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Georgia Bulldogs center Sedrick Van Pran is returning to the two-time defending national champions for the 2023 season.

“One more year in Athens!” Van Pran posted to Twitter on Friday, as the NFL released the list of underclassmen granted special eligibility for the draft.

The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Van Pran completed his third season at Georgia, having started at center for the past two years while serving as a co-captain for five games in 2022.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay both list Van Pran as their No. 3 draft-eligible center, behind Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz and Michigan’s Olu Oluwatimi. Van Pran appears at No. 74 overall on ESPN’s list of draft prospects.

Van Pran earned second-team All-SEC honors this past season. He has been the iron man for Georgia’s celebrated offensive line, starting 30 consecutive games. Georgia loses starting tackles Broderick Jones and Warren McClendon but will return Van Pran and guards Xavier Truss and Tate Ratledge on the interior.

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Ohtani has shoulder surgery after dislocation

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Ohtani has shoulder surgery after dislocation

Shohei Ohtani had surgery Tuesday to repair his shoulder after partially dislocating it during the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced.

The arthroscopic procedure was to repair a labrum tear and was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, the team said.

Ohtani dislocated his left shoulder while attempting to steal in Game 2 against the New York Yankees.

The Dodgers said he is expected to be recovered by spring training.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Knight’s Choice salutes in Melbourne Cup boilover

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Knight's Choice salutes in Melbourne Cup boilover

Knight’s Choice has won the 2024 Melbourne Cup, defeating Warp Speed and Okita Soushi in a thrilling finish at Flemington on Tuesday afternoon.

The massive outsider saluted for Irish-born jockey Robbie Dolan, who claimed victory in what was his first ever ride in the “race that stops a nation”.

In what was a gripping 164th staging of Australia’s most-watched thoroughbred race, Knight’s Choice proved too strong in a sprint to the finish, pulling over the top of Okita Soushi and holding off Warp Speed by the barest of margins.

Trained by John Symons and Sheila Laxon on the Sunshine Coast, Knight’s Choice was well down the betting across all markets. It was Laxon’s second Melbourne Cup triumph after she trained Ethereal to victory 23 years ago.

“This is the pinnacle of all pinnacles, this is the Melbourne Cup,” Symons said.

Zardozi rounded out the first four.

As the field approached the final few hundred metres it appeared as though Jamie Kah, aboard Okita Soushi, would become just the second woman to ride the winner in the Melbourne Cup. But Okita Soushi was swallowed up as the winning post neared, with Knight’s Choice beating Warp Speed to the line after a peach of a ride from Dolan.

“We’ll be singing tonight after a few beers,” Dolan, who was a contestant on the 2022 edition of “The Voice”, told Channel 9.

“It is amazing and a lot of people doubted this little horse. Doubt me now.”

Laxon was more than happy with the ride, with Dolan threading his way through the field from near last on the bend.

“He started the race, and he knew how to ride him. We didn’t give him instructions, he knew what to do,” she said.

“I love it being down for the Australians. The Australian horse has done it, and Robbie is Australian now as well, so I’m thrilled to win the Cup, and it is the people’s Cup, and that’s what it is all about.”

Knight’s Choice is just the sixth Australian-bred horse to win since 1993, and the first since Vow and Declare back in 2019.

The five-year-old gelding carried only 51kg to victory and was making its first start over the 3200m trip. It had most recently come off a fifth-placed finish in the Bendigo Cup, but had showed sparing little form this preparation otherwise.

“I watched every Melbourne Cup for the last 40 years. I thought my best chance was to get him to stay the trip and, hopefully, he can run home and do the quick sectionals he can on a good track and he proved everybody wrong,” Dolan said.

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Braves pick up Ozuna’s option, decline D’Arnaud’s

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Braves pick up Ozuna's option, decline D'Arnaud's

The Atlanta Braves exercised designated hitter Marcell Ozuna‘s $16 million option for the 2025 season Monday but declined to pick up catcher Travis D’Arnaud‘s $8 million option, making him a free agent.

The Braves also declined their $7 million team option on right-hander Luke Jackson.

Ozuna, who turns 34 next week, was named a Silver Slugger finalist Monday after batting .302 with 39 home runs and 104 RBIs, while not missing a game this season.

A three-time All-Star, Ozuna is a career .272 hitter with 275 homers, 880 RBIs and 1,514 hits in 1,469 games with the Miami Marlins (2013-17), St. Louis Cardinals (2018-19) and Braves.

D’Arnaud, 35, batted .251 and slugged 60 home runs in his five years with the Braves. He earned his only All-Star nod with the Braves in 2022.

Jackson, 33, went 4-3 with a 5.09 ERA in 52 relief appearances this past season, 16 of those with the Braves after they acquired him from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline in the swap that also brought Jorge Soler to Atlanta. The Braves traded Soler to the Los Angeles Angels last week.

Ozuna’s option had a $1 million buyout; D’Arnaud’s had none. Jackson had a $2 million buyout.

The Braves also announced they reinstated OF Ronald Acuna Jr., LHP Ray Kerr, LHP Angel Perdomo, RHP Spencer Strider and RHP Huascar Ynoa from the 60-day injured list.

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