#My Mind

Molecules will be the longest shot in Saturday night's $200000, Grade 3 Indiana Oaks at Indiana Grand, but a victory by the locally-based 3-year-old filly would be in keeping with her remarkable story. Edward "Bow" Boerjan already was fighting cancer when he purchased Molecules for $1500 at Keeneland's 2016 January sale. He had the daughter of…

Another intriguing inter-conference duel is on the docket for Saturday as the Philadelphia 76ers travel to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Jazz. It is time to check out our NBA odds series where our 76ers-Jazz prediction and pick will be made. Facing off for the first time since the Sixers were able to prevail over the Jazz back on Nov. 13th by…

But the road hasn't always been clear for one of Newmarket's most popular residents, speedbumps and obstacles needing to be overcome in much the same way Chapple-Hyam has battled with his mental health for a number of years. While Frankie Dettori was treating the Epsom crowd to a flying dismount following Authorized's brilliant Derby rout in 2007,…

Patrick McEnroe has labeled Novak Djokovic as "the clear favorite" for the Australian Open title as he believes the Serb finishing with 24 of 25 Grand Slams is definitely possible. Djokovic, 35, is a record nine-time Australian Open champion and he is returning to Melbourne Park after being denied participation at the opening Grand Slam of the year…

For the latest round of Premier League predictions, Chris Sutton is up against Supergrass frontman and Manchester United supporter Gaz Coombes. Sutton's prediction: 1-2 I am very clear in my mind about how this game will go. Manchester United have really improved under Erik ten Hag, and I don't think he gets enough credit for their progress since…

In stretching out Trea Turner's $300 million contract over 11 years, the Phillies diluted the average annual salary for luxury-tax purposes and payroll flexibility. It's the approach they took four years ago in signing Bryce Harper. The length of Turner's deal, like Harper's 13-year pact, was predicated on economics, not baseball. But the Phillies…

United have won eight games in a row and could equal their longest winning run in all competitions since Alex Ferguson retired as manager in 2013. Second-placed City, who are four points above United, lost to Southampton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. "The improvement of [United's] team is clear," said City boss Pep Guardiola. United are closing…

CHELSEA are eyeing Eintracht Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner as a replacement for Graham Potter, according to reports. The Austrian, 48, led his German Bundesliga club to Europa League glory last season. Frankfurt beat Rangers on penalties in the Seville final last May, having previously KO'd Barcelona and West Ham. Blues boss Potter is coming under…

Spacewalk and Steel City have attracted plenty of support from TAB Fixed Odds punters going into the Rosehill Gardens meeting on Saturday. "When markets opened on Wednesday, Spacewalk was the first horse backed," TAB spokesman Andrew Georgiou said. "We wrote a lot of big bets against him in the first 20 minutes of betting and since then, although…

Liam Coen has officially returned to Kentucky football as its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the second time in three years, returning to Lexington after spending one season as OC of the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL. Coen signed a three-year contract on Dec. 12, though the news wasn't made official by Kentucky until Tuesday, Jan.…

SPEED NUT Richard Kingscote is in pole position to win his first Derby on hot favourite Desert Crown. But the 35-year-old is making sure he's not getting too revved up on only his second outing in the Epsom Classic. Kingscote has tasted success at Royal Ascot and in the Irish St Leger, yet a fairytale Derby victory would be top of the…

Welcome to a solid six-game NBA slate where I'll provide my favorite same-game parlays for your liking. There are a lot of questionable tags for tonight, so be mindful of the value offered when lineup news drops. It's been a successful season, and I'd love to keep it going. Hopefully, you had'successfully betting NBA player props' as one of your…

You know what's more impressive than surpassing your season expectations? How about surpassing them with one fewer game than the rest of the league? Prior to the current NFL season, most sportsbooks listed the Bengals projected win total at 9.5, while the Bills were listed at 11.5. They ended the season with 12 and 13 wins respectively. Bettors who…

So other than basketball (note that by just typing "basketball" you have now been blocked by Stack on Twitter), and eventually baseball season previews (Andrew's note: I'm getting to them... season starts on February 17th; next week, I will start the position previews; pre-season mail bag to follow), there's not a lot to talk about over here at…

Tottenham striker Harry Kane has scored 14 goals in 16 Premier League games against Arsenal - can he dent the Gunners' title bid by finding the net against them again on Sunday? The north London derby could see Kane reach two major landmarks - he needs to find the net once to match Jimmy Greaves' club record of 266 goals for Spurs, and is two away…

It speaks volumes about the positivity of Andrew Fenby that, even now, he still tries to find upsides to the challenging couple of years he's faced. In the space of a week back in October 2020, the former Scarlets winger was diagnosed with stage two cancer and was also forced to close down his sports management agency. The cruel double blow would…

JJ Cooper hosted a chat to discuss the Twins system. You can read the transcript here. Brendan (Boston, MA): 6 months after the draft, how does Brooks Lee compare to the other top college bats he was being drafted around? Have any of the tier 1 college hitters significantly changed their value in that short time? J.J. Cooper: It's hard to make many…

Nicky Henderson's Jonbon was safely tucked away in his Seven Barrows box at Christmas but he still got some festive cheer when Boothill won the Wayward Lad at Kempton. Before that boost - he had easily seen off Harry Fry's horse in the Henry VIII at Sandown - his chasing form had little substance to it (in terms of what he had beaten), even if he…

CLIFTON, N.J. - The LPGA's Cognizant Founders Cup begins Thursday at Upper Montclair Country Club and local native Marina Alex, just days removed from the biggest win of her professional career, is set to be one of the headliners in an elite field. Yes, it's a big golf week for North Jersey. Here's everything you need to know about the Founders…

The week just gone over jumps was a welcome pause after the unrelenting Christmas and New Year action, but it has nevertheless thrown up several Festival clues in the last few years. The feature event at Sandown, the Unibet Tolworth Hurdle, has gone to subsequent Sky Bet Supreme winners Constitution Hill and Summerville Boy in recent seasons, while…

The Nashville Predators are undefeated since the calendar flipped to 2023 and are bringing their three-game winning streak to Canada tonight. The Preds are trying to claw their way into a playoff spot as they currently sit three points back of the Edmonton Oilers for the second Wild Card position. The Ottawa Senators have had a decent start to the…

Behind some hot goaltending and a buzzing offense, the Nashville Predators have won three straight games to kick off the New Year. Our NHL betting picks break down why they should extend that streak to four tonight. Photo By - USA TODAY Sports The Nashville Predators are undefeated since the calendar flipped to 2023 and are bringing their…

Graham Dench runs the rule over the three-year-olds currently taking high rank in calculations for the Cazoo-sponsored Derby, Europe's most prestigious Classic at Epsom on Saturday June 3, 2023. GB: Like it or not, there is an ever increasing trend for winners of the Derby to come from just a handful of what might be termed'super stables', and if…

The Cheltenham Festival doesn't exactly have a rich musical heritage. True, the Irish folk duo who played the nearby Prince Of Wales pub every evening for seemingly 30 years did perform a wonderful rendition of The Ballad Of Dawn Run twice-a-night. And twice-a-night ratings experts took exception to the line "And Wayward Lad, he knew he'd met the…

The veterans' final has always been used as a gateway to big handicaps by a certain few - even going back to its first winner, Soll, who used the race as a Grand National prep. But such runners had been limited to one or two a year - until now. Look down the field of 18 - the biggest ever, if they all go to post - and there are potentially as many…

It was about this time, seven years ago, that the hockey world was agog about a Canadian teenager named Connor. That one, surname McDavid, had arrived at the World Junior Hockey Championship as the almost-certain first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, off a stellar junior career with gaudy point totals and a string of ridiculous…

Andiamo a Firenze takes the Funny Cide Aug. 26 (Joe Labozzetta) NYRA Press Office OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Owner Ron Lombardi of Mr. Amore Stable expressed a sense of confidence that graded-stakes placed New York homebred Andiamo a Firenze can carry on a family tradition by winning Saturday's $150000 Jerome for newly turned 3-year-olds going a one-turn…

Today's question: What's your New Year's prediction for INDYCAR? Curt Cavin: Predictions can get a guy in trouble, like last year when I didn't think Scott McLaughlin could finish any higher than seventh in the point standings and likely would end up in the 8-10 range (he finished fourth). This year, my attention is on a couple of drivers,…

It was about this time, seven years ago, that the hockey world was agog about a Canadian teenager named Connor. That one, surname McDavid, had arrived at the World Junior Hockey Championship as the almost-certain first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, off a stellar junior career with gaudy point totals and a string of ridiculous…

Picking up from my last column to cover the remainder of the holiday program (December 28 to January 1) in what was the busiest post-Boxing Day period for some time, the narrative seemed to me more of the same - some horses enhanced their reputations, a bigger number diminished theirs, and a standout performance to breathe new life into some…

Quarterback is always a hot topic at Notre Dame, and that has ramped up in recent weeks as rumors continue to swirl about the Irish landing a player at that position in the transfer portal. Since the 2022 regular season ended, 10-game starter Drew Pyne has transferred out in part to the Irish staff telling him they are going to bring in a transfer,…

In case you missed it, the Bayou Bets crew is holding their second annual College Bowl Pick'Em, and we're hoping you're the big benefactor from our predictions. Like we did last year, we started with $1000 Bowl Bucks, and we're making a play on each of the 42 bowl games this season. And when it's over, we'll take whatever money we have left and…

It's late December, and you know what that means. My peers across the media industry are proudly sharing their favorite stories of the past year, an often self-indulgent practice I'm allowed to poke fun at because I've definitely done it myself. But as I looked back at the words and sentences I put together in 2022, it occurred to me I have been…

LeBron James sounds like a man pondering his future plans. The Lakers are an abysmal 14-21 and dropped a Wednesday game to the Heat 112-98. Once again, Los Angeles is having an incredibly disappointing season. Given the lack of success on the court, it sounds like LeBron might be nearing a point where he's okay with hanging up his shoes. Following…

Crusaders or Chiefs, Blues or Brumbies. Four teams go into this weekend's semifinals but only two will emerge to play for the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific title. Friday night's first match was being hosted in Christchurch - and it wouldn't be a surprise many to learn the 12-time Super Rugby champion Crusaders went in as favourites. But, having…

Something aches deep within Nate Ebner's chest. Jogging onto a field at the Olympic training center, he begins warming up with a teammate, the two of them stretching, whipping a ball back and forth. "I literally feel like my lungs are sore," he says. The NFL veteran is accustomed to training camp aches and pains, the agony that accompanies…

Port Macquarie trainer Marc Quinn is hoping recent addition Auzstar can lay down a marker for a Country Championships tilt in 2023 when he travels south to Taree on Sunday. Auzstar will have just his third start for the Quinn yard in the AG Mowers Country Boosted Benchmark 66 Handicap (1250m). The son of star sire Zoustar has only been in Quinn's…

This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin's White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, . And to get it regularly in your inbox. Making predictions for an upcoming Major League Baseball season is tough enough following Spring Training, and those prognostications come after watching baseball for six weeks to gain a working knowledge of…

While I am in full Bengals mode at the present time, I haven't given a Reds update for a few weeks. While Cincinnati has practically made zero offseason moves, there are some rumors of Johnny Cueto rejoining his old team in the Queen City. Cueto is now 36 years old, but still seems to have plenty of gas left in the tank. I think the young trio of…

I rarely turn down work, but the enquiry on Saturday as to whether I would be interested in writing something about a fascinator modelled on the Scales of Justice that the lady asking was wearing had to be politely declined. Such a request would never happen at Cheltenham, though in most other ways Royal Ascot is the Flat's version of the…

Sixers - Knicks. Lakers - Mavs. Bucks - Celtics. Grizzlies - Warriors. Suns - Nuggets. The NBA's Christmas Day lineup is full of fun storylines with rivals facing off and MVP candidates set to do battle. The Crossover staff weighs in on the best matchups to watch and offers festive predictions. Howard Beck: This answer should have been easy:…

Following their relatively uncelebrated African Cup of Nations third-place finish at home, Cameroonians may find some consolation in Francis Ngannou's first UFC title defence last month, and the future challenges that the mixed martial artist is set to face. One of the heaviest punchers in the history of combat sports, the Cameroonian UFC…

The flight attendant informed us there would be no Wi-Fi. She sounded cheery and calm. I was not. For the 3 hours 10 minutes it would take to reach Des Moines from New York, I would be unable to check the score in the Cleveland Guardians' game against the San Diego Padres, or in the Washington Nationals' game against the Seattle Mariners. To be…

Now, where were we before the World Cup? Arsenal resume the Premier League season on Boxing Day against West Ham with Mikel Arteta's side standing five points clear at the top ahead of reigning champions Manchester City. Newcastle United - with only one loss to their name - and Tottenham currently round off the top four, while in the bottom three,…

For a man who had achieved the ultimate horse racing prize of a Grand National win, it seemed incredible that something as simple as a dish of lamb and vegetables could bring it all crashing to an end. But the modest dinner, washed down with a large glass of water and followed by a small dessert, proved to be the last straw that broke the camel's…

After streaming a flick the other night - "Kimi" on HBO Max, pretty nifty technothriller - the realization came I hadn't watched but a couple of plays in the Wake Forest/ Mizzou Gasparilla Bowl. Not that I gave a lump of coal about the game or who won. Yet then realized how different this year's Bowl Season has been. Something's been missing. Yes.…

THE late Queen Elizabeth II is in all our minds, but there's a Princess very much in the thoughts of racing folk right now as well. When the gongs are given out at the end of the year, there is little doubt that Baaeed will take centre stage. For instance, in the Cartier Horse of the Year race, it's hard to believe that the William Haggas trained…

In the 2022 VSiN College Football Betting Guide, I wrote about my process for creating team power ratings and called it an "inexact science." The same can be said for figuring out home-field advantage. Home-field advantage is variable. A noon ET kickoff against a nonconference opponent doesn't have the same juice as a primetime rivalry game on ABC.…

First run on Sept. 24, 1776, less than three months after the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the St Leger at Doncaster is the oldest of the five Classic races that form the backbone of the flat season in Britain. Run over 1 mile, 6 furlongs, and 132 yards, the St Leger is the longest of that classic quintet - the others are the…

Finding a superlative to describe the year which Charlie Appleby has enjoyed is a relatively easy task, but for those of his training colleagues with aspirations of toppling his team in 2023 they face what looks set to be a challenge of epic proportions. Having raised the bar following a stellar 2021 season, the Newmarket handler once again took…