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06/04/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nick Zito's Ice Box is the 3-1 morning line favorite for this Saturday's Belmont Stakes, but his come-from-the-clouds style might not be well-suited to the 1 1/2-mile race.
Only one horse since 1998 has won the third leg of the Triple Crown after racing last or next-to-last through the first quarter-mile. That was Jazil back in 2006 and the only reason he was able to close from far back was due to the insanely fast early fractions of 23 and 47 1/5 set by Bob and John. It's highly doubtful this year's field will run anywhere near those numbers.
A few of the other top choices - Fly Down, Stately Victor, Make Music for Me and Stay Put - also come from off-the-pace so they'll have to alter their running style to suit the distance as well or be caught 10 lengths behind the pacesetters through slow internal fractions.
Two horses that should be close to the pace, if not first and second, are First Dude and Game On Dude. The last time the two "dudes" met they finished out of the money in the Florida Derby. The former ran fifth while the latter ended up seventh.
First Dude has won only one race in his career, but he was extremely game in defeat vs. Lookin At Lucky in the Preakness. Racing on the lead for the first time in seven lifetime starts, the son of Stephen Got Even more than held his own battling back on the rail to hold off Jackson Bend for the place spot.
The key question for First Dude is how the colt will respond after that gut- wrenching performance three weeks ago. Keep in mind this will be his fifth, two-turn race in 3 1/2 months.
Game On Dude showed promise this winter at Gulfstream Park finishing second in his debut and then breaking his maiden by three lengths next time out. His connections thought so much of that effort they sent him right into the Grade I Florida Derby. It was a case of "too much too soon" as Ice Box crushed him by over 10 lengths. The horse was then sold and sent to Bob Baffert's barn
The Kentucky-bred's first appearance for Baffert came in the Derby Trial, a race he failed miserably, getting beat by almost 20 lengths. However, his poor performance was partly due to the sloppy race conditions.
Baffert then brought the recently gelded three-year-old to Texas for the Lone Star Derby and the results were just what the doctor ordered. Wearing blinkers for the first time, Game On Dude prevailed by almost five lengths with Martin Garcia replacing Robby Albarado in the irons. (One week later, Garcia won the Preakness with Lookin At Lucky.)
After the race, Baffert sent Game On Dude to California and the horse responded with three solid workouts. The son of Awesome Again posted a bullet 1:12 2/5 six-furlong work on May 18, and then put forth a seven-furlong trek in 1:26 3/5 seven days later. (Sangaree, who ran second to Rail Trip in the Mervyn Leroy Handicap, also worked seven furlongs that day finishing up a tick slower in 1:26 4/5.)
In his last work before the Belmont Stakes, Game On Dude fired off another six-furlong 1:12 2/5 bullet, this time from the gate at Santa Anita.
Baffert usually doesn't send horses to New York unless he's confident in their abilities so look for Game On Dude to more than hold his own in the "Test of Champions."
Of the two "Dudes," the one to follow is Game On Dude, especially since it's likely he'll go off at 10-1 or higher. The only question is his ability to get the distance, but that could be said about the other 11 horses in the starting gate.
THE TWO FAVORITES MUST BE RESPECTED
Ice Box has to be held in high esteem after his last two efforts - the monstrous second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby as well as the win in the Florida Derby. He posted a four-furlong bullet workout prior to both races and the son of Pulpit did so again last week at the Saratoga training track. The 1 1/2-miles will not be a problem, but the pace of the race, as mentioned earlier, could work to his disadvantage.
Don't forget, he closed from 19th to finish second in the Kentucky Derby primarily due to the insane early fractions set by Conveyance and Sidney's Candy. That duo reeled off 22 3/5, 46 and 1:10 2/5 splits, and the two horses that were last and next-to-last through those numbers finished second and fourth.
Don't forget, in the Florida Derby, Ice Box benefited from similar fractions (23 1/5, 46 2/5 and 1:10 3/5) and rallied from last to defeat Pleasant Prince by a nose.
Has Ice Box suddenly emerged as a major player or was he the beneficiary of fast early fractions in both races? At 10-1 or higher, he'd be a worthy play in the Belmont Stakes; as the favorite, it's best to side with others.
Jockey J. R. Velazquez takes over the mount from Jose Lezcano on Fly Down, the other horse in the race trained by Nick Zito. Velazquez rode Fly Down in his debut last October at Belmont Park and the pair finished third in a troubled trip.
Since that loss, Fly Down has won three of four appearances, including a pair of victories over First Dude. His only off-the-board finish came in the Louisiana Derby, a race he finished in the ninth spot, beaten 6 3/4-lengths.
His last effort was his best. Going off at 7-2, Fly Down came through with a dominating six-length win over Drosselmeyer in the Dwyer Stakes and should on top of his game once again this Saturday.
OTHER POSSIBILITIES
Make Music for Me shocked a lot of people with his fourth-place finish at 30-1 in the Kentucky Derby, but he's well rested after sitting out the Preakness.
Like Ice Box, Make Music for Me benefited from a very fast pace in the Run for the Roses and there are those experts who feel he will bounce from such an effort. Still, the horse is talented enough to have picked up a check in seven of nine career starts, including three in-the-money finishes to Lookin At Lucky.
It's doubtful he'll be able to win the Belmont since he's only won one race, a non-graded stakes race on the turf, but do not toss him from trifecta or superfecta wagering.
Interactif, trained by Todd Pletcher, completes the field of a dozen three- year-olds. The bay colt hasn't raced since a lackluster fourth-place finish as the 3-1 favorite in the Blue Grass, but he's been training well enough for a chance to give Pletcher his second Belmont Stakes victory in the last four years.
The son of Broken Vow never took to the Polytrack surface at Keeneland after a solid second to Sidney's Candy in the San Felipe at Santa Anita, and Pletcher was all set to run him back on the turf. However, the colt's last two works (1:14 1/5 and 1:00 2/5) convinced him to try one more dirt race.
Interactif broke his maiden on conventional dirt last July at Monmouth Park then ran eighth in the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga. His four turf starts include two victories, a second, and a third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.
Unfortunately, he was saddled with post 12, which could have him farther back at the start than expected. Still, look for Interactif to make a run at the leaders around the far turn with a decent chance to stick around for third or fourth at the finish line.
Selections: 1) Game On Dude; 2) Fly Down; 3) Ice Box. The top longshot play is Interactif.
<< Nadal will battle Soderling in French Open final
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Four-time champion Rafael Nadal and last
year's runner-up Robin Soderling will battle in Sunday's men's final at the
French Open.
The second-seeded former world No. 1 Nadal toppled 22nd-seeded Austria
<< New York riding high heading into Chivas USA fixture
Harrison, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red Bull New York hosts Chivas USA on Saturday
in Major League Soccer action, three days after one of the best results of the
season.
With the score tied a one against the Houston Dynamo deep into stoppage
<< Houston heads across the county to take on L.A.
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Three days after suffering a heart wrenching
last-second loss to Red Bull New York in Harrison, NJ, the Houston Dynamo
travel across the country to take on the undefeated Los Angeles Galaxy at The
Home
<< Struggling Wizards visit Red-hot TFC
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Kansas City Wizards travel to BMO Field to
face Toronto FC on Saturday in hopes of snapping a seven-game winless streak.
Wizards (2-5-2) head coach Peter Vermes has seen his team lose four of its
last
NL West: There's no need to freak out on Lincecum >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Lincecum loses back-to-back starts and the entire city
of San Francisco goes into a panic.
Oh my word, the two-time defending National League Cy Young honoree is mired
in a slump and may need Life Alert for the rest
Cavaliers GM Ferry resigns >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Danny
Ferry has resigned, the team announced.
Ferry had been the team's GM since June 2005, and the Cavaliers, led by LeBron
James, made the playoffs in every season durin
AL Central: The aftermath of the Call Heard 'Round the World >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Major League Baseball's latest, and perhaps most
compelling, argument for more instant replay came during the ninth inning of
Detroit's 3-0 win over the Cleveland Indians Wednesday night.
Tigers' right-hander Armando Galar
Trio of FBS transfers joins Georgia State >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Georgia State football program continues to
stockpile FBS transfers, adding former Georgia Tech offensive linemen Joseph
Gilbert and Clyde Yandell, and former Auburn tight end Bailey Woods, GSU head
coach Bill
Oddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite.
Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1.
Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award.
Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1.
All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY.
A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided.
2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1
Ron Brace (NE) 25/1
Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1
Darius Butler (NE) 40/1
Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1
Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1
Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1
Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1
Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1
Larry English (SD) 15/1
Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1
Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1
Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1
Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1
James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1
Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1
Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1
Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1
Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1
Roy Miller (TB) 20/1
Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1
Fili Moala (IND) 30/1
Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1
Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1
B J Raji (GB) 7/1
Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1
Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1
David Verkune (CLE) 20/1
Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 6/1
To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.
Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.
Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.
Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.
If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.
Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.
By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.
In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.
So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.
While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.
There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.
In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:
SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.
XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.
Get free 2009 Super Bowl Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting VISA Mastercard
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