Big names take to tracks for workouts

Horseracing Betting Lines

06/28/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Some of the biggest names in thoroughbred racing took to various racetracks for workouts over the last two days. Many of the horses are expected to see action during the summer.

Undefeated champion mare Zenyatta had a half-mile workout at Hollywood Park on Sunday morning. The six-year-old breezed four-furlongs in 49 3/5 seconds. Unbeaten in all 17 career starts, Zenyatta is expected to start in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday, August 7. The 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic champ has won the last two editions of the Hirsch.

Also at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita Derby winner Sidney's Candy worked six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 as he prepares for the $200,000 Swaps Stakes on Saturday, July 17 at the track.

At Belmont Park on Sunday leading older male thoroughbred Quality Road worked a half-mile in 50.76 and galloped out in 1:03 1/5.

"He went well," said trainer Todd Pletcher who turned 43 on Saturday.

The four-year-old colt will make his next start in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga Race Course on August 7.

Pletcher sent out Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver for a Sunday breeze. The three-year-old colt went five-furlongs in 1:01 4/5. Owned by WinStar Farm, Super Saver will make his next start at Monmouth Park in the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Sunday, August 1.

"We're pointed for the Haskell," said Pletcher. "He's training great and we're on schedule to be at Monmouth."

Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird both had workouts Monday morning at Churchill Downs. This was Rachel's final work over her home track before the four-year-old champion heads to Saratoga on Wednesday. Mine That Bird continues to prep for his first race of 2010.

The filly, with rider Shaun Bridgmohan, worked five-furlongs in 1:03 and galloped out six-furlongs in 1:17. The 2009 Horse of the Year won the Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs earlier this month for her first win of the year.

With Calvin Borel in the saddle. Mine That Bird breezed five-furlongs in 59 4/5 seconds. The 2009 Kentucky Derby winner was timed in 1:14 3/5 for six- furlongs.

Mine That Bird, who has not started since last November's Breeders' Cup Classic, could make his 2010 debut during the closing weekend of Churchill Downs' Spring Meet. The two possible races for the four-year-old are an allowance race of 1 1/16-miles on Saturday, July 3 or the $175,000 Firecracker Handicap at a mile on turf the next day.

This Sunday at Woodbine is the Queen's Plate, the biggest thoroughbred event in Canada. One of the top contenders for Sunday's 151st running of the race, Artic Fern, suffered an injury on Monday that will prevent him from racing in the Queen's Plate.

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Big Ten Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana
Work left to do: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa

Behind the big two, the pecking order might be in a bit of flux. Has Michigan State passed Indiana after handling the Hoosiers in East Lansing? Where is Illinois in that mix? What looked like a four-big league last week could be morphing into five -- and even six is not unthinkable at this point if everything breaks right.

Should be in:

Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it?

Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel.

Work left to do:

Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third.

Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim.

Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either.

Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim.

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