Rachel Alexandra staying loose in Big Easy

Horseracing Betting Lines

02/08/2010 - New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Less than 12 hours after the New Orleans Saints captured Super Bowl XLIV, the other champion residing in the Big Easy took to the track for a jog.

Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra took a jog around the Fair Grounds early Monday morning. The four-year-old filly galloped around the track as she prepares for her first race of 2010.

Monday's gallop came just two days after Rachel worked four-furlongs with exercise rider Dominic Terry. In Saturday's workout the double Eclipse Award winner covered the half-mile in 50 3/5 seconds.

"She's very special," said trainer Steve Asmussen on Saturday. "I thought she looked beautiful. She went :50 3/5 today off of her :52 the other day. I think that's pretty much the progression that we're expecting."

Last Thursday at Oaklawn Park it was announced that the Arkansas track will increase the purse for the Apple Blossom Stakes from $500,000 to $5 million if both Rachel and champion mare Zenyatta start in the April 13 race.

While the owners of both thoroughbreds have expressed interest in the offer, none have committed themselves to the race.

Rachel Alexandra is co-owned by Jess Jackson and Harold McCormick, and Zenyatta is owned by Jerry and Ann Moss.

Zenyatta, who is stabled at Hollywood Park, won the 2008 Apple Blossom while Rachel won two stakes last year at Oaklawn Park.

Wwwmybookie Horseracing Betting News

<< Yankees add Thames to outfield mix
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees have reportedly added Marcus Thames with a one-year contract worth $900,000 if he makes the team. SI.com and the New York Post reported the signing. Thames is expected to compete

<< Gainey steps down as Canadiens GM, Gauthier takes over
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Montreal Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey has decided to step down from his post and hand the reins over to Pierre Gauthier, the club announced on Monday. "After a long and difficult period of

<< Brewers to honor Selig with statue
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Milwaukee Brewers announced Monday that they will honor former owner and current baseball commissioner Bud Selig with a statue at Miller Park. It will be the third statue built at Miller Park, joining

<< This Week in Golf - February 11th through February 14th
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - PGA TOUR - AT&T PEBBLE BEACH NATIONAL PRO- AM, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Monterey Peninsula Country Club Shore Course, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Pebble Beach, California - It's one of most popular eve

<< Pacers' Foster to have season-ending back surgery
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Indiana Pacers forward/center Jeff Foster will undergo season-ending surgery for lower back pain following the All-Star break. Foster is expected to make a full recovery and participate in training camp

Blue Bombers sign RB Marc >>
Winnipeg, MB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced Monday that they have agreed to terms with running back Emmanuel Marc. Marc participated in Winnipeg's training camp in 2009 and graduated from Delaware State in

Carr re-signs with Fire >>
Bridgeview, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Calen Carr has re-signed with the Chicago Fire for his fifth season in Major League Soccer. In four seasons in Chicago, Carr has appeared in 68 games, including 15 starts, while tallying six goals

Soderling, Robredo win Rotterdam openers >>
Rotterdam, The Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - French Open runner-up Robin Soderling and fifth-seeded Tommy Robredo highlighted Monday's first-round winners at the $2 million ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. The third-seeded Sode

Browns release Stallworth >>
Berea, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Browns have officially parted ways with troubled wide receiver Donte' Stallworth, terminating his contract Monday less than 24 hours after his season-long suspension was lifted. NFL Commiss

Wizards/Hawks rescheduled for March 11 >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Wizards home game against the Atlanta Hawks, postponed Saturday to a blizzard in the nation's capital, has been rescheduled for March 11 at the Verizon Center. Both teams were unable to

Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.