Alpha goes after first in Withers

Horseracing Betting Lines

02/01/2012 - Ozone Park, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alpha, winner of the Count Fleet Stakes, heads a field of seven for Saturday's $200,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct. The 1 1/16-mile event is part of the track's stakes series for three-year-olds leading to the $1 million Wood Memorial on April 7.

Sent off as the 4-5 favorite in the Count Fleet, Alpha will start the Withers from the outside post with Ramon Dominguez again riding. The colt is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for Godolphin Racing.

"It's fantastic this year what they've done with the Count Fleet, Withers, Gotham, and Wood," said McLaughlin's assistant Artie Magnuson. "It's a great program, best in the country, seriously. It's a steady march, great purses, and there's grading in there. It's ideal.

"The thought is (to run in) all of them. We could skip one if we want, but the thought is to just do all four. The Kentucky Derby is very important, but this series is very important. These aren't preps, these are important races, so we're treating them that way. We take the Withers very seriously, and the Gotham. We've won a stake and that's nice, and this is graded, that's important, everything's very important. Alpha needs to show up, needs to run, but we couldn't be happier with him now."

With two wins in four career starts Alpha has $180,000 in his bankroll. Last year he was second to Union Rags in the Champagne and 11th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile won by Hansen with Union Rags second. Bernardini, sire of Alpha, won this race in 2006.

Owner Mike Repole, of Uncle Mo fame, has How Do I Win entered in the Withers. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the gray three-year-old will be ridden by Cornelio Velasquez from post five .

How Do I Win was fourth in the Count Fleet last month at 11-1. Prior to that start he had won two straight after failing in his first three races.

"He's been kind of inconsistent in the afternoons, as you can tell from the past performances, but when he puts everything together I think he'll live up to expectations," said Pletcher, who won the Withers in 2008 with Harlem Rocker. "In his last race, the jockey took too much hold of him, and he's more of a free-running horse."

Here is the full Withers' field from the rail out: Hakama, Julian Pimentel; Speightscity, David Cohen; Swag Daddy, Junior Alvarado; King Kid, Mike Luzzi; How Do I Win, Cornelio Velasquez; Tiger Walk, Horacio Karamanos and Alpha, Ramon Dominguez.

Post-time for the Withers is slated at 4:05 p.m. (et).

Wwwthesandscasino Horseracing Betting News

<< Buddle makes Galaxy return
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Galaxy announced Wednesday that it has signed Edson Buddle on a free transfer after the American striker spent one season in Germany with FC Ingolstadt. Buddle previously featured for the

<< Martinuccio joins Villarreal on loan
Villarreal, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Villarreal has signed forward Alejandro Martinuccio on a six-month loan from Brazilian side Fluminense, it was announced on Wednesday. The two clubs just beat the transfer deadline to push the

<< Pirates ink veteran hurler Cruz to minor league deal
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday signed pitcher Juan Cruz to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The 33-year-old right-hander went 5-0 with a 3.88 earned run average

<< Newcastle's Cabaye handed three-match ban
Newcastle, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye has failed in his appeal to the English Football Association over a violent conduct charge stemming from Saturday's FA Cup loss to Brighton and Hove Albion,

<< Wilshere suffers another injury setback
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere will spend further time on the sidelines after developing a stress fracture in his right foot. The 20-year-old has been out of action since June a

In the FCS Huddle: Best class? Put up your Dukes >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The axiom for college recruiting is for a particular university to keep the top high school players from its state at home in its signing class. The Virginia-laden roster of James Madison University footba

Mariners sign Guillen >>
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Seattle Mariners signed infielder Carlos Guillen to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training Wednesday. The 14-year veteran spent the first six seasons of his career wit

Thibodeau, Brooks named NBA's top coaches for December and January >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bulls' Tom Thibodeau and the Oklahoma City Thunder's Scott Brooks have been named the top coaches for the Eastern and Western Conference, respectively, for December and January. Thibode

Simon, Gasquet roll in Open Sud openers >>
Montpellier, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - French favorites Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet were among Wednesday's second-round winners at the Open Sud de France tennis tournament. The second-seeded world No. 12 Simon subdued Italian Fla

Irving, Rubio named NBA's top rookies for January >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio were named the top rookies in the Eastern and Western Conference, respectively, for games played from the season'

MySportsbook.com Favors Fighting Irish to win College Football betting odds

According to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, on January 8, the Fighting Irish faithful may be toasting their 14th national title in Arizona – Notre Dame’s first national championship in close to 20 years.

Although MySportsbook.com has listed Notre Dame as the 5-1 favorite to win thecollege football College Football betting, fans in Columbus do not need to cancel their tickets to Glendale just yet.  The Ohio State Buckeyes, listed right behind the Irish at 7-1, are also heavy favorites to win college football’s most coveted prize, while West Virginia, USC and the 2007 National Champion Texas Longhorns - all listed at 8-1 – are strong contenders as well.

MySportsbook.com has also posted gambling odds on the conference championships for the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.  In the ACC – it could be anyone’s title, particularly for the two schools from the Sunshine State.  Florida State and Miami, both listed at 2-1, are favored to win the ACC Championship Game odds, with the ‘Noles hoping to finish in the nation’s top 10 for the first time in five years, and the ‘Canes looking to avenge their 10-7 loss against FSU in last year’s ACC Championship betting.

Moving west to the Big 12, MySportsbook.com has betting lines listing Texas as 7-5 favorites to repeat as conference champions, even though the Longhorns lost their national championship-winning quarterback Vince Young to the NFL.  In the south, the Auburn Tigers – led by Heisman-hopeful senior running back Kenny Irons – have been given the best odds to win the SEC Championship odds at 5-2.

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


ODDS TO WIN THE BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Notre Dame
Ohio State
West Virginia
Texas
USC
Florida
California
Auburn
Oklahoma
Iowa
Louisville
Florida State
Michigan
Miami (FL)
LSU
Penn State
Virginia Tech
Nebraska
Tennessee
Georgia
Arizona State
Oregon
Clemson
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
Alabama
Arkansas
Boston College
Michigan State
Maryland
South Carolina
Colorado
Purdue
Georgia Tech
TCU
UCLA
Arizona
Pittsburgh
Iowa State
Wisconsin
North Carolina State
Virginia
North Carolina
Fresno State
Hawaii
Northwestern
BYU
Oregon State
UNLV
Field (Any Other Team)		 5-1
7-1
8-1
8-1
8-1
12-1
15-1
15-1
18-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
25-1
40-1
40-1
50-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
70-1
70-1
100-1
100-1
100-1
100-1
100-1
150-1
200-1
200-1
200-1
200-1
200-1
250-1
250-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
400-1
500-1
500-1
500-1
500-1
1000-1
1000-1
40-1



ODDS TO WIN ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Miami (FL)
Florida State
Virginia Tech
Clemson
Georgia Tech
Boston College
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina State
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Duke		 2-1
2-1
3-1
7-1
15-1
15-1
15-1
30-1
30-1
30-1
50-1
500-1



ODDS TO WIN BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Texas
Oklahoma
Nebraska
Texas Tech
Colorado
Iowa State
Texas A&M
Kansas State
Missouri
Kansas
Baylor
Oklahoma State		 7-5
9-5
9-2
12-1
14-1
15-1
15-1
30-1
30-1
35-1
100-1
100-1



ODDS TO WIN SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Auburn
Florida
LSU
Georgia
Tennessee
Arkansas
Alabama
Mississippi
South Carolina
Mississippi State
Kentucky
Vanderbilt		 5-2
11-4
4-1
6-1
7-1
7-1
9-1
20-1
28-1
75-1
100-1
300-1

For complete NCAA football odds please visit Mysportsbook.com.

Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State

It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.

Work left to do:

Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney.

Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable.

Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.