He was just such a magnificent looking horse, and if he was racing today he probably couldnt get enough accolades.Laing also has a candidate for the fillies middle-distance classic, the Crown Oaks, at Flemington next week. The Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on Saturday is often the most reliable guide to the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) run on Thursday, and the Laing-trained Missrock is rated a $7 chance for the trial and $19 for the classic.Most positively, Hugh Bowman will also take the ride on this three-year-old filly.Weve trained her like a stayer and her work [on Thursday] morning with So Si Bon looked good, Laing said.Hes had the one ride on her when she won the Percy Sykes (Stakes, 1200m at Randwick in April). Going on her run in the Thousand Guineas Prelude (Sep. 24), youd want to be on her. She was a little bit flat in the Thousand Guineas [1600m, Oct. 8] itself but I put that down to it being just one of those runs.Further proving his versatility with horse across all ages and distances, Laing has been successful in the Melbourne Cup-week events for two-year-olds on at least seven occasions in as many years. He hopes the opening race on Tuesday will add to that tally.Ive got a very good chance. Ive got a filly by [sire] Written Tycoon called Herrera. A couple of Mondays back she trialed with another colt of mine called Destinys Own, and she put pay to him beating him by five lengths. He then came out and finished a length behind Azazel who won at Moonee Valley last Saturday.So taking a line through that formline, and that she had impressed us greatly, shell be hard to beat.It might just pay to take the tip. Cheap Authentic Hoodies . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. Wholesale Hoodies .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. http://www.cheaphoodiesfromchina.com/ .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Cheap Hoodies From China . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. Cheap Hoodies For Sale . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. CHICAGO -- Long before the Olympics, Kami Craig was just another homesick kid at her first travel water polo tournament. She called her mom, Dale, and mothers being who they are, she drove from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles to see her little girl.She brought along a bag of Almond Joys and a little stuffed kitten. Almost 20 years later, the candy is long gone, but Mama Kitty is still going strong.She goes `Well, I want you to keep it in your bag and if you ever miss me youll have her and she can remind you of me, and so I said `OK, Craig said.Thats how Mama Kitty became a fixture in Craigs water polo bag as she rose to prominence at the University of Southern California and traveled the world with the U.S. national team. And when the 29-year-old Craig tries to win a second straight gold medal this summer, the stuffed animal will be right by her side in Rio.For Gevvie Stone, its a beaded bracelet she got from her sister. Evelyn Stevens also has a lucky bracelet, and Oakley sunglasses for her races. April Ross wears a necklace she got from her mom while she was in high school.The Associated Press asked several Olympians about the most important thing theyre packing for Brazil. Their responses covered the spectrum from sentimental to practical, with many tracing back to their very beginnings in their respective sports.APRIL ROSS, BEACH VOLLEYBALLI now wear a necklace with the first letter of my moms name (Margie) on it to honor her and her contribution to me as a person and an athlete. At the Games, though, I will wear the necklace she gave me in high school, its the traditional heart from Tiffanys, and it was such a big deal when she gave it to me that it just brings back really great memories as well as feeling like I have a physical piece of her close to my heart. Everyone else will be there in person and while I know shell be watching from above I like having a little something else to represent her presence.STEVEN LOPEZ, TAEKWONDOFaith/spirituality I feel has been a huge component to my success. It brings me solace and strength and no matter how many times you read the bible you find something more you can learn from it. That is why I always bring my bible with me.I bring a journal with me because it helps me express what I am feeling/thinking and going through in such an important time in my life. Its also a great way to go back and reflect when time has gone by to bring you back to that moment in your life.EVELYN STEVENS, CYCLINGI will pack my lucky bracelet and Oaakley glasses for Rio.dddddddddddd The bracelet is from a shop called Eden on Cape Cod, my mother gave it to me for my birthday in 2012 and I havent taken it off since (it has a few scratches from a couple of crashes). It is a nice reminder of my family when I am on the road and I will definitely be wearing it during the Games. I have been racing in Oakley glasses for the past 4 years. I am definitely superstitious but I think more than anything when I put on the glasses, I know it is race day and I am ready to give it my all. They are coming as well.GEVVIE STONE, ROWINGAbout a month prior to my competing at the London Olympics, my sister was hospitalized. She was inpatient on my birthday and made me a beaded bracelet as a gift. I tied it to the shoes in my boat in London to remind me how lucky I am. It then came home with me and was tied to the shoes in my boat in Boston until I switched boats this fall. Its lost length in the tying and retying and is now too short to be tied to the shoes, but I will bring it with me to Rio.JAY SHI, FREE PISTOLIf theres one thing I must have, it would be the music on my phone. About an hour before a match, we start to zoom in and filter everything out. I listen to music before the match to get myself into that moment. For me, I like Eminem. That gets me into it. Linkin Park also is good. I listen to it pretty much to get myself calm before the match and into the focus. Eminem has a song, I forget the name, where he describes how he felt all the way to the bottom and how he had to do everything to get back up. Thats kind of like me because after my first nationals, I pretty much went straight down the cliff. I didnt know it at the time it was because I didnt have the fundamentals, I was trying different things, everything was just not working. Once I hit rock bottom, I started figuring things out then I started to balance that back up, which is kind of like his career and I can relate to that.DAVID BOUDIA, DIVINGI always bring, and will certainly have my shammy, Sammy with me. It is so important to be dry during your dive so that your hands do not slip while getting into your dive positions, by grabbing your legs and your hands, upon entry into the water. It can be a game changer!---AP Sports Writer John Marshall contributed to this report.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap ' ' '