Goodwood Handicap has 11 set to run

Horseracing Betting Lines

09/24/2008 - Arcadia, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Four weeks until Santa Anita plays host to the 25th Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, this Saturday the track will be the scene of the $500,000 Goodwood Handicap for older horses. The winner of the Goodwood gains entry into the Breeders' Cup Classic through the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" program.

A total of 11 thoroughbreds, including two three-year-olds, have been entered in the 1 1/8 mile race on Santa Anita's new synthetic track. Defending winner Tiago is back along with Arlington Million champ Spirit One.

Tiago will start from post eight with regular rider Mike Smith in the saddle. Trained by John Shirreffs for Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moss, Tiago's lone win this year was the Oaklawn Handicap back in April.

The four-year-old colt was sixth in the Hollywood Gold Cup last time out after a second in the Californian. Early this year he posted a third in the San Fernando, was runner-up in the Strub and fourth in the Santa Anita Handicap. In his career Tiago has won five of 15 starts for better than $1.7 million.

Turf runner Spirit One will make his first start on the main track in the Goodwood. The four-year-old has raced exclusively on grass in his 18 career starts.

"I think it will be easier for him on Santa Anita's Pro-Ride," said Francoise, wife of trainer Jean-Pierre Dupuis, "because it is a new synthetic. But, we'll know for sure after the race. The horse is not nominated for the Breeders' Cup yet, so he would be running for $400,000 in the Goodwood (excluding $100,000 from the Breeders Cup Fund). The owners haven't decided whether to pay the $150,000 (Breeders Cup supplemental fee) before the Goodwood or not."

Spirit One is owned by Kamel Chehboub and has earned $1.1 million with five wins in 18 career starts. The colt will be ridden again by Ioritz Mendizabal from post nine. He went wire-to-wire, with Mendizabal, in winning the Arlington Million in August.

Trainer Eoin Harty sends out Pacific Classic runner-up Well Armed in the Goodwood. The five-year-old gelding will break from post seven with Aaron Gryder back to ride.

"It's a good stepping stone," Harty said. "It's a month out from the big one, so you ought to be plenty fit now and easy to keep fit between now and the big day. The Goodwood is a good spot for Well Armed. It's an important race, and it's a Grade I. Everybody wants to win a Grade I."

Well Armed has earned more than $1.23 million for WinStar Farm. His five wins in 18 lifetime starts is highlighted by this year's San Diego and San Antonio Handicap victories.

He was third to Curlin in the Dubai World Cup and second in the San Pasqual Handicap.

Here is the complete field for the Goodwood in post position order: Zappa, Joel Rosario; Tres Borrachos, Tyler Baze; Informed, Martin Garcia; Surf Cat, David Flores; Slew's Tiznow, Alonso Quinonez; Albertus Maximus, Garrett Gomez; Well Armed, Aaron Gryder; Tiago, Mike Smith; Spirit One, Ioritz Mendizabal; Mostacolli Mort, Martin Pedroza and Mast Track, John Velazquez.

The scheduled post-time for the 27th Goodwood is 8 p.m. (et).

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

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For more College Basketball betting lines go to BettingExpress.com

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