AK completely misses flop

[MadMat]

This is a situation I seem to run into a lot, and never seem to know what to do with,

my AK has missed the flop, but none of the other players in the hand are giving me any reason to fold, what should I be doing here ?

Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is CO with K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls.

Flop: (11.50 SB) 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 7/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP2 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 folds, MP2 calls.

Turn: (7.75 BB) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP2 calls.

Maybe I should've taken a free card here ?

River: (9.75 BB) 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
MP2 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP2 calls.

Final Pot: 11.75 BB

[Firefly]

I like betting the turn here like you did, but taking the free showdown on the river. It would suck to be C/r'ed here and you aren't ahead of much.

[LowDown22]

I will often bet this flop just because the pot is big, I may have the best hand, I may get to see the river for free, and anyone folding helps me.

I would not bet this turn against 3 other players. Very slim chance they all fold. I'm taking my free card. Your Ace or King outs may not even be clean. Your opponents may have hands like A4s, K7s, etc. (Against 2 or less I might bet again, but 3 or more is essentially my cutoff).

[Cland]

Would have bet the flop and then checked down.

Possible bet on the river, but probly not.

[Sasnak]

In my games as of late, UTG is LP-P and calling with a 94o!

The real killer is seeing others play AK to the end betting all the way and winning with an Ace high. Never happens for me though so I usually lay off after I see no one is folding and it's apparent everyone is going to the end.