Louisiana Derby to get major upgrade

Horseracing Betting Lines

08/11/2009 - New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Louisiana Derby is being given a purse increase and an extended distance for next year's running. Fair Grounds Race Course announced Tuesday that its major Kentucky Derby prep race will also be conducted just five weeks before the Run for the Roses.

The Louisiana Derby will have its value boosted from $600,000 to $750,000 and the distance will now be 1 1/8 miles, instead of 1 1/16 miles. The stakes for three-year-old Kentucky Derby hopefuls in the past was held seven weeks prior to the Kentucky Derby. It will be run in 2010 on March 27.

"We're excited about being the premier racing venue for our nation's best three-year olds when preparing for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks." said Fair Grounds vice president and general manager Eric Halstrom in a release.

The Louisiana Derby is part of a three race series for three-year-olds at the Fair Grounds who are being pointed to the Run for the Roses. The other stakes events are the Lecomte and Risen Star Stakes.

For 2010 the Lecomte will be held on January 23 and the Risen Star will be run on February 20. The Lecomte will have a distance of a mile and 40-yards and the Risen Star will be contested over 1 1/16 miles. The $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks for three-year-old fillies will Friday, March 26.

The Fair Grounds 2009-10 meet will be held from November 6 to March 28.

"Our racing staff is embarking on a new historic direction for the entire stakes schedule," Halstrom said in the release.

In an effort to bring the two leading thoroughbreds together, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, the Fair Grounds has created a stakes race for fillies and mares to be run six weeks after the Breeders' Cup. The new race will be on the track's main dirt track at 1 1/8 miles.

"Horse racing fans desire to see Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta race against one another, and we're no different," Halstrom said. "By positioning this new race six weeks after the Breeders' Cup World Championships and three weeks after Churchill Downs' Clark and Falls City Handicaps, it gives all parties involved something to consider and opens the door for further discussions. Anything further at this point would be premature and circumstances could be different in four months, but this new race gives us an option to dream."

The yet unnamed race is slated for December 19 of this year with a tentative purse of $100,000. The purse would be increased if the race attracts Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.

Wwworlandosentinel Horseracing Betting News

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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.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

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