Delaware Park attracts big name rider

Horseracing Betting Lines

04/15/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In the decade of the 1990s whenever the name of Shane Sellers was listed as the jockey for a racehorse, many a dollar would be automatically bet on that entry. Sellers was easily on his way to a Hall of Fame career as a jockey.

While that career has had some twists and turns, Sellers is back riding horses and this summer he will be plying his trade at Delaware Park. The historic track near Wilmington will begin its 73rd season of live racing on the first Saturday in May.

"I know Delaware Park has a tough competitive meet," said Sellers. "I know I am going to have to come here and work hard and do whatever I need to do, but I am hungry and I want it again. This place is really amazing. I love golf and it was pretty cool driving in and seeing the golf course right there. The racetrack and stable area are beautiful and it really reminds of Saratoga and Keeneland. A real laid back nice place. I have been to the track and it seems like a great track with a real good feel. I do not know if it is just because I am so happy to be back in the game or what, but so far I am really enjoying myself."

A Louisiana native, the 43-year-old Sellers will be coming to Delaware Park now that Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans has completed its 2009-10 season. This year the veteran rider has 25 wins in 275 mounts for $965,286.

"I had an unbelievable meet on a lot of different levels," said Sellers. "I finished fifth in the standings and I finished near the top in purses earned. I went into the Fair Grounds meet with an open mind and with the attitude to change what everybody thought of me. If I accomplished that it would be have been a successful meet, and I did, though it took a little longer with some. I rode for some people that I thought would never give me a shot again, so it gave me hope that at 43-years-old I can still compete with these kids, even though I had been away from riding for nearly five years. On all those counts, I feel I was successful."

He finished fifth in the Fair Grounds standings with a record of 49 wins, 61 seconds, and 53 thirds with purses earned of $1,881,265.

"After the Fair Grounds meet, I wanted to find a track that would allow me to continue to ride good horses," Sellers said. "I left the game riding good horses, I rode good horses at the Fair Grounds over the winter and I wanted to find a track where I could continue to ride good horses. I have ridden at every possible level and I wanted to get back there. I thought about a couple different tracks. Cody Autrey mentioned something about riding some of his horses at Delaware Park. Honestly, it was something I never thought of, but there were so many people coming from the Fair Grounds to here, so I started talking to them and they said they would give me shot. So I really started thinking Delaware Park might be the right track for me. For six months I could go to a nice place and ride for these people and when they go back to the Fair Grounds, hopefully I will have the opportunity to ride for them there. It seemed like a win-win situation."

Following a retirement from the sport for more than four years, Sellers began a comeback last July at Evangeline Downs in his home state. Since stepping away from being a jockey he was working as a trainer.

"I understood that I left the game with some baggage and I knew there was going to be some people not coming my way, so I knew I had to depend upon my ability," noted Sellers. "When I was down and out and really did not have anybody, I turned to God. He got me back. That is what I ask every day. I do not ask to win. I ask for him to let me ride to the best of my ability and be confident. I understood for my comeback to be a success that was how I was going to make it happen."

Sellers has more than 2,100 wins in over 24,000 career mounts with total earnings of $124 million. He was 1998 Horse of the Year Skip Away's primary rider during the colt's three-year-old and four-year-old seasons. The pair posted wins in the Blue Grass Stakes, Travers, Woodbine Million and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, all in 1996. In 1997 they registered victories in the Massachusetts and Suburban Handicaps. Skip Away was voted champion three-year- old male in 1996.

In 1997 Sellers won the $1 million Juvenile Fillies with Countess Diana and the 1998 $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf aboard Buck's Boy.

He won back to back Florida Derbies in 1998 with Cape Town and in 1999 on Vicar. Sellers also has two wins in the Louisiana Derby, 1998 aboard Comic Strip and 2000 with Mighty.

He won the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland three times, in 1995 with Wild Syn, 1996 with Skip Away and 2004 with The Cliff's Edge. Sellers also has three victories in Keeneland's Ashland for three-year-old fillies, 1991 with Do It With Style, 1993 aboard Lunar Spook and with Rings a Chime in 2000.

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds  
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.

Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.

Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.

Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.

Arizona 20-1

Butler 20-1

Duke 30-1

Florida 7-2

Georgetown 30-1

Indiana 35-1

Kansas 15-1

Marquette 25-1

Maryland 40-1

Memphis 50-1

Nevada 50-1

UNC 9-2

OSU 8-1

Oregon 30-1

Pittsburgh 15-1

Texas 30-1

Texas A&M 18-1

UCLA 6-1

Wisconsin 10-1

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