Two giants might actually meet

Horseracing Betting Lines

07/26/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A few weeks ago, at the post position draw for the Delaware Handicap, the discussion around the table was about the hoped- for meeting between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.

Since neither champion was entered in the 1 1/4-mile Del 'Cap we offered opinions on a possible face-to-face encounter of the two ladies. I stated my doubt that the two would meet this year, or ever. At the time, they were being kept apart from one another.

I felt that Zenyatta, 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, would remain in California and not venture outside the Golden State until the Breeders' Cup this year at Churchill Downs. The six-year-old mare is scheduled to make her next start in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on August 7.

Rachel Alexandra, defending Horse of the Year, is just coming off a three- length victory in the Lady's Secret Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park. This was another 1 1/8-mile start for the four-year-old filly, who has not gone beyond 1 3/16-miles since winning last year's Preakness.

My belief had been that Rachel would be kept out of races beyond nine- furlongs, making the Breeders' Cup Classic a non-start.

I have changed my mind.

It now appears that trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Jess Jackson and Hal McCormick have been preparing Rachel for a 1 1/4-mile effort. In her first four starts of 2010 she has not been allowed to set the early pace. Jockey Calvin Borel has held the champion filly back in order to get her accustomed to coming from off the pace.

"I love where her mind is at right now," noted Asmussen. "She's more mature and she's carrying a little more weight.

"We're trying to avoid any peaks and valleys. I don't think you've seen the best of her yet. We have a lot of mare to work with. She's carrying a lot of flesh, and she's very sound and comfortable. It's getting to the time of year where more pressure will be put on her very step of the way."

Rachel is now being pointed toward the 1 1/4-mile Personal Ensign Stakes for fillies and mares at Saratoga on Sunday, August 29.

"We'll assess her condition when she goes back to the track, discuss everything with Mr. Jackson and go from there," said Asmussen from Saratoga. "I think there's a chance she can run here."

So, the whole thing about Rachel not just going ahead and annihilating her opposition in the early races was planned. We already know that Zenyatta can go 10-furlongs with no problem. Asmussen has been getting his filly ready for the longer distance, not just for the Personal Ensign, but also for a meeting against Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

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Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds  
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.

Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.

Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.

Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.

Arizona 20-1

Butler 20-1

Duke 30-1

Florida 7-2

Georgetown 30-1

Indiana 35-1

Kansas 15-1

Marquette 25-1

Maryland 40-1

Memphis 50-1

Nevada 50-1

UNC 9-2

OSU 8-1

Oregon 30-1

Pittsburgh 15-1

Texas 30-1

Texas A&M 18-1

UCLA 6-1

Wisconsin 10-1

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

FOOTBALL TRASH TALK

NFL Football Trash Talk

Trash talk has a place in every competitive endeavor (except baseball; those stirrup-wearers are too busy chewing on their sunflower seeds and their supplements to worry about what their opponents are doing).

Fantasy sports is no exception. Any intelligent discussion of the subject would probably start with a thesis statement or a definition of terms. Thankfully, this wont be an intelligent discussion.

Let me just say that I am happy to take a place in this space alongside my talented colleagues, even our commissioner. (You should see how she bleats like a demented paper boy about league fees on our fantasy site).

Trash talking, I would argue, is primarily about amusing your friends, their sheeplike demeanors and sloping foreheads notwithstanding. The best place I have found for football trash talking is at www.SportsAlarm.com.

Beyond the entertainment factor, though, I would recognize that the sophomoric ritual has one advantage, when properly applied. It magnifies your fantasy triumphs and mitigates your fantasy failures by transforming the eventual point total into an afterthought. Winning makes it seem like your opponent really is a truss-owning, lapel-pin-wearing nitwit. And in defeat, trash talk can be the air bag to break the fall from your hyperbolic heights. The plug-necked yahoos on your team, you can say, will be sacking groceries by the end of the season.

The best trash talk, in my view, is layered and nuanced. And it doesnt focus only on your opponents team. It picks apart your opponent. The idea is to create a shock-and-awe-scale blizzard of nonsense, and the goal is to make your opponent drop his hands from his keyboard in exasperation.

What team does your opponent root for? Accuse a Giants fan of having a Joe Namath pillowcase. Wheres your opponent from? Give a look of concern no matter his reply, then say, I'll try to type slower for you next time. Is your opponent into politics? Label everyone a tax-and-spend corporate shill.

Cap all that with a liberal application of irrelevance. For instance, dont just conclude by saying your opponent is a twerp who drafts like my grandmother. Say that your opponent is a sweater-wearing, eyebrow-plucking twerp who drafts his team about as well as Zsa Zsa Gabor gave acceptance speeches at the Oscars. By the time your foe makes sense of that, his starting running back will have had puppies.

But what about you? Hmm? Recall a memorable slam? Have a tried-and-true technique? Know someone who seems impervious to insult? Take a moment and tells us about it. Put together some (fit-for-publication) thoughts. You wont be too busy returning phone messages from your friends, Im sure, to reply.

In addition to the trash talking, the Sports Alarm has a huge gallery of high resolution pictures of beautiful women and models in bikinis. The most popular models are: Lindsay Lohan, Carrie Underwood, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Paris Hilton.