Hard Spun one to beat at Fair Grounds

Horseracing Betting Lines

01/08/2007 - New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Highly-regarded Hard Spun leads a field of seven three-year-olds for Saturday's $100,000 Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. The one-mile race is an important stepping stone to the Louisiana Derby on March 10.

Owned by Fox Hill Farms, Hard Spun has already received publicity for his three winning starts. The Pennsylvania-bred colt broke his maiden in his first start at Delaware Park and followed that with a victory at Delaware in the Port Penn Stakes.

Hard Spun closed 2006 with a convincing win at Philadelphia Park in the Pennsylvania Nursery, a stakes that Smarty Jones won in 2003. He is trained by Larry Jones and is currently stabled at Oaklawn Park.

Hard Spun will start from post 3 in the Lecomte with regular rider Mario Pino. The three-year-old has earned $100,970 in his three starts.

Breaking from the far outside post in the Lecomte will be Sugar Bowl Stakes winner Teuflesberg. Veteran jockey Robby Albarado will be in the saddle for co-owner and trainer Jamie Sanders.

Teuflesberg has three wins in 11 starts for $157,931.

Two-time winner Makeithapencaptain will start from the inside post on Saturday. The colt will be making his first start in a stakes race for owner Robert Beck and trainer Bret Calhoun.

Makeithapencaptain will be ridden for the first time by Corey Lanerie. All three starts for the three-year-old came in Chicago where he won his last two starts. He has earnings of $37,770.

Completing the entries in post position order for the Lecomte Stakes are Citi Smoke, Izzie's Halo, Beta Capo and Tony Terrific.

Post-time for the Lecomte Stakes is set for 5:22 p.m. (et).

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

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