Algorithms finds winning formula for Holy Bull Stakes

Horseracing Betting Lines

01/29/2012 - Hallandale Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Algorithms, ridden by Javier Castellano, overtook a tiring Hansen down the stretch to capture Sunday's $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The 5-2 second choice covered the mile in 1:36.17 over a sloppy track.

Hansen, the 2011 champion two-year-old colt, stumbled at the start under jockey Ramon Dominguez but was rushed up to quickly take the lead. Algorithms was dueling with 12-1 longshot Silver Max for second followed by Fort Loudon, 3-1 third pick Consortium and My Adonis.

Hansen had the lead into the far turn with Silver Max second and Algorithms three wide in third. Entering the stretch the 9-10 favorite began to weaken as Algorithms cut into the lead.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Algorithms easily went past Hansen and registered a five-length win over the 2011 Breeders' Cup Juvenile champ. My Adonis, a 22-1 longshot, rallied to finish third followed by Fort Loudon, Silver Max and Consortium.

Owned by Starlight Stable, Algorithms used the Holy Bull as both his season and stakes debut. The victory was worth $240,000 to bring the three-year-old colt's earnings to $301,500. It was his third win in as many starts.

"This race was going to tell us where we were with him, running against the two-year-old champion," said Pletcher. "Now he's done everything we've asked him to.

"He's by Bernardini and I don't think he'll have distance limitations. So we just have to sort things out from here."

Algorithms first raced last June at Belmont Park and posted a five-length win as the 7-10 favorite. His only other start was last month at Gulfstream when he registered a length victory over Holy Bull rival Consortium.

"I don't think two turns will be a problem for him," noted the winning jockey. "I rode his father Bernardini to win the Preakness and other big races and hopefully this horse can be like that. He's certainly in the right hands with Todd Pletcher."

Algorithms returned $7.00, $2.80 and $2.40. Hansen paid $2.40 and $2.10, and My Adonis paid $4.00 to show.

The favorite's trainer and rider were not completely displeased with the effort by the three-year-old.

"Ramon said pretty much after he stumbled he popped up and jumped right into the bit and was a little headstrong and fresh, but other than that it was a good effort and he galloped out strong," said Hansen's trainer Michael Maker. "We're pleased."

"He has a lot of speed and he might have been a little bit fresh today too which is why we went a little faster than I was looking for," Dominguez said. "He stumbled coming out of the gate and he picked himself up pretty quickly, but sometimes that scares a horse a little bit and they go a little fast. The stumble probably didn't help but it's not an excuse. I'm not happy that he didn't win but I'm not totally disappointed. When he got passed, he really dug in and he galloped out really well."

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FOOTBALL TRASH TALK

NFL Football Trash Talk

Trash talk has a place in every competitive endeavor (except baseball; those stirrup-wearers are too busy chewing on their sunflower seeds and their supplements to worry about what their opponents are doing).

Fantasy sports is no exception. Any intelligent discussion of the subject would probably start with a thesis statement or a definition of terms. Thankfully, this wont be an intelligent discussion.

Let me just say that I am happy to take a place in this space alongside my talented colleagues, even our commissioner. (You should see how she bleats like a demented paper boy about league fees on our fantasy site).

Trash talking, I would argue, is primarily about amusing your friends, their sheeplike demeanors and sloping foreheads notwithstanding. The best place I have found for football trash talking is at www.SportsAlarm.com.

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The best trash talk, in my view, is layered and nuanced. And it doesnt focus only on your opponents team. It picks apart your opponent. The idea is to create a shock-and-awe-scale blizzard of nonsense, and the goal is to make your opponent drop his hands from his keyboard in exasperation.

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But what about you? Hmm? Recall a memorable slam? Have a tried-and-true technique? Know someone who seems impervious to insult? Take a moment and tells us about it. Put together some (fit-for-publication) thoughts. You wont be too busy returning phone messages from your friends, Im sure, to reply.

In addition to the trash talking, the Sports Alarm has a huge gallery of high resolution pictures of beautiful women and models in bikinis. The most popular models are: Lindsay Lohan, Carrie Underwood, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Paris Hilton.