Probable Belmont Stakes favorite training at Saratoga

Horseracing Betting Lines

05/26/2010 - Elmont, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box, the probable Belmont Stakes favorite, is being trained for the Test of Champions at Saratoga Race Course by Nick Zito. The colt will be one of two horses that the Hall of Fame trainer will run in the final jewel of racing's Triple Crown.

Owned by Robert LaPenta, Ice Box will be joined by Richard Pell's Fly Down in the 1 1/2-mile race on Saturday, June 5. Fly Down is coming off a victory in the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park on May 8.

On Wednesday Ice Box galloped almost two miles on the Oklahoma Training Track at Saratoga Race Course. The Florida Derby champ will likely have a breeze Thursday morning.

Fly Down worked four-furlongs last Saturday in 49 2/5 seconds. Zito plans to bring both colts to Belmont Park next Wednesday.

"Right now, everything is positive and we want to keep it that way," Zito said. "I'm going to stay here, take care of the horses, and go from there."

Ice Box is the winner of three of eight career starts with $906,535. Fly Down has earned $182,070 in five starts and three lifetime wins.

Make Music for Me, fourth in the Kentucky Derby, has been galloping at Belmont Park for trainer Alexis Barba.

Owned by Peter and Ellen Johnson, Make Music for Me has nine career starts with one win and two second-place finishes. The colt has earned $362,260.

Preakness runner-up First Dude also took a gallop around Belmont Park on Wednesday morning. First Dude is trained by Dale Romans for owner Donald Dizney.

"He's doing great," said exercise rider Tammy Fox, who is overseeing First Dudes preparations for the Belmont Stakes. "He's getting over the track fine; he's just floating right over it. He's such a big horse with a long stride, and you don't feel like he's doing anything. He's real easy on himself."

First Dude has one win in seven career starts for $352,160. He was fifth in the Florida Derby and third in the Blue Grass Stakes.

Also expected to start in the 142nd Belmont Stakes are Game On Dude, Stately Victor, Drosselmeyer, Stay Put, Uptowncharlybrown, and Spangled Star.

Wwwmenshealth Horseracing Betting News


<< Reds place Janish on bereavement list
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cincinnati Reds placed infielder Paul Janish on the bereavement list on Wednesday. Janish, who is batting .276 with a home run and five RBI over 17 games this season, is attending his grandmother's

<< Stanley Cup Finals Preview - Chicago vs. Philadelphia
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's been nearly a half-century since the Chicago Blackhawks have claimed Lord Stanley's Cup as their own, but four more wins could finally bring another parade. Since last winning it all in 1961, the Blackhawks have lost

<< Pellegrini axed by Real Madrid
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Madrid announced on Wednesday that the club has fired manager Manuel Pellegrini, which could pave the way for Jose Mourinho to take over at the Bernabeu. Pellegrini's job status has been in questi

<< Shanahan not worried about Moss situation
Ashburn, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan said Wednesday that he feels "very good" about the situation involving wide receiver Santana Moss and his link to a Canadian doctor charged with unlawful distrib

<< Birmingham snaps up Zigic
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Birmingham have completed the signing of Serbia striker Nikola Zigic from Spanish side Valencia. Zigic has joined the Blues on a four-year contract after the two clubs agreed to an undisclosed fee be

Bradley still has many decisions to make for USA >>
Princeton, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Even with the announcement of his final 23- man roster for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa on Wednesday afternoon, United States coach Bob Bradley has a lot of important decisions to make.

Royals earn split with Rangers >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Billy Butler went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, and Luke Hochevar tossed eight strong innings, as the Kansas City Royals earned a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers in the finale of a brief two- game se

Great Alaska Shootout announces 2010 field >>
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -Arizona State and St. Johns will be on the basketball court for the 2010 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout.Steve Cobb, athletic director for tournament host Alaska-Anchorage, says the Thanksgiving week field also will inclu

Jury awards $1.25M in lawsuit against Tubby Smith >>
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -A jury in Minneapolis has awarded an assistant coach nearly $1.25 million in his lawsuit against Minnesota basketball coach Tubby Smith over an aborted hiring.Jimmy Williams was an assistant at Oklahoma State when Smith called him

Tentative agreement reached on new CBA in CFL >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Canadian Football League Player Relations Committee and Canadian Football League Players' Association have reached a tentative agreement on the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement. The agre

NFL Football Betting


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

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.