Armstrong takes reins as Blues VP/GM

Hockey Betting Lines

07/01/2010 - St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Blues announced on Thursday that Doug Armstrong has officially taken the reins as the club's vice president and general manager.

Armstrong, who spent the last two seasons as the vice president of player personnel, was picked to the post once Larry Pleau revealed he would step aside after 13 years at the helm.

Prior to that, Armstrong lasted 17 seasons with Dallas, including six as that club's general manager. Under his guidance, the Stars won a pair of Pacific Division titles, two Presidents' Trophies and a Stanley Cup in 1999.

Pleau was named general manager in 1997, and though the Blues rose to the top of the NHL in 1999-2000 with the league's best record, the franchise saw a steady decline until finishing dead last in the league in 2005-06. After missing out on the postseason from 2006-08, St. Louis made a near-miracle run to a playoff berth in 2009 but did not qualify last season.

Pokerfanatik Hockey Betting News

<< Nadal-Murray will highlight Friday's men's semis at Wimbledon
Wimbledon, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The men's semifinals will be staged Friday at Wimbledon, with the marquee match of the fortnight thus far pitting world No. 1 Rafael Nadal against Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray of Great Britain.

<< Nets sign a pair of undrafted free agents
East Rutherford, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Jersey Nets on Thursday signed guard Ben Uzoh and center Brian Zoubek, both of whom were not selected in the 2010 NBA Draft. Uzoh averaged 13.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists while start

<< Phils open series against hosting Pirates
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The banged-up Philadelphia Phillies will try to take out their frustrations on the National League's worst team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, tonight in the opener of a four-game series at PNC Park. With a trio of stars on the

<< Wood makes big league debut for Reds at Wrigley
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former second-round draft pick Travis Wood takes the mound for his major-league debut today when the Cincinnati Reds visit Wrigley Field for the first of four games with the homestanding Chicago Cubs. A native of Little R

<< Padres welcome Astros to Petco Park
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National League's best team, the San Diego Padres, welcome one of the worst teams in the league to town this evening when they begin a four-game series with the Houston Astros at Petco Park. At 46-32 San Diego

Blue Jackets name Hinote assistant coach >>
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Columbus Blue Jackets named Dan Hinote an assistant coach on Thursday. Hinote, 33, spent nine seasons in the NHL, recording 38 goals and 52 assists in 503 career games with Colorado (1999-2006) and

Riders looking for a mulligan of their own >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - One penalty. One point. One Grey Cup. Those seven words were the difference between the Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2009, after a costly error and second-chance field goal propelled t

Canadian MLB Report: A power outage in the Citi >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the second straight season, a New York Mets slugger has fallen victim to a power outage at Citi Field. In 2009, David Wright swatted just 10 home runs, the lowest output of his career. And now Jason Ba

RSL's Rimando named MLS Player of the Month >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando did not allow a single goal in the month of June and was recognized on Wednesday night as the MLS Player of the Month. Rimando and Real Salt Lake posted shutouts in all t

Chivas USA releases Macotelo, Santos >>
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chivas USA released midfielder Jose Macotelo and forward Maicon Santos on Wednesday night. Both players had served primarily as substitutes in 2010, with Santos scoring one goal in nine games, and Macotelo maki

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.