11/12/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The major part of the 2008 thoroughbred racing season has been completed, so let's take a few seconds to look back and forward.
Three names came to dominate the headlines this year: Curlin, Big Brown and Zenyatta. All three secured themselves at least one Eclipse Award with the only question being, Who is the 2008 Horse of the Year?
Defending Horse of the Year Curlin made thoroughbred history in 2008 by becoming the first horse to surpass the $10 million mark in lifetime earnings. The four-year-old colt went past Cigar on the career earnings list with a second straight win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
With Robby Albarado in the saddle for all seven starts, Curlin won five times in 2008 to bank $5,399,000. While it has not been officially announced, Curlin closes his Hall of Fame career with $10,501,800. The only thing he was unable to accomplish was repeating as Breeders' Cup Classic champ.
Leading three-year-old Big Brown may have had the strangest of years. After blowing away the competition in the Florida Derby, Run for the Roses and Preakness Stakes, he failed miserably in the Belmont Stakes.
We will never know exactly why the best three-year-old of 2008 was pulled up at the top of the stretch in the Belmont Stakes by jockey Kent Desormeaux. The official chart shows that he never finished the 1 1/2 mile Test of Champions.
Owned by IEAH Stables, Big Brown came back with a win in the Haskell Invitational after looking beaten in mid-stretch by Coal Play. Big Brown's final start was on the turf in the Monmouth Stakes in preparation for the Breeders' Cup.
Unfortunately, Big Brown suffered a hoof injury during training for the Breeders' Cup and was retired. He finished with $3,614,500 having won seven of eight career starts.
I never bet on Big Brown, nor consider him an all-time great. However, I give his connections credit for getting him to the starting gate for the Belmont Stakes plus two more starts. He suffered some setbacks following the Preakness and I expected Big Brown to be retired sometime during the three week break between the final two Triple Crown events.
Other than Curlin, Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic champ Zenyatta is the only possible thoroughbred who could be voted 2008 Horse of the Year. The four- year-old filly is undefeated in nine career starts, seven this year, and has career earnings of better than $2.1 million.
Zenyatta had a very well orchestrated schedule. She started eight times in California, all on synthetic tracks. Her lone race elsewhere was the Apple Blossom Handicap this year at Oaklawn Park when she was the second choice behind 2007 Eclipse winner Ginger Punch who finished third.
Breeders' Cup Classic winner Raven's Pass has been retired to Sheikh Mohammed's Kildangan Stud in County Kildare, Ireland. The three-year-old closes his short career with seven wins in 11 starts and $3,664,833,
Looking ahead to the Triple Crown races of 2009, Breeders' Cup Juvenile champ Midshipman has been taken to Dubai to prepare for the Kentucky Derby. Midshipman, owned by Shiekh Mohammed, has won three of four starts for $1,380,200. Shiekh Mohammed is desperate to win the Run for the Roses.
Juvenile Turf winner Donativum is owned by Princess Haya of Jordan, the wife of Shiekh Mohammed. Trained by John Gosden, the gelding has three wins in six starts and better than $1.5 million. His status for the Kentucky Derby is unknown.
In early odds for the 2009 Kentucky Derby, Midshipman is roughly 15-1 and Donativum is 20-1. Keep in mind that lightly raced three-year-olds are becoming the rule not the exception leading to the Kentucky Derby.
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BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers SPORTS TRASH TALK
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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