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NHL Grand Salami - April

The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.

Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.

*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.

NHL GRAND SALAMI

Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
4/1 4 22.5 24 OVER
4/2 9 48.5 55 OVER
4/3 5 27 34 OVER
4/4 13 69.5 76 OVER
4/5 5 26.5 21 UNDER
4/6 5 26 25 UNDER
4/7 9 - - -
4/8 3 - - -
4/9 11 - - -
4/10 2 - - -
4/11 15 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

National League
Cubs @ Rockies
Wood is 0-2, 9.35 in his last four starts, three of which went over total.

Matzek is 4-2, 1.55 in his last six starts, five of which stayed under.

Colorado swept Milwaukee in Miller Park to start season; they've lost three of last four games with Cubs, who scored two runs in splitting first two games this season.

Nationals @ Phillies
Gonzalez is 2-1, 2.00 in his last three starts; under is 3-1-1 in his last five

Williams is 1-2, 4.11 in his last five starts; four of his last six went over.

Washington lost five of last six games with Phillies; under is 4-2-1 in last seven meetings. Both teams lost two of three to start this season.

Cardinals @ Reds
Lackey is 2-1, 2.63 in his last four starts; four of his last five stayed under.

Marquis is making first start since '13; he was 0-3, 6.91 in his last five starts that year- seven of his last nine starts went over total.

Cincinnati won its first three games, allowing eight runs. Home side won eight of last ten St Louis-Cincy games; three of last four in this park stayed under.

Mets @ Braves
Niese is 1-1, 1.71 in his last four starts, all of which stayed under.

Stults is 1-1, 2.55 in his last three starts; three of his last four home starts went over the total.

Atlanta swept Marlins in Miami to start season; Mets won two of three in Washington. Mets won seven of last ten with Atlanta; under is 6-1-1 in last eight series games.

Pirates @ Brewers
Locke is 1-3, 5.81 in his last five starts, four of which went over.

Fiers is 0-3, 4.00 in his last three starts; Brewers scored three runs in those three games. Seven of his last eight starts stayed under.

Pirates got swept three games in Cincinnati; Brewers lost three in row at home to Colorado to open season. Pittsburgh won four of last six games against the Brewers, with last four staying under.

Dodgers @ Diamondbacks
Oft-injured BAnderson is making first Dodger start; he was 1-0, 1.16 in his last four starts for the Rockies.

CAnderson is 3-1, 3.21 in his last five home starts; over is 8-0-1 in his last nine starts overall.

Dodgers won seven of last eight games with Arizona; six of those eight tilts went over the total. All three LA games this week went over total

Giants @ Padres
Lincecum was 1-2, 11.45 in his last three starts LY.

Morrow is making first start since last May; he was 0-1, 6.39 in his last three starts for Toronto.

San Francisco won three of first four games; Padres lost three of last four; San Diego bullpen threw 10 innings last night. Home side won six of last eight Giant-Padre games, with Giants winning four of last five- three of last four stayed under the total.

American League
Blue Jays @ Orioles
Buehrle is 2-1, 2.83 in his last five starts; three of his last four went over.

Norris is 5-0, 2.41 in his last seven starts; seven of his last ten went over.

Toronto played in Bronx last night, has day game here; they've lost five of last seven games with Orioles. Under is 7-1 in last eight series games. both teams won two of first three games this season.

Tigers @ Indians
Simon is 2-0, 2.88 in his last four starts; six of his last nine starts went over.

McAllister was 0-2, 7.42 in his last three starts LY.

Detroit swept Minnesota three games to start season; they won seven of last eight games with Cleveland-- last four went over the total. Indians won two of three in Houston, allowing total of three runs.

Astros @ Rangers
McHugh is 7-0, 1.88 in his last eight starts; five of his last six stayed under.

Holland is 3-0, 2.00 in his last eight starts; four of his last five stayed under.

Home side won eight of last ten Houston-Texas games; seven of last eight in series stayed under the total.

Twins @ White Sox
Milone is 0-1, 11.66 in his last four starts, all of which went over total.

Noesi is 0-3, 5.30 in his last three starts.

Minnesota was outscored 22-1 in losing three straight at Detroit; White Sox were outscored 21-7 in losing three in row at KC. Twins split last ten games with Chicago- over is 7-1 in last eight series meetings.

Red Sox @ Bronx
Miley was 1-4, 3.60 in his last eight starts for Arizona; seven of his last nine starts stayed under the total.

Eovaldi was 0-8, 6.10 in his last nine starts for Miami; under is 4-1-1 in his last six outings (Marlins scored 10 runs in his last seven starts).

Boston lost six of last eight games with Bronx; six of those eight games went over the total.

Royals @ Angels
Vargas is 1-0, 3.52 in his last three starts; four of his last six went over.

Santiago is 1-2, 12.96 in his last three starts; four of his last five went over.

Kansas City won five of last six games against Angels, sweeping LA 3-0 in playoffs last fall. Royals won first three games this season. Angels won two of three in Seattle.

Mariners @ A's
Walker is 1-3, 2.38 in his last four starts, three of which stayed under.

Pomeranz is 0-2, 3.86 in his last five starts.

Road team won five of last seven Seattle-Oakland games, with six of seven staying under total.

Interleague
Rays @ Marlins
Geltz has pitched in 15 big league games, all in relief (0-1, 2.84); he's pitched in 241 minor league games but never started one.

Haren was 0-1, 4.76 in his last three starts for the Dodgers.

Miami lost three in row to Atlanta to open season; Rays lost two of three at home to Baltimore. Marlins won last four games with Tampa Bay; four of last six series games stayed under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Preview: Islanders (46-28) at Penguins (42-26)

Date: April 10, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

(AP) - Evgeni Malkin wasn't exactly making a guarantee as much as he was trying to provide his sagging team with a needed dose of swagger.

Don't let the messy last month fool you. The 2012 NHL MVP believes the fading Pittsburgh Penguins are headed to the postseason. Just like they have every spring since the Russian forward joined Sidney Crosby in turning the franchise around nearly nine years ago.

'I know we play playoffs,' Malkin said Thursday.

Even with an overextended defense missing injured star Kris Letang and veteran Christian Ehrhoff. Even with an ugly 3-9-2 stretch over the last month that has all the earmarks of an ugly collapse.

Last Malkin checked, everybody starts the playoffs 0-0. What better way to wipe out the unsavory aftertaste of an uneven and sometimes bizarre season than packaging wins over the New York Islanders on Friday and Buffalo Sabres on Saturday to head into the playoffs on a high?

'I've played here a long time,' Malkin said. 'It's the first time (I've gone through this), but we need to work and just win the next two games.'

Maybe, but at this point winning one is hard enough. The Penguins (42-26-12) have dropped four straight and missed a chance to ease any anxiety when they let a 3-0 lead evaporate in an overtime loss to the Senators on Tuesday night.

The Senators won again Thursday, vaulting past Pittsburgh into the Eastern Conference's first wild-card spot by a point. But the Penguins got a break with Boston's 4-2 loss at Florida, meaning the Penguins can clinch a playoff berth with two points Friday night.

Still, the loss to Ottawa marked the fourth time in the last two weeks Pittsburgh couldn't clamp down after going up by at least two goals. Not the best way to make a case for the postseason.

'We've put ourselves in situations where the other team is able to dig their way back into games far too often,' defenseman Ben Lovejoy said. 'We need to find a way to never let that happen again.'

Never might be asking a little too much. At this point, Lovejoy would settle for it not happening over the weekend.

'We feel we haven't played our best hockey, that's no secret,' Lovejoy said. 'We're comfortable we can come out and beat a team we've been battling with.'

One that has created its own sense of unease - even though the Islanders (46-28-6) clinched a playoff spot with the Bruins' loss Thursday.

New York is 3-7-2 over its last 12 games, including a gut-punch 5-4 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday that included a spirited rally from a three-goal deficit before losing on a knuckling 50-foot wrist shot from Brayden Schenn with 2.1 seconds to go.

'Obviously it's a frustrating loss so at this time of year you have to have a short term memory,' coach Jack Capuano said. 'You have to move on, and you have to get ready for the next one.'

Fighting to extend the season is a way of life for New York, which hasn't won a playoff series in 22 years. The standards are very different in Pittsburgh, which has missed the postseason just five times in the last quarter century.

Yet after sprinting out to a quick start under first-year coach Mike Johnston, the Penguins have been unable to gain traction while dealing with everything from the mumps to a revolving door to a seemingly constantly packed training room.

It doesn't appear the crowd will thin anytime soon. Letang is out indefinitely with a concussion and Ehrhoff isn't practicing due to an upper-body issue. Rookie Derrick Pouliot is day to day with his own upper-body injury. The healthy regulars that remain along the blueline are now logging leg-sapping minutes. Lovejoy, Paul Martin and Rob Scuderi all played more than a third of the loss to Ottawa. All three are on the other side of 30, though as Lovejoy points out 'nobody comes off the ice saying `I wish I could have played a lot less.''

Maybe, but the defense certainly looked like it was slogging through slush late against the Senators, who outshot Pittsburgh 21-3 over the final 22:43.

Martin declined to lay blame at tired legs and more on tired minds. Knowing what to fix is easy. Doing it is another matter.

'It's commitment to certain guys playing the right way,' Martin said, 'not taking shifts off or cheating or doing things that help other teams get momentum.'

Defense has been a big issue for the Penguins against New York. Pittsburgh won the opener 3-1 in October but has allowed 14 goals in dropping the last three meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL betting road map: Back Penguins to win out
By ART ARONSON

Art Aronson of AAA Sports takes a look at some of the best betting opportunities for the upcoming week on the ice.

Moneyline/Puckline Watch

Team to fade this week: Buffalo, Arizona

These teams are in a race to finish last in the league in points in the hopes to the get the first crack at top prospect Conner McDavid. As strange as it sounds, I think both teams are well aware of it.

Arizona has games against three playoff bound teams in Vancouver, Calgary and Anaheim so don’t be surprised of a “puck-line” play is the way to go.

Buffalo’s home crowd cheers against it when it wins games so remaining games against Carolina and Pittsburgh aren’t going to be easy this week. I would look to fade them by multiple goals in games against playoff hungry teams.

Team to bet this week: Pittsburgh

The Penguins are in serious trouble of missing the playoffs thanks to a three-game losing streak. I think a must-win attitude this week will get them back in the right column.

Pittsburgh will be in control of their own destiny with a game against Ottawa that will likely decide a spot in the postseason. An injury to top flight center Evgeni Malkin has helped to add to the woes of the Penguins but he is back and with a game or two under his belt, he should back to helping the Penguins win games.

It is not bold to predict that the Penguins will win all remaining three games.

Total Watch

Dallas Stars OVER streak

The Stars' games have seen the higher number hit in four straight and five of six coming into the last week of the season.

The loss of top defenseman Trevor Daley has plagued this team all year long and after brief hot streak thanks to good play from their starting goalie in Kari Lehtonen, the Stars are back to playing high scoring games.

Injury Watch

Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks

This late in the season, any injury to top players is pretty key but we should keep an eye on the Blackhawks top player in Patrick Kane.

The Blackhawks struggle to score without him and he has been their most clutch player in recent playoff runs.

He isn’t expected back for another month and the Hawks could be in big trouble against a big strong team like St. Louis in the first round.

Playbook: The LA Kings

The LA Kings have four games remaining and are a single point out of the final playoff spot.

The four games are all against divisional opponents. It is highly likely it comes down to the last game of the year and a match-up with California rival San Jose Sharks.

What drama that game will be as the Sharks will love to play spoiler against the defending games. I think the rest of the league is praying they don’t make the big dance.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Blue Jackets red-hot despite eliminated from playoffs
Justin Hartling

The Columbus Blue Jackets may be playing for nothing right now, but the team is on a torrid pace winning 10 of their past 11 contests. The Jackets have outscored opponents 47-26 during those 11 games, which is an average scoring margin of +1.9 goals per game.

The Jackets host the lowly Buffalo Sabres Friday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

AFL Preview
Inquisitr

San Jose SaberCats at Tampa Bay Storm
Records: SaberCats (2-0), Storm (1-1)
Place: Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay, Florida
Time: 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Live Stream: WatchESPN

This is 18th meeting between the two franchises, with San Jose holding a 10-7 edge in the series, according to Tampa Bay Storm’s website. The SaberCats have taken the last two meetings (2013 and 2014).

San Jose has outscored their opponents 113-69, an average of 22.0 points per game, over the first two weeks. The SaberCats defeated Las Vegas (59-41) in week one and Los Angeles (54-28) in week two.

QB Erik Meyer has completed 63.3 percent (38-for-60) of his passes this season for an average of 258 yards. He has thrown 11 touchdown passes and has been intercepted only once. Reggie Gray has been the SaberCats top receiver through two games, hauling in 17 passes and three touchdowns. Ben Nelson has nine receptions and three touchdowns.

Defensively, the SaberCats are the top defensive team in the AFL. San Jose is giving up 34.5 points a game and 224.5 yards a game. DB Virgil Gray leads the defense with two interceptions and five pass breakups.

While the secondary has been terrific for the SaberCats, their defensive front has caused havoc for opponents. San Jose has registered seven sacks with Luis Vasquez leading the way with 3.5 sacks. Jason Stewart has registered 2.0 sacks thus far.

The Storm are coming off a 54-48 victory over Portland in week two after falling to Cleveland (60-44). QB Jason Boltus was 23-for-40 for 294 yards and threw for six touchdowns against Portland last week. He also ran for two touchdowns. Boltus has completed 55.8 percent of his passes (53-for-95) for 338.5 yards a game and 12 touchdowns.

T.T. Toliver has been Tampa Bays’ most explosive player, hauling in 21 passes for 310 yards and six touchdowns. Toliver had nine catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns versus Portland. Toliver needs just two more receptions to reach 1,000 catches for his career. Jarvis Williams leads the team with 22 catches.

Tampa Bay is averaging 49.0 points and 335.0 yards a game. Defensively, the Storm give up 54.0 points a game and 275.5 yards a contest.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Auto: Drivers to Watch - Fort Worth

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Duck Commander 500
Saturday, April 11 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Texas Motor Speedway – Fort Worth, TX

The Sprint Cup Series continues with the Duck Commander 500, an annual race that has taken place in early April since 1997. The 1.5-mile, asphalt track has not typically been dominated by a few, but by many as there are only three multiple winners with nobody winning more than twice.

This short list includes Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and most recently Greg Biffle in 2012 when he posted the fastest time in the history of this race when he completed the 334 laps in 3:07:12. The large 24-degree corners have led to some of the fastest speeds on the series and last year it was Joey Logano who earned one of his nine career victories after the race was extended due to a green-white-checker finish.

Roush Fenway Racing has been able to net by far the most wins in this specific event, getting seven winners over its existence with Biffle’s impressive 2012 performance being the last.

Let’s take a look through the entrants and see who could get a win this week.

Drivers to Bet

Matt Kenseth (10/1) - If there is one racer who has dominated on this course it is Kenseth with his driver-best rating of 107.2 here as he has two wins and 13 top-five finishes in his 25 starts. His 17 top-10s also ties him with Jimmie Johnson for most here and he leads all other racers with an impressive average finish of 8.9. He ranks 11th in the Sprint Cup Standings this year and is coming off his best performance when he finished fourth at Martinsville, leading a total of 11 laps and adding to the 54 laps that he had led previously on the season. Kenseth should be able to pull down at least a second straight top-10 in Texas this week with a very good chance of a 32nd career Sprint Cup win on the way.

Greg Biffle (60/1) - Biffle’s top-10 finish at both the Budweiser Dual #2 and Daytona 500 show that he still has some left in the tank at the age of 45, but he has finished 14th or worse in each of the first five Sprint Cup Series races this year. Texas Motor Speedway is a perfect spot for him to get out of this funk with his two past victories and eight top-fives being a big factor. He has an average green-flag speed of 173.396 MPH when running on the track, third most among drivers, and has spent 4,457 laps in the top-15 (74%), ranking the fourth-most among his peers while getting a series-high 742 quality passes. Biffle should be able to put up his best showing of the year in Forth Worth this week.

Carl Edwards (15/1) – Edwards grabbed the win at this event back in 2008 and has also had solid showings when running on this track with two other victories as he has had the fastest lap 358 times (third-most). His driver rating of 97.5 is sixth-best at the venue and he has spent 73.5% of his time (4,425 laps) amongst the top-15. He has been consistent with an average finish of 14.3 over his past three races on the year, but should have no issues getting near the top of the leaderboard when he hits the asphalt in Forth Worth on Saturday.

Jamie McMurray (50/1) - McMurray has looked solid this season since a poor 40th-place in Atlanta to kickoff the Sprint Cup Series, ranking 21st or better in each successive race with three top-11s. He was the runner-up in Phoenix and currently is 14th in the standings. The seven-time Sprint Cup Series winner has started at Texas Motor Speedway 22 times in his career and has earned five top-five finishes as his average finish of 17.7 ranks him 15th in the tracks history. McMurray’s season has been trending upwards and he should be expected to be near the front of the pack once again.

Danica Patrick (300/1) - This is more of a contrarian pick considering in her five starts at this track she has a poor average finish of 28th, but her season is moving in the right direction as she comes off a seventh in Martinsville and is sitting at 15th in the Sprint Cup Standings. Her best finish in the series in the past was 27th, so this year is certainly a step in the right direction and she could grab the momentum from her last start to propel her into career-best campaign.

Odds to win Duck Commander 500

Kevin Harvick 4/1
Jimmie Johnson 6/1
Kurt Busch 6/1
Brad Keselowski 10/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr 10/1
Jeff Gordon 10/1
Joey Logano 10/1
Matt Kenseth 10/1
Denny Hamlin 12/1
Martin Truex Jr 12/1
Carl Edwards 15/1
Kasey Kahne 20/1
Kyle Larson 20/1
Ryan Newman 25/1
Tony Stewart 40/1
Jamie McMurray 50/1
Clint Bowyer 60/1
David Ragan 60/1
Greg Biffle 60/1
Paul Menard 60/1
Ryan Blaney 100/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 100/1
Austin Dillon 200/1
AJ Allmendinger 300/1
Aric Almirola 300/1
Danica Patrick 300/1
Casey Mears 500/1
Ricky Stenhouse 500/1
Sam Hornish Jr 500/1
Trevor Bayne 500/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Duck Commander 500
By Micah Roberts

It seems like an eternity since NASCAR last raced, but it was only two weeks ago at Martinsville. The drivers and crews got a much needed weekend off for Easter Sunday after going full throttle every weekend since early February.

Just in case you may forgot what has happened so far over the first six races of 2015, here's a refresher: Kevin Harvick is rocking this NASCAR world!

Harvick has never won a Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway, but he had also never won at Las Vegas until dominating that race last month. It's his current form that make him the 4/1 favorite (Bet $100 to win $400) to win Saturday night's Duck Commander 500, and that price may generous just because he has a considerable advantage over almost everyone in the series. We've seen Jimmie Johnson dominate in the past, but the dropoff to the second best competitor wasn't as prominent as it is with Harvick this year.

Harvick has had six top-10 finishes during the six races and has averaged a finish of 2.7, that includes two wins and three second-places. His string of eight consecutive top-2 finishes or better came to end at Martinsville, but that was to be expected because it’s never been his most consistent track. He may have never won at Texas, but similar tracks suggest he’s ready more than ever to cross Texas off his ’things to do’ list.

We’ve seen action already on 1.5-mile layouts at Texas’ sister tracks of Atlanta and Las Vegas and he led the most laps in each. Both tracks have strong similarities to Texas and there really isn’t a reason to suggest he won’t race well Saturday. The only thing that might stop him is if he gets involved in an accident and or has engine problems, but his chances of getting involved in a wreck are mitigated because he‘s out front leading so much.

So with the understanding that no one is in Harvick’s class for this race, is there any value in betting another driver to win?

'Value' may be a strong word to use, but we can at least make a case for a couple.

-- Jimmie Johnson has won three of the past five Texas races and has four overall. The positive with Johnson is that he won at Atlanta despite Harvick’s dominance. However, 6-to-1 odds certainly isn’t enough to get excited about and holds little ‘value’ considering Harvick’s edge.

-- Joey Logano has finished in the top-10 of all six races like Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. and won this race last season. He led 85 laps at Atlanta and finished fourth and led 47 laps at Vegas before settling for 10th. At 10/1 odds, he might be worth a poke.

-- Brad Keselowski finished third in the fall Texas race last season, but hasn’t wowed on the down force tracks like did last season. Even his win at Fontana came with lots of luck involved as his only lap led was the last lap. Logano would be the better choice among the Penske duo.

-- Dale Earnhardt Jr. grabbed his first career Cup win at Texas in 2000, but hasn’t won there since. However, when looking at his performance on 1.5’s along with Fontana’s 2-mile layout, Junior has been close to Harvick with finishes of sixth or better in all three. He offers the best value among the Hendrick drivers.

-- Kurt Busch might be the closest to teammate Harvick among all drivers, but you’re only getting 6/1 odds with him. Busch won at Texas in 2009 and the amazing thing about Busch is that even though he missed the first three races, he’s 24th in points.

-- Denny Hamlin showed lots of speed on the three down force tracks this year and the Gibbs team appears to be getting better and faster. Hamlin swept the Texas season in 2010 and has a 10.8 average finish in 19 starts.

-- Matt Kenseth is a two-time Texas winner and he’s in the same boat as Hamlin with a team that isn’t as good as Harvick, but they’re gaining weekly. Kenseth has a track-best 7.5 average finish at Texas since 2005, a span of 20 races.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1) #4 Kevin Harvick (4/1)
2) #22 Joey Logano (10/1)
3) #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr (10/1)
4) #41 Kurt Busch (6/1)
5) #11 Denny Hamlin (12/1)


HEADLINES
• Roberts: Duck Commander 500
• Sportsbook: Drivers to Watch - Fort Worth
• Schumacher's son tests Formula 4 car
• Penske crowding IndyCar and NASCAR
• Mercedes looking to rebound at China
• Karam joins Ganassi for New Orleans
• CFH Racing adds Hildebrand to Indy 500
• Andretti adds de Silvestro to NOLA lineup
• Chevy penalized for IndyCar violations
MORE HEADLINES

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Logano looks to lasso competition at Texas -- again
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

NASCAR Wire Service

Last April, Joey Logano made his "Lone Star Statement."

A message to the NASCAR world that he was ready to fulfill his predicted potential and compete with the sport's elite drivers.

The kid from Connecticut took four tires during the final caution period and outdueled four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon on a green-white-checkered finish to win the Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway -- his first victory of 2014.

Logano did have a solid 2013 campaign with a win and 19 top-10 finishes, but his Texas triumph served as a launching pad to a 2014 season where he joined NASCAR's elite class of drivers. The No. 22 Ford pilot nearly doubled his career win total of three with five victories and made the Championship 4 Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He has carried the momentum into this season, winning the Daytona 500 and currently ranks second behind defending NSCS champion Kevin Harvick in the points standings.

In Saturday's Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on FOX), Logano will attempt to achieve a feat no driver has accomplished before -- win consecutive spring races at "The Great American Speedway."

Logano's task will be tough as parity has been the spring race trend at Texas. Nine different drivers have won the last nine spring races at the 1.5-mile quad-oval. But Logano has contended in almost every race there since joining Team Penske in 2013, claiming three top fives in four races.

"I'm pretty excited to go back to Texas and try to defend our win," Logano said. "That place has quickly turned into one of my favorite tracks on the circuit. It's just a place that suits me and my driving style well and we as a team have excelled at since I came over here to Team Penske."

Logano has not just been good at Texas, but also 1.5-mile tracks in general. He leads the NSCS with a 7.3 average finish at courses of that distance since last season.

The TMS track-record holder (four wins) and defending fall race winner Jimmie Johnson will try to knock off Logano. Johnson also owns the second-highest driver rating (105.7) and third-best average running position (10.9) at Texas, but he has never won there in the spring.

"We have had a lot of good runs at Texas," Johnson said. "The surface is real wide and gives you a lot of options as a driver to find speed and find a good balance. It's just a fun track."

Two drivers other than Logano and Johnson who would not be surprising to see in Victory Lane on Saturday are Brad Keselowski and Harvick. Neither has won at Texas, but remember, parity reigns supreme there. Since 2014, Keselowski, Harvick and Johnson lead the NSCS with three wins each in the 13 races at 1.5-mile tracks.

Roush Fenway roars into Texas

Roush Fenway Racing's struggles in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have been well-documented.

But the organization's performance in NASCAR XFINITY Series has been a totally different story.

RFR is excelling in "the series where names are made" behind the talents of young drivers Chris Buescher, Ryan Reed and Darrell Wallace Jr., as well as wily veteran Elliott Sadler. All four sit in the top 10 of the series points standings heading into Friday's O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 (8:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1). Buescher, Reed and Wallace rank second, fourth and fifth respectively, while Sadler occupies the eighth spot.

Following a stellar rookie campaign where he won a race and placed seventh in the final points standings, Buescher trails Ty Dillon by a mere five points for the top perch on the circuit. The Prosper, Texas, native heads back to his home state with three top fives in five starts this season and the second-highest driver rating among full-time competitors (100.5).

Homecomings have not treated Buescher well in the past though. He will attempt to improve on his average finish of 19.0 in three previous starts at Texas Motor Speedway.

"I always look forward to going back racing in front of the home crowd," Buescher said. "It has been a nice off weekend to sit and regroup, but our Safety-Kleen 60 team is ready to get back to the track. We had a solid top-five run in Fontana to build off of."

Daytona-winner Reed has struggled at Texas as well with finishes of 17 and 20, but Wallace loves competing in the Lone Star State. Wallace will be making his first XFINITY Series start at TMS, but claims three top 10s there in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

"I'm excited to get back to one of my favorite places," Wallace said. "I'm hoping for a little redemption, as I blew up in the fall Truck race. I'm really looking to building off our run in California and settling in these next few races."

As thrilled as RFR's young guns are to head to Texas, none of them should be more eager to take the 1.5-mile quad-oval than their seasoned leader Sadler, an established competitor at "The Great American Speedway." The 39-year-old Virginian boasts a NSCS win at Texas (2004) and owns two XFINITY Series poles there.

"Texas has proven to be one of my best race tracks on the NASCAR circuit," Sadler said. "Texas is a fast track with a ton of tire wear. As a team, we've been moving forward in the right direction. Each race we've finished better than the previous week. Hopefully the trend continues this Friday night and we'll be celebrating our first win of the season in victory lane under the lights."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Masters Odds - 2nd Round Update

In Thursday's opening round of the 2015 Masters, Jordan Spieth shot an 8-under 64, which gave him a three-streak lead after 18.

Spieth was in contention at last year's Masters but faded in the final round. Make a note that only four golfers -- Craig Wood (1941), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972) and Raymond Floyd (1976) -- have captured wire-to-wire victories at the Masters.

The University of Texas product was listed as high as a 12/1 betting choice at Sportsbook.ag to win this year's even but took some late action and closed as an 8/1 betting choice.

After Thursday's effort, oddsmakers at the offshore sportsbook have pushed him down to an even-money betting choice (1/1).

The one golfer that received the most attention this past week was Tiger Woods, who stuggled with a 1-over 73.

Woods, a favorite amongst bettors, was as low as 18/1 before the tournament but has been adjusted back to 65/1 odds.

Listed below are the latest Live Betting Odds to win The Masters.

Odds to win 2015 Masters - As of 8:00 p.m. ET on 4/9/15

Jordan Spieth 1/1
Jason Day 5/1
Justin Rose 10/1
Rory McIlroy 10/1
Dustin Johnson 16/1
Sergio Garcia 18/1
Bubba Watson 20/1
Phil Mickelson 25/1
Ernie Els 30/1
Paul Casey 30/1
Ryan Palmer 30/1
Charley Hoffman 40/1
Patrick Reed 40/1
Russell Henley 40/1
Adam Scott 50/1
Bill Haas 55/1
Billy Horschel 55/1
Tiger Woods 65/1
Webb Simpson 65/1
Henrik Stenson 90/1
Jimmy Walker 90/1
Louis Oosthuizen 100/1
Rickie Fowler 100/1
Keegan Bradley 110/1
Matt Kuchar 120/1
Hideki Matsuyama 125/1
Charl Schwartzel 150/1
Gary Woodland 150/1
Angel Cabrera 200/1
Graeme McDowell 200/1
John Senden 200/1
Lee Westwood 200/1
Padraig Harrington 200/1
Victor Dubuisson 200/1
Brandt Snedeker 220/1
Danny Willett 250/1
Jonas Blixt 250/1
Kevin Streelman 250/1
Seung-Yul Noh 250/1
Zach Johnson 250/1
Brooks Koepka 300/1
Jamie Donaldson 300/1
Cameron Tringale 350/1
Ian Poulter 350/1

Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Spieth heavy favorite at Masters after huge Day 1
Justin Hartling

Jordan Spieth birdied eight of the first 14 holes on route to a first round 64, one off the course record, and a three-stroke lead on Day 1 of the Masters. There is a logjam behind Spieth for second with four players (Hoffman, Rose, Els, Day) all tied at -5.

Top 10 After Day 1:

1) Jordan Spieth -8
T2) Charley Hoffman -5
T2) Justin Rose -5
T2) Ernie Els -5
T2) Jason Day -5
T6) Russell Henley -4
T6) Sergio Garcia -4
T8) Bill Haas -3
T8) Webb Simpson -3
T8) Paul Casey -3
T8) Ryan Palmer -3

Weather for Day 2:

The forecast for Augusta is expected to be cloudy with winds blowing southward. Temperatures will sit around the 70°F mark in the morning before jumping upwards of 88°F. Friday evening will likely see thundershowers, which could affect play on Saturday.

Odds after Day 1:

It should come as no surprise that Spieth is the heavy 9/4 after his stellar play on Day 1. Close behind is Jason Day, currently one of the four tied for second place, who is currently listed as 5/1. Below is a list of odds for much of the field courtesy of the Westgate LV Superbook:

JORDAN SPIETH 9/4
JASON DAY 5/1
RORY McILROY 10/1
JUSTIN ROSE 10/1
SERGIO GARCIA 12/1
DUSTIN JOHNSON 15/1
BUBBA WATSON 20/1
PATRICK REED 25/1
PHIL MICKELSON 25/1
RYAN PALMER 30/1
CHARLEY HOFFMAN 30/1
ERNIE ELS 30/1
PAUL CASEY 30/1
RUSSELL HENLEY 40/1
ADAM SCOTT 40/1
BILL HAAS 50/1
TIGER WOODS 60/1
BILLY HORSCHEL 60/1
WEBB SIMPSON 60/1
HENRIK STENSON 60/1
JIMMY WALKER 60/1
RICKIE FOWLER 80/1
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA 80/1
MATT KUCHAR 80/1
LEE WESTWOOD 150/1
CHARL SCHWARTZEL 125/1
BRANDT SNEDEKER 200/1
MARTIN KAYMER 500/1
ZACH JOHNSON 125/1
JASON DUFNER 500/1
JIM FURYK 300/1
KEEGAN BRADLEY 100/1
HUNTER MAHAN 500/1
GRAEME McDOWELL 150/1
IAN POULTER 200/1
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN 100/1
ANGEL CABRERA 150/1
LUKE DONALD 500/1
VICTOR DUBUISSON 500/1
RYAN MOORE 500/1
GARY WOODLAND 100/1
JONAS BLIXT 250/1
STEVE STRICKER 500/1
JAMIE DONALDSON 500/1
MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ 5000/1
CHRIS KIRK 250/1
BRENDON TODD 9000/1
JOHN SENDEN 250/1
THOMAS BJORN 500/1
BROOKS KOEPKA 250/1
FRED COUPLES 5000/1
KEVIN NA 500/1
J.B. HOLMES 500/1
SHANE LOWRY 500/1
KEVIN STADLER 1000/1
GEOFF OGILVY 500/1
MIKKO ILONEN 1000/1
BERND WIESBERGER 500/1
MATT EVERY 500/1
TREVOR IMMELMAN 1000/1
BERNHARD LANGER 1000/1
JOOST LUITEN 1000/1
STEPHEN GALLACHER 250/1
PADRAIG HARRINGTON 200/1
SEUNG-YUL NOH 150/1
KEVIN STREELMAN 100/1
BRIAN HARMAN 1000/1
BRANDEN GRACE 500/1
THONGCHAI JAIDEE 1000/1
VIJAY SINGH 1000/1
BEN CRANE 5000/1
ERIK COMPTON 1000/1
MIKE WEIR 9000/1
DARREN CLARKE 1000/1
BRADLEY NEIL 9000/1
JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL 9000/1
TOM WATSON 1000/1
FIELD (all others) 100/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Friday's Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers

Celtics at Cavaliers – 7:35 PM EST

Cleveland has wrapped up the second seed in the Eastern Conference and the Central Division title, as the Cavs are playing out the string the final four games of the regular season. LeBron James will likely sit out in the first of a home-and-home set with the Celtics, while his status for Saturday’s matchup at Boston is also up in the air. The Cavs held off the Bucks on Wednesday to capture their first division championship since 2010 in a 104-99 victory, but failed to cash as 6 ½-point road favorites. David Blatt’s club owns a 1-4 ATS record the past five games, while James is sitting his first home game since a January 28 victory over Portland when Kyrie Irving torched the Blazers for a career-best 55 points.

The Celtics are riding a five-game road winning streak after Wednesday’s 113-103 victory at Detroit as two-point favorites. Isaiah Thomas came off the bench to pump in 34 points for Boston, who is tied with Brooklyn for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs with four games remaining. Since the All-Star break, the C’s have covered 10 of 14 times in the underdog role, but one of those losses came in blowout fashion at Cleveland in early March, 110-79 as 11-point ‘dogs.

Wizards at Nets – 7:35 PM EST

Washington took care of business without John Wall in Wednesday’s 119-90 rout of Philadelphia to pick up its fourth straight win. The Wizards easily covered as 4 ½-point favorites, as Randy Wittman’s club has an outside shot at grabbing the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but lose the tiebreaker with the Raptors. Washington is on track to finish fifth, where it would likely face Chicago for the second straight postseason after knocking the Bulls out of the first round in 2014.

The Nets suffered a tough defeat to the Hawks on Wednesday night, 114-111 as 4 ½-point favorites, but Brooklyn is still holding onto the eighth spot in the East. In spite of that setback, Brooklyn owns a solid 9-3 SU and 6-4-2 ATS record the past 12 games, which includes a 6-1 run to the ‘over’ the last seven contests. The Nets have lost two of three matchups with the Wizards this season, including a 99-90 defeat at Barclays Center in mid-January as 5 ½-point underdogs.

Suns at Pelicans – 8:05 PM EST

Phoenix’s slim playoff hopes evaporated in Wednesday’s 107-104 loss at Dallas as the Suns won’t be heading to the postseason for the fifth straight season. Jeff Hornacek’s squad covered as 8 ½-point underdogs, but the Suns have lost seven of their last eight games, including four straight on the highway. Even though Phoenix’s roster has seen plenty of turnover the past few seasons, the Suns have taken six of the last seven matchups with New Orleans, while the home team has split a pair of meetings this season.

The Pelicans rallied past the Warriors on Tuesday as a home underdog in a 103-100 triumph, but were humbled the next night in a 110-74 rout at the hands of the Grizzlies. New Orleans has won nine of its previous 12 games at Smoothie King Center since the All-Star break, but own a 3-5 ATS record as a home favorite in this stretch. The Pelicans begin Friday’s action tied with the Thunder for the eighth playoff spot in the West, as New Orleans owns the tiebreaker, beating Oklahoma City in three of four tries.

Spurs at Rockets – 8:05 PM EST

Don’t ever count out San Antonio, even if they are heading to the playoffs. The Spurs seemed to be locked into the sixth seed in the West, but the defending champions have run off nine consecutive wins to pull within one-half game of both Memphis and Houston for the top spot in the Southwest Division. The latest victory came at home on Wednesday over the Rockets, 110-98, as the Spurs easily covered as 6 ½-point favorites. San Antonio erased an early nine-point deficit thanks to Tony Parker’s 27 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the floor, as the Spurs shot 50% from the field.

The Rockets had four players score in double-figures at San Antonio, led by James Harden’s 22 points. However, Houston put up a combined 38 points in the second and third quarters as Kevin McHale’s squad saw its three-game winning streak snapped. The Rockets couldn’t quite pull off the three-game sweep on their road trip, coming off impressive victories at Dallas and Oklahoma City. Houston has played well at home of late, winning five of the past six at the Toyota Center, but all five of those victories came against teams that will not be headed to the playoffs (Sacramento, Minnesota, Denver, Orlando, and Detroit).

Houston has claimed each of the past four matchups at home against San Antonio, including a 98-81 triumph in early November as 6 ½-point favorites. The Spurs haven’t busted the 98-point mark in their previous four visits to the Toyota Center, as San Antonio’s last win in Houston came in overtime back in December 2012 in a 134-126 victory.

Total Notes

Chris David of VegasInsider.com provides us with his quick handicap on Friday’s totals.

Since we only have seven days left in the regular season, I would strong advise you to tread lightly since a lot of these games are next to impossible to handicap.

With that being said, I jotted down quick total notes on seven of the 12 matchups.

Boston and Cleveland have played to a pair of shootouts this season but I’d be surprised to see another one on Friday, especially with LeBron James expected to sit out. He’s sat out 11 games for the Cavaliers this season and the team has averaged 91.3 PPG. No overnight line posted but I would go ‘under’ on anything at 194 or lower.

Charlotte and Atlanta have met twice this season and both games easily went ‘over’ with a combined 241 and 215 points scored. These outcomes weren’t a coincidence either. Including these results, the ‘over’ is 12-2 in the last 14 matchups between the pair. The game opened 193 ½ and quickly got pushed up to 196. Al Jefferson still ‘doubtful’ for Charlotte and that should open up the paint and keep the pace moving.

The Nets and Wizards have seen the ‘under’ go 7-2 in their last nine meetings, which includes two winning ‘under’ tickets this season. Those results were blowouts, which helped the cause. John Wall missed the last game for Washington and could sit again on Friday.

The Kings and Thunder have seen the ‘under’ cash in their last six meetings and neither team is at full strength for this matchup. Sacramento has gone up-tempo since the All-Star break when George Karl took over the coaching duties, which has translated into a 16-8 ‘over’ record. This is the highest total for Friday and if the shots fall, it’s doable.

I thought the Spurs and Rockets would tighten up their defense on Wednesday when they met at AT&T Center but that wasn’t the case. San Antonio earned a 110-98 win, its second time beating Houston this season and also the second time they scored 110. This game is very important for playoff seeding with the winner improving their chances to claim the No. 2 seed. With that being said, I would expect a tighter contest but it’s hard to bet the ‘under’ in Houston matchups just based on their 3-point philosophy. The Rockets lead the league with 33 attempts per game and they’re connecting at a respectable 34.8 percent. The total opened 205 and has dropped a tad (204) which tells me the early money agrees with my thoughts.

It’s rare to see a NBA total listed in the seventies but that’s the case with the Grizzlies-Jazz on Friday and this number is actually justified. The opener was 178 ½ and it’s been bet up to 180. Memphis enters this game on a 5-0-1 run to the ‘under’ in its last six games and the defense has really clamped down the last four games (85.2 PPG). Utah has scored 100-plus in its last two games albeit against Sacramento. Playing the Grizzlies is a big step-up in class defensively and I’d be surprised if the Jazz get over 90 in this game. The ‘under’ has gone 2-1 in the three encounters between the pair this season.

If you’re looking for the “Roll the Ball Out” game on Friday, then check out the Wolves-Lakers game. The total opened 204 ½ and is already up to 206 ½. My feel is that this is a game that could see 180 points or 240. It’s just a matter of making shots, which will be open, because neither team plays defense. The Timberwolves (106.2 PPG) are ranked last in scoring defense and the Lakers are ranked 29th (105 PPG). If you like the ‘over’ like I do, play it now, because once again the Lakers are on national television (NBATV) and these games usually get juiced up.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

See spot. See spot bet: This week's best spot bet opportunities
By BEN BURNS

Spot bets are classic handicapping practices that have proven profitable no matter what sport you're betting. Whether it's a team looking past this week's opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots. Ben Burns points out his favorites:

Letdown spot

We’re tabbing this NHL regular season finale as our letdown spot, but it could really be dubbed a “motivational” spot, with the Pittsburgh Penguins still playing for postseason positioning and the Buffalo Sabres in full-on tank mode hoping to score projected No. 1 overall pick Connor McDavid in the upcoming NHL Draft.

The Pens visit the Sabres Saturday night and head into Thursday's action sitting seventh in the Eastern Conference. Pittsburgh isn’t out of the woods when it comes to even making the playoff cut so there's a lot on the line. Buffalo is at the bottom of the league with 54 points, two less than Arizona. The Sabres, who have actually won three of their last five, could be counting down the seconds to the offseason and laying down for the Pens in order to secure the No. 1 pick.

Lookahead spot

The Toronto Raptors have the Atlantic Division title in the bag but are still trying to secure the third spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They're currently tied with the Chicago Bulls but hold the tie-breaker heading toward the weekend. Toronto has a huge matchup with the Bulls Saturday night – one that could decide the No. 3 seed - but could get caught looking ahead when it takes the court in Orlando Friday.

The Raptors visit the Magic ahead of that showdown in Chicago. Toronto has won all three meetings with Orlando this season, with an average margin of victory of 10 points in those contests. The Magic did the Raps a favor Wednesday, edging the Bulls by two points and have a taste for the spoiler role now. They’ve won three in a row heading into Thursday, going 3-0 ATS in that span.

Schedule spot

Coors Field is always a tricky stadium to deal with, but it has especially draining effects this early into the season. Fresh off spring training, teams aren’t yet in tip-top shape and the thin air in Denver can quickly leave players lethargic. The Chicago Cubs head up the mountain for the Rockies' home opening series, starting Friday.

No team in the big leagues smashes more home runs in front of their faithful than Colorado. The Rockies launched a MLB-high 119 balls over the fences at Coors Field and have already done some damage with the long ball, recording five home runs in their season-opening set against the Brewers this week. Colorado won all three road games and scored a combined 20 runs in those three contests. The Cubs and Rockies have gone Over the number in 13 of their last 18 meetings in Coors Field.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Game of the Day: Spurs at Rockets

San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets (+2.5, 205)

The red-hot San Antonio Spurs are looking to rise up the Western Conference as they attempt to complete a back-to-back sweep of the host Houston Rockets on Friday. San Antonio has posted nine straight victories – including a 110-98 win over Houston on Wednesday – and suddenly sits a half-game behind the Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies for second place in the West.

The Spurs are currently tied for fifth with the Los Angeles Clippers after winning 19 of their past 22 games. Point guard Tony Parker starred with 27 points and forward Kawhi Leonard added 20 as San Antonio controlled Wednesday’s game. Leonard has scored 20 or more points in six of the past seven games, while Houston star James Harden was held to 22 points after topping 30 in three of the previous four games as the Rockets took a hurtful loss. “We’ve just got to play our basketball,” Harden told reporters. “Not worry about what’s going on in the standings and things like that. Just focus on ourselves and we’ll be all right.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, KENS (San Antonio), ROOT (Houston)

LINE HISTORY: Books offshore and in Vegas opened at Houston +2.5 with a total of 205.

INJURY REPORT: Spurs - G Marco Belinelli (Ques-Grion), C Tiago Splitter (Ques-Calf) Rockets - F Kostas Papanikolaou (Ques-Ankle)

POWER RANKINGS: Spurs (-11.2) + Rockets (-8.3) + Homecourt (-3) = Rockets -0.1

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: Of course, you have the defending champs making their case for #2 as the Spurs are 12-1 their last 13 - both straight up and against the spread. Very quietly, the Rockets have covered nearly 60% of their games (3rd best ATS record in the league) as they are 6-1 ATS their last seven as a single-digit fave." - Bryan Power

ABOUT THE SPURS (53-24 SU, 41-36-3 ATS, 37-42 O/U): Parker didn’t appear limited in the least while making 13-of-18 shots one night after playing just 16 minutes after injuring his right Achilles’ tendon against Oklahoma City. Parker said he had a lot of energy after not playing a lot and he was determined to aggressively carry the team and it showed. “He played a really great floor game,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. “He showed really good patience in distributing the ball, looking for his shots, going to the bucket. He was tough for them to guard.”

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (52-26 SU, 45-33 ATS, 37-41 O/U): Center Dwight Howard (knee) is still on a minutes limit and power forward Donatas Motiejunas has been ruled out for the season due to lower back pain. Motiejunas has missed the last seven games but Houston was holding out hope he might return for the playoffs before it was determined during Wednesday’s re-evaluation that his condition wasn’t improving. Howard is averaging 19 points and 9.5 rebounds and shooting 17-of-25 from the field over the last two games.

TRENDS:

*Spurs are 18-4 ATS in their last 22 games overall.
*Over is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 home games.
*Home team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
*Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Houston.

CONSENSUS: 55.56 percent are backing the Spurs -2.5.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Suns new defensive focus a boon for under plays
Justin Hartling

The Phoenix Suns have gone under in 14 of their past 17 contests after the team completely changed their style of play. The Suns have averaged 92.9 points while allowing 96.6 over the past 17 contests, which is 21.7 points less than their season average.

76 percent of totals during the past 17 have been over 200, despite an average 184.5 points scored.

Phoenix travels to visit New Orleans Friday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Though elimnated, Pistons cashing over tickets
Justin Hartling

The Detroit Pistons have an over/under record of 8-2 in their past 10. The Pistons have an average combined score of 199.4 during their past 10 games, which is slightly higher than their season average but totals have been lowered to 196.8 per game.

Detroit has hit the triple-digit mark in seven of those 10 contests, with a stingy defense only allowing opponents to hit the century mark on four occasions.

The Pistons host the Indiana Pacers Friday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at The Meadows

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 6 - Post: 2:35 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 80 - Purse:$10000 - CD ALL AGES F& M NW $5500 LAST 5 STARTS HORSES RACING FOR A PURSE GREATER THAN $12,501 LAST START NE - STAKES, CLOSERS & 10 HORSE BONUS MONEY EXCLUDED


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 3 BETTOR BUSINESS 3/1


# 5 BEAUTIFUL ARTIST 6/1


# 2 WISH RIGHT NOW 12/1


BETTOR BUSINESS looks very good to best this bunch. Not many knocks against this contender, let's give her a shot. May provide us a win based on very nice recent speed ratings - earning an average of 81. Clearly the class of the grouping with an average rating of 81. A nice selection. BEAUTIFUL ARTIST - The panel of smart guys will always throw in a race horse from the 5 hole here at The Meadows, definitely worth a look. WISH RIGHT NOW - Horse players at The Meadows will notice this entrant's pace rankings are among the most compelling in the pack. Could best this race, just look at the speed rating - 77 - from her most recent affair.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Yonkers Raceway

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 8 - Post: 9:30 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 92 - Purse:$31000 - F& M PREFERRED HANDICAP POST POSITION 1 ASSIGNED POST POSITIONS 2-5 DRAWN POST POSITIONS 6-8 DRAWN


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 2 DELIGHTFUL DRAGON 7/2


# 3 HANDSOFFMYCOOKIE 3/1


# 6 MEDUSA 6/1


DELIGHTFUL DRAGON looks formidable to best this grouping. Appears that this fine animal's running style fits well in this race. Definitely will be there at the finish. HANDSOFFMYCOOKIE - She's battling in good form, recording formidable TrackMaster speed figs. An excellent pick. Definitely the class of the race with an average rating of 92. A nice selection. MEDUSA - Many top players will recognize the outstanding TrackMaster Speed Rating in the last contest. Stacks up against any horse in this pack. Very promising driver-trainer rankings make this race horse a huge choice. More than likely will be putting money down in this one.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Ellis Starr at Keeneland

Race #9 - Rating = 2
Maker's 46 Mile

#3 Summer Front - Fair odds 8/5
#4 Aripeka - Fair odds 5/2
#2 Long on Value - Fair odds 5/2


Exacta: Box 2,3,4

Contenders: Summer Front is a true "Miler," with 5 wins in 9 career mile turf races and nearly $600 K banked. He returned from a 4 month layoff last month in a similar Grade 1 race, the Kilroe Mile, in California, rallied from 7th to lead by a length late, then was run down with about 100 yards to go, finishing clearly 2nd in a field of 11. Bound to improve 2nd off the layoff and having run in FOUR straight grade 1 races whereas the rest in here are almost entirely grade 2 and grade 3 types, Summer Front is likely to be the deserving favorite in this year's Maker's 46 Mile.

Aripeka and Long on Value finished 3rd and 1st, respectively, in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf Stakes in February, both making their first starts of the year. Long on Value has been away since, but Aripeka improved markedly in his 2nd start off the layoff, leading late and run down by a very good horse in War Correspondent. The 110 Equibase Figure Aripeka earned when a neck shy of victory is the same as the 110 Long on Value earned last summer winning a stakes before a career best effort winning the Twilight Derby on Breeders' Cup weekend with a 115 figure. Combined, these two are 7 for 9 first or second at a mile in their careers and both have potential to outrun Summer Front, and if not are very probable to be part of the exacta.