10/23/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two days, 14 races, $25.5 million. The 25th running of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Santa Anita Park has become bigger than anyone could have imagined when it began in 1984.
I will not attempt to handicap each of the 14 races that will be conducted on Friday and Saturday, and I never pick the two-year-old races, which now number four.
However, this website does have Breeders' Cup selections available from four of our most intelligent handicappers, including myself. Use these picks cautiously, but with expected multiple cashin' not trashin'
Starting with the big race, $5 million Classic at 1 1/4 miles. Defending champ Curlin is 7-5 in the program and if he goes off at that price it will be a steal.
Curlin must be included in all exotic wagers, but I will not single him in my straight bets. Breaking from the inside post will be Pacific Classic winner Go Between, 8-1 in the morning-line. He has become the master of the synthetic track.
Back in January, Go Between won the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic on the old artificial surface at Santa Anita. Go Between then had consecutive second-place finishes on synthetic tracks at Santa Anita, Keeneland and Hollywood Park. I have liked Go Between since his three-year-old season and love his chance to upset Curlin on Saturday.
Friday's feature event is the $2 million Ladies' Classic, formerly the Distaff. The 3-5 odds-on favorite is the undefeated Zenyatta. She will start from the inside post with Mike Smith riding.
Zenyatta has not lost in eight career starts, but is barely past the $1 million mark in earnings. She comes from off the pace and may find herself in trouble breaking from the rail.
Let's go with defending champ Ginger Punch. This year she has won five of seven starts with a second and a third. The third was to Zenyatta back in April. Ginger Punch is 9-2 in the program and will start from post six with Rafael Bejarano. The mare will be on or near the lead before she rallies down the stretch to win in a photo-finish.
One of my favorite trainers, Jonathan Sheppard, has a horse in the Filly and Mare Turf. Forever Together, 6-1, has drawn post three with Julien Leparoux riding. The pair have won the Diana and First Lady Stakes. Look for her to come from way back to take the 1 1/4 mile race.
The 1 1/2 mile Turf on Saturday features the only horse to beat Curlin this year, Red Rocks. The five-year-old is the 5-1 second choice behind 7-2 favorite Soldier of Fortune.
Red Rocks won this race two years ago and was third last year to English Channel. Frankie Dettori has the mount from post two. If Red Rocks is good enough to defeat Curlin he's good enough for me.
The Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile appears to be the most evenly matched race on the entire card. Surf Cat, Mast Track, Well Armed and Pyro have been entered for the one-mile event over the Classic.
Goodwood winner Well Armed is the 3-1 favorite and will break from post eight with Aaron Gryder. Surf Cat has post two with David Flores and is 6-1 in the program. Also 6-1 is Hollywood Gold Cup winner Mast Track. He will start from post four with Tyler Baze. Mast Track has a quarter-crack and was held out of the Classic.
However, I like three-year-old Pyro in the Dirt Mile. At 20-1 he is an overlay in the 12 horse field. Pyro has been in the money in all but two starts. Even though he didn't like the artificial track at Keeneland, trainer Steve Asmussen must know what he is doing. Pyro will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan from post six, a perfect spot to pull the upset.
My final extended handicapping is for the Breeders' Cup Mile. Defending champ Kip Deville returns. This pick put me over the top last year when the miler went off at 8-1. The five-year-old is 5-1 in the program, behind 3-1 favorite Goldikova and 4-1 second choice Whatsthescript.
Kip Deville is coming off a disappointing fifth in the Woodbine Mile as the 1-2 favorite. But he won his first two starts this year and should primed for an excellent effort.
Good luck to everyone, especially to those directly involved with the Breeders' Cup.
<< Texas Open switching courses
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem announced
Thursday that the Texas Open will be shifting to a new host course.
The Texas Open was played as part of the Fall Series the last two years, but
shifts to May a
<< 2008-09 Predictions: The King and his court
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the unparalleled excitement of the
NBA preseason winding down, it's time to take a take a deep breath, gaze into
the crystal ball and see what is going to happen when they start playing for
real.
The
<< The Real McCoy
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Longhorns won the national
championship following the 2005 season behind superhuman efforts from current
Tennessee Titans QB Vince Young. His early departure to the NFL opened the
door for present s
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Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has
reportedly undergone three procedures to clear out an infection in his left
knee that could delay the rehabilitation process.
The Boston Herald reported Thursd
Arsenal's Eduardo close to returning >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said Thursday
expects Eduardo Da Silva to be back in competitive action within three weeks.
The Croatia forward has been sidelined since suffering a compound fracture on
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Lightning get veteran help on defense >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning signed free agent
defenseman Marek Malik to a one-year contract Thursday.
Malik, a veteran of 649 NHL games, joins Tampa's young defensive corps after
stints with Hartford/Caroli
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Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FC Dallas veteran midfielder Bobby Rhine revealed
Thursday he will retire from professional soccer following the teams last game
of the season Sunday.
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Celtic's Boruc fined over gestures >>
Glasgow, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc has avoided
a ban after escaping an improper conduct charge Thursday with just a fine and a
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Huskers' Lucky hospitalized for undisclosed reason
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky was hospitalized Monday for undisclosed reasons after Lincoln police responded to a call at his residence.
The Nebraska athletic department said in a release Monday that Lucky was admitted Sunday night.
MySportsbook.com has the Cornhuskers listed at +2500 to win the BCS National Championship odds.
A nursing supervisor at the hospital said all questions about Lucky were being referred to the athletic department. The athletic department said there would be no further comment from the department or Lucky's family.
A Lincoln Police spokesman said officers responded to a call at Lucky's residence 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The spokesman said he didn't know Lucky's condition at the time he was taken to the hospital.
Lucky, from North Hollywood, Calif., started six games last season as a sophomore and was the team's second-leading rusher, with 728 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 383 yards. He averaged 19.1 yards on eight kickoff returns.
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Chiefs' Treen Green out for Sunday's game
How long Trent Green will remain sidelined is unknown. Coach Herm Edwards said Monday he will miss a second straight start Sunday when the Chiefs host the San Francisco 49ers.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Green was going into a feet-first hook slide when he was knocked unconscious by a thunderous, head-snapping hit from Cincinnati's Robert Geathers.
Oddsmakers at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com currently have the Chiefs listed as 7-point favorites versus the 49ers.
The 49ers got beat by Philadelphia 38-24 as a 6.5-point underdog last week. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (42.5).
Alex Smith completed 27-of-46 passes for 293 yards with a touchdown. Michael Robinson rushed for 29 yards and a pair of touchdowns on five carries.
The Chiefs lost 9-6 to Denver last week as an 11-point underdog. The combined score was well UNDER the posted over/under total (38).
Larry Johnson rushed for 126 yards on 27 carries. Damon Huard completed 17-of-23 passes for 133 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
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