many points as you want and not making the playoffs is not a good loo

The good folks at the race and sports book at Wynn Las Vegas released their current future book odds for the Nov. 5 Breeders Cup Classic a few days ago and, as always, I find them a fun topic for discussion.But first, a word on what on what future book odds from an actual casino really are. They are an amalgam of actual future book bets Wynn has accepted, their response for requests for odds quotes on certain horses, and prices carefully considered so as to reduce the bookmakers exposure. These future book odds are not in any way a future book odds line, so if you see a number on a horse mentioned below that you strongly disagree with, keep in mind that that number is a reflection of various market influences.Anyway, Wynn has seven horses decidedly lower than the rest of the pack in their current Breeders Cup Classic future odds. Here they are, in ascending odds order:California Chrome: 9-2 Beholder: 5-1 Frosted: 7-1 Nyquist: 7-1 Exaggerator: 8-1 Dortmund: 10-1 Songbird: 12-1It should be no surprise to anyone that California Chrome and Beholder are the first two favorites. California Chrome, the Horse of the Year in 2014 and winner of the Dubai World Cup in his last start in the best performance of his accomplished career, is scheduled to return in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 23. Beholder, a three time Eclipse Award winner and winner of eight straight, all stakes, is to make her next start in Del Mars Clement L. Hirsch Stakes a week after the San Diego. And if all goes well, these two are to meet for the first time in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 20.Its also no surprise that Frosted is as low a price as he is after his jaw dropping, 14-? length victory in the Met Mile on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Frosted, who earned a 123 Beyer Speed Figure for that performance, the highest Beyer in nine years, is to make his next start in Saratogas Whitney on Aug. 6.The prices on Nyquist, winner of the Kentucky Derby, last years champion 2-year-old male, and who suffered his first defeat in the Preakness after being fried in a speed duel, and Exaggerator, winner of the Preakness, runner up in the Kentucky Derby, but a hugely disappointing 11th in the Belmont Stakes, are lower than some might expect. I know I wouldnt consider them at 7-1 and 8-1, respectively, not when you can get the prices now offered on California Chrome, Beholder, and Frosted. But I sense the prices on Nyquist and Exaggerator are influenced by the way the Triple Crown dominates the first half of the U. S. racing season, and I think they might drift the deeper we get into the second half of the year, and the closer we get to the Breeders Cup.How about Dortmund (remember him?) at 10-1? Dortmund, who won the first six starts of his career, was thought to be the main threat to American Pharoah in the 2015 Kentucky Derby, in which he finished third. He appeared poised for a monster 4-year-old campaign this year, but hes had as many injuries as starts over the last year, and hasnt even raced yet in 2016. However, Dortmund had six published workouts in June, and if he comes back the horse I have always thought he could be, he might be a very interesting addition to this mix.Songbird is a sensational filly, but anyone who backs her at 12-1, or any price, is begging to be separated from their money. Songbirds connections have no intention whatsoever of running her in the Breeders Cup Classic. I have more of a chance of running in the Classic than Songbird does.Relative to the odds listed above, there are three horses who I find intriguing at much bigger prices. They are Creator, Melatonin, and Mohaymen.Creator, pegged at 25-1, upset the Belmont Stakes in his last start. If you can draw a line though his troubled-trip outing in the Kentucky Derby (and you should, he had no chance to show what he could do in Louisville due to severe traffic), Creator has improved from race to race. And I wouldnt put continued improvement past him.Melatonin is currently listed at 30-1, but that price really should take a tumble. The Breeders Cup Classic will be run at Santa Anita at 1-? miles. There have been two Grade 1 races at 1 ? miles run at Santa Anita so far this year -- the Santa Anita Handicap, and the very recent Gold Cup at Santa Anita -- and Melatonin won both of them.Mohaymen at 35-1 means hes five times the price of Nyquist, and while Im not suggesting Mohaymen is a better horse than Nyquist, that price still strikes me as an overlay. Mohaymen was the 8-5 favorite against Nyquist when they met as unbeatens in the Florida Derby in April, and for whatever reason -- the wet track, a wide trip, a simple off day? -- Mohaymen clearly did not run his race finishing a soundly beaten fourth. He did, however, run much, much better when a rallying fourth in the Kentucky Derby after being farther off the pace than he is accustomed to.Swell Water Bottle Wood . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Swell Canada Sale . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. http://www.swellbottlesaleclearance.com/ .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. Swell Wood Bottle Sale . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net. Swell Ombre Bottle . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others.Tuesdays matchup between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore., features two of the hottest young guards in the NBA -- and were not talking about Damian Lillard.Portlands CJ McCollum matched his career high with 37 points to lift the Trail Blazers (4-3) past the Memphis Grizzlies 100-94 Sunday at the FedEx Forum.Phoenixs Devin Booker scored career-high 38 points in Fridays 112-111 victory over New Orleans, then followed that with a new career high of 39 points in a 119-108 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.McCollum, 25, scored 16 of his points in the fourth quarter during a game when backcourt mate Lillard struggled to a 3-for-11 shooting performance, in part due to minor thumb and ankle injuries. McCollum was 13 for 23 from the field, including 6 for 12 on 3-pointers.We needed CJ in this one, and he came through big-time, Lillard said.While Lillard has played well enough to earn mention in early Most Valuable Player discussions, McCollum has quietly averaged 21.4 points. Thats on pace to exceed the fourth-year pros scoring totals of a year ago, when he averaged 20.8 points and earned the NBAs Most Improved Player Award.Ive been getting the shots Ive worked on, been getting to my spots, McCollum said. I dont really worry about making or missing shots. That will even out over the course of a season. I want to be in a good flow. I felt that way (against the Grizzlies).Booker, who turned 20 on Oct. 30, became the youngest player in NBA history with back-to-back games of at least 38 points. Its also the first time a Suns player has scored at least 38 in consecutive games since Toom Chambers in 1990.dddddddddddd Booker is one of eight players in league history to post multiple scoring games of at least 38 points under the age of 21.It doesnt matter, Booker told reporters afterward. Its another game, especially after we lose. If we win, I get more excited about it. Its about wins and losses. Maybe later in my career, I can look back at things like that, but now Im in the mindset where I am ready to get wins.Everybody looks good when you win. Thats what were trying to do. Scoring as many points as you want and not making the playoffs is not a good look. My ultimate goal is to make the playoffs.Booker, who is averaging 23.0 points in the regular season, bombed in 34 points while playing only the first three quarters of a preseason contest in Portland. He scored only 15 in the Suns 118-115 overtime victory over the Blazers at US Airways Center last Wednesday.Both teams are hoping for improved defensive performances. Phoenix is last in the NBA in scoring defense (113.3 points per game) and 22nd in opponents field-goal percentage (.452). Portland is 25th in scoring defense (109.3) but the Blazers have climbed into a tie for sixth in opponents field-goal percentage (.436).Weve been good defensively since the second half of the Phoenix game, Lillard said. Its something we want to do. We want to be a better team; everybody is taking that challenge. Every possession, it means something to me. Like, Im not going to get hit by pick-and-rolls. I think everybody has that type of attitude. ' ' '