Sunday at Pebble Beach, Graeme McDowell w-w-w-w- …

Sorry. Let me try that again.

Sunday at Pebble Beach, Graeme McDowell wo-wo-wo- …

Nope. Cant do it. Cant write that Graeme McDowell, um, finished the 110th U.S. Open on Sunday with a four-day score that was better than everyone elses four-day score. I cant say he won the event, because he played his final 10 holes in 4-over par. He didnt win the event. What did he do? He did the worst job of losing it.

Lose the Open? Dustin Johnson was masterful at it. He went into the day leading the field by three shots, but he gave those up on the second hole. He swung after being caught by NBCs cameras saying a two-word epithet i and then missed a 4-foot putt. Triple-bogey.

Johnson lost his drive on the next hole for on the next hole. Now he was out of the lead. Soon he was off the leaderboard. Had this thing gone another 18 holes, he might have lost his tour card. As it was, he finished Sunday with an 82 after missing a 3-footer on No. 18.

Johnson was the most effective loser in the field, but he wasnt the only one. Tiger Woods also lost this thing, starting the day 1-under par but ballooning to 4-over after 13 holes. A score of even-par would have won this Open for Woods. Instead he shot a 75.

Phil Micke but bogeying three holes on the back nine to finish tied for fourth.

Ernie Els lo by playing the final 10 holes in 5-over.

Davis Love III lost this thing in much the same way, falling from a peak of 1-over as he walked onto the 12th green to 5-over when he walked off the 17th.

Look at those names: Woods. Mickelson. Els. Love. Twenty-two major championships between them. And Dustin Johnson, one of the most physically gifted players in the world. They lost this tournament. All of them.

“Great setup,” McDowell said of Pebble Beach Golf spankings all around. The only guy with a shot of beating McDowell who systematically fail was Frenchman Gregory Havret, a player so obscure that I didnt bother to learn his first name until late Sunday afternoon … and he has the same name as me. It never registered, because hes nobody. I have no idea where Havret came from, other than France, but Im positive that after this week hell return there and never be heard from again.

On second thought, never mind. I was being kind because of that whole shared name thing, but Havret lost this Open, too. He was 2-under after seven holes, then bogeyed three of the final 11. And still he had a chance to force a playoff. Havret hit into sand traps on the last two holes. And still he had a chance to force a playoff. But with a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 18 to tie McDowell, Havret pulled it like a hamstring. Looked like me because I was awful.

Graeme stands by his proud dad on Fathers Day after barely holding on for the trophy. (AP) As for McDowell, well, hmmm. Asked to name his highlights of the round, he thought about two good approach shots he hit, on No. 13 and No. 15, that gave him a chance at birdie.

“But I didnt sack those,” he said.

McDowell mustered just one birdie on Sunday, compared to the 11 birdies he put together on Thursday and Friday.

“I kind of ran out of steam today,” he said. “Tried to par the thing to death, and thankfully that was enough.”

This wasnt the typical U.S. Open example of a brutal course taking a bite out of the best players in the world. It was difficult, and the wind didnt make it any easier, but its too easy to say thats all that happened here. What also happened here was bad shot after bad shot, with Woods and Mickelson and Els and Johnson launching balls into the Pacific Ocean. These werent shots fr these were tee shots going in the Pacific Ocean. Approaches from the fairway, into the Pacific. I walked the course and got close to the cliffs and wondered, at the time, why there were only three boats in the water. But now I get it. The Pacific was no place to be on Sunday. With golf balls flying everywhere, a boater could get brained out there.

McDowell didnt contribute to the fusillade into the Pacific, but he contributed something else for golfing lore: The white-flag finish. After McDowell bogeyed the 17th and hit his tee shot on the 18th into the rough, caddy Ken Comboy had seen enough. In an embarrassing conversation caught on national television, McDowell wanted to hit a 2-iron. Comboy told him to hit a 9-iron. They settled on a 5-iron, which McDowell put into the middle of the fairway. From there he hit a pitching we the U.S. Open was over.

On the surface, McDowell is worthy. Hes a Ryder Cup veteran ra by shooting 64-63 on the weekend. Earlier this week McDowell showed the necessary bravado, saying he was envisioning himself as champion and welcoming the infa I think it will separate the men from the boys,” McDowell said. “Bring it on.”

McDowell added, “If I get a sniff Sunday afternoon, Ill be ready for it.”

He got the sniff, and it damn near knocked him unconscious. But McDowell stayed upright, and upright was enough to, um, take home that silver jug that goes to the winner.

The sophomore set were showcased this winter and spring through the Triple Crown Trail but it’s time to turn our attention to the babies, the coming 2-year-olds that are emerging on the scene.

When looking for prime bets with juveniles the keys are connections, fast and steady works, trainers that point for the money with youngsters and breeding.

This is where first-crop sires come into play as it’s wise to get ahead of the curve with these sires and the following tidbits should be able to point you to some winners this summer.

Through the middle of June, Bluegrass Cat is leading the league among first-crop sires popping with almost half of his 12 starters so far.

A son of Storm Cat, Bluegrass Cat was troubled in his only start at 2, was freshened, then freaked in his second juvenile start winning by over 6 lengths with a 91 Beyer Speed Figure.

Bred for stamina on the bottom side with the A. P. Indy blood, Bluegrass Cat thrived as the distances increased and he was very unfortunate to have been in the same crop as the great Barbaro, who beat him by over 6 lengths going away in the Kentucky Derby.

Bluegrass Cat has been well represented this year by Speed Demon, who was troubled from the rail in his first start, won going away in his next at Churchill last April 28, then was troubled in his stakes debut and had to settle for second.

Expect Cats offspring not to have brilliant speed, but solid stalk and pounce potential.

For those gambling in Texas or Louisiana, the new sire to watch is Primal Storm, who sired potential star Lady Primal. That filly came running at first asking winning her debut increasing her margin in the final furlong, proved she could handle mud next out winning by nearly 6 lengths, then had the mishap of running into monster Lady Giacamo.

Primal Storm himself was precocious enough to win his debut by 6 lengths before taking a Grade 3 in his next start by 7. Strictly a sprinter, look for all of his offspring to have high volume speed.

The third new sire to watch is Giacomo, the unlikely Kentucky Derby winner that stands for only $5,000 and the one responsible for the aforementioned Lady Giacamo.

Giacomo was unlucky in his racing debut, won his second start at 2, then posted his second career victory at 50-1 in the Derby.

Pinballed in her green debut, Lady Giacamo straightened herself to draw away late, repeated with a career high 76 Beyer next out, then proved neither race was a fluke when a professional victory over 8 in her stakes debut.

What makes Giacomo exciting, as a sire is that if he can sire runners that win early, those players only figure to get better with more ground.

Other secret first-crop sires that bettors should pay attention to are With Distinction, Congrats, Mass Media, Bellamy Road and Pomeroy.

Betting on 2-year-olds can be a treacherous thing but since they are babies, they often just run as fast as they can and true talent thrives.

Players that want an edge should tee it up on the new sires that have been mentioned and look for the runners that fly under the radar.

In a U.S. Open with golfs biggest stars on the leaderboard, it was Graeme McDowell who played like one.

McDowell seized control after a shocking collapse by Dustin Johnson, then failed to get flustered with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els lined up behind him. The 30-year-old from Northern Ireland wasnt perfect, but he was good enough.

He closed with a 3-over 74 to become the first European in 40 years to capture the U.S. Open, getting an embrace on the 18th green from his father.

“Youre something, kid,” Kenny McDowell said, speaking for thousands who watched this unlikely Open unfold along the Pacific coastline.

It was a final round no one expected.

Johnson took a triple bogey on the second hole to lose all of his three-shot lead, and a double bogey on the next hole ended his hopes. Three of the biggest stars of this generation were right there, ready to continue the lineage of great champions at Pebble Beach, only to play far below their exp and his final round was the highest score by a U.S. Open champion since Andy North in 1985.

No matter. It added up to a one-shot victory over another surprise contender, Gregory Havret of France, who shot 72.

“I cant believe Im standing with this right now,” McDowell said, posing with silver trophy. “Its a dream come true. Ive been dreaming it all my life. Two putts to win the U.S. Open. Cant believe it happened.”

Woods couldnt believe it, either.

Poised to end six months of bad publicity over a shattered personal life, he bogeyed five of his first 10 holes and took himself out of contention with a 75.

Els and Mickelson hung around a little longer, and both had opportunities, but neither could capitalize.

Els had a brief share of the lead on the f and never quite recovered. His hopes ended when he missed his target with a sand wedge on the par-5 14th and took bogey, then missed a four-foot birdie putt on the 15th.

He closed with a 73 to finish alone in third.

Mickelson, with another great chance to end a career of disappointment at the U.S. Open, holed a birdie putt from just off the green on the first hole, then didnt made another birdie the rest of the day. He also shot a 73 and tied for fourth with Woods, missing a chance to supplant Woods at No. 1 in the world.

Woods made only two birdies, but was more troubled by his mistakes.

“I made three mental mistakes,” Woods said. “The only thing it cost us was a chance to win the U.S. Open.”

Even so, nothing compares with what happened to Johnson. The 25-year-old American looked so unflappable all week, and came apart so quickly. On the final hole of a round he wont forget, Johnson missed a two-foot birdie putt and wound up with an 82. It was the highest closing round by a 54-hole leader in the U.S. Open since Fred McLeod shot 83 in 1911.

McDowell finished at even-par 284 and ended 40 years of questions about when a European would capture Americas national championship. Englands Tony Jacklin was the last one, in 1970 at Hazeltine.

McDowell had to work harder than he imagined.

Even under overcast skies and a stiff breeze, the course was as firm and dangerous as ever. Davis Love III, with a 71, was the only player among the final five groups who matched par.

“I cant believe how difficult this golf course was,” McDowell said. “No matter how good you play … good golf got reward, and bad golf got punished really badly.”

McDowell got into the U.S. Open by narrowly getting into the top 50 in the world at the deadline to avoid qualifying. He wound up with his first victory in America to go along with five European Tour victories, most recently the Wales Open last month at the home course for the Ryder Cup in October. He is sure to be part of the European team now, moving up to No. 13 in the world.

O Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite and Woods in 2000 by a record 15 shots. Lanny Wadkins won the only PGA Championship played on this fabled course by the sea.

McDowell might not have the pedigree, but he sure had the game.

“To play steady and to withstand some tough holes the way Graeme did and to come out on top, he played some great golf,” Mickelson said. “It was a wide-open tournament. Many guys had a chance. And it made for kind of an exciting U.S. Open, I thought.”

It didnt sound like one.

The gentle waves lapping the shore almost made more noise than the gallery, with so few birdies to cheer on a day that was more about survival. McDowell had a three-shot lead as he walked down the 10th fairway, and from there it was a matter of hanging on.

“You go chasing and youll make bogeys,” McDowell said.

Mickelson gave it one last try when he fired at a dangerous pin on the right side of the 16th green. It came up just short and buried in the deep grass, and when the Masters champion heard the groan, he said to caddie Jim Mackay, “I took a chance, Bones. Didnt pay off.”

Els played the par-3 17th in 5 over par for the week, including a bogey from the bunker on Sunday. Needing an eagle on the 18th to have any chance, he came up woefully short and to the right in a bunker.

None of this would have been possible without Johnsons collapse, which was simply spectacular.

He had a three-shot lead and was in the middle of the fairway at No. 2 with a wedge in his hand after a 343-yard drive. When he walked off the green at No. 4, he was three shots behind, a six-shot turnaround in three holes.

From thick grass on the edge of a bunker, he chopped at it left-handed, then nearly whiffed right-handed, and, when he finally chipped it to 3 feet, he missed the putt and took triple bogey. His lead was gone.

With a driver on the par-4 third, he pulled it so far left that it disappeared into a cluster of trees behind the 16th greens. Fans heard it, but didnt see it. The five minutes allowed for the search ended, and seconds later, someone cried out, “Found it!” Too late. He went back to the tee, hit into a fairway bunker and made double bogey.

Trying to drive the fourth green, it went right into the hazard along the ocean for a bogey.

Three holes into the final round, the U.S. Open was wide open, setting up perfectly for the three biggest names in golf – Woods, Mickelson and Els – to seize the moment.

To most everyones surprise, none of them did.

Ernie Els shot one of the lowest scores of the day on Friday and is high on the leaderboard halfway through the 110th U.S. Open. Thats somewhat shocking, because before the 2010 PGA Tour, Ernie Els hadnt been relevant in years but that wouldnt be completely open or honest, and Els wants to be open about this. About his struggles.

And so, out of respect for him, Ill be as blunt as I can be:

Ernie Els has five birdies Friday and is playing as well as anybody in the Open field. (AP) Before this year, Ernie Els hadnt been relevant since his sons autism became a problem.

That was in 2004. Ben Els, the younger of Ernie and Liezl Els two children, wasnt acting like other 2-year-olds. He wasnt talking much. Wasnt walking much. He wouldnt even look his father in the eye. Els was coming off a he won a career-best three times on the PGA T but at home, his world was about to be blown apart.

“He didnt know anything about autism,” says Els agent, Chubby Chandler. “He was about to learn.”

It was a frightening lesson. Roughly one out of 150 children are born with autism, a neural disorder marked by impaired social interaction, some more severely affected than others. Ben Els, bless him, was affected severely. He almost never comes to the golf course because his mother and father simply dont know how he will act. For years they kept his condition private.

Els struggles in golf, though, were public.

After that remarkable 2004, Els was winless in 2 posting at least one PGA Els won just once in the five years since. He bottomed out in 2008, missing the cut as many times (five) as he finished in the Top 10. He felt sorry for himself. He was depressed. He and Liezl were unhappy, fighting about the best way to care for Ben. Divorce was a possibility. Bens autism remained a secret.

By 2008, enough was enough. Els announced to the world that Ben had autism and began regaining control of his life. In 2009, Ernie and Liezl established the Els for Autism Foundation and made a goal of raising $30 million for a 300-student school and research facility in Florida. Au but Ernie Els was about to get even.

First, though, he had to take care of Ben. Until this year the Els family had lived on three continents, using Ernies private jet to bounce between homes in Florida, England and Els native South Africa. This year they determined that a single home base in West Palm Beach, Fla., would be best for Ben. They even joining his father at the Els for Autism Pro-Am in March at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fl and Ernie Els is having one of the best years of his career.

Els won twice in March, has finished in the top five two other times, and now here he is at Pebble Beach, the biggest name on Fridays leader board (until Phil Mickelsons charge late in the day). Els shot a 3-under 68, leaving him two strokes behind leader Graeme McDowells two-day total of 139.

< two of his three but it has been awhile. He last finished in the top 10 at the U.S. Open in 2004. He hasnt won a major since then. Last year, this two-time Open champion missed the cut at the Open … and at the Masters. Humbling.

Now, hes roaring. And its not his putter or his driver. Not his chipping or his scrambling. Its his personal life. After years of turmoil, his home is at peace.

“Ive played this event where Ive been very tense,” Els said Friday. “And all I can say is that the times that Ive been tense, my game wasnt quite there. This week Im feeling all right. This week, Im calm.”

On the surface, Els always looks calm. When he was winning 15 times between 1994-2004, he looked calm. When he was winning just once from 2005-09, he looked calm. Even his manager and close friend, Chandler, didnt know.

“At the time, I couldnt see what he was going through,” Chandler said. “I couldnt see the bad side. But now that its good, I see the good side. I see how relaxed he is. Hes serene.”

The scorecard doesnt lie. Els birdied five holes Friday, playing this course as well as anyone has played it through two days. What happens this weekend? No telling, but Els has won this event two times. He has won this year two times. He is putting like its 2004. He is smiling again, just a few years after Bens condition had Els asking himself, “What just happened to my life?”

This weekend Els will go for his fourth major title, which only 10 players have done in the past 50 years. It would be quite a legacy, but its not the one Els cares about. He knows he will be remembered by some people as a golfer, but he wants more.

“Id like also to be remembered as somebody who took the issue of autism and did something with it,” Els said. “The rest of my life, Ill be fighting this thing.”

From the top of every grandstand to the beach down below, fans desperate for a star at Pebble Beach saluted Phil Mickelson with throaty cheers and messages written in the sand.

He gave the gallery what it wanted. He gave the U.S. Open what it needed.

Mickelson beat the entire to put some life into an overcast day and give himself another chance to finally take something more than silver home from a U.S. Open.

One day after he didnt make a single birdie, he made six of them Friday. It wasnt enough to catch Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, who set the early pace with a 3-under 68 to take a two-shot lead into the weekend.

All that mattered to Mickelson, however, was getting back to even par.

“Im in a good spot,” said Mickelson, whose five runner-up finishes is a U.S. Open record. “I dont look at the leaderboard. I dont look at other players. I look at par. If you can stay around par, youre going to be in the tournament Sunday. That was kind of the goal.”

Mickelson finished with seven strong pars and was at 1-under 141, joining a shrinking group of five players who have beaten par over two days at Pebble Beach. Also two shots behind were two-time U.S. Open champion Ernie Els (68), 18-year-old Ryo Ishikawa (71) and Dustin Johnson (70), who has won the last two times in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and looks right at home in much firmer conditions.

Even so, the day belonged to Mickelson.

The Masters champion, who opened with a 75 on Thursday, ran off five birdies in first eight holes. The blazing stretch ended on the par-4 eighth with a 5-iron off the tee that came perilously close to the edge of a 60-foot cliff, setting up a wedge he hit over the ocean to 15 feet and another big roar.

Just like that, he was back in the game.

“I cant wait for tomorrows round,” Mickelson. “I love being on this golf course.”

Tiger Woods believes hes still in the mix, too, although a pedestrian round of 1-over 72 left him seven shots behind. Woods has never won a major when trailing by more than six shots going into the weekend.

Asked if he liked his positions, Woods replied, “Absolutely.”

“Im right there in the championship,” Woods said. “I just need to make a few more birdies, a few more putts on the weekend, and Ill be right there.”

It starts with McDowell, a 30-year-old with five European Tour victories and a pair of 18-hole leads in the majors.

He was among the early starters, when the greens were in the best shape and the air was cool and calm. the par 5 that c and pulled ahead with smart shots into the fourth hole and the par-5 sixth to build his lead.

“Im really trying to put no expectations on myself this weekend because I know theres a lot of great players out here … and this golf course is extremely difficult,” McDowell said.

It just didnt look that way Friday.

It was a gentle start to the second round, with the calm of Stillwater Cove broken only by a pair of dolphins searching for breakfast. Over the next 12 hours, conditions didnt change much except for a freshening breeze late in the day.

McDowells round ended with a three-putt bogey on the ninth hole, but it was significant. By dropping to 3-under, he assured that everyone within 10 shots, 7-over or a group that included 60-year-old Tom Watson.

Im in a good spot, Phil Mickelson says after his brilliant second round. (AP) Watson, who won his only U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 1982, made par on the last hole to follow his 78 with a 71. Turns out he would have made the cut on his own, one of the 83 players who were among the top 60 and ties.

Watson, the only player to compete in all five U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach, was not surprised by the good scoring.

“When you have some wind, thats when its hard to get on these greens, to get the right shot in there, to get the right distance,” Watson said. “Today, the course is going to play as easy as its going to play for four rounds. I can guarantee you that.”

Mickelson made him look like a prophet.

Woods did not.

The worlds No. 1 player made his first birdie of the tournament by chipping in from about 20 yards short of the green on his second hole at No. 11. But he made only two more birdies, and they were not enough to offset the tee shot that caromed off a tree into grass so deep he took a penalty drop, or the plugged lie in the corner of the bunker on the 12th, or his failure to birdie the easiest par 5s.

Mickelson knew he would have to take advantage on the first seven holes, and he did just that.

“I thought something in the 60s was out there and would get me into contention,” Mickelson said. “I knew I needed to get off to a quick start because the birdie holes are the first seven.”

As he finished out the ocean holes, a small crowd walking the beach wrote in the sand, “GO PHIL.”

He made birdie on the 11th and finished with seven strong pars, giving himself four good looks at birdie but no complaints when they didnt fall. Mickelson was nine shots better than his opening round.

“This is so much fun, and I dont want the weekend to end,” Mickelson said.

Its just beginning. His family was due in from San Diego on Friday night, stirring memories of his Masters victory in April. Once he took the lead, his wife, Amy, came out to the golf course for the first time since being diagnosed with breast cancer more than a year ago.

But this U.S. Open is only halfway over.

McDowell has not faced weekend pressure in a major, and he conceded that it was hard not to think about that shiny trophy.

Ishikawa, who has a chance to become the youngest U.S. Open champion, is used to the bright lights. Even though he only graduated high school in March, he is treated in Japan the way Woods is around the world. And it helped to play two rounds with Watson, who is revered in these parts.

Els, already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour this year, also knows how to win a U.S. Open, even though his last title came in 1997.

“I needed something in red figures to get me back in the tournament,” the Big Easy said.

Paul Casey took an 8 on the p stopping near a divot he had smoothed over during the time it took the ball to roll up and down the slope. He was not penalized because it was deemed not his intention to improve his lie. Casey shot a 73 and was at even-par 142, along with Brendon De Jonge (73), Alex Cejka (72) and Jerry Kelly (70).

Two dozen players were separated by six shots, a group that included Lee Westwood, the No. 3 player in the world who played with Els and Woods and has done well to stay in the game.

Westwood scrambled for a 71 on a day he thought would be the easiest of the week.

“I dont think anybodys going to run away with this,” Westwood said.

Who: Thoroughbreds – Kindergarden Kid
What: Horse Racing Betting Tips – The Colonial Turf Cup (Grade 2)
Where: Colonial Downs
When: Saturday, June 19th

Don’t worry…you didn’t miss the boat when Kindergarden Kid beat entry-level allowance foes last out at a juicy price of 7.20-1. He’s the morning-line fourth choice at 5-1 in Saturday’s Colonial Turf Cup (Grade 2) at Colonial Downs, and figures to turn the trick again at overlaid odds. Let’s take a look at the field for this $500,000 event.

1-Paddy O’Prado: He’s hit the board in all four turf starts, including a win in The Palm Beach (Grade 3) at the expense of Cup rival Dean’s Kitten. He pressed the pace that day, which may not be the preferred running style in an event loaded with speed. I’m discounting his 3rd-place finish in The Kentucky Derby over a sloppy main track that he obviously relished. Co-highweight has ‘underlay’ written all over him.
2-Workin for Hops: Toss the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs, in which he lost his footing at the start, and this horse is perfect on the lawn. However, he has appeared to be a bit green in his races, and he’ll have plenty of company on the front end. The 1 3/16th-mile distance is a question mark as well, and he gets a new pilot in E. T. Baird. Pass.
3-Kindergarden Kid: He won at 1 3/8-miles in his second career start, so the distance will suit him just fine. This well-bred youngster fetched $500,000 as a yearling, so you know he’s got the conformation to match his pedigree. He gets in as co-lightweight at 117 lbs., and regular rider Cornelio Velasquez retains the mount. He’ll have plenty of pace up front to set up his late charge, and note that he came home in a swift :34 2/5 last out. His morning tab since that race is highly encouraging. Trainer Barclay Tagg has a good one on his hands. The pick.
4-Vamos a Ver: Has the advantage of a race/win over this course, but that’s about the only edge he has going for him. Pace casualty? Adios amigo.
5-Doubles Partner: The combination of Pletcher/Gomez/Top Grass Beyer (99) assures that this guy will be well-backed at the windows. Also note that he’s a perfect 3-for-3 on the lawn. He’ll be tough to beat, but I have a feeling that Kindergarden Kid will get the jump on him, and ‘Kid’s 4-lb. weight break will make it hard for ‘Partner  to catch up.
6-Dean’s Kitten: If I’m passing on ‘Paddy, it would be tough to make a case for a horse that ‘Paddy’s beaten in their last three encounters.
7-Two Notch Road: Monmouth shipper lands in a tough spot, as there’s plenty of speed to his inside. $2.5K yearling purchase was a steal for his connections, but they’re reaching too high here.
Those are my horse racing betting tips for Saturday. Best of luck and happy gambling! 

On July 4th As America celebrates Independence Day our Canadian neighbors to the north hold their premier racing event which is older then the nation itself. This year marks the 151st edition of the plate making the Queen’s Plate North America’s oldest race. Adding to the prestige of this occasion Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II will be in attendance. The Queen’s Plate is the first jewel in Canada’s Triple Crown. The second jewel is the Prince Of Wales Stakes July 25th Fort Erie Racetrack. The third jewel is the Breeders Stakes Aug 15th held at Woodbine racetrack.

What: Horse Betting
When: Sunday July 4th 2010
Where: Woodbine Racetrack Rexdale Ontario Canada
Distance: 1 1/4 mile
Purse: $1,000,000 CAD: On Polytrack 3 Y/O Filly & Mares Canadian Bred Thoroughbreds – Big Red Mike,Captain Canuck,D’s Wando,Giant’s Tomb,Ghost Fleet,Hollinger,Hotep,Relentless,Roan Irish,Roman Games

The Storyline

The major storyline coming into this race is how in the lead up contests leading into the Queens Plate is how on the Polytrack surface at Woodbines which usually are more amenable to the speed demons thirteen of the Queens Plate eligible horses ran the route Slower then the mile and an eighth posted time of Plate Trial winner Big Red Mike. Who clocked in at a tepid 1:50.41 in the aftermath of that race seven Plate eligible horses were trying to find answers including Canada’s reigning two year old champion Hollinger and multiple stakes winner Ghost Fleet and highly regarded D’s Wando and Giant’s Tomb and Embur’s Song. This may suggest that the posted Beyer figures of the top Plate Contenders are not much of a factor in picking a winner

Queens Plate Picks – The Favorite

On the basis of a sub par performance in a Plate prep race Kentucky Derby winning trainer Todd Pletcher’s Embur’s Song which enlisted leading US Jockey Garrett Gomez made the trip north had received some of the early accolades has now been relegated as a threat but not the leading favorite heading into the Plate which is less then two weeks away. The early favorite honors are now being bestowed upon Roan Irish who ran an impressive race to surge to the lead away from 2-5 favorite Embur’s Song

Queens Plate Betting Picks – The Second Tier

Big Red Mike winner of The Plate Trial ran a gritty determined effort to come from off the pace to take the lead in a stretch duel between Woodbine Trainer Roger Atfield’s Mobilizer.The pair fought tooth and nail down the stretch until the final strides where Big Red Mike edged away in the final strides. Hotep is a horse with a good pedigree and was in some Kentucky Derby Prep race does loom as a serious contender. The Atfield trained

Hollinger cannot be overlooked as she was the reigning Canadian two-year-old champion.

Queens Plate Betting Picks – The Longshots

In what promises to be a wide open affair there is plenty of value in this field Giant’s Tomb, Ghost Fleet and D’s Wando all have seen the victory podium in several stakes events. Ds Wando, from the Ian Black stable, has raced twice in 2010, finishing a close second in the Woodstock Stakes three weeks prior to his third-place effort in the Queenston Stakes. Perennial leading trainer Mark Frostad representing the Sam Son Farms banner is Giant’s Tomb who won a stakes race earlier this year in March at the

Louisiana Fairgrounds has enlisted the services of leafing Woodbine jockey Patrick Husbands

Queens Plate Sports betting & Outlook

Why the Queen’s Plate matters to the punters across the United States? Many of the top Canadian bred horses regularly run in the top US tracks and stake races and many of these horses will be in this summer’s Saratoga meet. So if you’re looking for some insight into these top Canadian horses The Queen’s Plate is a good place to look. This race sets up as a wide open affair. There is no dominating presence and it will be interesting to see if Todd Pletcher can bring his Kentucky Derby magic to capture both of North America’s prestigious races.

Pick: Embur’s Song

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-Pebble Beach looks just as tough as it did 10 years ago for the U.S. Open. It just doesnt have Tiger Woods pushing it around.

A punishing opening round on a picturesque day featured Shaun Micheel and Paul Casey making birdie putts on the 18th hole to share the lead at 2-under 69 with Brendon De Jonge, whose best shot was a wedge he holed for eagle.

Equally memorable was what Woods and Phil Mickelson didnt do. Neither made a single birdie, the first time the worlds top two players have ever competed in the same tournament without making one.

“Theres a long way to go,” Woods said after opening with a 74, five shots out of the lead and one better than Mickelsons 75. “Just keep plugging along and see where I come Sunday afterno not for Woods, Mickelson, or even the leaders. Even in relatively gentle conditions, only nine players managed to break par.

One thing seemed as clear as the blue sky over the Monterey Peninsula: That 12-under par by Woods a decade ago is safe. If one round was any indication, anything under par might be good enough to win this U.S. Open.

“Im not thinking about what kind of score might win this golf tournament,” Ian Poulter said after a hard-earned 70. “Im just happy to go out there and play as good as I possibly can. But I will tell you the golf course is difficult. Theres not going to be many good scores on it today. And I cant see it getting easier.”

De Jonge, a 29-year-old from Zimbabwe playing in his first U.S. Open, holed out with a wedge for eagle on the scary par-5 14th and hit it stiff on the par-3 17th for his round of 69. Casey got away with average iron play by taking only 23 putts.

The average score was 75.25. It was a round that helped put Woods 15-shot victory in 2000 into perspective. Except for his record score of 12-under par in the last U.S. Open at Pebble, the best anyone else managed was 3-over.

There will be no such runaway this week. After one round, Woods is already eight strokes behind his 2000 pace.

He hi extending his streak to 34 hol but never gave himself many good looks at birdie. His day ended badly, with a three-putt bogey from the fringe on the 16th, missing an 8-foot birdie on the 17th and laying up in a bunker to take bogey on the 18th for a 3-over 74.

“I hit the ball well enough to shoot a good score,” Woods said. “These greens are just awful. Theyre moving every which way.”

Woods never had that problem 10 years ago, making everything inside 8 feet. He is a different player now, playing this U.S. Open under far different circumstances with the turmoil in his personal life. And this golf course has rarely looked so tough in relatively calm conditions.

Mickelson, already with a record five runner-up finishes in this major, hit two balls in the ocean, took two shots to get out of one bunker and missed a half-dozen birdie putts inside 12 feet.

It was his highest opening round in the U.S. Open since 1997, though he was not entirely discouraged.

“Theres no way under par is going to win here, I dont believe,” Mickelson said. “I think over par will win. Because of that, Im right there. But I need to play well. I need to putt well, score well. Ive just got to get sharp on the greens.”

Mike Weir chipped in for a bonus birdie on the 16th to reach 3-under, only to bogey the final two holes and settle for a 70, leaving him in a group of international players that included Poulter of England, 18-year-old Ryo Ishikawa of Japan, K.J. Choi of South Korea, Alex Cejka of Germany and Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Argentina, who had Visa trouble even getting into the country for his first U.S. Open.

Dustin Johnson, the back-to-back winner of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February when the turf is soggy and only two rounds are played at Pebble, was among those at even-par 71. His round was derailed by a four-putt double bogey on the 14th.

That was only one of several miscues:

• Aaron Baddeley thought he had an ace on the 17th when his shot caught the lip. He four-putted for a double bogey.

•  John Rollins was tied for the lead at 2 under when he put his tee shot into the rough at the far end of the hourglass green. He shanked his chip toward the 18th tee, left his third shot in the gnarly rough and wound up with a triple bogey.

• Morgan Hoffmann of Oklahoma State was at even par, a remarkable performance for a college kid in his first U.S. Open the first one on a r and took a quadruple-bogey 9.

“My favorite hole on the golf course,” Hoffmann said. “I was looking forward to it all day.”

Lee Westwood, the No. 3 player in the world who has a second and two tied-for-thirds in the last three majors, had a 74. He played with Woods and Ernie Els, who had a 73.

At first glance, the course seemed benign, especially with only a freshening breeze that picks up along the coastal holes. But it looked frightening with a club in hand. The fairways were particularly fast, the greens so firm that balls would bounce as high as six feet in the air upon landing.

“It looks like its wide-open fairway, but in the teeing ground … you look right, look left, either way is very tough,” Choi said. “And you cant stop in the bouncing, so youre very scared on the tee shot.”

Micheel managed best on the greens, and he was helped by his own sense of perspective.

His mother, Donna, was diagnosed with cancer a year ago. Micheel, a surprise PGA champion at Oak Hill in 2003, had to cope with low testosterone that has slowed him in recent years and cost him his full PGA Tour card for this year.

He choked up during his TV interview when speaking of his mother in Memphis, Tenn. The cancer was diagnosed in her lung, and since has spread to her brain, liver and spine. He doesnt expect her to live beyond the summer, and she could not get out to the course last week in Memphis when Micheel tied for fourth.

“Its nice because Im playing for somebody else,” Micheel said. “Its always been about me, me, me. What am I going to shoot? It doesnt matter to me. I love my mom. What do y is enough to get their attention.

Defending champion Lucas Glover bogeyed his first two holes and ground out a 73. Not so fortunate were the 15 players who failed to break 80, and a few former U.S. Open champions who barely did.

Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 winner, played an eight-hole stretch in 8-over in the middle of his round and shot 79. Tom Watson, the 60-year-old who won at Pebble in 1982 and is playing this week on a special exemption, still managed to show his famous gap-tooth smile despite a 78.

“Pebble had its teeth out today,” said Watson, the only player to compete in all five U.S. Opens on the seaside course.

Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington rallied for a 73 while playing with Mickelson.

“Our scores say a lot about the U.S. Open,” Harrington said. “You get good golf courses like this … set up reasonable in a regular event, guys would shoot regular scores. But in this event, everybody gets a bit more tense.”

Ernie Els was tempted.

He also had a few concerns about how he would recover from his recovery shot.

The two-time U.S. Open winner bashed a shot onto the sand at Pebble Beach during practice this week, and was told that the ball was playable if he wanted to give it a shot. Then he eyeballed the goat trail that passes for a path down the steep cliff, which was perched roughly 40 feet above the shoreline below.

Decisions, decisions.

Arjun Atwal seems to be taking dead aim at the Pacific as he plays a practice round. (AP) “I think I could have gotten down there,” Els smiled. “I dont know if I would have come back up.”

Not without an escalator, helicopter or Sherpa, anyway.

“I think you might need a rope,” he said.

Depending on how things play out with a new experiment taking place along the panoramic cliff-side holes this week at the 110th U.S. Open, a few guys might be reaching for nooses.

For the first time in decades, the fairways on several of the seaside holes have been repositioned and the grass mowed all the way to the edge of the precipice, where there used to be a wide buffer of rough to stop wayward balls from toppling into the drink. Which in this case happens to be the most beautiful water hazard in the game.

“The Pacific Ocean,” Els said.

Imagine this mental image from the blimp overhead: On Sunday, especially if the wind is right, we could see players hitting shots from down where the seals bark, trying to blindly belt the ball up the cliffs and back onto green grass.

With a geographic nod to our English cousins, the sandy hillsides this week could be dubbed the White Cliffs of Over. Somewhere, hapless amateur celebrities like Jack Lemmon or Ray Romano, who played in the regular PGA Tour pro-am event at Pebble and have had first-hand experience with slashing balls out of the sand and rock piles below, will be laughing their own hindquarters off.

Truly, the Open could be a true cliff-hanger this time around.

“It could get very interesting out there,” Els said.

Were already there, mate. The U.S. Golf Association grounds crew was tip-toeing along the cliff on the right side of the par-5 sixth hole Monday afternoon with string trimmers, knocking down the growth on the steep hillside so wayward tee balls will drop straight off the precipice to an almost certain demise. Like fictional hitman Luca Brasi, certain shots that get out of line will sleep with the fishes. Plus a few hermit crabs.

Without fail, whenever the calendar pages flip to June and the U.S. Open, the golf course is a bigger part of the story than anybody or anything not nicknamed Tiger. While Pebble Beach has hosted a PGA Tour stop for parts of eight different decades and is a known quantity, and has hosted the U.S. Open four previous times, the seaside stretch has been refashioned back to the days of yore on the shore.

“I can remember years ago, looking at some old photos of Pebble Beach and thinking, Look at that, the fairway is right up against the ocean on several holes,” said Mike Davis, the USGAs rules and competition chief. “Then you look at what had been Pebble Beach now, and they had these strips of rough bordering the ocean.”

Over the years, the swath of rough sped up play for the resort guests, probably saved a few of them from toppling into a personal injury lawsuit and was easier for the Pebble grounds crew to maintain, but the so-called second cut seemed to gradually get wider and wider along the cliffs. So when Arnold Palmer and the USGA were doing some design tweaks in advance of the 2010 Open, they adjusted the fairway mowing pa with little to stop the ball from rolling off the cliff like a ball barreling down a bowling alley lan which ranked second, first and fifth in difficult the fairway cut of grass was moved about 20 yards closer to the cliffs edge. The fairway in many spots runs right off the edge.

“Its just such a great feature to have holes that run right up against the ocean, I felt like we should take advantage of that,” Davis said. “And when we met with the Pebble Beach people, they were so receptive, particularly when you could say, At one time here, this is how it was.”

Any ball headed right on those three holes at the turn, or on waterfront holes at Nos. 4 and 6 for that matter, is also going straight down the hill.

“Absolutely,” Davis said. “That was one of the ideas. If you have got a ball thats is going toward the ocean with enough speed, its going to go over.”

The fairways on the seaside holes are already sloped toward the ocean by Mother Nature, so Davis took pains to make sure a left-to-right wind, rare in these parts, wouldnt make the stretch unfair or unplayable. They left a thin strip of rough alongside the driver landing areas on Nos. 4, 8 and 10 just to be safe, he said.

The USGA has been accused many times of going over the edge and players are fine with it. Phil Mickelson, one of the favorites this week and a three-time winner at the regular PGA Tour stop at Pebble Beach, said he loved the revisions.

“I thought moving the tee over on 8, moving the tee back on 9, and moving it back on 10 were great changes, because I buy into the philosophy of making the hard holes harder and the easy holes easier,” he said.

Not sure whether they made the easy holes easier, but they got the first half right, for sure. Theres a decent chance the tournament will be decided on the trio of brutal seaside holes at the turn. Down the hill below is a public beach, where folks from the neighboring hamlet of Carmel sunbathe and walk their dogs.

If players need ropes to rappel up and down the slopes, maybe the civilians below should be fitted for hard hats.

“Especially if the wind is into us on those holes,” Els predicted, “youre going to see a lot of fun and games.”

I was fortunate enough to watch the last Triple Crown hero Affirmed shine in morning works early in his sophomore year and the race with his name attached will be renewed this weekend at Hollywood at a mile and a sixteenth on the Cushion Track.

Formerly named the Silver Screen, the Affirmed, a stepping-stone to the Swaps Stakes, has been won by some stars like General Challenge, double BC Classic winner Tiznow, the brilliant filly Melair and Point Determined.

Two years ago Two Step Salsa was coming off a wire-to-wire score in the G3 Laz Barrera and it was a d?j? vu win in the same flag fall to that’s all mode when posting the 99 Beyer.

Last year Grazen turned the hat trick in this fixture when leading at every call through splits of :46 4/5 and 1:10 2/5 to post the winning 103 Beyer.

Speed figures to be prominent this year and the key to the race just may be to stay away from some of the runners that were taxed during the Triple Crown run.

Looking at the nominees, Alphie’s Bet comes to the plate first.

The runner overcame a slow start in the Snow Chief here in April but will be dependent on a hot pace and clear sailing.

Camp Victory, nominated but unlikely, will be trying to prove he fits in stakes company, as his only other stakes try was a dull fifth.

Concord Point is out to makes amends for his flop as chalk in the Grade 3 Barrera and the Bob Baffert force looms the one to collar. He draws some class from his bottom side, as his winning dam is kin to Grade 3 winner and near $400K earner Tasha’s Miracle.

Distorted Dave is one of three John Sadler trainees possible for this race and he could have archrival Thomas Baines to deal with among others. With limited speed, Dave will need plenty of help up front.

The other Sadlers were on that Triple Crown trail and we don’t quite know how much they were drained by the experience. Line of David has brilliant speed but he really had little chance in the Kentucky Derby the way the race set up and Ranger Heartley has not been seen since popping and stopping in the Lane’s End, but has drilled fast for this.

Both would be prominent but Line of David is doubtful for the race.

Dixie Trooper just has not been able to transfer his decent Woodbine form while Gallant Gent has a stakes win on his slate but it came at the inferior Fairplex meeting going short.

Golden Itiz is an interesting runner. He has the right to have a super career as kin to double Graded winner and over $200,000 earner Sapphire n’ Silk and he comes off a freak job in his route debut for patient trainer Ron Ellis.

For those that believe in Just Magic, they will get paid as the runner has lost twice since winning at first asking.

Lions Story has been around the wire in every race but has lacked the killer instinct and if Mindblower wins, he will be turning the tables on Golden Itiz, who just crushed him.

Skipshot needs a turn around after running poorly in the Barrera and Summer Movie will have to do something he has not done yet and that’s win on the synthetic.

Working Capital is an improving runner that moved up in leaps and bounds since he joined the Doug O’Neill barn while Ukandoit just might do it if his connections decide on this spot.

Trained by very capable Bill Spawr, Ukandoit’s dam and sire both were proven routers, dam dropped route winner Blind Bet and this soph has trained very fast of late, a real tip off for this stable that seldom lets their runners sizzle in the morning.                

How does it unfold?

Concord Point, Ranger Heartley and Summer Movie will be looking for blockbusters on the front end with Skipshot and Golden Itiz tracking in the second flight.

The deep closers will include Distorted Dave and the classy Alphie’s Bet but as the race gets down to the nitty gritty, Golden Itiz will get first run on his long-fused rivals, make the lead at the top of the lane, and have enough to hold off all comers.

Good luck.