Betting Picks

In recent years, the pursuit of the NBA title has proven to be a two-horse race between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. They've met in the last three NBA Finals, with Golden State winning in the odd years (2015, 2017) and Cleveland in the even year (2016). But there's a new stud in the race this year and the Houston Rockets might be the thoroughbred to beat.

While horse owners and racing analysts can devote a lot of attention to pedigree, for the average horse racing handicapper, knowing the dam's complete grandsire line back five generations is probably too much information. At the same time, to handicap the Kentucky Derby, finding horses with the pedigree to more-likely-than-not last the 1 1/4 miles distance needs to be a consideration.

It just wouldn't be the Stanley Cup playoffs without some intriguing storylines to make it more compelling, and this spring is no exception. The Nashville Predators look to win their first Cup, the Pittsburgh Penguins seek their third straight title, and the surprising Vegas Golden Knights look to be the inaugural first-year expansion team to win it all. And what should we make of the perennially-contending Washington Capitals?

In the 2017 Kentucky Derby, UAE Derby winner Thunder Snow came into the race with a fair amount of hype, and then broke from the gate and started to buck, never finishing the race. After several years of producing also-rans for the Derby, the route to Kentucky that goes through Meydan Race Track in Dubai has produced a solid contender for 2018 in Mendelsshon.

The last time the Pittsburgh Penguins came into the playoffs as two-time defending Stanley Cup champions was in the spring of 1993. They did so with an NHL-best 119 points during the regular season, and rode a league-record 17-game winning streak into the postseason. But the Penguins were eliminated in the second round by the New York Islanders. Which only goes to prove that the playoffs are anybody's game.

A small but high-profile field of seven will go to the gate at Santa Anita Park on Saturday for the running of the (G1) Santa Anita Derby. As a qualifying race for the 2018 Kentucky Derby, the field will be led by Bolt d'Oro, who has already clinched a spot in the Derby starting gate and who will be trying to confirm his standing as Derby favorite.

A field of 14 will go to the gate on Saturday in the (G1) Blue Grass Stakes, all with one last chance to pick up enough qualifying points to make the gate for the 2018 Kentucky Derby. Run at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt at Keeneland Race Course, the race offers 100 qualifying points to the winner and a total purse of $1 million.

One of three major qualifying races for the 2018 Kentucky Derby to be run on Saturday, the (G2) Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct Race Track in New York offers 100 points to the winner. Only one entry has clinched a Derby spot so far, with two more sitting in the bubble. They'll race 1 1/8 miles on the dirt for a total purse of $750,000.

Trainer Todd Pletcher won the 2017 Kentucky Derby with Always Dreaming, and it looks like he has a serious shot at getting the repeat with Audible. The colt is on a four-race win streak, and should be one of the Derby favorites when the gates open at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May.