One of the headline attractions of Del Mar’s Bing Crosby Turf Festival is the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes. And, the Matriarch being a top-tier turf race, you know Chad Brown’s training handiwork can’t be far behind. Brown owns three Eclipse Awards as the country’s top trainer. And he owns those […]
Sports Betting
Ohio State Game Cancelled as Bigger Questions Loom for College Football and the Nation
Saturday’s game between No. 4 Ohio State (4-0) at Illinois (2-3) was called off by Ohio State Friday night as the COVID-19 virus has spread throughout the program. The Buckeyes reported too many positive tests to field a team this weekend. Head coach Ryan Day is among the undisclosed number […]
Del Mar’s Hollywood Derby Provides a Good, Old-Fashioned Turf War
The first thing savvy racing fans notice about Saturday’s Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar is the clash between East and West horses, trainers and jockeys. If there was ever a turf war over where North America’s best turf runners reside, well, the Hollywood Derby should provide the answer. […]
UFC on ESPN 18: Smith, Clark Step into Main Event After COVID-19 Sidelines Blaydes
It doesn’t hold title implications, and only one of the fighters is ranked. But the light heavyweight clash between Anthony “Lionheart†Smith and Devin Clark should still entertain fans when it serves as a replacement main event for UFC on ESPN 18 on Saturday night. Smith and Clark moved into […]
Kentucky Jockey Club Provides Another Glimpse of Derby Hopefuls
The Kentucky Jockey Club was the only race Tiz the Law lost as a 2-year-old. It’s also the race that gives 2-year-olds a needed trip around two turns and horseplayers a good glimpse of what juveniles could be live come next spring’s Kentucky Derby. Along with that, Saturday’s Grade 2 […]
Vanderbilt Women’s Soccer Goalie Sarah Fuller to Handle Placekicking Duties vs. Missouri Saturday
With many of the team’s special teams players in quarantine, women’s soccer standout Sarah Fuller practiced with the team and is available as kicker for Vanderbilt Saturday. Texas-native Fuller is a senior goalkeeper for the 8-4 Commodores. She appeared in nine games and made 28 saves this season. Last weekend […]
College Football DFS: Maryland, Mississippi State Players Could Shine
It’s rivalry week (as best can happen in 2020) in college football and the DFS sites offer up a nice slate for Saturday. Teams like Ohio State, Clemson and Alabama should roll, but I’ll focus more on some expected closer shootouts like Mississippi State-Ole Miss and Maryland-Indiana. Here are two […]
Nate Robinson Makes Professional Boxing Debut vs. Jake Paul on Tyson-Jones Undercard
YouTuber Jake Paul has exactly one professional boxing match to his name. That will still make him the experienced veteran when he steps into the ring to fight former NBA player Nate Robinson on the undercard of the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. exhibition on Saturday night. Paul holds […]
Skilling Open Semifinals: Carlsen Battles Nepomniachtchi, Nakamura Faces So
Hikaru Nakamura came back from down a set, and then again down a game in blitz tiebreakers to get past Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and advance to the semifinals of the Skilling Open online chess tournament. Nakamura moved on to face fellow American Wesley So, while World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen will […]
USWNT Back in Action Minus Co-Captains in World Cup Finals Rematch
Netherlands hosts the US Women’s national team Friday as the reigning World Cup champions return to the pitch for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. Superstars Alex Morgan (Tottenham Hotspur), Rose Lavelle (Manchester City), Julie Ertz, Tobin Heath (Manchester United), Christen Press (Manchester United), Sam Mewis (Manchester […]
NFL Week 12 Quickie Betting Preview: Titans/Colts, Chiefs/Bucs
Week 12 of the NFL season has a full slate of games, including a pair Thanksgiving games in the books. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs head to Tampa Bay, Florida to square off against Tom Brady and the Bucs. The New Orleans Saints seek their ninth win of […]
Lamar Jackson Tests Positive for COVID-19, RG3 to Start for Ravens
Lamar Jackson, the reigning MVP from the Baltimore Ravens, tested positive for COVID-19. Jackson is one of nearly a dozen players and staff who contracted coronavirus. Backup QB Robert Griffin III, aka RG3, will start for the Ravens against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. On Wednesday, the NFL postponed the […]
USC vs. Colorado is Off, Oregon Now Lone Pac-12 Program Without a COVID-19-Related Cancellation
USC’s already slim chances to contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff grew a lot dimmer Thanksgiving evening as their Saturday game against Colorado was canceled. It’s been a war of COVID attrition in the Pac-12. Even with the shortened, six-game conference-only schedule that didn’t kick off until […]
Derby Sire Future Wager: You Can Bet on the Derby Winner’s Dad
You can make Kentucky Derby futures bets at William Hill Nevada and – starting Thursday and running through Sunday – Churchill Downs through its first Kentucky Derby Futures Wager pool. But now, you can also wager on Kentucky Derby sires through the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager. That’s right. You […]
Recognizable Names, Deep Field: The Clark Stakes Has it All
Together, the $500,000 Clark Stakes field owns 22 stakes victories, 60 overall wins, and more than $12.6 million in earnings. And even in this topsy-turvy, runaway-roller coaster year, the traditional Black Friday headliner at Churchill Downs remains one of the most popular races on the late-season schedule. For the first […]
Alabama’s Saban Out with COVID-19 as College Football Serves Up Cancellations for Thanksgiving
Alabama head coach Nick Saban disclosed Wednesday he tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week and presented mild symptoms. Saban, 69, will quarantine at home for at least 10 days, which means he is ineligible to coach Saturday’s game at home against Auburn. Instead, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian will take […]
Turkey Day Odds: Kansas City, New Orleans, Pittsburgh Super Bowl Faves
Thanksgiving kicks off Week 12 of the NFL season. With six weeks remaining in the season, the Kansas City Chiefs are the consensus favorites to win Super Bowl 55 and defend their title at 3/1 odds. The New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers are 11/2 odds to win the Super […]
Horseplayers, Fans Give Thanks for These Strong Thanksgiving Races
Even with COVID-19 wreaking scheduling havoc among many of the country’s marquee races, the traditional Thanksgiving weekend races provide comfort-food wagering opportunities for horseplayers, and intriguing races for food coma-recovering fans to savor. Churchill Downs plays host to one of the best end-of-year races anywhere, along with another glimpse at […]
Rules Set for Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. Exhibition; Organizers Say Fans Can Expect a Fight
The state commission is calling it an exhibition that’s “not about competition.†Organizers say that there could be knockouts, and that there will be a winner. Either way, Mike Tyson will face off against Roy Jones Jr. on Saturday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, in a battle […]
Code of Honor Seeking Salvation in Clark Stakes
He is almost certain to be overbet, based on his 3-year-old campaign. But in Friday’s Grade 1 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs, the question is, will we see the sophomore sensation Code of Honor or the jittery, junior Code of Honor? Code of Honor owns the biggest name of the […]