FOOTBALL AND FINISH LINES FOR OCTOBER 3
Now that the calendar is turning to October it is time to do a little something different…like give some GOOD speculating advice. The road to the College Football playoff has already seen a few prime timers experience some potholes and the super highway to the Breeders’ Cup has the exit ramp in sight. So without further ado, here comes this week’s selections.
Why is the Southeastern Conference the best in the nation? We only have a few paragraphs, so we will say it starts with games like this week’s matchup between Alabama and Georgia. When these two square off between the hedges, it has all the makings of a good old Southern head knocker. The Dogs are ranked higher and are at home, but it is still a “pick’em” game. What does that tell us? Take the Tide. Alabama coach Nick Saban has a way of raising his team’s level of play every time you think they are on the way down. Georgia has played extremely well of late, so that means they are ripe for a fall. In this league, it is very difficult for anyone to stay up for the entire season as the level of competition is so fierce.
Let’s stay in the league and take a look at Ole Miss (-6 ½ ) at Florida. Both teams are 4-0 and the Gators are at home, so let’s take Johnny Reb. Huh?…Does it make sense go against the home dog here? Well, let’s face it, Florida is really not that good. The win over Tennessee will pump up the Gators, but the Rebel offense will make some boots with that reptile skin. Florida might make it close for a while, but in the end, Ole Miss in a big way.
On to the finish line and a look at some fast, four-footed athletes. We start at the great race place and the Santa Anita Sprint Championship. Carded as race 8 on the card this 6-furlong foray is loaded with talent. The new kid on the block is three-year old sensation Gimme Da Lute. Bob Baffert trained and the son of champion sprinter Midnight Lute, this Mike Pegram owned colt has won 4 races in a row and has 6 wins, 1 second, and 2 thirds in 9 career starts. His last start at this distance produced a third place finish at Pimlico in the Chick Lang. Obviously he knows where the wire is and his hall of fame conditioner knows a little something about winning races. And besides, the name tells us all we need to know. Take the 8 horse in race 8…Gimme Da Lute!
Next we go to Keeneland for race 9 which is the Shadwell Turf Mile. Run on the grass of the Kentucky countryside, this race was once the showcase for Wise Dan. With a purse of a cool million dollars, entrants are lined up to dash for that cash. Arlington Million winner The Pizza Man will be cutting back in distance here and looking for his fourth win in a row and fourteenth win of his 24 race career. Listed at 8-1 on the morning line, this 6-year old son of English Channel will provide some value. Take the 10 horse across the board and watch The Pizza Man deliver.
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