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08/05/2007 - Blaine, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - D.A. Weibring fired a six-under 66 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the 3M Championship.
Weibring completed 36 holes at 13-under-par 131. His 131 matched the 36-hole scoring record that Ed Dougherty set in 2000.
Jim Thorpe, who shared the lead after one round with Tom Jenkins, posted a four-under 69 Saturday. Thorpe is alone in second place at minus-12.
Jenkins carded a two-under 70 and is two shots back at 10-under-par 134. He stands alongside John Harris, Senior British Open champion Tom Watson and Curtis Strange.
Weibring was steady to start his round with birdies on two and six, both from inside 15 feet, that moved him to minus-nine. He stumbled to his lone bogey, a three-putt bogey, on the seventh at TPC of Twin Cities.
The three-time winner on the Champions Tour fought back around the turn with birdies on 11 and 13.
Weibring converted back-to-back birdies from the 15th to jump to minus-12. He closed with a kick-in birdie at the last hole to end one clear of Thorpe.
"It was a challenging day out there," said Weibring, of the breezy, rainy conditions. "I hit the ball solid today. Whenever you shoot 31 on the back nine, especially in tough conditions, it gives you a good feeling."
Thorpe traded a birdie for a bogey from the fourth. He birdied the par-five sixth from 10 feet out and made it two in a row with a 20-foot birdie putt at the seventh.
The 58-year-old Thorpe parred four straight around the turn. He ran off three birdies in a four-hole span from the 12th to take the lead at 13-under.
However, Thorpe faltered to a double-bogey at the par-four 16th to slide to 11-under. His drive found water left of the fairway, then his third shot plugged under the lip of a greenside bunker.
Thorpe got back within one of Weibring as he two-putted for birdie at the last to finish at 12-under.
"The course was much tougher today. I played well, but the wind blew hard," said Thorpe. "The course played much longer today. There are still lots of people in this tournament. I need to shoot seven-under on Sunday to have a chance to win."
Bruce Lietzke (68), John Jacobs (70) and Craig Stadler (70) share seventh place at nine-under-par 135. Keith Fergus, Senior PGA Championship winner Denis Watson, Bobby Wadkins and Jay Haas are one stroke further back.
<< Brewers active Linebrink from bereavement list
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Milwaukee Brewers activated reliever
Scott Linebrink from the bereavement list prior to Saturday's game against
Philadelphia.
The right-hander has appeared in two games for Milwaukee since being
<< Franchitti on pole in Michigan
Brooklyn, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dario Franchitti won the pole for Sunday's
Firestone Indy 400 at the Michigan International Speedway. The No.27 Andretti
Green Racing Honda circled the high-speed, two-mile oval in 32.9810 seconds
(218.30
<< Harvick wins wild one in Montreal
Montreal, QC Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Harvick captured Saturday
afternoon's inaugural NAPA Auto Parts 200 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in
wild fashion after Robby Gordon spun out the race leader. The No.21 Chevrolet
crossed
<< Walton leads by one in Kansas
Wichita, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Walton fired a five-under 66 Saturday
to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Wichita Open.
Walton, who is going for his first tour title, completed 54 holes at 14-under-
par 199. He is ma
Flesch leads by five in Reno >>
Reno, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Steve Flesch posted his second straight three-
under 69 Saturday to push his lead to five strokes after three rounds of the
Reno-Tahoe Open.
Flesch, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, completed 54 holes at
Roddick to battle Isner for DC title >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded American Andy Roddick remained on
track to win his third tournament in the nation's capital, beating seventh-
seeded Croatian Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-5) in Saturday's semifinals of
the $60
Fielder homers, Hart robs HR as Brewers rally to beat Phillies >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Prince Fielder's two-run homer in the eighth
inning put the Brewers on top, and Corey Hart robbed Tadahito Iguchi of a
potential tying homer in the ninth, as the Milwaukee Brewers edged the
Philade
Hudson leads Braves over Rockies >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Hudson pitched seven scoreless innings to
lead the Atlanta Braves to a 6-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Turner
Field.
Hudson (12-5), who also knocked in two runs at the plate, scattered five hi
(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).
The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.
"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."
Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.
"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."
When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:
CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.
DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.
PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.
You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.
"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."
Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.
(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)
Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."
But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."
Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."
Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."
All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.
In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.
"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."
To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.
The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.
Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.
Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.
A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.
Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.
Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.
And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.
2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win
Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1
Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1
Donald Brown (IND) 5/1
Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1
Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1
Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1
Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1
Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1
Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1
Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1
Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1
Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1
Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1
Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1
Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1
Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1
Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1
LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1
Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2
Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1
Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1
Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1
Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1
Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1
Jason Smith (STL) 40/1
Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1
Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1
Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1
Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2
Pat White (MIA) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 9/1
To visit this sports betting site go to BettingExpress.com for all your football betting lines needs.
For sports betting with credit cards site go to BettingExpress.com as well.
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