2011 Belmont Stakes Betting – Five To Watch at Belmont Park

Early 2011 Belmont Stakes betting odds are out as sportsbooks aim to give their clients a jump on the final leg of the Triple Crown, and here is a look at five horses who should stand out and garner consideration when you’re looking to make your horse betting picks.

2011 Belmont Stakes Betting – Saturday, June 11th

Animal Kingdom (+400): He may wind up being the overall favorite after following up his Kentucky Derby win with a second-place run in the Preakness in which another late rally came up just short. He looks to get better as the race goes on, which is promising for his horse betting odds in the longest race of the Triple Crown at 1.5 miles.

Shackleford (+400): Shackleford faded in the Derby, and did just enough to hold off Animal Kingdom in the Preakness, but there are obviously going to be questions about his stamina. Shackleford was the toughest horse to get into the starting gate at the Preakness, and you have to be worried about a tendency to expend energy unnecessarily.

Nehro (+400): Nehro finished second in the Derby and was held out of the Preakness, so he’ll be well rested for the Belmont. He was one of the horses who made a late run to track down Shackleford at Churchill Downs, so again, his stamina will be a factor when he gets on the track at Belmont Park.

Mucho Macho Man (+800): WWE fans will likely put something down for Mucho Macho Man, who bears a close similarity to the name of recently deceased Randy “Macho Man” Savage, and he’s finished in the top six in the first two Triple Crown races (third in the Kentucky Derby, sixth in the Preakness). He’s a balanced horse, which bodes well for a long race like the Preakness, and he should be one to watch going into the final turn.

Jaycito (+1200): Jaycito hasn’t raced in any of the Triple Crown races, but he has an excellent trainer in Bob Baffert, who won the Preakness with Point Given in 2001. He did manage to finish second in a solid field at the San Felipe Stakes, and he’s finished first or second in three of his four stakes races that were classified as a Grade 1 or Grade 2, so the talent is there. He had a foot bruise that kept him out of the first two races, but he’s been off since March, so look for Jaycito to be raring to go when it comes to the Belmont, and he’s going to be a horse that should move up the ranks as we get closer to the big race at your favorite online betting sites.

NHL Betting: Canucks Look To Clinch Spot in Stanley Cup Finals Tuesday

17 years after the Vancouver Canucks fell short in the Stanley Cup finals against the New York Rangers in 1994, the franchise has the chance to earn their shot at redemption now one win away from earning their spot in the championship series. The Canucks have San Jose on the ropes up three-games-to-one heading into game five of their Western conference final series Tuesday night, the first of three potential chances to punch their ticket.

San Jose Sharks @ Vancouver Canucks

Tuesday May 24, 2011 – 9:00 PM ET

Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia

Online Sports Betting Odds: Vancouver Canucks – 110

Three second-period powerplay goals powered Vancouver to a 4-2 game four-win Sunday afternoon, forcing the Sharks to the road to keep their postseason hopes alive. The Canucks have outscored San Jose 14-7 in three wins, and as long as the offense continues to click the Presidents trophy winners could have more pay per head hardware headed their way.

NHL Betting Preview: San Jose Sharks

The Sharks did an excellent job of keeping up with Vancouver through the first 20 minutes of game four after earning their first win of the series in game three, but untimely penalties and an inability to capitalize on their own chances ultimately cost them. San Jose failed to capitalize on five consecutive powerplay opportunities to open the game, and then fell apart after taking four straight penalties in the middle frame. The Sharks allowed three goals in a span of less than two minutes, each of them netted when they were two men down. San Jose will need to do a better job on special teams to have a chance to claw their way back into the series, and they won’t have much time to prepare.

NHL Betting Preview: Vancouver Canucks

Henrik Sedin and company needed just 13 shots to pull out the critical game four-win, becoming the first team in NHL scores history to score three goals with a two-man advantage in the playoffs. Henrik assisted on all three of those goals and added another helper on the Canucks’ third period goal to set the franchise record for assists in a game, which increased his total to 19 points to lead all scorers this postseason. Brother Daniel finished with three assists of his own, giving the Sedins a total of 15 points in four games for the series. One more big game could have Vancouver in the Stanley Cup finals, and they will get the opportunity to perform on home ice.

NHL Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The Sharks failed to capitalize on their opportunities in the opening frame of game four, and then looked fatigued in the second as they began taking unnecessary penalties as they fell apart. Two nights later San Jose will be asked to rebound on the road, and it may be a case of not having enough left in the tank to compete with one of the most complete and dominant teams that the league has seen in recent years, leaving the in-state MLB betting teams as California’s only spring hopes.

Gambling Advisor blog Pick: Vancouver Canucks - 120