08/16/2008 - Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Proud Spell got the best of 2-5 favorite Music Note to capture Saturday's $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga. The two fillies are considered two of this year's best three-year-old females in training.
Proud Spell, ridden by Gabriel Saez, broke well from the gate and joined Little Belle, Music Note's entry-mate, on the lead. On the clubhouse turn Little Belle assumed the lead with Proud Spell in second, Mushka in third and Music Note running in fourth.
Up the backstretch Little Belle and jockey Rajiv Maragh set the pace with Mushka up in second followed by Proud Spell and Music Note close behind. With a half-mile to run, Little Belle was still on the lead as Proud Spell moved back into second and Music Note gained ground in third.
Coming out of the final turn Proud Spell took the lead away from Little Belle as Music Note and rider Javier Castellano quickly took over second. Proud Spell had a short lead at the top of the stretch over Music Note, but the two quickly hooked up in a stretch duel.
The two fillies battled down the stretch with Proud Spell prevailing by a head over Music Note. Little Belle held on to third in the five-horse field followed by Mushka and Sweet Vendetta. Skylighter was an early scratch.
Proud Spell covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:04.08 on a fast track.
The Alabama result was a reversal from the Mother Goose Stakes earlier this year. Music Note registered a 3 1/2-length victory over 1-2 favorite Proud Spell, but Proud Spell was disqualified to third.
Owned by former Kentucky Governor Brereton Jones, Proud Spell is trained by Larry Jones and collects $360,000. The filly has won seven of 11 lifetime races for $1,975,110.
"Last year, we were so fortunate in hooking a very good crop of three-year-old colts with Hard Spun," said Larry Jones. "This year, we've hooked a very good bunch of girls with this one. But I knew she was supposed to be here, so I brought her. This is where champions are made, and that's why she's here."
Proud Spell was coming off a win in the Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park to go along with her earlier victories in the Kentucky and Fair Grounds Oaks.
There had been talk that Music Note, trained by Saeed bin Suroor for Godolphin Stable, would run in next week's $1 million Travers versus three-year-old males.
With no show wagering for the race, Proud Spell returned $5.90 and $2.60, Music Note and stablemate Little Belle each paid $2.10 for place.
In the $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational, Grand Couturier rallied down the stretch to win the 1 1/2 mile turf race for the second straight year. The victory gives the five-year-old automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup Turf this year at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Alan Garcia, Grand Couturier defeated Better Talk Now by two-lengths with Interpatation finishing third in the six-horse field. The pace-setter Precious Passion faded to fourth followed by Dancing Forever and Equitable.
The time for the Sword Dancer was 2:32.21 on a turf course listed as good.
Red Rocks, the 9-5 morning-line favorite, was scratched on Friday from the race with filling in a hind ankle. Champs Elysses was also withdrawn from the Sword Dancer.
Grand Couturier is owned by Marc Keller and trained by Robert Ribaudo. Two years ago the five-year-old was third in the race to Go Deputy. This was his first victory since taking the 2007 renewal.
He has won six of 16 career starts for $860,100, including the $300,000 from Saturday's win.
Grand Couturier paid $9.30, $4.80 and $3.70. Better Talk Now returned $4.30 and $3.50, and Interpatation paid $5.50 to show.
<< Dechy upsets Mauresmo to reach Cincy final
Mason, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nathalie Dechy upended fifth-seeded Amelie
Mauresmo to secure her spot in Sunday's championship match at the $175,000
Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open, a hardcourt U.S. Open tune-
up.
<< Astros' Matsui heads to DL
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Houston Astros second baseman Kazuo Matsui was
placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with an irritated disc.
The move is retroactive to August 13.
The 32-year-old native of Japan is hitting .285 wit
<< Giants scratch Sanchez, Palmer to make ML debut
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Francisco Giants left-hander
Jonathan Sanchez was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday against
Atlanta due to a left shoulder strain. Matt Palmer, recalled to the team
Thursda
<< Traore's late winner helps Nice down Nancy
Nice, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mahamane Traore scored in the 90th minute to
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Pettersson leads Wyndham by two shots >>
Greensboro, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carl Pettersson carded a four-under 66
Saturday to maintain his lead after three rounds of the Wyndham Championship.
Pettersson, who set the new 36-hole scoring record here and matched the PGA
Tour's record
Gardner lifts Yankees over Royals in 13th inning >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brett Gardner singled home Robinson Cano with two
outs in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the New York Yankees a much-
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Cano singled with one out off Jef
Vlad, Halos edge Tribe >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vladimir Guerrero knocked in two runs as the
LA Angels of Anaheim took advantage of four Indians errors to top Cleveland,
4-3, in the middle test of a three-game series at Progressive Field.
John Lackey (
Chivas USA's Marsch could be out 2 months with fractured jaw >>
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chivas USA midfielder Jesse Marsch could be out
of game action for between six and eight weeks after suffering a fractured jaw
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Marsch is
Brandon Roy Favorite to Win 2007 NBA Rookie of the Year
Portland TrailBlazer’s guard, Brandon Roy, is MySportsbook.com’s overwhelming favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year odds.
Despite missing 20 games due to an injury earlier this season, Roy has definitely put up the best numbers of his 1st year peers. In 32 games, Roy is averaging 15.3 PPG, 4.2 boards and 3.5 assists in over 33 minutes of play per game. While most rookies breakdown as the season progresses (see Morrison), Roy is only getting stronger as his playing time and scoring average has increased each month.
With 30 or so games left in the regular season, Roy isn’t a lock for the award by any means. Other rookies are putting together some pretty impressive campaigns and a few could give Roy a run for the award with increased playing time. Heading the list is first pick, Andrea Bargnani of the Toronto Raptors. Even though he has started only two games all season, Bargnani is averaging 10.3 PPPG while shooting 35% from deep.
Randy Foye of the Minnesota Timberwolves could be set to give Roy the best competition NBA Rookie of the Year betting lines. With the benching of Mike James, Foye looks like he could be the starter in the T-Wolves backcourt for the rest of the season. So far, Foye has averaged 9 PPG and 2.4 assists in just under 21 minutes per game. With his new role of starter, Foye’s numbers will definitely increase. In his first game as the new starting guard this past Sunday, Foye had 10 points; five rebounds and 8 assists. More importantly, he logged 34 minutes of playing time; his third highest run of the season.
Adam Morrison, of the Charlotte Bobcats, was the favorite early on in the season after averaging 15+ PPG through the first month of the season. Ever since his torrid start, Morrison’s point production has declined each month. This really isn’t surprising, considering at 6’8” he only weighs 205 lbs. Obviously he will need to hit the weights big time during the off-season in order to keep from breaking down in the future.
Be sure to log on to MySportsbook.com to bet on the NBA. With the regular season about to hit the homestretch, it is important to point out that MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.
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