Kentucky and Preakness winners likely to compete in 2013 Belmont Stakes

The latest edition of the annual Preakness Stakes didn’t go as most horserace betting enthusiasts expected.  Only days after a highly commented victory in the 2013 Kentucky Derby, Orb entered the Preakness as a 1-1 favorite and a strong prospect to win the first Triple Crown since 1978. But after weeks of buzz, the expectation and excitement that surrounded Orb withered in just seconds. The 3-year old colt struggled to finish the race in fourth-place, dropping all chances to contend for the Triple Crown.

Against all predictions, Oxbow, who started the race in sixth place with 15-1 odds, completed the mile and three-sixteenths in 1 minute 57.54 second, shattering Orb’s expectations and taking the second jewel of the Triple Crown.  Orb was bested by two Kentucky Derby participants: Itsmyluckday (15th at the 2013 Kentucky Derby) and Mylute (5th at the Derby), who finished the race in second and third places respectively.

Oxbow’s unexpected win represents the sixth victory at the Preakness Stakes for For Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas. Previous winners at this race include Charismatic (1999), Timber Country (1995), Tabasco Cat (1994), Tank's Prospect (1985), and Codex (1980).

But despite the loss, Orb’s trainer Shug McGaughey says he'd like to run the horse in the coming Belmont Stakes. "We just all came to the conclusion that we should just watch Orb and see. I think everything is in good shape. We'd like to run” said McGaughey.

If everything goes as expected, the winners of the 2013 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes will meet in the 1½ -mile Belmont.  This will mark the fourth time since 2001 that the winners of the Derby and Preakness meet in third and final leg of the Triple Crown. The last time that happened was back in 2011 with Animal Kingdom and Shackleford, both of whom were defeated by Ruler On Ice.
 Itsmyluckyday, runner up in this year’s Preakness, is likely to skip the Belmont Stakes and concentrate on other races like the Haskell at Monmouth Park, where Eddie Plesa Jr. trains a string of horses in the summer.

Mylute, third place in the Preakness, is also under review for the Belmont.  The Belmont Stakes is expected to include Golden Soul and Revolutionary, who finished second and third in the Derby.  The list of contenders for the 2013 Belmont could also include Freedom Child and the Bob Baffert-trained duo of Code Westand Power Broker.

The third leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, is set for June 8 in New York. You can bet on horseracing at Sports Betting Online and own 10% cashback on your wins or loses. For more information, please click here.

Heat Demolishes Bulls at Home and Get Ready for Game 3 at United Center

Before Game 1, fans and specially bettors thought the Miami Heat was unbeatable at its home arena. Miami lost just four games at the AmericanAirlines Arena in the entire regular season, and entered the Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Chicago having won 41 of their last 43 games. Instead, Game 1 turned to be nothing but a huge disappointment for Heat supporters. Odds on NBA favored Miami to win the game by a lose margin, but despite its solid record at home, things didn’t go as everyone thought on Monday night, and the Heat ended up falling 93-86 loss to the Chicago Bulls in the first game of the series.

The lack of offensive consistency during Monday night’s loss put the Heat in an embarrassing position for the first time this season; but just two days later, the team washed its face with a demolishing victory on Game 2, beating the Bulls 115-78, the biggest postseason win in franchise history.

Before the end of the 2nd quarter, the Bulls were down by 4-points (42-38); but once the Heat deciphered Chicago’s game, the team mounted a 62-20 run that lasted all the way to 8:28 in the 4th quarter.

At some point of the second half, the Heat led by as many as 46 points. But things were about to get worse for Chicago. Both Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson were ejected in the fourth quarter. Noah got tossed for berating a ref while he was sitting on the bench, and Gibson followed Noah while Ray Allen was shooting the technical free throw for Noah's ejection. By the end of the game, the Bulls were called for six player technicals, the most by any squad in a playoff game since the Celtics had that many against the Pacers in 2005.

In addition to the 37-point win, Miami also set other records including playoff highs in margin of victory (37), points, field goal percentage (60 percent), 3-point percentage (50), second-half points (60), bench points (55), points in the paint (56), fast-break points (20) and points off turnovers (28).
The Heat-Bulls series now head back to Chicago tied 1-1. Game 3 is Friday in Chicago, where Miami will have to win at least one of the two coming games at United Center if they want to keep contending for back-to-back titles.

Game Odds:
Miami Heat: -7-110, ML -300
Chicago Bulls: +7-110, ML 250
Game Total: 187.5, o/u-110 

Odds are provided by Sports Betting Online. For additional lines and sportsbook betting odds, click here.

139th Kentucky Derby Post Positions and Odds

The starting positions heading to the 2013 Kentucky Derby have been defined.  A group of 21 participants were entered to Wednesday’s draw; marking the 10th straight year the race attracts at least 20 entrants, with a maximum of 20 able to start the event. Fear the Kitten, the 21st horse, won’t be on the starting line this Saturday, but the three year old colt still has the chance to compete if any other horse is forced to leave the race before Friday at 9 a.m. ET.

There will be some changes in this year’s race after 139 years of history. As it was announced by the event organizers, the system to get into the Derby suffered some minor changes. Instead of the traditional system based on who had the most earnings in graded-stakes races, this year’s positions were determined by a tiered points system comprising 36 races, with the emphasis on races at longer distances and later in the spring. 

Post Positions and Odds:

1- Black Onyx,  Odds  50-1
2 - Oxbow, Odds 30-1
3 - Revolutionary, Odds 10-1
4 - Golden Soul , Odds 50-1
5 - Normandy Invasion, Odds 12-1
6 - Mylute,  Odds 15-1
7 - Giant Finish, Odds 50-1
8 - Goldencents , Odds 5-1
9 - Overanalyze,   Odds 15-1
10 - Palace Malice, Odds 20-1
11 - Lines of Battle, Odds 30-1
12 - Itsmyluckyday, Odds 15-1
13 -Falling Sky, Odds 50-1
14 - Verrazano , Odds 4-1
15 - Charming Kitten, Odds 20-1
16 - Orb, Odds 7-2
17 - Will Take Charge, Odds 20-1
18 - Frac Daddy, Odds 50-1
19 - Java’s War, Odds -1
20 - Vyjack, Odds 15-1

The top three horses according to Churchill Downs’ oddsmakers are Orb, Verrazano and Goldencents.  Florida Derby winner Orb is the overall favorite for the 139th Derby at 7-2 odds. Orb will start the race in 16th position.

Orb’s closest rival is the unbeaten Verrazano. Wood Memorial winner is posted second at 4-1, and will break from the 14th position.  The third favorite is Goldencents, who is right behind in the odds at 5-1and will start from No. 8.

 Trained by Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, Orb enters this year’s Derby on a four-race winning streak that includes the top position in this year’s Florida Derby.

Considered by most horse betting fans as the top favorite to win the race, Verrazano also enters the Derby holding a four race streak. Wins achieved this year includes March 9th Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) and April 6th Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I). Verrazano is the only competitor at this year’s Derby that did not run until Jan. 1st, 2013, so if he wins the Derby then he will become the second horse to win the event without racing as a 2-year-old. The only one in 139th years was Apollo in 1882. Finally, Goldencents, owned by W. C. Racing, Dave Kenney, and University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino's R A P Racing, has three stakes wins in his record: the Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (gr. III), Sham Stakes (gr. III), and Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).

Regardless of the results, you can bet on horse racing at Sports Betting Online. No matter who ends first, you will end up winning. So we’ll pay you 10% cash back—every week, win or lose—on all your racebook bets.