Announcement

**Udog** · 06-06-2015, 08:49 AM

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

-- Since 1979, the favored horse has won the Belmont only six times.

-- Kyrie Irving broke his kneecap, is obviously out for the rest of the Finals.

-- Jason Dufner went -10 on his first 23 holes this week at the Memorial, then went -1 over his last 13 holes and is one shot out of the lead.

-- Alex Rodriguez has a .374 OB% for a first place team, which is pretty damn good.

-- Missouri State is the #8 college baseball team but they had to play at Arkansas in the Super Regionals because they share their home park with a minor league team.

-- At what point does TV's obsession with Eldrick Woods end? He's not good.

**********

Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: DD Lohaus handicaps the Belmont Stakes

Exciting Times, Exciting Times.....

American Pharoah comes to Belmont Park with a chance to make history. Join the elite of the racing world and restore faith that this most difficult task (winning the Triple Crown) can still be accomplished by those who are elite... ...

I for one hope it happens and we can quiet those who believe the format needs to be changed. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE HARD TO ACCOMPLISH! That is why it hasn't happened since 1978 and why only 11 (out of 4144 entrants) have done it previously. Look at the names....the greatest of the great....not the pretty good or those for whom we have changed the rules...no changes please..

OK, enough of the preaching....on to the race...

I picked the winner in the Preakness but couldn't connect with the longshot play that was designed to make it interesting. American Pharoah was the best horse that day and I believe he is the best horse in the Belmont. American Pharoah did look improved in last and I believe he may be even better in the Belmont...remember he did have an injury earlier in the year and did miss some training time. He is strictly the one to beat.

The other horses in the field just don't offer any inspiration for me...listen they are all solid horses but I just don't believe they have enough to beat American Pharoah. Maybe I am being a bit biased because I want a Triple Crown winner and I don't think the group is as strong as everyone says they are...or American Pharoah is just that much better than them all.

It has happened before...with the OTHER TRIPLE CROWN WINNERS...that is what they are; simply better than the rest....

Picks:
1. American Pharoah
2. Frosted
3. Materiality

** Longshot Play: Keen Ice: played in the Derby. Give one more try**

The Bets:
$25Ex American Pharoah/Frosted, Materiality, Keen Ice
$5WPS Keen Ice

Total Bets: $90.00

**Udog** · 06-06-2015, 08:50 AM

Belmont Stakes bteting horse-by-horse preview and picks

Here we go again. Thirteen times since Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978 has a horse entered the Belmont Stakes with a chance to make history and each time they’ve failed.

What makes this year different?

Here’s a look at the field for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes:

1. Mubtaahij (Jockey, Irad Ortiz, odds 10-1): Took a lot of money at the windows in the Kentucky Derby and finished a hard-closing eighth. Should be able to get the Belmont’s grueling distance but don't think he's a major threat. Import, who won the UAE Derby, skipped the Preakness to freshen up.

2. Tale of Verve (Gary Stevens, 15-1): Has just one win in seven career starts but he took a game second in the Preakness making his entry in this race seem legitimate. Also shown ability to come from off the pace and has run six straight races over a mile long but it took him six tries to break his maiden and this is too steep a challenge.

3. Madefromlucky (Javier Castellano, 12-1): First of two Todd Pletcher-trained horses in the field and if one trainer would like to prevent Bob Baffert from winning the Triple Crown, it's Pletcher. This one won the Peter Pan over this surface but was walloped by American Pharoah twice at Oaklawn once in the slop and once on a fast surface.

4. Frammento (Mike Smith, 30-1): Didn't like him in the Kentucky Derby where he finished 11th and there's no reason to jump on him here. He's won just once in eight career starts and his best Beyer figure is 87 – overmatched.

5. American Pharoah (Victor Espinoza, 3-5): The favorite has lost the last nine Belmont stakes and all 11 Triple Crown winners had raced at Belmont before running in the 1½-mile Belmont Stakes. Pharoah has never run at Belmont. But, he was a 2-year-old champion, has won six-straight races all with Beyer figures over 100, and importantly he’s held his weight steady since his Derby start. When Baffert entered stablemate Dortmund in the Preakness he was stating the obvious: there isn’t a 3-year-old in training that can beat him anywhere.

6. Frosted (Joel Rosario, 5-1): Is a half-brother to Tonalist who spoiled California Chrome’s Triple Crown hopes last year. Was a hard-charging fourth after a dismal start in the Kentucky Derby and the fact that he's already raced at Belmont (finishing second as a 2-year-old) makes him the biggest threat. His best race was a win in the Wood at Aqueduct but he can't spot the chalk too much distance or he'll never catch him,

7. Keen Ice (Kent Desormeaux, 20-1): Also skipped the Preakness after encountering major traffic problems in the Kentucky Derby where he finished seventh at 45-1. He’s sure to take some money here but the lack of much speed up front should severely hinder his chances.

8 Materiality (Jorge Velasquez, 6-1): The second Pletcher charge and another with a good chance to play the role of spoiler. He was left at the gate in the Derby but then staged an unlikely rally to finish sixth posting the fastest time of all the runners in the final half mile. The Derby loss was his first in four starts and he usually breaks well. Really thought he'd be a menace in the Preakness but he wasn't ready and he spent two straight weeks training at Belmont for this race.

Picks: 1. American Pharoah. 2. Materiality. 3. Frosted. 4. Mubtaahij.

**Udog** · 06-06-2015, 08:55 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Saturday, June 6

Chicago @ Tampa Bay

Game 3-4
June 6, 2015 @ 7:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
13.980
Tampa Bay
12.822
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay
-130
5
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(+110); Over

NHL
Short Sheet

Saturday, June 6

Stanley Cup Finals - Best of 7 - Game 2 CHI Leads 1-0

Chicago at Tampa Bay, 8:05 PM
Chicago: 18-20 SU when playing with 2 days rest, 31-32 SU after a 2 game unbeaten streak
Tampa Bay: 25-8 SU when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days, 26-10 SU after having lost 2 of their last 3 games

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, June 6

Lightning lost its last three home games, allowing 14 goals; they allowed two goals 1:58 apart in third period of Game 1 after holding a 1-0 lead for over two periods. Blackhawks won two of the last five Stanley Cups; they're 3-2 in last five road games- four of their last five games overall went over total. They generally find a way to win. Tampa Bay won six of last eight games with Chicago, winning four of last five played here- three of the five here were decided in OT/SO. Four of last five series games stayed under. With series shifting to Chicago for Game 3, huge game for Lightning to win here.

2015 NHL playoffs
Chicago vs Tampa Bay
Chi 2-1, +$119, U9

NHL

Saturday, June 6

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:15 PM
CHICAGO vs. TAMPA BAY
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Tampa Bay's last 14 games when playing at home against Chicago

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Udog** · 06-06-2015, 09:00 AM

NHL

Saturday, June 6

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Blackhawks at Lightning
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chicago Blackhawks at Tampa Bay Lightning (-125, 5)

Blackhawks lead series 1-0

After winning a franchise-best 32 home games during the regular season, the Tampa Bay Lightning let a third-period lead slip away in the opener of the Stanley Cup final to fall for the sixth time in 11 playoff contests at Amalie Arena. Undaunted, the Lightning look to even their series with the Chicago Blackhawks when the clubs play Game 2 on Saturday night.

Tampa Bay seemed content to let Alex Killorn's nifty deflection stand up as the lone goal in Game 1, as the team failed to muster a shot for over 13 minutes at one point and routinely was on the defensive in the eventual 2-1 loss on Wednesday. "You can respect them; you can't fear them," Lightning veteran Brenden Morrow said. "It looked like in the third we were holding on and the fear of maybe what would be coming and what might happen." What did happen was rookie Teuvo Teravainen scored through a screen with 6 1/2 minutes to play before setting up fellow third-liner Antoine Vermette's tally 1:58 later as Chicago seized hold of home-ice advantage.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, TVA Sports

LINE HISTORY: The line opened as TB -125 with a total of 5.

INJURY REPORT: Blackhawks - LW Bryan Bickell (Ques-Upper Body), D Trevor Van Riemsdyk (Ques-Wrist) Lightning - N/A

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Defenseman Duncan Keith set up Teravainen's goal to extend his assist/point streak to five games, during which he has set up eight tallies. The two-time Norris Trophy winner has a career-high 17 assists and 19 points in the playoffs, with the former serving as the most by a blue-liner in a playoff year since New York Rangers stud Brian Leetch (23, 1994) and the latter as the most by a defenseman since Edmonton's Chris Pronger (21, 2006). Keith, who is logging a massive 31:28 of average ice time in the playoffs, sat out Friday's practice but is in no danger of missing Game 2.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: The vaunted "Triplets" line of Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov was held in check in the series opener, but coach Jon Cooper isn't ready to push the panic button. "They've proven time and time again, they may be kept off the scoresheet a game here, a game there, but you're not going to keep them off for long," Cooper said of the line, which recorded 28 goals and 55 points over the first three rounds of the playoffs. In the Stanley Cup final opener, however, the trio combined for just two shots.

TRENDS:

*Blackhawks are 4-0 in their last 4 Stanley Cup Finals games.
*Lightning are 6-1 in their last 7 games playing on 2 days rest.
*Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
*Over is 4-1-1 in Lightning last 6 home games.

CONSENSUS: According to Consensus, 64 percent of wagers are on the Bolts.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Udog** · 06-06-2015, 10:26 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, June 6

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO (61-32-0-7, 129 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (62-33-0-8, 132 pts.) - 6/6/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 3-2 (+1.5 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 3-2-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.1 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Udog** · 06-06-2015, 12:07 PM

NHL

Saturday, June 6

Bishop standing tall in bounce back games

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop has been lights out in bounce back games in the postseason, posting a 7-1 record and a .937 save percentage in games following a loss.

That's the position the Bolts find themselves in for Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final on Saturday after dropping Game 1 by a score of 2-1.

Tampa is presently listed as -125 home moneyline faves.

June 6 referee assignments

To help you with your NHL capping, we break down tonight's referee assignments across the league with one key betting note you should keep in mind before hitting the betting window.

Tonight's key betting stat: Home teams are 5-7 in games Kelly Sutherland has worked in the playoffs and 4-8 in the 12 postseason matchups Dan O'Halloran officiated.

Chicago Blackhawks at Tampa Bay Lightning (-125, 5): Kelly Sutherland, Dan O'Halloran.

Announcement

Saturday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 6/6

Saturday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 6/6

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment