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.

Jinfeist 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

Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

For more March Madness odds go to MySportsbook.com

For more College Basketball betting lines go to BettingExpress.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.