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Quality Road heads Whitney InvitationalHorseracing Betting Lines08/04/2010 - Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Quality Road, trained by Todd Pletcher, tops a field of six for Saturday's $750,000 Whitney Invitational at Saratoga Race Course. The winner of the 1 1/8-mile Whitney gains automatic entry into this year's Breeders' Cup Classic. Owned by Edward Evans, Quality Road will be ridden by John Velazquez from post three. The winner of last year's Florida Derby has been made a heavy 2-5 program favorite for the Whitney. "I think we have a fit and happy horse, which is the goal," Pletcher declared. Perfect in three starts this year, Quality Road has a career bankroll of more than $1.6 million with seven wins in 10 lifetime starts. The colt is coming off a win in the Met Mile on Memorial Day at Belmont Park. In February he won the Donn Handicap by more than a dozen lengths at Gulfstream Park. Quality Road began his 2010 season in January by taking the Hal's Hope Stakes at the south Florida track. Last year at Saratoga, Quality Road won the Amsterdam Stakes and was third to Summer Bird in the Travers. Quality Road has been second most of the year in the National Thoroughbred Poll behind undefeated mare Zenyatta. "I think Quality Road certainly belongs in any conversation about the best horse in training," Pletcher noted. "I think if you look at his Donn Handicap, for example, that was just an unbelievable race, and then to come back with a similar performance in the Met Mile - we believe he is the best horse in training." Stephen Foster champ Blame will make his second career start at Saratoga in the Whitney. The four-year-old won last year's Curlin Stakes for three-year- olds. Trained by Al Stall, Jr., Blame will be ridden again by Garrett Gomez from post two and is the 4-1 second choice. "I believe he will improve off his Stephen Foster victory; hopefully, the trip will work out tactically," said Stall. "At least with a smaller field, he won't be hung out in the 11 hole. "He can handle anything. Nothing bothers that horse. We're ready for the task. This is his third race this year. We're excited to be here and run in the Whitney. We are ready to take on all comers. I'm looking forward to it." Blame has earned better than $1 million for owner Adele Dilschneider. In 10 career starts the colt has seven wins, including his last four in a row. This year he also won the William Donald Schaefer Stakes at Pimlico. Also in the field are 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, Suburban Handicap champ Haynesfield and Met Mile runner-up Musket Mam. Here is the complete field for the Whitney in post position order: Mine That Bird, Calvin Borel, 12-1; Blame, Garrett Gomez, 4-1; Quality Road, John Velazquez, 2-5; Haynesfield, Ramon Dominguez, 12-1; Jardim, Julien Leparoux, 30-1; and Musket Man, Rajiv Maragh, 6-1. Post-time for the 83rd Whitney is set for 5:50 p.m. (et).
<< Big Ben strikes again in Detroit
Auburn Hills, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Pistons re-signed veteran center Ben Wallace on Wednesday. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the Detroit Free Press reported it is a two-year contract worth jus
<< Lucky Chucky versus nine in $1.5 million Hambletonian
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<< Syracuse in field for 2010 Legends Classic
Blues sign Dave Scatchard >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Blues have signed forward Dave Scatchard. Terms of the two-way contract were not released. Scatchard spent last season with Nashville and its minor league affiliate in Milwaukee. He regis
Chargers' third-round pick Butler to miss season >>
McGee takes Brook Lopez's spot at Team USA camp >>
Bills release Schobel >>
Bradley announces roster for Brazil friendly >>
How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later. While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better. For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory. 1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season. 2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped. How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number. Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules. Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically. How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games). Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition. Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets. To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Super Bowl XLIII Betting OddsSuper Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset. The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown. The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns. Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy. MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds: Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line) Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line) Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00. Get free Super Bowl XLIII Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting with credit cards |
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