Summer Bird joins sire with Belmont/Travers double

Horseracing Betting Lines

08/29/2009 - Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two days of rain did not prevent Belmont Stakes champ Summer Bird from joining his sire, Birdstone, to win the $1 million Travers Stakes Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. Birdstone won the Belmont Stakes and the Mid-Summer Derby in 2004.

The quality of the Travers' field was greatly reduced this week with the defection of Rachel Alexandra to next week's Woodward Stakes and the announcement that Mine That Bird is still recuperating from recent throat surgery and will be held out of the race.

Summer Bird, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, raced for most the 1 1/4 mile Travers away from the rail on Saratoga's sloppy track. Setting the pace was Our Edge with Jim Dandy winner Kensei second on the inside.

Desormeaux had Summer Bird in third as the field entered the far turn and moved the colt into second behind Kensei on the turn for home. Summer Bird, trained by Tim Ice, took the lead coming off the final turn and extended his advantage at the top of the stretch.

Summer Bird, who had never won on a sloppy track, maintained his lead down the stretch and went on to win by 3 1/2-lengths over Hold Me Back. Quality Road, who acted-up going into the starting gate, finished third followed by Charitable Man, Warrior's Reward and 4-1 third choice Kensei. Our Edge was eased in the stretch and did not finish.

Summer Bird covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.83 over a sloppy Saratoga surface.

"This is great," said trainer Tim Ice. "It's a great thrill to win this race."

Summer Bird picks up $600,000 with the win for owners Drs. Kalarikkal K. and Vilasini D. Jayaraman. The three-year-old colt has now won three of seven career starts for $1,573,040.

"He was a very lightly raced colt coming into the Kentucky Derby and into the Belmont," Ice said during Tuesday's teleconference. "He is starting to figure it out what he is out there for. I think physically, he is catching up to where we thought he was mentally coming into the Kentucky Derby. But he is still a horse on the improved."

The chestnut colt was coming off a second-place finish to Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell Invitational on a sloppy track earlier this month at Monmouth Park. Summer Bird was third to Papa Clem in the Arkansas Derby before finishing sixth in the Kentucky Derby, also on a sloppy surface.

During the teleconference Ice said that a decision on the colt's next start was still being discussed.

"We're going to wait and make that decision after Saturday," Ice said, "after the race. You know, there is a few races that we're looking at, but, we first have to see how he comes out of the race. And second is, as far as picking up the right spot and, you know, they have a race that's out in California. There is a race in Belmont. Obviously, we have Super Derby at home. So, you know, there is still options out there and we will figure it out after the race."

Sent off as the 5-2 second pick, Summer Bird returned $7.80, $4.30 and $2.70. Longshot Hold Me Back paid $12.40 and $ 5.30, and 3-2 favorite Quality Road paid $2.50 to show.

Jockeys riding in Saturday's Travers Stakes have pledged 10-percent of their purse earnings from the race to establish a fund for 23-year-old apprentice jockey Michael Straight, who was critically injured in a fall at Arlington Park on Wednesday.

"This was an easy decision," said John Velazquez, chairman of the Jockeys' Guild and rider of Quality Road. "What happened to Michael is a tragedy and we want to do whatever we can to help support him and his family during this difficult time."

Bestfootballchance Horseracing Betting News

<< Alabama head coach Saban agrees to contract extension
Tuscaloosa, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - University of Alabama athletic director Mal Moore announced Saturday that head football coach Nick Saban has signed a contract extension through the 2017 season. The contract extension is awaiting appr

<< Real, Ronaldo hold off Deportivo in opener
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cristiano Ronaldo scored in his La Liga debut but Lassana Diarra provided the match-winner, helping new-look Real Madrid win its first game after spending nearly $400 million in the offseason, 3-0 at the Bernabe

<< Unk goes low for three-shot lead
Seaforth, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brian Unk fired an eight-under 63 Saturday to grab a three-stroke lead after 54 holes of the Seaforth Country Classic. Unk completed three rounds at 21-under-par 192, breaking the tournament's 54- hole scor

<< Boros keeps lead with a 68
Moscow, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Guy Boros shot a two-under 68 to remain atop the leaderboard Saturday after three rounds of the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic. Boros, chasing his fourth Nationwide Tour win, finished three trips ar

<< Wozniacki defeats Vesnina at Pilot Pen final
New Haven, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki defeated Russian Elena Vesnina in the final of the $600,000 Pilot Pen Tennis event, a final U.S. Open tune-up. The final was supposed to have been played outd

Goydos, Marino share Barclays lead >>
Jersey City, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paul Goydos and Steve Marino both shot rounds of three-under 68 Saturday to share the 54-hole lead at The Barclays. Goydos and Marino finished three trips around Liberty National at nine-under 204, two stro

AZ edges Willem II to move atop Eredivisie >>
Alkmaar, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brett Holman and Hector Moreno scored and AZ Alkmaar posted its fourth straight win Saturday, 2-1 over Willem II, to move atop the Dutch Eredivisie. Holman scored in the seventh minute, and Moreno ans

Montpellier tops Nice to remain unbeaten >>
Nice, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Promoted Montpellier continued its undefeated return to France's Ligue 1 on Saturday, topping Nice 3-0 at the Municipal du Ray. Geoffrey Dernis, Victor Hugo Montano and Lilian Compan scored for Montpellier,

Fox hits slam as Cubs crush Mets >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jake Fox's first career grand slam highlighted a six-run fifth inning, as the Chicago Cubs defeated the New York Mets, 11-4, in the middle installment of a three-game series at Wrigley Field. Fox added an R

Price pitches Rays past Tigers >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carl Crawford knocked in an insurance run in the ninth and David Price turned in 7 1/3 strong innings as Tampa Bay edged Detroit, 3-1, in the second contest of four from Comerica Park. Price (7-6) scatter

With all the style and sex appeal of Las Vegas, MySportsbook.com is without a doubt the coolest online sportsbook on the Internet.

At MySportsbook.com, players get to enjoy the luxury of a five star sportsbook, a racebook that's second to none, a casino with all the bells and whistles, and a swanky new poker room!

MySportsbook also has a unique games room where players can go head-to-head for cash playing such things as sports trivia and fantasy games, popular arcade games, word and memory games, and more.

Throughout MySportsbook, visitors and members are treated to informative sports news and sports betting stats Sports matchup reports and sports betting trends as well as entertaining columns written by colorful personalities.

The management at MySportsbook has been in the online gaming business since 1997. As a result of this success, management has earned a coveted spot on eGaming Review's "Power 50" list, which recognizes leaders in online gaming.

With MySportsbook.com , management's goal is to provide players with an exciting place to experience the thrill of gaming in a safe and trustworthy environment.

Thus, players at MySportsbook are assured of getting top notch customer service while having a wickedly good time.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.