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10/09/2007 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - I remember watching John Henry run in the 1982 Measowlands Cup Handicap in the early days of simulcasting. The evening race was only simulcast within New Jersey, so I made the drive to Atlantic City Race Course from Philadelphia.
The gelding was the even-money favorite in the Meadowlands event with Hall of Fame jockey Bill Shoemaker riding. Even though John Henry finished third, it was an exciting race and helped advance the cause of simulcasting.
John Henry was a truely gifted thoroughbred who kept horse racing alive during a difficult decade. He came along after the three Triple Crown champions of the 1970's.
"John Henry's true legacy was written in people's hearts far more indelibly than his superlative racing career could ever reflect." said John Nicholson, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park. "John Henry was a testament to the fact that a horse's value is far greater than the sum of his pedigree, conformation, sales price and race record. Winston Churchill said that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man, but I would add that horses like John Henry prove that the inside of a horse is even better for the inside of man."
He raced from 1977 to 1984 accumulating almost $6.6 million and nearly as many fans. Trained primarily by Ron McAnally, John Henry ran all over the country. His last four starts were at four different tracks, all victories with Chris McCarron guiding the champ to the winner's circle.
Tom Levinson, stepson of the late owner Sam Rubin said, "John always had fire in his eyes as he circled his opponents in the paddock while they pranced, his eyes glazed with the determination to win. Certainly he was the people's hero."
The three jockeys who climbed into the saddle over the last four years of John Henry's career, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Bill Shoemaker and McCarron, were appropriate pilots.
"What can I say about the legendary John Henry that has not already been said?," commented McCarron. "John meant the world to my family and me. Everywhere he raced, his presence doubled the size of a normal race track crowd. He did so much for racing, even after he retired, that he will be impossible to replace. He will be sorely missed but forever in our hearts."
John Henry was the working guy's racehorse. He came from humble origins and became a two-time Horse of the Year. He also was named champion older male horse in 1981 and was a four-time Eclipse Award winner as top male turf runner.
I also remember him capturing the first running of the Arlington Million, the first $1 million horse race. Three years later John Henry again won the Arlington Million.
John Henry became a legend during his racing career, a legend that grew during his retirement. Many stakes races are rightly named for John Henry, but he was certainly one of a kind.
<< MISL, FSC announced two-year deal
Westport, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fox Soccer Channel and the Major Indoor Soccer
League (MISL) announced a two-year broadcasting agreement to televise league
matches beginning this November through the 2008-09 season. The partnership
represe
<< Not a Welcome Flashback for Ravens
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It felt like 2000 all over again. Trent Dilfer was in the
house. The Baltimore Ravens couldn't score. Brian Billick's team played great
defense. And they won.
Only thing was, after the Ravens' so-ugly-you-couldn't-look 9-7
<< Isles sign Berard
Uniondale, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Islanders announced Tuesday
that they have signed veteran forward Brian Berard to a one-year deal after
the 30-year old earned a spot following an invite to training camp.
Berard, who ca
<< Kansas State reports possible NCAA violations
Manhattan, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kansas State is being investigated by the
NCAA for possible rules violations in its football program.
Kansas State director of athletics Tim Weiser said the university has informed
the NCAA of possible vi
Jags continue stellar run defense >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Jacksonville Jaguars must have been playing some old
hits from Martha and the Vandellas in the locker room at Kansas City's
Arrowhead Stadium this past Sunday.
If so, the hit song "Nowhere to Run" would have been a per
Sorenson penalized for Talladega rules violation >>
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reed Sorenson and the No.41 Target Chip
Ganassi Dodge team has been penalized for failing post-race inspection after
Sunday's race at the Talladega Superspeedway.
The car was found in violation of
Rookie running back leads Colts to 5-0 mark >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In case you didn't catch the name of the Indianapolis Colts
running back who wears No. 36 on Sunday, it's Kenton Keith.
Keith is a first-year player out of New Mexico State who was thrust into the
starting lineup as an inj
Bucs Supporters Shouldn't Panic >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - At this very moment, they're obsessing about the running
back situation in Tampa Bay.
In the wake of a serious ankle injury suffered by Michael Pittman in Sunday's
33-14 loss to Indianapolis, fans are scanning the free age
Michael Vick is back, Brett Favre isn't and the NFC East remains the best division in the NFC, maybe in all of football.
As players start to gather for the start of another season, some things change and some stay the same in the world of the NFL.
The NFC East has been the dominant division in the National Conference for a while, despite limited playoff success, save for the New York Giants surprise Super Bowl win two seasons ago.
Hell, there's a generation of kids in Texas who have never seen the Cowboys win a playoff game (last win was in 1996).
But collectively, the Giants, Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins (well, maybe not so much the Redskins) are as good as a division gets in an NFC conference that has struggled to stay competitive with the AFC side.
Sports bettors have both acknowledged the NFC East's dominance, as one glance at the NFL future odds menu will show.
Looking over the NFL betting odds at online sports book MySportsbook.com we see the top three teams listed to win the NFC Championship are all from the NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys - 7 - 1
Philadelphia Eagles - 13 - 2
New York Giants - 9 - 2
Slotting in behind these three are two teams from the NFC North: the Minnesota Vikings (15-2) and the Chicago Bears (10-1).
Again, despite the lack of recent playoff success, the Dallas Cowboys are popular with the sports betting community, as they hold 14% of all the money wagered on who will win the NFC Championship.
So far, the New York Giants are the bettors' favorite to represent their conference in the Super Bowl, as they have 24% of the overall NFC Championship betting volume.
And what about the Philadelphia Eagles? For the most part, the Eagles had a very productive offseason, the kind that could bring them back to the top.
They had a good draft adding the likes of WR Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy.
Unfortunately, the team received a blow when long-time defensive coordinator Jim Johnson passed away on Tuesday.
But this team will make a real run at the division title this year. Going into the regular season, Philly is listed at +240 to win the division.
Last season the Eagles were 9-6-1 SU and 10-6 ATS.
Teams from the NFC East will play teams from the AFC West in the regular season and the Eagles haven't really been a good bet in the last 20 games against the likes of San Diego, Oakland, K.C. and Denver, only going 8-12 ATS.
Two seasons removed from that Super Bowl title, the New York Giants see themselves listed as the odds-on favorite in NFC East championship futures at +162.
Plaxico Burress is gone and with him all the bad publicity surrounding the gun in the sweatpants incident, but can they replace him in the offense?
Last season the Giants were a very reliable bet going 12-4 ATS.
In the Giants' last 20 games against fellow teams from the NFC East; they are 13-7 ATS.
Dallas is listed at +240 to win the division.
Dallas went 9-7 SU and 7-9 ATS last season and with the amount of talent the Cowboys have, a similar performance won't do.
The Cowboys have been atrocious against divisional rivals, going 6-14 ATS in their last 20.
The Washington Redskins are longshots to win the division at +550.
Visit MySportsbook.com for free sportsbook odds RSS feeds go to MySportsbook.com for all your betting football needs.
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