Havre de Grace taking small steps towards return

Horseracing Betting Lines

12/14/2011 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Owner Rick Porter has posted an update of the status of his leading thoroughbred Havre de Grace. On his stable's website, rockportharbor.com, Porter reports that the four-year-old filly is gradually getting prepared for her 2012 campaign. She is stabled at Vinery Racing's Florida location near Ocala.

"Dr Bramlage has changed his plan for Havre de Grace and she is now under tack walking the shedrow but will start jogging next week if not before," Porter advised. "She will continue to just jog and spend time daily on the aqua tread as well as spend lots of time in a small paddock. This is what she did last year and it sure worked well. She is still scheduled to go to Larry (trainer Jones) on or about January 6th."

Jones is based at Fair Grounds in New Orleans this winter, but Havre de Grace is expected to start in the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park, a race she won this year.

Havre de Grace, the top vote getter in the final NTRA Poll of 2011, is expected to be voted the Eclipse Award as 2011 champion older female. With her impressive record for the year she is also considered a favorite as Horse of the Year.

The filly won five of seven starts in 2011 for more than $1.6 million. Along with the Apple Blossom she won the Azeri, Obeah, Woodward and Beldame. Her only losses were by a nose to Blind Luck in the Delaware Handicap and a fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Spinboz Horseracing Betting News

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Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

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