Delaware success sends Rocco to Gulfstream

Horseracing Betting Lines

12/26/2011 - Hallandale Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Coming off a riding crown in 2011 at Delaware Park veteran jockey Joe Rocco Jr. has moved his tack to south Florida and Gulfstream Park.

"This year at Delaware is the best I'd ever done, so it just seemed like the logical time to move to the next level," the 29-year-old rider said. "We had some business coming here and some business going to Oaklawn. I made the decision to come here because you bring more business coming back north from here, we thought.

"I feel like I'm riding now better than I ever have, which is why we took and shot and came down here. Obviously, you want to progress and get to the next level."

Rocco, the son of jockey Joe Rocco Sr., recorded 94 wins with better than $2.2 million to take the riding crown at the suburban Wilmington track. That total was 20 more wins than his closest rival Abel Castellano Jr.. He also notched six wins on July 27 at Delaware Park to equal the track's single day record.

"I feel like it's going in the right direction," Rocco stated about his career. "It seems like for years I kind of stood in my way. Since I've been with my wife and have had the kids, everything kind of clicked. "I'm more focused, more dedicated. More so, I have a reason to do it. Once you have people depending on you, you have to get out there and do it."

Opening day at Gulfstream Park was highlighted by Rocco booting home Ancient Rome for a win in the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes. He also added a victory with Grip Hands in a maiden turf event.

"Everyone always used to tell me I was a grass rider. I'd get frustrated at that. When you stay up north in the winter time and grass racing ends, your business falls apart," he said. "I've gotten more aggressive the last few years and put horses in a position where they have a shot to do the best they can."

Rocco, who began riding in 1999, won four times in his first 39 mounts at Gulfstream with four seconds and three thirds for $145,340. For the year he has earned more than $3.5 million with 135 victories from 735 mounts.

The Hollywood, FL native is married to Jamie with sons, Brodie, 3, and Luke, 3 months.

Wwgohip Horseracing Betting News

<< Saints, Brees have goals in reach in huge bout with Falcons
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A division title could be secured and a cherished individual record has a chance to be broken when the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints square off at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in a marquee Monday night matchup with ve

<< Five-a-Side: Sam Houston State's Timothy Flanders
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - What Andre Ware saw is what Timothy Flanders had been thinking already. While Sam Houston State beat Montana in the FCS semifinals on Dec. 16, Ware described as an announcer on the ESPN broadcast that Flan

<< Delaware to play seven home games in 2012
Newark, DE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The University of Delaware football team will play seven home games in 2012, including three straight to open the season. The schedule kicks off with the final match-up in Delaware's long-time series with Divisi

<< Changing of the guard; Paul shines in Clippers' debut
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chris Paul paid immediate dividends for the Los Angeles Clippers. Acquired in a trade from New Orleans earlier this month, Paul scored 20 points, dished out nine assists, and hit three big shots late

<< Packers top Bears, clinch NFC's No. 1 seed
Green Bay, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aaron Rodgers threw for 283 yards and a career-high five scores on 21-of-29 passing as the Green Bay Packers wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a 35-21 win over the Chicago

Nets tip off in nation's capital vs. Wizards >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Jersey Nets will have to get used to playing on the road at the start of the 2011-12 season because they're scheduled as the visitor for six of the first eight games, starting with tonight's opener against the Washing

Jackson, Bucks visit Charlotte >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Charlotte Bobcats have made the postseason just once in the franchise's existence. They're counting on a few new additions to change the losing atmosphere and will kick off a condensed season tonight versus the Milwaukee

Rockets open McHale-era in Orlando >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin McHale will get his coaching career in Houston underway when the Rockets pay a visit to Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic this evening from Amway Center. McHale took over for Rick Adelman in May after the Rockets f

Irving, Cavs welcome Raptors to the 'Q' >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - No. 1 overall pick Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers will commence the 2011-12 NBA season tonight with a showdown versus the Toronto Raptors at Quicken Loans Arena. Irving is not expected to start in his NBA debut,

New-look Hornets visit Suns >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While it will take the Hornets some time to get used to the new faces on their roster, the three players New Orleans got in exchange for star guard Chris Paul will all look familiar to the Phoenix Suns. Will Paul now a mem

MySportsbook.com is the Internet’s largest online sportsbook site serving customers in more than 80 countries worldwide. Founded in 1997, MySportsbook.com was the first sports book to introduce reduced margin wagering, using a -105 pricing model that gives bettors up to 50% better value on wagers than traditional bookmakers. With low minimum bet requirements and the highest maximum limits on the Web, MySportsbook.com has earned an industry leading reputation for providing consistent value to the player, professional customer service and the quickest payouts online. Fully licensed and regulated in Antigua and the UK, the company offers a secure environment for sports betting, horse racing and online casino games.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts credit cards needs.

MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.