This Weekend at Keeneland Race Course

 Keeneland Race Course weekend resulted are posted in ScoresandStats.com   

This Weekend at Keeneland for Graded Stakes Racing

This weekend at Keeneland Race Course are three exciting graded events as the highlight of these racing cards. The $300,000 Sycamore Stakes on Friday is open to Thoroughbreds ages three and older. Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup is a Grade 1 race with a prize purse of $600,000 and is open to three-year fillies. The Franklin Stakes is open to fillies and mares three and up. Sunday’s graded race has a prize purse of $300,000.

The Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes is 1 ½ miles on turf and it features Red Knight, Shawdyshawdyshawdy, Balthus and Accredit. They all won their events the last time out.

The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup has favorites’ Pizza Bianca and Cairo Memories. Horse Racing Nation’s rating rank them No. 1 & No. 2 in the field. They are leading the way in 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Sunday’s Grade 3 Franklin Stakes is the 5 ½ sprint on turf. Change of Control, Twilight Gleaming and Tobys Heart are the frontrunners in the race.

My take of the champions of Keeneland’s three graded stakes events in the weekend’s race card are Channel Maker, Cairo Memories and Twilight Gleaming.

Friday’s Sycamore Stakes

Winner: Channel Maker

Channel Maker finished 10^th in the Sword Dancer at Saratoga this August but the eight-year gelding has the top HRN rating in the field on the Sycamore Stakes. Trainer by William Mott and ridden by jockey Luis Saez, he has won the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland this spring.

The son of English Channel has a veteran’s touch at 1 ½ miles on turf. He placed fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf last year and won the Grand Couturier at Belmont earlier this year. Channel Maker is the class of this field with a HRN rating of 7.26.

Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Winner: Cairo Memories

This Kentucky-bred three-year filly finished third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 20 with Spendarella first and Bellabel second. Cairo Memories was in the money three times in five races this year. She won the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes and the Grade 3 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita Park in the spring.

Sired by Cairo Prince, she has run 1 1/8 miles on turf to finish in the money three times this year. Trained by Robert Hess Jr, Cairo Memories has the speed and power to shed the main contenders in this race.

Sunday’s Franklin Stakes

Winner: Twilight Gleaming

Bred in Ireland, this three-old filly has a nature flare with this sprint on turf. She won the Mamzelle Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 14 and the Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar on July 29. Twilight Gleaming has taken first or second place in all the races she has run.

Trained by Wesley Ward, she won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last November as the signature event for two-year old turf sprinters. Twilight Gleaming should finish first in the Franklin Stakes this Sunday in the competitive field.   

 

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles Sportsbook Views Report

 The Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles meet for the 127th time this Sunday night. Between the two teams, the Cowboys and Eagles are lining up to the be reining champ of the NFC Eastern Division this year.

At 4-1, Dallas's defense has taken charge in leading the division in fewest points allowed in five games. Behind stellar quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Eagles' offense is the No. 1 offense in the NFC East at the name time frame. Philadelphia is 5-0 and favors by six points at home. The Sunday night total line is 42 points.

The Cowboys come in without Dak Prescott taking snaps at center. Quarterback Cooper Rush has engineered the four-game winning streak followed by a 19-3 loss on Opening Day to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Prescott went down with the an injurie in his right hand in that game.

Rush has orchestrated 839 passing yards and four touchdown throws on the year. The Cowboys' defense has risen to the occasion with 20 sacks and five interceptions in five games.

The Eagles are 5-0 for the first time since 2004. Along with Philadelphia's overachieve offense, the Birds' defense has also played the role in the successful start. The main fuel in the fire is playing at home this season. The Eagles are 53-28 at home in two games.

Breaking down the betting stats of Dallas vs. Philadelphia, the Cowboys are 6-0 ATS in their last six road games overall. Dallas is 14-3 ATS in its last 17 games against the NFC. The Eagles are 4-1 SU in their last five games against the NFC East. The total has gone OVER in Philadelphia's six of the last seven home games.

Head-to-head, the favorite is 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meeting and the total has stayed UNDER in five of the last seven meetings in Philadelphia. 

The Eagles will SU win and the Cowboys will cover but the best bet has the total line staying UNDER 42 points.

 

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Philadelphia Eagles Sportsbook Views Report

The Jacksonville Jaguars are up against the Philadelphia Eagles as 6.5-point road underdogs this Sunday. The total line is set at 46.5 points. Philadelphia fans could be drooling after the point spread came down a bit on an open line of seven. Yet, the Jaguars are improving under head coach Doug Pederson. 

Pederson is returning to the scene of the crime when he coached the Eagles. One year removed, he is leading his team against Philadelphia in Sunday's contest. Jacksonville's quarterback Trevor Lawrence is one for the key pieces of the game and so is the Jaguars' defense. This team really shined in the 38-10 win against the Chargers on the road. 

Philadelphia's offense under quarterback Jalen Hurts has gotten of to an impressive start in the first three games. The Eagles have produced 86 points while giving up a combined 50 points. Hurts has complete a total of 916 yards to average 9.3 yards a game. He has gained 167 yards on the ground in 37 attempts.  

Eagles' wide receive AJ Brown is the leading pass catcher on the team with 309 yards on 20 receptions and running back Miles Sanders leads the way in rushing with 222 yards gain on 45 carriers. 

The sticking point on the opening seven spread is a current half point in the Eagles' favor. Philadelphia's offense at home is on course to light things up but the Jaguars' defense could dampen its effect. In a defense struggled by both sides, the Eagles come away with the win 20-13. 

Philadelphia could cover the 6.5 points in the spread but the safeties play is the total staying UNDER the 46.5-point line. 

Betting Saturday's Card at Monmouth Park

 The following "best bets" for Saturday's race card at Monmouth Park are reposted via permission from ScoresandStats.com

Saturday’s “Best Bets” for a Trio of Graded Stakes Races at Monmouth Park

Monmouth Park in New Jersey is best known as the host track for the annual Grade 1 Haskell Stakes later in July. This Saturday, the coastal New Jersey horse racing venue has caught my eye with a trio of interesting betting events on the daily card.

All three of these races are Grade 3 stakes events and each one has $150,000 up for grabs in total prize money. The Eatontown Stakes is a turf race open to fillies and mares three and older. It will be contested over a distance of 1 1/16 miles.

The Salvator Mile will be run on the dirt track at Monmouth. This graded event is open to Thoroughbreds three and older. As the featured event of the day, the Monmouth Stakes covers 1 1/8 miles on the turf. This race is also open to three-year old Thoroughbreds and older.

Breaking down the probable field for each of Saturday’s races, I have come up with my winning pick along with ‘one to watch’ in each projected field.

Saturday, June 18 – Monmouth Park

Eatontown Stakes

My top choice to win this race would be Princess Grace. This five-year old Kentucky-bred mare has been able to finish in the money in each of her last seven races. Idle for 2022, trainer Michael Stidham has hand-picked this race for her season debut. Still listed as probable for Saturday, she would have the highest Horse Racing Nation rating in the projected field at 6.55.

Trainer Shug McGaughey’s Vigilantes Way would be my one to watch coming off a second-place finish in this year’s Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth Park on May 30. This was the five-year old mare’s sixth finish in the money in her last seven races.

Salvator Mile Stakes

The race is expected to feature Hot Rod Charlie as my favorite in the projected field. Trained by Doug O’Neill, the son of Oxbow placed second in this year’s Grade 1 Dubai World Cup in late March after opening his 2022 racing season with a victory in the Al Maktoum Challenge at that same track on Feb. 4. Saturday’s race would act as a warm-up prep for the upcoming summer racing schedule, including the Haskell Stakes in late July.

My one to watch would be trainer Todd Pletcher’s Mind Control if he runs in this race. The son of Stay Thirty faded to fifth in this year’s Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes his last time out.

Monmouth Stakes

Trainer Danny Gargan is expected to enter Tax in Saturday’s featured event. If the six-year old gelding gets the green light to run, he would be my clear favorite to win. This would be his first event in 2022 after placing 10^th in last year’s Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup. The long layoff would be a concern but this veteran horse appears to be the class of this field. The son of Arch still holds a lofty 6.67 HRN rating despite the long layoff.

If trainer Gerald Bennett decides to run Carpenters Call in Saturday’s race, he would definitely be my one to watch. This four-year old Kentucky-bred colt only managed a sixth-place finish at Monmouth in the ungraded Cliff Hanger Stakes in late May but that was an off day at the track.

CFL Betting Pick of the Week

 Week 2 of the new CFL season features an interdivision clash between the West's Calgary Stampeders and the East's Hamilton Tiger-Cats as two of the stronger teams in the league. Game time in Hamilton is set for 6:30 p.m. (ET) on Saturday night.

Calgary ran past Montreal 30-27 in its season opener but failed to cover as a four-point home favorite. The total went OVER the closing 48.5-point line. The Tiger-Cats opened up their season on the road and came up short in a 30-13 loss to Saskatchewan as 2.5-point underdogs. The total in that game stayed UNDER 48 points.

The current CFL betting lines for Saturday's contest at VegasInsider have Hamilton favored by a point with the total set at 45 points. As part of my weekly CFL coverage for this popular sports betting site, my best bet in this game is the UNDER on the total.

The total has stayed UNDER in 13 of the last 16 games between these two teams. It has also stayed UNDER in 12 of the last 15 meetings in Hamilton. Points may be hard to come by on Saturday night with defense being the focal point in this matchup.

Betting Saturday's Belmont Stakes

 My "best bet" picks for Saturday's Belmont Stakes are reposted below via permission from ScoresandStats.com

Betting Picks for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes

This Saturday’s Belmont Stakes marks the third and final event in the 2022 Triple Crown racing series for the best three-year old Thoroughbreds in this year’s class. This race is also the toughest test these contenders will face of the three, covering 1 ½ miles on the dirt track at Belmont Park in Elmont New York.

The total prize purse for this year’s Belmont Stakes has been set at $1.5 million as part of a full day of major graded events on Saturday’s card. A few of the other big betting events include the $1 million Metropolitan Handicap and the $750,000 Manhattan Stakes. All told, there are nine graded events in what should be an unbelievable day of exciting betting action at Belmont.

The field for the Belmont Stakes is set at eight with post time slated for 6:44 p.m. (ET). Going through the eight-horse field for Saturday’s main event, the following three entries stand out as my “best bet” trifecta pick along with one to watch that could easily figure into the mix.

Saturday, June 11

2022 Belmont Stakes – Belmont Park

Win: Mo Donegal

The son of Uncle Mo was one of my picks to finish in the money in this year’s Kentucky Derby but he faded to fifth. Breaking from the No. 6 post on Saturday, he has been opened as a 5-2 favorite to win. Trained by Todd Pletcher and jockeyed by Irad Ortiz Jr, I would have to agree with the morning line on this three-year old Kentucky-bred colt.

His biggest career win was in this year’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack on April 9. Racing at another New York track this Saturday, he appears to be the class of the field.

Place Creative Minister

Stretching the odds a bit at 6-1, this Kentucky-bred colt caught my eye with his third-place finish in May’s Preakness Stakes as the second leg of the Triple Crown. With Early Voting and Epicenter sitting out this year’s Belmont Stakes, the son of Creative Cause has a clear path to finishing in the top two.

Trained by Kenneth McPeek and ridden by jockey Brian Hernandez, he will break from the favorable No. 5 post on Saturday. The longer distance of this race should play into his strength down the stretch.

Show: Rich Strike

I am not taking anything away from this year’s Kentucky Derby winner as an 80-1 longshot. This victory will remain one of the biggest upsets in the history of major graded stakes racing. However, I do not see lighting striking twice for this three-year old Kentucky-bred colt. Rich Strike should be a factor in this race given the size of the field but the longer distance should keep him no better than third in the final finishing order.

Trained by Eric Reed, the son of Keen Ice will break from the No. 4 post on Saturday at 7-2 odds on the morning line. The second-favorite in the field will be ridden by jockey Sonny Leon.

One to Watch

The lone filly in the field is Pletcher’s Nest at 8-1 odds. She will break from the No. 3 post with jockey Jose Ortiz. She is coming off an impressive second-place finish in this year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill.

 

CFL Week 1 "Best Bet" Picks

 The 2022 CFL regular season gets underway this week as the only game in town when it comes to betting on live football games. The two-time Grey Cup Champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers are looking to make a third title run this season as +300 favorites on the VegasInsider CFL futures board.

The Bombers appear to remain the team to beat with Zach Collaros leading the way at quarterback. He led the CFL in touchdown throws last season with 20 against six interceptions. He was second on the list in total passing yards with 3,185 on 243 completions.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are second-favorites to win this year's Grey Cup at +475 odds. They lost to Winnipeg in last year's West Division Final. Once again leading the way at quarterback is Cody Fajardo. He is coming off the best performance of his CFL career with 2,970 passing yards and 14 touchdown throws.

The top two teams in the East Division with +500 odds to win the 2022 CFL title are the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts. The next three teams on the list at +750 odds are the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Elks in the West and the Montreal Alouettes from the East.

Rounding out the CFL futures board are the West's British Columbia Lions at +950 and the East's Ottawa RedBlacks with the longest odds on the board at +1300.

WEEK 1 CFL Game of the Week

The featured matchup in Week 1 pits Hamilton on the road against Saskatchewan in a scheduled 7 p.m. (ET) start this Saturday night. The Roughriders are favored by 2.5 points at home with the total set at 47.5 points.

The current betting consensus at VegasInsider is leaning towards the OVER in this game but some strong head-to-head trends point to a lower score than expected. The total has stayed UNDER in six of the last seven meetings in Saskatchewan and it has also stayed UNDER in six of the last seven games between these two teams overall.

Each and every week of the 2022 CFL season I will be posting my "best bet" pick for all of the games. Below is a link to VegasInsider with my Week 1 plays:

CFL Weekly Free Picks, Predictions & Odds