Bunbury leads Wizards past TFC

Soccer Betting Lines

07/31/2010 - Kansas City, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Teal Bunbury's header in the 62nd minute was enough for the Kansas City Wizards to claim a 1-0 win over Toronto FC at CommunityAmerica Ballpark on Saturday.

Neither side created a ton of chances over 90 minutes, but a deflected long ball from the back ended up in the path of Bunbury and he headed it past Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei for the game's lone goal.

The Wizards have now earned seven points from their last three games following a three-game losing skid, while the defeat is just the second for TFC in their last 11 matches.

Nick LaBrocca fired wide from inside the penalty area for Toronto in the 12th minute, while Kei Kamara had the ball in the back of the net for the home side shortly before halftime, but he was ruled to be offside.

The best chance in the opening 45 minutes belonged to Mista as he got into the box and had his shot tipped past the post by a diving save from goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen.

The Wizards then went in front in the 62nd minute when a long ball from the back deflected off of a Toronto defender and fell into the path of Bunbury. He then headed the ball toward the net with Frei getting a hand to the effort. However, the ball struck the underside of the crossbar and found its way over the goal line.

Kansas City had a few more chances to add to its lead as Kamara sent a close- range header wide before Birahim Diop wasted a good set up from Josh Wolff in stoppage time.

Veggas Soccer Betting News

<< Suppan picks up first win as Cardinals rout Pirates
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Suppan finally got his coveted first win of the season, pitching 5 1/3 shutout innings to lead the Cardinals to an 11-1 win over the Pirates. Suppan (1-6) earned his first victory since September 19,

<< Mets use run in ninth to edge Diamondbacks
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jesus Feliciano tripled to deep right-center to open the ninth inning and scored the game-winning run on Carlos Beltran's sacrifice fly, as the Mets beat the Diamondbacks, 5-4. David Wright went 2-for-4 wi

<< Browns agree to terms with Haden
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Browns have signed cornerback Joe Haden, the seventh overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, to a multi-year contract. No terms of the contract were released, but according to a report earli

<< Gonzo's HR in ninth lifts Rockies over Cubs
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Gonzalez lead-off home run in the ninth inning gave the Colorado Rockies a 6-5 win over the Chicago Cubs in the second of a three-game set. Gonzalez led off the bottom of the inning against Sean Ma

<< Zimmerman's homer lifts Nationals over Phillies
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Zimmerman's three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth led the Washington Nationals to a 7-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the second of a three-game set. After the Phillies took

Gonzo's cycle, HR in ninth lifts Rockies over Cubs >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Gonzalez's lead-off home run in the ninth inning gave him the cycle and the Colorado Rockies a 6-5 win over the Chicago Cubs in the second of a three-game set. Gonzalez led off the bottom of

Ten-man Houston ties N.Y. to spoil Henry's debut >>
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brian Mullan scored in the 90th minute as 10- man Houston tied Red Bull New York on Saturday, 2-2, to spoil Thierry Henry's two-assist debut in Major League Soccer. Henry assisted on two goals for Juan Pablo

RSL thumps United >>
Sandy, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second-half goals from Robbie Findley and Nelson Gonzalez propelled Real Salt Lake to a 3-0 win over D.C. United at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday. Alvaro Saborio put Salt Lake in front after 13 minutes, while

Uggla sets club HR mark in Marlins' win over Padres >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dan Uggla became the Marlins all-time home run leader and Ricky Nolasco was solid in 8 1/3 innings on the mound, as Florida held off San Diego, 6-3, in the second test of a three-game set at Petco P

Titans agree to terms with top pick Morgan >>
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tennessee Titans have reportedly agreed to terms with defensive end Derrick Morgan, their first-round draft pick. WVLT television in Nashville is reporting that it is a five-year deal for the 16th overal

Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.