Del 'Cap features six top females

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07/14/2010 - Stanton, DE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Saturday's $750,000 Delaware Handicap has attracted six of the leading female thoroughbreds in the nation. The winner of the 1 1/4-mile race gains automatic entry into this year's Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic at Churchill Downs.

Leading the field for the 73rd Del 'Cap is Candy DeBartolo's Life At Ten, winner of her last five starts. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the five-year-old mare will be ridden by John Velazquez from post six.

Perfect in three starts this year, Life At Ten is coming off a victory in the Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park on June 12. In February she captured the Rare Treat Stakes at Aqueduct and followed with a win of the Sixty Sails at Hawthorne in April.

"This mare never really had the opportunity to run in a Grade I and we just felt like the Phipps was the right spot for her at that time," said Pletcher. "We did strongly consider running in the Obeah as a prep for this race, but the Grade I was just too enticing. We were fortunate enough to win and we were very happy about that. This year, we have had a bit of luck running horses over a track for the first time, and I do not think having a race over the Delaware surface is as important now as it was a few years back."

As a four-year-old Life At Ten closed 2009 with consecutive wins in an allowance race and the Snit Stakes. She has won six of 13 career starts for $459,267.

"A couple of times last year, we ran her a little bit short of her best distances," Pletcher commented. "Once she got into a good steady rhythm and since we have been able to keep her at a nice series of longer races, she has really developed into what we were hoping she could be."

Pletcher has won the Del 'Cap three previous times, Irving's Baby (2001), Fleet Indian (2006) and Unbridled Belle (2007).

"It has always been a very good race for us and we have been forunate enough to have very good luck in the Delaware Handicap," said Pletcher. "We have run nice mares in this race before and we think we are bringing a good one back this time who obviously is in very good form. So we are really looking forward to this race."

Local winner Miss Singhsix comes back to Delaware after last month's win of the Obeah Stakes at the track. The five-year-old mare will start from post two with Jose Valdivia, Jr. again riding.

"The race over the track definitely helps," stated trainer Marty Wolfson," and the mile and a quarter will help her as well. Distance for this mare is really no problem and the further she goes the more effective she will be."

Owned by Team Valor, Miss Singhsix won Delaware Park's $150,000 Obeah Stakes by a neck on June 12. Fleet Indian won both the Obeah and Del 'Cap in 2006.

Miss Singhsix finished third to Life At Ten in the Sixty Sails Handicap after a third in the Rampart Stakes at Gulfstream in March and February's victory at Laurel Park of the Maryland Racing Media Stakes.

She has a career record of five wins in 19 starts with earnings of $317,138.

Here is the complete field for the Del 'Cap in post position order: Funny Moon, Alan Garcia, 7-2; Miss Singhsix, Jose Valdivia, Jr., 5-1; Milwaukee Appeal, Stewart Elliott, 2-1; Million Seller, Jeremy Rose, 15-1; Miss Match, Brian Hernandez, Jr., 12-1 and Life At Ten, John Velazquez, 8-5.

Five of horse racing's finest were honored Wednesday with their induction into the Delaware Park Wall of Fame.

The class of 2010 consists of two-time Del 'Cap winner Obeah, Hall of Fame trainer Frank Whiteley, Jr., Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero, Jr., Bohemia Stable of Mrs. Richard C. DuPont and the late Robert G. Dick of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission.

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How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?

The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.

While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.

For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.

1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.

2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.

How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.

Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.

Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.

How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).

Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.

Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.

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FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract

Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.

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After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."

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