Gulbis, Tipsarevic open with wins in LA

Tennis Betting Lines

07/27/2010 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ernests Gulbis and Janko Tipsarevic were a pair of seeded winners Monday in first-round play at the $700,000 Farmers Classic tennis event.

The fifth-seeded Latvian Gulbis notched a 7-5, 7-5 win over Slovenian Lukas Lacko, while the Serb Tipsarevic, seeded sixth, had no problem in dispatching Colombian Santiago Giraldo, 6-1, 6-0 on the hardcourts at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.

Meanwhile, veteran German Rainer Schuettler dismissed seventh-seeded Argentine Horacio Zeballos, 6-3, 3-0, as Zeballos retired from the encounter with a left shoulder ailment.

In an unseeded encounter, Israeli Dudi Sela took out Belgian Xavier Malisse 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.

This week's top seeds are Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray and reigning Los Angeles champion Sam Querrey, who bested Aussie Carsten Ball in last year's finale.

Fpxsports Tennis Betting News

<< EverBank buying naming rights to Jaguars' stadium
Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jacksonville Municipal Stadium is expected to get a new designation as EverBank is reportedly entering into a five-year agreement for exclusive naming rights. The Florida Times-Union reports the Jaguars

<< Haren exits early in Angels debut
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dan Haren left his Angels debut in the fifth inning after taking a line drive off his pitching arm by Boston's Kevin Youkilis. Haren, acquired by Los Angeles on Sunday in a trade with the Diamondbacks, got two

<< Mauer, Valencia highlight Twins' demolition of Royals
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joe Mauer went 5-for-5 with a career-high seven RBI and Danny Valencia hit a grand slam for his first career home run, as the Twins pounded Kansas City, 19-1, in the opener of a three-game series. Valen

<< Theriot's homer helps Cubs get by Astros
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Theriot hit his first home run of the season and Carlos Silva worked five innings to push Chicago past Houston, 5-2, in the opener of a three-game set. Theriot finished with a pair of hits and Alfonso

<< In a pinch: Edmonds' HR in eighth lifts Brewers
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pinch-hitter Jim Edmonds belted the tie- breaking home run off Bronson Arroyo with two outs in the eighth inning, as Milwaukee edged Cincinnati, 3-2, at Miller Park. The Brewers, winners of five in

Marlins' left fielder Coghlan headed for DL >>
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -Florida Marlins left fielder Chris Coghlan is headed for the disabled list with a torn meniscus in his left knee and he could need surgery.Coghlan's injury was revealed in an MRI Monday. He was hurt while delivering a pie in the

Haren injured in debut with Angels; Big Papi powers Red Sox >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Ortiz homered twice and knocked in three runs, powering the Boston Red Sox past the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 6-3, in Dan Haren's injury-shortened debut with his new team. Haren (0-1), acquired by L

Marlins hang on to beat Giants >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dan Uggla and Mike Stanton homered to back the strong pitching of Ricky Nolasco, as Florida held on for a 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants to open a four-game set. Nolasco (11-7) allowed fou

Marlins put Coghlan on DL >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Florida Marlins left fielder Chris Coghlan went on the 15-day disabled list Monday night due to a torn meniscus in his right knee. Coghlan, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, is hit

Ivanovic wins, Safina loses in first round in Stanford >>
Stanford, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former world No. 1s Ana Ivanovic of Serbia and Dinara Safina of Russia had different results in their respective first-round matches as wild cards Monday at the $700,000 Bank of the West Classic tennis event.

Horse Betting

(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.