08/21/2008 - Del Mar, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eleven of the best older thoroughbreds in training make up the field for Sunday's $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar. The winner of the 1 1/4 mile race gains an automatic spot in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic as part of the "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge.
Go Between, trained by Bill Mott, attempts to stop a three race streak in which he has finished second in each start. After winning the Sunshine Millions Classic in January he was the runner-up in the Santa Anita Handicap, the Ben Ali and the Hollywood Gold Cup.
Owned by Peter Vegso, the chestnut horse is the 3-1 morning-line favorite and will be ridden again by Garrett Gomez from the six-hole.
"The horse is doing excellent," said Kenny McCarthy who handles the Bill Mott string at Churchill Downs. "We gave him a couple of easy works after he came back from the Hollywood Park race and then put two sharp works into him."
The five-year-old has won seven of 25 lifetime starts with earnings of $2,183,880.
Here is the rest of the field for the 18th Pacific Classic: Student Council, Awesome Gem, Mast Track, McCann's Mojave, Well Armed, Surf Cat, Mostacolli Mort, Barcola, Delosvientos and Zappa. All horses will carry 124 pounds.
Defending Classic winner Student Council has won eight of 29 career starts for $1,547,731. His lone win this year came in the Pimlico Special and he is coming off a second to Commentator in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga.
It was announced on August 12 that Student Council will be retired at the conclusion of the 2008 racing season and enter stud in 2009. The six-year-old will stand at Millennium Farms, his current owner.
"His racing career has brought us much excitement," noted Millennium Farms owner Ro Parra. "And after a few more races this year, we are sure that the combination of his pedigree, conformation, soundness, toughness, durability and great race record will make him desirable to breeders around the world."
Well Armed, trained by Eoin Harty for WinStar Farms, took the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar in his most recent start. The gelding has career earnings just over $1 million with five wins in 17 career starts.
"Going the extra distance isn't optimal, but I think he can do it physically," said Harty. "After all, he's by Tiznow (double winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic). He has overcome a lot in his lifetime; the worst was a broken pelvis two years ago and Bill Casner (partner in WinStar Farm) rehabbed the horse himself. These people (WinStar) have sent me three Tiznows and they've all won major races. That's this horse, Colonel John and Tiz Now Tiz Then. What are the chances of that?"
The Pacific Classic will be broadcast on ESPN2 with a post-time set for 9:45 p.m. (et).
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install
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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