08/23/2008 - Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Santa Anita Derby winner Colonel John survived a stretch long duel with Mambo in Seattle to win Saturday's $1 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, The "Mid-Summer Derby" attracted an evenly matched field of 12 three-year-olds.
Colonel John, ridden by Garrett Gomez, went off as the 4-1 second choice behind 7-2 favorite Pyro. Harlem Rocker and Mambo in Seattle were both 5-1 with Jim Dandy Stakes champ Macho Again getting little attention at 7-1.
Da' Tara, winner of the Belmont Stakes, set the pace, closely followed by Tizbig in the 1 1/4 mile race. The two colts held their positions up the backstretch while Colonel John and Tres Borrachos dueled behind them.
Jockey Alan Garcia kept Da' Tara on the lead around the final turn and into the stretch. The two looked to be increasing their lead coming out of the turn.
With a quarter-mile to run Colonel John took a short lead as lightly raced Mambo in Seattle hooked him for the stretch drive. The two battled down the stretch and hit the wire together, with almost nothing to separate them.
The photo revealed that Colonel John prevailed over Mambo in Seattle by the smallest of margins. Jim Dandy runner-up Pyro finished third followed by Harlem Rocker, Da' Tara, Court Vision, Tale of Ekati, Macho Again, Tizbig, Amped, Cool Coal Man and Tres Borrachos.
The time for the 139th Travers was 2:03.20 on a fast Saratoga track.
Colonel John collects $600,000 with the victory for owner WinStar Farm and trainer Eoin Harty. The colt has now won five of nine career starts for $1,468,830.
"I'd rather be inside rather than outside in a big field," Harty said before the race, "don't want to get caught up in any traffic.
"I think the Travers, with the exception of the Kentucky Derby, is the three- year-old race to win. It's a race steeped in tradition. It's very important to a stallion's career. I just think it's one of those really great races that kind of define a horse and a trainer's career."
He was coming off a third-place finish in the Swaps at Hollywood Park as the 4-5. Earlier this year he won the Sham Stakes, but finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby.
Colonel John returned $10.40, $5.40 and $4.30. Mambo In Seattle paid $6.30 and $5.10, and Pyro paid $3.70 to show.
In other news in the three-year-old division, Big Brown will make his next start on Saturday, September 13 at Monmouth Park in the $200,000 Monmouth Stakes on the turf. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner will face older horses for the first time.
"We were looking for a grass race for him and the Monmouth grass surface should be perfect for Big Brown," said Michael Iavarone, co-president and co- CEO of IEAH Stables. "Monmouth was cordial enough to put up a nice purse for him and the fans really took to Big Brown last time he was there.
"We'll use this race to go to the synthetic surface at Santa Anita and the Breeders' Cup Classic."
As part of the conditions of the race, the $200,000 purse for the Monmouth Stakes will be increased to $500,000 should Big Brown start in the turf test.
"We're overjoyed that Big Brown will be returning to New Jersey," said Bob Kulina, vice president and general manager of Monmouth Park. "Big Brown coming back to the Jersey Shore will provide added excitement to September racing at Monmouth and should be an across the board winner for his connections, the fans, and the racing industry in New Jersey."
Big Brown won the Haskell Invitational in his last start at Monmouth.
<< Rangers recall pitcher McCarthy from minors
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers recalled pitcher Brandon
McCarthy from Triple-A Oklahoma in time to start Saturday's game against the
Cleveland Indians.
The 25-year old McCarthy will make his season debut as he spe
<< Streelman leads Barclays as Stricker collapses
Paramus, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Streelman carded a three-under 68
Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after 54 holes of The Barclays, the first
FedEx Cup Playoff event.
Streelman completed three rounds at eight-under-par 205.
<< Points alone in first at NE PA Classic
Moscow, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - D.A. Points posted a three-under 67 Saturday to
take sole possession of the third-round lead at the Northeast Pennsylvania
Classic.
Points, an overnight co-leader, finished 54 holes at 11-under 199 for a
<< Safarova wins Forest Hills title
Forest Hills, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Czech Lucie Safarova had no
problem defeating China's Peng Shuai in the final at the $74,800 Forest Hills
Tennis Classic, a final U.S. Open tune-up.
The unseeded Safarova, who upended th
Penske teammates Castroneves, Briscoe on front row at Sonoma >>
Sonoma, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Despite having to use their backup cars after
their primary ones were damaged in transporter fire earlier this week, Team
Penske drivers Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe managed to capture the front
startin
Phils' bats back Hamels in rout of LA >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pat Burrell had three hits, including a
three-run homer, and matched his career-high with five runs batted in, as the
Philadelphia Phillies thumped the Los Angeles Dodgers, 9-2, in the second of a
four-ga
Lee versus Kittleson in U.S. Amateur final >>
Pinehurst, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Danny Lee and Drew Kittleson will meet in
Sunday's 36-hole U.S. Amateur Championship final after both advanced in
Saturday's semifinals.
Lee, 18, who can become the youngest U.S. Amateur champion
Coe two clear in Ontario >>
Mississauga, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alex Coe fired his second straight five-
under 65 Saturday to grab a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Jane
Rogers Championship of Mississauga.
Coe completed 54 holes at 13-under-par 197. Th
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines .
To visit this sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sports betting
MySportsbook.com Posts Heisman Trophy Odds
With 3,919 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a mere seven interceptions last season, combined with a powerful South Bend Heisman legacy, odds makers at MySportsbook.com have given Notre Dame senior quarterback Brady Quinn the best Heisman Trophy odds at 5-2.
Quinn isn’t the only big man on campus this season. Oklahoma junior running back and 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson, listed at 7-2, rushed for a combined 3,033 yards in his first two years as a college player and will give Quinn a run for his money.
This online sportsbook has also listed Troy Smith, Ohio State senior quarterback, as another strong favorite to win the 72nd Heisman Trophy. A 7-1 bet, Smith threw for 2,282 yards last season and also led the Buckeyes to a convincing 34-20 victory over Quinn and the Fighting Irish in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.
Current betting odds Heisman trophy are:
| Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Dame) Adrian Peterson (RB, Oklahoma) Troy Smith (QB, Ohio State) Michael Bush (RB, Louisville) Steve Slaton (RB, West Virginia) Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville) Chris Leak (QB, Florida) Mike Hart (RB, Michigan) Ted Ginn (WR, Ohio State) Darius Walker (RB, Notre Dame) Drew Tate (QB, Iowa) Marshawn Lynch (RB, Cal) Kenny Irons (RB, Auburn) Chad Henne (QB, Michigan) Kyle Wright (QB, Miami) Drew Stanton (QB, Michigan State) Kenneth Darby (RB, Alabama) JaMarcus Russell (QB, LSU) Drew Weatherford (QB, Florida State) Blake Mitchell (QB, South Carolina) Reggie Ball (QB, Georgia Tech) |
5-2 7-2 7-1 10-1 10-1 12-1 12-1 18-1 18-1 20-1 30-1 35-1 35-1 40-1 50-1 50-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 |
For complete NCAA Football odds visit MySportsbook.com.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting