Eight in Alabama, no 'Rachel'

Horseracing Betting Lines

08/19/2009 - Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Even though the three-year-old filly division has already been decided, eight sophomore females have been entered in Saturday's $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Division leader Rachel Alexandra is not one those slated to start and her next race is still unknown.

Coming down from Canada for the 1 1/4 mile Alabama is Milwaukee Appeal, winner of the Woodbine Oaks in Toronto. The daughter of two-time Santa Anita Handicap winner Milwaukee Brew will start from the outside post with John Velazquez getting the mount.

The filly is owned by C.E.C. Farms and trained by Scott Fairlie. Since beating fillies in the Oaks in June, Milwaukee Appeal has taken on the boys in the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown.

She was third to Eye of the Leopard in the Queen's Plate, beaten by just a neck. In the Prince of Wales at Fort Erie, Milwaukee Appeal was nosed out for the win by Gallant.

"She ran a great race," jockey Stewart Elliott said after the Queen's Plate. "She gave everything she had out there."

Milwaukee Appeal has won five of 11 career starts for $747,371. This year she has earned $568,276 with two wins in five starts.

Funny Moon, winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks, has drawn post three with Alan Garcia again in the saddle. The chestnut filly and Garcia have won four of six starts for $265,900, all this year.

Trained by Christophe Clement for Mrs. C. Wilson McNeely III, Funny Moon was a disappointing eighth in the Acorn Stakes in early June.

"It's still a bit of a puzzle why she ran the way she did in the Acorn," Clement noted following the American Oaks victory.

Delaware Oaks champ Careless Jewel will put her three race win streak on the line in the Alabama. The gray filly will be ridden by Robert Landry from post five.

Careless Jewel won the Delaware Oaks wire-to-wire as a 10-1 longshot. Owned by Donver Stable, the filly has won three of four starts for $222,846.

"Josie (trainer Josie Carroll) has a done tremendous job with this filly," Landry said about the three-year-old's conditioner.

Here is the complete field for the Alabama in post position order: Sweet and Flawless, Ramon Dominguez; Wynning Ride, Kent Desormeaux; Funny Moon, Alan Garcia; Don't Forget Gil, Rajiv Maragh; Careless Jewel, Robert Landry; Be Fair, Julien Leparoux; Casanova Move, Jose Lezcano and Milwaukee Appeal, John Velazquez.

The Alabama has a scheduled post-time of 5:47 P.M. (et).

Proud Spell, eventual three-year-old filly champion, won the 2008 Alabama Stakes.

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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

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