Quality Road heads Whitney Invitational

Horseracing Betting Lines

08/04/2010 - Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Quality Road, trained by Todd Pletcher, tops a field of six for Saturday's $750,000 Whitney Invitational at Saratoga Race Course. The winner of the 1 1/8-mile Whitney gains automatic entry into this year's Breeders' Cup Classic.

Owned by Edward Evans, Quality Road will be ridden by John Velazquez from post three. The winner of last year's Florida Derby has been made a heavy 2-5 program favorite for the Whitney.

"I think we have a fit and happy horse, which is the goal," Pletcher declared.

Perfect in three starts this year, Quality Road has a career bankroll of more than $1.6 million with seven wins in 10 lifetime starts. The colt is coming off a win in the Met Mile on Memorial Day at Belmont Park.

In February he won the Donn Handicap by more than a dozen lengths at Gulfstream Park. Quality Road began his 2010 season in January by taking the Hal's Hope Stakes at the south Florida track.

Last year at Saratoga, Quality Road won the Amsterdam Stakes and was third to Summer Bird in the Travers.

Quality Road has been second most of the year in the National Thoroughbred Poll behind undefeated mare Zenyatta.

"I think Quality Road certainly belongs in any conversation about the best horse in training," Pletcher noted. "I think if you look at his Donn Handicap, for example, that was just an unbelievable race, and then to come back with a similar performance in the Met Mile - we believe he is the best horse in training."

Stephen Foster champ Blame will make his second career start at Saratoga in the Whitney. The four-year-old won last year's Curlin Stakes for three-year- olds.

Trained by Al Stall, Jr., Blame will be ridden again by Garrett Gomez from post two and is the 4-1 second choice.

"I believe he will improve off his Stephen Foster victory; hopefully, the trip will work out tactically," said Stall. "At least with a smaller field, he won't be hung out in the 11 hole.

"He can handle anything. Nothing bothers that horse. We're ready for the task. This is his third race this year. We're excited to be here and run in the Whitney. We are ready to take on all comers. I'm looking forward to it."

Blame has earned better than $1 million for owner Adele Dilschneider. In 10 career starts the colt has seven wins, including his last four in a row. This year he also won the William Donald Schaefer Stakes at Pimlico.

Also in the field are 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, Suburban Handicap champ Haynesfield and Met Mile runner-up Musket Mam.

Here is the complete field for the Whitney in post position order: Mine That Bird, Calvin Borel, 12-1; Blame, Garrett Gomez, 4-1; Quality Road, John Velazquez, 2-5; Haynesfield, Ramon Dominguez, 12-1; Jardim, Julien Leparoux, 30-1; and Musket Man, Rajiv Maragh, 6-1.

Post-time for the 83rd Whitney is set for 5:50 p.m. (et).

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

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Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch

Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.

Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.

"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."

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