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.

Mysportsbet 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

How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?

The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.

While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.

For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.

1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.

2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.

How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.

Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.

Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.

How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).

Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.

Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.