Wide open Arkansas Derby expected

Horseracing Betting Lines

04/10/2008 - Hot Springs, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby will be one of the most wide open Kentucky Derby preps in recent memory, as no clear favorite in a full field of 14 has been established leading into the 1 1/8 mile race at Oaklawn Park.

The Arkansas Derby has proven to be a major indicator of success in recent Triple Crown races.

Smarty Jones turned his 2004 win into victory in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. The following year, Arkansas Derby winner Afleet Alex captured the Preakness and Belmont Stakes after a third-place finish in the Run for the Roses.

Two years ago, Lawyer Ron won the Arkansas Derby and became one of the top handicap horses in 2007. Curlin captured last year's Arkansas Derby on his way to winning the Breeders' Cup Classic and being voted Horse of the Year. In between, Curlin was third in the Kentucky Derby, first in the Preakness and second to Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes.

Trainer Steve Asmussen, hoping to repeat last year's win with Curlin, has entered three colts in the race led by Risen Star Stakes runner-up Z Fortune. Joining Z Fortune from the Asmussen stable will be King's Silver Son and Ablaze With Spirit.

Z Fortune will be ridden by leading jockey Robby Albarado from post 12. Asmussen uses Albarado as the regular rider for Curlin, who recently won the Dubai World Cup.

"What a difference a year makes in the Arkansas Derby," Albarado said from Keeneland. "The only thing that's the same is that I'm riding a horse for Steve (Asmussen). But unlike last year, this is a wide open derby with no standout. As for Z Fortune, I know he has a lot of talent. I've watched him train, I've ridden against him, and Steve tells me that he is doing well. All I can do is try my best, and hope for the best."

Owned by Zayat Stable, Z Fortune began the year by winning the Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds, followed by a second to Pyro in the Risen Star Stakes.

Sent off as the 7-10 favorite here at Oaklawn, the colt finished fifth in the Rebel Stakes behind Sierra Sunset. The gray three-year-old has won three of five career starts for $186,600.

The top horse coming out of the Rebel Stakes is King's Silver Son, owned by Mike McCarty. The gray colt will start from post four with Luis Quinonez in the saddle.

King's Silver Son made a five-wide move in the Rebel to go from last in the nine-horse field to second as a 17-1 longshot. He has earnings of $116,600 in seven starts with one win.

The third of Asmussen's trio is Ablaze With Spirit. Owned by Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, Ablaze With Spirit will break from post 11 with Clifton Berry riding. Ablaze With Spirit will be part of a three-horse mutuel field, including Shekinah and Jazz in the Park.

Ablaze With Spirit is coming off a third-place finish in the WinStar Derby at Sunland Park. Two months ago he won the Jim's Orbit Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park. Ablaze With Spirit has won two of six lifetime races for $170,795.

Here is the complete field in post position order for the 72nd Arkansas Derby: Victory Pete, Clinton Potts; Tres Borrachos, Tyler Baze; Shekinah, Chris Emigh; King's Silver Son, Luis Quinonez; Gayego, Mike Smith; Isabull, Tim Doocy; My Pal Charlie, Julien Leparoux; Blackberry Road, Calvin Borel; Liberty Bull, Eusebio Razo, Jr.; Golden Yank, Larry Sterling, Jr.; Ablaze With Spirit, Clifton Berry; Z Fortune, Robby Albarado; Indian Sun, Richard Migliore and Jazz in the Park, Miguel Mena.

The Arkansas Derby has a scheduled post-time of 6:44 p.m. (et) and will be televised on ESPN.

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Football Betting

NFL Football Betting Online

The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.

Thursday, August 21

NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37

NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games

Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.

Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.

Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.

That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.

Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.

CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

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Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.

"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."

Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Mastercard needs.