Second favorite Mickelson is a San Diego native and knows the Torrey Pines course as well as anyone. He is in great form and has finished runner up in the US Open four times. After Tiger he has had the most success at Buick winning three times. The two have nine PGA Tour victories at Torrey Pines between them. They are paired up for the first two days alongside Adam Scott and as a result their head to head match prop at Bodog should garner plenty of attention.

Outside Woods and Michelson, the top 5 are all in double digits. Third in the betting is Sergio Garcie at 18/1 with Padraig Harrington 20/1 , Luke Donald 28/1 and Vijay Singh 28/1 rounding out the top contenders. Outside the top five Adam Scott at 33/1 could be the sleeper if he can finally start performing at the big four championships.

If you plan to stay clear of the outright winner market outright there are several interesting tournament match-up plays, individual three ball pairings and prop bets for the 2008 U.S. Open including who will make or miss the cut, the leading foreign player, top European, top Australasian, Lowest 1st Round Score, and Tiger vs. the field among many others betting options available throughout the week.

Below are latest 2008 U.S. Open odds : Head on over to Bodog or Bookmaker for the most up to date lines. (Betting lines are subject to change, visit the official website for confirmation)

Tiger Woods 5/2
Phil Mickelson 7/1
Sergio Garcia18/1
Padraig Harrington 20/1
Vijay Singh 28/1
Stewart Cink 33/1
Luke Donald 28/1
Jim Furyk 33/1
Geoff Ogilvy 33/1
Justin Rose 33/1
Trevor Immelman 33/1
Adam Scott 33/1
Ernie Els 40/1

Below is a overview of this Saturdays morning line odds. There are still a number of great betting options available for the race , I suggest heading over to either BetUS Racebook or Bookmaker Racebook for a complete overview of all available betting options and current lines. You won’t want to be the only one not having action on this race when Big Brown bolts from the starting gate on this historic occasion. Also don’t forget to read Jarrod’s predictions here and his thoughts on the number two contender Denis of Cork .

Big Brown (1-3) There is not much that has not been said. Undefeated and he is the heavy favorite to win Triple Crown today.

Denis of Cork (10-1) second favorite after the withdrawal of Casino Drive, is now the next best chance as a Triple Crown spoiler. A good value pick according to our racing expert Jarrod Hardock.

Macho Again (15-1) much improved finished 2nd to Big Brown at Preakness.

Other long shots Da’ Tara (25-1),Tale of Ekati (18-1), Anak Nakal (25-1),Ready’s Echo (25-1),Icabad Crane (18-1). Betting odds correct at the time of publishing, 5pm ET. Make sure visit this page again after the race for Belmont results and payouts.

If you’re still looking for a place to bet on the 2008 Belmont Stakes on race day, I suggest heading over to either BetUS or Bodog .

Denis of Cork looked like a star in the making from day one. In his November 2007 Churchill extended sprint debut, he rallied from 11th and stormed past the field despite a lack of pace. He was bred to route and even surprised his connections in winning his bow at 10-1.

His competent trainer David Carroll, a former exercise rider of the late, great Easy Goer, took his time with Denis and opted for an entry level route at Fair Grounds for his 2nd career outing. The $250k son of Harlan’s Holiday did not disappoint, as he raced wide stalking a tepid pace before grinding his way to a head victory over a sloppy surface he did not care for.

It was time to test the graded stakes waters to see if they had a Kentucky Derby contender on their hands, and Oaklawn’s Southwest Stakes was perfectly spotted on the calendar four-weeks later. The pace was hot in the flat mile affair, and Denis rolled past talented stalker Sierra Sunset to post an easy 2-1/4 length tally.

Things were starting to get exciting in the Denis of Cork camp, but sometimes Derby fever can do funny things to people. His owner William Warren, a staunch believer in Thoro-Graph figures, decided to skip the upcoming Rebel Stakes (won by Sierra Sunset) and run his charge one more time (instead of two) before the first Saturday in May. They figured he would regress a bit in his next start and peak in the Derby…the best laid plans!

The Illinois Derby would be his final prep, and he got no pace help and ran as flat as a pancake while getting nothing out of the race. After such a promising beginning to his career, human error was taking him to the Kentucky Derby with one weak prep in a twelve-week span.

Denis of Cork obviously had a ton of raw ability, and David Carroll regrouped and had him on his toes with a pair of strong Churchill drills in advance of the Kentucky Derby. I totally discounted his Derby chances, but he advanced from 20th to land the show in a remarkable achievement considering his spring preparations.

The beat goes on with a trio of rock solid Churchill works in advance of his June 7th start in the Belmont Stakes, and it appears as though Denis is ready for the race of his life now that Derby fever has subsided. To bet on Denis of Cork on race day sign up at BetUS.com .

Check out our complete Belmont coverage including my full picks and predictions and my analysis of Casino Drivers chances .

Also on the card is a showdown between heavyweight contenders Brandon "The Truth" Vera and BJJ Fabricio "The Doom" Werdum.

England’s own Micheal Bisping is the heavy favourite to continue is rise up the middleweight division rankings when he faces Canadian Jason Day.

Other favourites to win at UFC 85 include Middleweight contender Nate “The Great” Marquardt (9-2-0), season one TUF contestant Mike Swich (17-4-1) and and Brazilian BJJ specialist Thiago Tavares (22-3-0).

The complete UFC 85 odds including the preliminary card are listed below. Lines are accurate at the time of publishing. Visit the official sites for most up to date betting lines.

For those of you who still looking to bet on UFC 84, I recommend heading over to either Bookmaker or Bodoglife

Current UFC 85 Odds

Main Card
Matt Hughes -200 vs. Thiago Alves +170
Michael Bisping -350 vs. Jason Day +280
Mike Swick -120 vs. Marcus Davis -105
Fabricio Werdum +160 vs. Brandon Vera -170
Nathan Marquardt -200 vs. Thales Leites +165

Preliminary Card
Martin Kampmann -240 vs. Jorge Rivera +190
Matt Wiman +305 vs. Thiago Tavares -405
Jason Lambert -140 vs. Luis Cane +130
Roan Carneiro -500 vs. Kevin Burns +400
Paul Taylor -240 vs. Jess Liaudin +190
Antoni Hardonk -205 vs. Eddie Sanchez +165

Breaking news: Casino Drive has been scratched this morning after bruising his left hind hoof. Lines have been updated see below, read my Belmont picks and analysis of Denis of Cork .

As talented as Big Brown appears to be, history states that successfully completing his Triple Crown task is daunting. With that in mind, the two horses most likely to deny a Big Brown coronation are Casino Drive and Denis of Cork .

Casino Drive, a $950k Keeneland sales grad (2006), was purchased by Japanese connections. The son of Mineshaft, out of wonderful dam Better Than Honour, is a half-brother to Jazil, and a 3/4 brother to Rags To Riches. The aforementioned duo just happen to be the last two Belmont Stakes winners.

Kazuo Fujisawa, the top trainer in Japan, was preparing Casino Drive to run in the summer of 2007, but a few minor problems delayed his debut until Feb. 2008…and it was well worth the wait. He pulled off a sharp wire job, romping by 11-1/2 lengths at nine furlongs. The Belmont Stakes was immediately on the minds of his connections following that win, but an equine flu outbreak forced him into isolation, so he was not able to race again in Japan.

Casino Drive arrived in New York (Aqueduct) on April 28th, and it was a long journey indeed considering his isolation and quarrantine issues. He was at Belmont and preparing for the Peter Pan by April 30th, and he drilled a strong five furlongs in :59-4/5 on May 7th, just three days before his US bow.

In Belmont Park’s Peter Pan, run at nine furlongs, his stablemate Spark Candle acted as a rabbit and attended the early pace to ensure honest fractions, but it turned out that Casino Drive did not need any help. He stalked the pace and won as the rider pleased by a very easy 5-3/4 lengths. Ironically, he was ridden by Kent Desormeaux , the regular pilot of Big Brown.

In the four weeks since the Peter Pan, Casino Drive has been training in a much different manner than US fans are used to seeing. He has been walking at a very brisk pace, jogging, and galloping in company with stablemates Champagne Squall and Spark Candle. In fact, the times of his most recent three works have been so slow by US standards that they have not even been recognized as official workouts.

Since Kent D obviously had other Belmont plans, the Japanese contingent reached out for Edgar Prado, a two-time Belmont Stakes winning pilot. Not only did he boot Sarava and Birdstone home, but he spoiled Triple Crown bids both times.

Participating in the Belmont Stakes is now a reality, and Casino Drive is seemingly the real deal and might actually take the trophy home to Japan. Below are the complete Belmont Stakes odds, accurate at the time of publishing. Visit the official sites for most up to date lines. Make sure to check out my complete Belmont Stakes picks and predictions here .

All Odds from Bodoglife.com and BetUS.com

Big Brown 1-3

Guadalcanal 40

Macho Again 15

Denis of Cork 10

Casino Drive (Scratched)

Da Tara 25

Tale of Ekati 18

Anak Nakal 25

Readys Echo 25

Icabad Crane 18

Number 1 Big Brown (2-5) is now unbeaten and untested after five facile victories. It seemed as though he was too lightly raced to uncork a huge effort in the Derby, but he defied history with a visually impressive win from post 20. He figured to dominate an over matched field in the Preakness, and he won as Kent D pleased with plenty left in the tank. He burnt his back feet (ran down) in the Preakness, then developed a quarter crack (left front hoof) on May 23rd. After missing a few days of training, he returned to the Belmont oval with a series of gallops before delivering a 5f bullet in 1:00.03 on June 3rd. Hoof specialist Ian McKinlay will patch his quarter crack on Friday afternoon.

What does all this mean is regards to his winning chances in the Belmont Stakes? He still must navigate twelve furlongs versus a few better horses than he faced three weeks ago, and how many more top efforts does he have in him, especially after running throughout this demanding series? I think he has the best shot at completing his mission since Spectacular Bid in 1979, but even the Bid managed to lose the Belmont Stakes. In fact, the last 10 horses to win the Derby-Preakness have returned to lose the Belmont. Certainly no value here, so I will shop elsewhere for the winner.

If you’re still looking for a place to bet on the race we recommend going with Bodoglife.com .

NUMBER 4 DENIS OF CORK (12-1) was curiously handled by his connections after kicking off his career with three straight tallies. His owner caught Derby fever and decided to follow Thoro-Gaph sheets patterns. He skipped a pivotal start in the Rebel and ran just one Derby prep (after Feb. 18th), and that was a below par effort in the Illinois Derby. He trained well in advance of the Kentucky Derby and came from 20th and last to land the show in an excellent performance considering he only had a single prep in twelve weeks.

He has been specifically pointed to the Belmont Stakes since and continues to work with a purpose. Improving sort appears to be sitting on a top and can ambush Big Brown and company in the lane. Note that his pilot Robby Albarado has won nine Grade 1 races at Belmont Park in his career, and he just missed in Test of Champions with Curlin last year. Also, his trainer David Carroll was the regular exercise rider of 1989 Belmont winner Easy Goer.

Number 5 Casino Drive (7-2) is the most important entrant in this field, and even if the undefeated colt does not beat Big Brown, his presence can lead to an upset. After an effortless Feb. maiden tally in Japan to kick off his career, he was sent to the US for a Belmont Stakes try. Note that the $950k purchase is out of dam Better Than Honour, and she has produced the last two Belmont Stakes winners (Jazil, Rags To Riches). First up was a great looking facile Peter Pan triumph, Belmont’s local prep for the Test of Champions. He has been preparing for this in unusual fashion from a US standpoint. He has walked briskly, jogged, and galloped slowly since the May 10th Peter Pan, and much of his exercise has been done in company with stablemates Spark Candle and Champagne Squall. He has the most upside and raw talent in the field, and he has the speed to go with Big Brown if and when the Derby-Preakness hero tries to burst away from the pack. How long he can stay with the Dutrow trainee may be the key ingredient in an upset, and I would not be shocked if he found himself in the winners’ circle when all is said and done. Note that his rider Edgar Prado has won this race twice (Sarava, Birdstone), and he foiled Triple Crown bids both times.

Number 10 Icabad Crane (20-1) was my Preakness Stakes long shot underneath key, and he made me proud with a rock solid show finish. He might have landed the place with a cleaner trip, and the improving sort is on par with or better than seven of his fellow long shot rivals. He rates a realistic shot at another minor placing.

Number 7 Tale of Ekati (20-1) is 2-2 at Belmont Park, and the two-time graded winner owns versatility. Don’t know how far he wants to run, but he is a gritty grinding type with quality connections (Coa/Tagg) in his corner. He worked too fast, way too slow, and just right in his three local training sessions for this.

Number 8 Anak Nakal (30-1) is out of Belmont Stakes winner Victory Gallop. He was a quality juvenile last year, but he has failed to hit the board in four graded tries this season. He was a better than expected 7th of 20 in the Derby, and Zito won this race in 2004 with Birdstone, spoiling the Triple Crown bid of Smarty Jones in the process. Late runner won his debut here, and I can see him sucking up for a minor award, especially if Big Brown romps.

Number 3 Macho Again (20-1) is certainly much improved this spring. He might take more action than he should based on his Preakness place finish, and this is his 3rd race in six weeks. The bubble will burst because a regression is likely.

Number 6 Da’ Tara (30-1) is on the improve for Zito. He could put some token pressure on Big Brown and company, but he is over his head in here. We might here more from him later this year, but he looms nothing more than an early pace player today.

Number 9 Ready’s Echo (30-1) is yet another late striding colt. Pletcher won this race last year with Rags To Riches, but this one is not in that class of animal at this stage. His figs are on the upswing, but he has a long way to go to reach this plateau…still eligible for an entry level spot.

Number 2 Guadalcanal (50-1) is an 0-5 maiden in an ambitious spot. He was nostrilized when last seen in a maiden turf marathon, and the late runner should never be a factor in here.

Here are my Belmont Stakes Picks. $30 to win on Denis of Cork, $5 exacta box Denis of Cork/Casino Drive. For the final $10, I will go back to the future and once again tab a straight Big Brown/Icabad Crane exacta.

Written by expert handicapper Jarrod Horak . For results and payouts visit the official Belmont Park website or visit this page at the end of the race. Also make sure to visit our homepage for more free racing picks and predictions. Bet on the big race at Bodoglife.com .

Oddsmakers don’t expect the series to go the distance, Bodog is offering +195 if the series reaches game 7. The leading exact series outcome is a Lakers victory in game 5 followed by a Lakers win in 6.

Betting on the MVP award is also available. Kobe Bryant is leading the pack at -1/2 with Kevin Garnett second at 7/2 and Paul Pierce third 4/1.

2008 Game 1 Winner
LA Lakers +2 1/2 -110 o/u 192 (-110)
Boston -2 1/2 -110 o/u 192(-110)

2008 NBA Finals Series Winner
Lakers -190
Celtics +160

The show could turn out to be the most watched MMA event to date. As expected Garry Shaw has stacked the card with some of EliteXC biggest stars. Robbie Lawler, Gina Carano, Phil Baroni and of course Kimbo Slice .

EliteXC management has made known that their all about excitement, meaning their not to found of ground fighters in particular ‘lay and pray’ wrestlers. The is filled with stickers vs sticker match-ups which should produce plenty of knockouts.

EliteXC Odds and predictions for the entire card from expert handicapper J.D Driscoll are available below. To bet on the card we recommend Bookmaker and BetUS

Latest Odds Kimbo Slice -(540) vs. James Thompson (+400)

Unlike Kimbo, James Thompson has fought some of the biggest and toughest guys in MMA. He has also fought seven times in the former Pride organization and amassed a 5-2 record there. At a time when Pride had by far the best calibre of heavyweights in the world. He has wins over Dan Savarn, Don Fyre and Olympic judo gold medallist Hidehiko Yoshida. Outside of Pride he has fallen short on numerous occasions. He is 2-7 in his the last 9 bouts. As his record indicates he is especially susceptible to being knocked out. In fact he has produced quite a impressive highlight reel of K.Os, unfortunately for him he has been on the wrong end of most of them. His last fight was another K.O loss to relatively unknown Brett Rogers at EliteXC: Street Certified.

Most recently he has been training with Xtreme Couture and showed some clear Couture influences in his last fight but failed to take Rogers down . Kimbo will definitely want keep this fight standing. I’m sure Bas Rutten is very familiar with Thompson having commentated on most of his fights in Pride. He would have handpicked Thompson himself and come up with Kimbo’s game plan. He would know that at some point Thompson will want to take the fight to the ground and would have prepared Kimbo for that scenario. Kimbo has the advantage on the feat however things are less clear on the ground. We have yet to see his ground game or cardio. However I doubt Thompson will be the man to exploit these weakness.

It’s going to be an exciting fight, and should be the first semi legitimate test for Kimbo, however I cant see an upset. Prediction: Kimbo Slice TKO Round 1. No Bet

Robbie Lawler (-240) vs. Scott Smith (+200)

For the more seasoned MMA fan this bout stands out as the fight of the night. “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler takes on Scott Smith. Lawler is the current EliteXC middleweight champion defeating Murilu Rua last September. He is on impressive 4 fight winning streak. His last loss came in September of 2006 to Jason "Mayhem" Miller. He is now considered by most to be one of the top 10 middleweights in the world. He has a unique ultra aggressive style that the fans love. This fight will definitely stay on the feet and should produce a knockout finish. Scott Smith, 13-4, is another sticker that can take a punch. This fight will be a lot closer than what the betting line suggest. However I’m sticking with Lawler. Prediction Robbie Lawler Round 3 TKO.

Brett Rogers (-240) vs. Jon Murphy (+220)

Two huge guys Jon Murphy weighting in at 260.5 vs. Brett Rogers 263.5 . Again two solid and exciting strikers. Brett Rogers is undefeated, his last win coming at EliteXC Street Certified against James Thompson via knockout in the first round. Five of the six victories have been knockouts the other being submission due to strikes. Jon Murphy is a sticker and has the edge on the ground. He has made it public that he is recovering alcoholic. He is 4-2,three of his wins are by TKO. Rogers is the clear favorite after his impressive performance against Thompson however I think Murphy can cause an upset. He has faced better competition and has the better gas tank. Jon Murphy via KO, round two. Bet 1 Unit Jon Murphy

Phil Baroni (-110) vs. Joey Villasenor (-120)

Phil Baroni is a veteran MMA fighter with mediocre 10-9 record. The majority of his loses have come to top competition however, either in the UFC or Pride. His last two fights have both been TKO losses to Frank Shamrock and Kala Hose. He desperately needs this win to resurrect his career and has been training accordingly. Joey Villasenor 25-6 is also quite experienced however has not faced the competition Baroni has. He had a short stint at Pride losing to Robbie Lawler and Ryo Chonoan. This one could go either way really but I give a small edge to Baroni. Phil Baroni via TKO, round two. No Bet.

Gina Carano (-285) vs. Kaitlin Young (+225)

Gina Carrano is the most recognized female fighter in MMA however she has stated that her preparation has been hampered due to various other commitments like American Gladiators. Young on the other hand has had a nine week training camp with some of the best in the sport at Greg Nelson’s Minnesota Martial Arts Academy. She holds a 4-1 record. Carano has come in 4.5 pounds over the 140 pound limit, which means a percentage of Carano’s fight purse will awarded to Young. There are to many unknowns here but I’m sticking with the favorite Carano. Gina Carano via decison. No Bet.

For those of you who still looking to bet on UFC 84, I’d definitely recommend heading over to either Bodoglife.com or Bookmaker.com and opening an account.

Main Event Betting Lines: B.J. Penn (-250) vs. Sean Sherk (+200)

In the main event we have former champion Sean Sherk face the current lightweight title holder BJ Penn. Sherk returns after a 10 month layoff after testing positive for banned steroids. These two have really been going at each other in media over the last few months, making things particularly interesting.

Penn is considered the best lightweight by many pundits. BJ has a clear advantage in submissions and stand-up. Sherk is a great wrestler but Penn is very comfortable from his back has shown great take down defence. His cardio and dedication to the sport has often been put into question.

Sean Sherk is an excellent wrestler with world class cardio and a very good chin, he has never been submitted. His strategy will be very simple. Survive for the first two rounds and use his superior cardio to dictate the rest of the fight. His overall MMA record is more than impressive. He lost only twice in 35 bouts. The question is if Penn cant finish Sherk in the first 2 rounds,, will he simply gas or will he able to maintain his intensity for the duration of the fight. I don’t think cardio will be a problem for Penn this time even if he fails to finish Penn early in the fight. I think he will control and frustrate Sherk on his feet. Should the fight go beyond the second round I’m still confident that Penn can win even if the fight goes to the judges. However at -250 the line looks right. Prediction: BJ Penn Unanimous Decision. (No Bet)

Lyoto Machida (-200) vs. Tito Ortiz (+190)

It was not that long ago that Tito Ortiz was the top dog in the UFC but things change quickly in the fight game. After his loss to Chuck Liddell, Ortiz failed to bounce back in the way many expected him to. A controversial draw against Rashad Evans had many pundits questioning his dedication and desire to win. His appearance on the TV show "Celebrity Apprentice” and major fall out with UFC management in recent months have only added to that reputation.

None the less Ortiz remains a talent, his record speaks for itself. As he himself has pointed out recently, his only 2 loses in last 9 years have come to former champions Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture. Since 2000 his record stands at 15-3-1. His motivation and desire to win here is not in question. His desire isn’t simply to get past Machida, his other motivation is his dislike for Dana White . This is Tito’s last fight under his current UFC contract. White has made it public that he will not resign Ortiz. If he is able to get past the undefeated Machida Ortiz will no bout regain his status as one of the top light heavyweights in the world and will remain a major headache for UFC for years to come.

Machida is one of the UFC rising stars. He is undefeated and holds notable wins over some of MMA’s biggest names including Rameau Sokoudjou,B.J. Penn and Stephan Bonnar. He has both been praised and criticized for his unique fighting style. “The Dragon” holds a 12-0 record however 6 of list last 8 victories have been decisions. His far lass experienced and has not been in many big fights. This will be his biggest fight of his carer to date. His is yet to face any notable wrestlers in his career.

This fight will most likely go to a decision. I cant see either fighter stopping the other. As the +190 underdog Ortiz is a great bet to end Machida’s winning run in the UFC. My only concern Tito’s long layoff since the Evans fight. Prediction: Tito Ortiz Decision (Bet 1 Unit Tito Ortiz)

Wanderlei Silva (-180) vs. Keith Jardine (+155)

This bout has all the ingredients to be fight or knockout of the night. These guys who like to go toe to toe and have a reputation to never disappoint the fans, win or lose. Wanderlei Sila is coming of a loss to Chuck Liddell and is on 3 fight losing streak. Surprisingly "The Axe Murder" now holds a 1-3 record in the octagon. Silvia had a short stint in the UFC years ago at the beginning of his career losing to Vitor Belfort and Tito Ortiz. His three most recent loses have come to the biggest and best in MMA, Mirko Cro Cop, Dan Henderson and Chuck Liddell.

Jardine’s record stands at 13-3-1, 5-2 in the UFC. His most notable scalps include a split decision win over Chuck Liddell, a TKO victory over Forrest Griffin and a unanimous decision victories over Wilson Gouveia and Mike Whitehead. Jardine is in fact the older of the two but he is far less experienced and has not faced the level of competition Silvia has. Four of his last seven fights in the octagon have gone to decision. He has only been able to stop (KO or TKO) two fighters in his UFC career Forrest Griffin and Kerry Schall.

I don’t expect this fight to go the distance. Wanderlei should have learned a tremendous amount from the Liddell the fight. In fact Jardine has a very similar unorthodox counter striking style to Liddell. While Silvia has had most limited success in his career against strikers, he has faced bigger and better stickers with the likes of Mirko Cro Cop twice, Mark Hunt and Chuck Liddell. To only have been knocked out once and taking the other three to close decision is a very impressive feat for a small 205 pounder. He should have too much skill and experience for Jardine.

Prediction Wanderlei Silva TKO Round 2 (Bet 1 Unit Wanderlei Silva )

Kazuhiro Nakamura (+205) vs Rameau Sokoudjou (-245)

Sokoudjou has come back to earth to with a thud after his UFC debut loss to the undeafted Lyoto Machida. Nakamura is also coming off a loss to Lyoto Machida in his octagon debut . Nakamura is a pride veteran that has faced the worlds best. He really does not have any bad loses however more often than not he has come up short when he has faced the top tier. His record is 11-7. Sokoudjou is the deserving favourite and should return to form. The line looks right. Prediction: Sokoudjou by unanimous decision. (No bet)

Goran Reljic (+125) vs Wilson Gouveia (-155)

Goran Reljic is undefeated Croatian fighter that is making his UFC debut. He has been training with team Xtreme Couture in preparation for this fight and has in the past trained with Mirko Cro Cop in Croatia. He is yet to face any real competition. Wilson Gouveia is 4 on fight winning streak, his only UFC loss coming to Keith Jardine. This one is very hard to predict as we really know very little about Reljic. I’m staying clear. (No bet)

Check out the latest odds for UFC 84 here . Visit Sherdog.com and The Savage Science for live play by play of the event.

The secret to my past success in the second jewel was playing quality horses exiting a disappointing effort in the Derby, or, I looked for a talented fresh face. Both of those angles come into play in the 2008 renewal of the Preakness Stakes, and below are the five horses to watch.

If your still looking for a place to bet on the event, we recommend going with Bodog and Bookmaker .

BIG BROWN deserves his role as overwhelming favorite in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. He is unbeaten and untested after four lifetime starts. I did not think he had the seasoning to win the Kentucky Derby (G1), but he proved me wrong in a big way. He owns a deadly combination of early/pressing speed and stamina, and he rates a realistic shot at Triple Crown glory. He could easily regress in Baltimore following a career top just two weeks ago, but he is fast enough to bounce and win. He figures to face a tougher test in the Belmont Stakes, where he will surely meet a core group of rested foes looking to squash his Triple Crown hopes.

BEHINDATTHEBAR was the second betting favorite after Big Brown however he has been scratched for the race after a foot injury. Gayego therefor takes his place as the second favorite.

GAYEGO is the lone Derby also-ran trying to rebound, and that angle has paid huge dividends for me over the years. Late Preakness entrant was a gem of consistency before much early trouble ended his Derby hopes. Arkansas Derby (G2) winner owns fine early/pressing speed but probably does not want to go a step farther than this. He is looking at a clear stalking trip from an outer post, and he will be waiting to pounce should Big Brown stub his toe.

ICABAD CRANE is the local hope, and that angle has produced some success over the years, including wins by Aloma’s Ruler and Deputed Testamony in the early 1980’s, and a place finish by Magic Weisner in 2002. The Graham Motion trainee is 3-3 on conventional dirt, with his lone career setback a show finish in Turfway’s Rushaway over Polytrack. He won the local prep for this in April and has the numbers to compete for a minor award. He clearly rates an exotic look at 30-1 on the line.

KENTUCKY BEAR has plenty of upside. Big Brown led his connections to the stakes ranks after a pair of facile tallies to kick off his career, but the connections of Kentucky Bear threw him to the wolves following a good looking debut maiden tally at the Gulf. After a predictable stalk and fade in the Fountain of Youth (G2), he was given a much needed breather. He returned to finish a rock solid 3rd in the Blue Grass (G1-polytrack), and luckily he did not have the earnings to make it into the Derby starting gate. He is training well for this and is as talented as many of his rivals. He reminds me a bit of Rock Hard Ten…raw talent without seasoning. Or. maybe he will pull off a Bernardini-like surprise.

Make sure to check out Jarrod’s complete Preakness Predictions and Picks . Check out this post at the National Post for further analysis of Big Browns odds .