diff --git a/app/routers_v2/refractor.py b/app/routers_v2/refractor.py
index fb127c3..f1174b3 100644
--- a/app/routers_v2/refractor.py
+++ b/app/routers_v2/refractor.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+from datetime import date
 from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends, HTTPException, Query
 import logging
+import os
 from typing import Optional
 
 from ..db_engine import model_to_dict, BattingCard, PitchingCard
@@ -424,7 +426,16 @@ async def evaluate_game(game_id: int, token: str = Depends(oauth2_scheme)):
 
                 variants_created = result.get("variants_created") or []
                 if variants_created:
-                    tier_up_entry["variant_created"] = variants_created[-1]
+                    variant_num = variants_created[-1]
+                    tier_up_entry["variant_created"] = variant_num
+                    card_type = state.track.card_type if state.track else None
+                    if new_tier >= 3 and variant_num and card_type:
+                        d = date.today().strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+                        api_base = os.environ.get("API_BASE_URL", "").rstrip("/")
+                        tier_up_entry["animated_url"] = (
+                            f"{api_base}/api/v2/players/{player_id}/{card_type}card"
+                            f"/{d}/{variant_num}/animated"
+                        )
 
                 tier_ups.append(tier_up_entry)
 
diff --git a/app/services/refractor_service.py b/app/services/refractor_service.py
index 85fdf2d..43fca26 100644
--- a/app/services/refractor_service.py
+++ b/app/services/refractor_service.py
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ same boost orchestration logic without requiring HTTP round-trips in tests.
 import logging
 import os
 
+from app.db_engine import RefractorCardState, BattingCard, PitchingCard
+from app.services.refractor_boost import apply_tier_boost, compute_variant_hash
+from app.services.refractor_evaluator import evaluate_card
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -45,7 +49,7 @@ def ensure_variant_cards(
             apply_tier_boost for each newly created variant.
     """
     if _state_model is None:
-        from app.db_engine import RefractorCardState as _state_model  # noqa: PLC0415
+        _state_model = RefractorCardState
 
     state = _state_model.get_or_none(
         (_state_model.player_id == player_id) & (_state_model.team_id == team_id)
@@ -88,16 +92,8 @@ def ensure_variant_cards(
             "boost_results": [],
         }
 
-    from app.services.refractor_boost import (  # noqa: PLC0415
-        apply_tier_boost,
-        compute_variant_hash,
-    )
-
     is_batter = resolved_card_type == "batter"
-    if is_batter:
-        from app.db_engine import BattingCard as CardModel  # noqa: PLC0415
-    else:
-        from app.db_engine import PitchingCard as CardModel  # noqa: PLC0415
+    CardModel = BattingCard if is_batter else PitchingCard
 
     variants_created = []
     boost_results = []
@@ -169,8 +165,6 @@ def evaluate_and_boost(
     Raises:
         ValueError: If no RefractorCardState exists for (player_id, team_id).
     """
-    from app.services.refractor_evaluator import evaluate_card  # noqa: PLC0415
-
     eval_kwargs: dict = {"dry_run": True}
     if _state_model is not None:
         eval_kwargs["_state_model"] = _state_model