California Derby favorite shipping in from South

Horseracing Betting Lines

01/13/2012 - Berkeley, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Trainer Mike Machowsky is sending his three- year-old Hodge up from Santa Anita for Saturday's $100,000 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields. The 1 1/16-mile race is a prep event for the track's $200,000 El Camino Real Derby on February 18.

Hodge has been made the 9-5 favorite in the seven horse field. The gray colt will be ridden by Russell Baze from post two. Baze, a member of Racing's Hall of Fame, has won the Derby five times, a record he shares with another Hall of Fame rider, Johnny Longden.

Hodge is coming off a third-place finish in the Hollywood Prevue as a 21-1 longshot, beaten less than two-lengths. With one win in three starts the colt has earned $39,350.

Local runner Russian Greek is the 5-2 second pick in the program. Winner of the track's Gold Rush Stakes, Russian Greek, trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, will start from post six with Aaron Gryder in the saddle.

Owned by Olympia Star Inc., Russian Greek opened his career with a win at San Rosa last July. In November the colt was fifth in the Golden Nugget at Golden Gate before rallying from last to win the Gold Rush by a neck over Marshal Marini. He has banked $61,700.

Also shipping in from down south is 4-1 third choice Senor Rain. Trained by Peter Miller, the chestnut gelding will start from the rail post with Kevin Krigger riding.

Senor Rain, owned by Gary and Cecil Barber, had to be pulled up during the running of the Generous Stakes at Hollywood Park on November 27. On November 12 the colt set the pace in the Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood before finishing third on the synthetic main track. Senor Rain has banked $73,416 with two wins in seven starts.

Here is the field for the California Derby in post position order: Senor Rain, Kevin Krigger, 4-1; Hodge, Russell Baze, 9-5; Unveiled Heat, Abel Cedillo, 12-1; Cahill Chrome, Juan Hernandez, 10-1; Blacky the Bull, Kerwin John, 6-1; Russian Greek, Aaron Gryder, 5-2 and Reconstruction, Frank Alvarado, 8-1.

Post-time on Saturday is scheduled for 7:22 p.m. (et).

Wwwecards Horseracing Betting News

<< Utah G Watson has bone bruise
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Utah Jazz guard Earl Watson has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left knee and is a game-time decision for Saturday's contest against New Jersey. Watson left Wednesday's overtime loss to t

<< Broncos WR Decker out for Patriots game
Englewood, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker has been ruled out of Saturday's divisional playoff game against the New England Patriots due to a sprained knee. Decker was injured while attempting to ca

<< Real aims to keep pressure on Barcelona
Mallorca, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Madrid will try to keep the pressure on Barcelona with a win on Saturday at Mallorca, which would stretch the advantage at the top of La Liga for Jose Mourinho's side to eight points. Madrid m

<< Blue Jackets put Carter on IR
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed center Jeff Carter on injured reserve because of a shoulder injury. Carter separated his right shoulder during last Sunday's game against Anaheim. The seventh-year vet

<< Phillies avoid arbitration with Kendrick
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Phillies have agreed to a one-year, $3.585 million contract with pitcher Kyle Kendrick, avoiding arbitration in the process. Kendrick, 27, went 8-6 with a 3.22 earned run average in 34 games (15

Southern Illinois running back declares for draft >>
Carbondale, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Southern Illinois junior running back Jewel Hampton will forsake his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft this year. Hampton, who spent one season at Southern Illinois after transferring from the

Jeff Fisher chooses to coach Rams >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Fisher will be the next head coach of the St. Louis Rams. According to a report from the Post-Dispatch, Fisher decided to coach the Rams rather than the Miami Dolphins. Both teams sought the former l

Tottenham keen on continuing title charge >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There is a storm brewing in North London and Tottenham is at the source as in-form Spurs have marched up the Premiership table to move into a tie for second. While Manchester City and Manches

Penguins captain Crosby resumes skating >>
Sunrise, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pittsburgh Penguins superstar and captain Sidney Crosby returned to the ice for the first time in more than a month during Friday's morning skate. Crosby said he is allowed to "lightly exert," and

Atlanta takes Leroux No. 1 in WPS draft >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Beat picked U.S. national team and UCLA forward Sydney Leroux No. 1 overall in the 2012 Women's Professional Soccer draft Friday. The 21-year-old Leroux scored 30 goals in 36 games for U.S. U

Police report: Terrell Owens hospitalized after attempt

Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.

The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"

Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.

Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.

NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.

"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.

The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.

But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.

The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"

When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.

Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.

The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.

The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.

The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.

Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.

Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."

Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.

"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."

Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.

It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.

"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."

Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.

"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."

At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.

According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.

Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.

Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.

When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.

He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.

Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.

Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.

Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.

While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.

"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.

Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.

Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com

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