Big step up for three-year-old filly

Horseracing Betting Lines

09/01/2009 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In an effort to solidify her position as 2009 Horse of the Year, owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen will enter three-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra in Saturday's $750,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

"Hal McCormick (co-owner), my family and I, like other fans of horse racing, want to see her tested," said Jackson in announcing that 'Rachel' would run in the Woodward. "If she goes up against older male horses, we'll be better able to get a measure of her greatness."

The filly's connections are taking this rare and exciting route because 'Rachel' will not run in the Breeders' Cup World Championships in November on the synthetic track at Santa Anita Park. Jess Jackson doesn't like the all- weather surfaces, especially after Curlin failed at Santa Anita in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic.

In the current NTRA Thoroughbred Poll, 'Rachel' remains in first-place over champion mare Zenyatta by 24 points, 208-184. The filly has 19 first-place votes to the mare's two. While various parties are working to bring the two together in a race, so far nothing has materialized.

The move to have 'Rachel' compete against older male horses is not unprecedented. In 1972 Summer Guest became the only three-year-old filly to compete in the Woodward, which was run for the first time in 1954. Summer Guest, ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay, Jr., finished second to entrymate Key to the Mint. However, she was disqualified and placed third. That was when the Woodward was contested at Belmont Park over 1 1/2 miles.

"It's great to have an opportunity to run her on the stage that is Saratoga, one I think she is deserving of," said Asmussen. "To run her in a race that Curlin was fortunate enough to win last year, we realize what a tall order it is for her. Most likely Saturday, it will take a career effort for her.

"I think she knows she's a star. I think she accepts the pressure that's put on her, and she thrives on it."

Unfortunately, the field the filly will face is not a star filled one. There are some good handicap horses, Whitney Handicap winner Bullsbay, Stephen Foster champ Macho Again and Asiatic Boy who has career earnings of more than $3 million.

In some ways there's nowhere else to go with Rachel Alexandra. She devastated the field by a record 20 1/4-lengths in the Kentucky Oaks, then became the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness. She won by 19 1/4-lengths in the Mother Goose Stakes and posted a six-length victory in the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

'Rachel' is working on an eight race winning streak, including all seven starts this year. Lifetime she has won 10 of 13 races for nearly $2.5 million.

More interesting, or puzzling, is the fact that this will be the second straight race for 'Rachel' that will not be televised on a major network. The Haskell was not picked up anywhere, other than the racing channels. If the filly has become such a popular figure, then where is the television coverage of her races?

Someone is definitely dropping the ball when it comes to broadcasting these historic thoroughbred races.

Wwwmysteries Horseracing Betting News


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Sportsbook betting odds favor Europe in Ryder Cup

September 19, – Despite holding a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, Team USA is the underdog again heading into the Ryder Cup in Kidare, Ireland this weekend, according to MySportsbook.com.  The Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 ½ to 9 ½ thumping in Michigan in 2004. Current Ryder Cup betting odds favor the Europeans to continue their winning ways; they are a 4-5 bet to take the title, compared to 6-5 for the Americans. 

Despite being knocked out in the first round of World Match play by Shaun Micheel, Tiger Woods is predicted to lead the US charge and be their highest point scorer for the week, with odds listed at 9-4 that he outpoints all other American players, including Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to  name a  few.  Team USA has four relatively unknown players on the roster but all four are 2007 tournament winners and have posted some of season’s best performances, each earning over $1.5 million on the PGA TOUR.  They include Zach Johnson, Vaughan Taylor, JJ Henry and Brett Wetterich.

The experienced European squad includes the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, who’s emotions will be tested after the passing of his wife to a battle with cancer.  Donald and Garcia are in particularly good form and each is a 5-1 bet to lead the European squad in the points race. Donald has proven he can go head to head with Woods at a major event after a run for the $1.2 million purse at the PGA Championship. Garcia’s Ryder Cup credentials prove he’s ready for battle too.

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

Ryder Cup Odds

Europe
Tie
USA
4-5
10-1
6-5


Ryder Cup Top US point scorer
Tiger Woods
Jim Furyk
Phil Mickelson
Chris DiMarco
David Toms
Stewart Cink
Chad Campbell
Scott Verplank
Zach Johnson
Vaughan Taylor
JJ Henry
Brett Wetterich
9-4
4-1
5-1
7-1
8-1
12-1
15-1
15-1
25-1
30-1
30-1
50-1


Ryder Cup Top European scorer
Sergio Garcia
Luke Donald
Padraig Harrington
Colin Montgomerie
Darren Clarke
David Howell
Lee Westwood
Paul Casey
Henrik Stenson
Jose Maria Olazabal
Paul McGinley
Robert Karlsson
5-1
5-1
6-1
13-2
8-1
9-1
9-1
11-1
12-1
12-1
20-1
25-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com