Your Pigskins and Ponies Picks for Sept. 13-14

Welcome to ABR’s Pigskins and Ponies column, where winners play!
Horse racing is my means to an end, and I love the sport like no other, but I admit it, like most of you on a Sunday afternoon in the fall, it’s hard to pull me away from my couch … and NFL RedZone.
I have a wanted sign in Vegas and am feared by fantasy football mavens nationwide, but when it comes to the college game, I chose to punt.
That’s where Derek Cooley comes in. The dude is a loaded gun of university knowledge.
Let’s kick off the football, spring the horses from the gate and pad our bankrolls!
Pro Pigskins – by Joe Kristufek
In all forms of wagering, or “investing” (when you have an informed opinion), it’s good to have a little “Luck” on your side.
In this case it was Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Andrew Luck’s comeback that helped us backdoor the Denver Broncos by a half-point.
That same half-point bit us on the other side of the Jets-Raiders matchup, but as predicted, the Lions spanked the Giants in the best bet of the week.
For me, it’s all about the road warriors in week two.
Pro Football Trifecta
Last week: 2-1 (.667); Season Total: 2-1 (.667)
Sunday, Sept. 14, 1 p.m. ET
Miami Dolphins (-1) at Buffalo Bills
For the Dolphins, the biggest question of many questions entering the opener was the completely revamped offensive line. Not only did the unit pass the test, they did so with flying colors as Knowshon Moreno and Lamar Miller ran over the favored New England Patriots. Ryan Tannehill was sacked only once, and he’s a young QB with a good handle and upside. The Bills sent shockwaves through the NFL with an opening-week win on the road, but it was more a product of the Chicago Bears losing than the Bills winning.
Sunday, Sept. 14, 1 p.m. ET
Arizona Cardinals (-3) at New York Giants
Sometimes you bet on teams or horses, and on other occasions you wager against them. Last week’s hammer on the Detroit Lions was more a product of their opponent than their own prodigiousness. The not-so Giants return home with their tails between their legs, while the Cardinals are riding high off a game win over a quality opponent in the San Diego Chargers. The Cards offense won’t dazzle you, but the defense is very good. Eli Manning and company are not. This line opened up Giants – 1 ½. That didn’t last long.
THE GIANTS DID NOT LOOK GOOD IN SEASON DEBUT

WikiMedia Commons
Sunday, Sept. 14, 1 p.m. ET
New Orleans Saints (-6 1/2) at Cleveland Browns – BEST BET
Opening week, the Saints lost a shootout to an underrated Atlanta Falcons team, while the Browns late rally fell just short against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This one should be a “Brees” for the boys from Cajun country, who will be focused and determined to even their record. Even though they lost, the Browns have to be feeling pretty good about their opening week performance, but they’ll come plummeting back to earth in this one. The Saints simply have too many weapons and the Cleveland offense will be hard-pressed to produce half of what they did against the Steelers. 
College Pigskins – by Derek Cooley
Let’s briefly take a look at our plays from a week ago … and I mean briefly.
Michigan State was not only covering the spread, but winning the game deep into the third quarter. But a magical Marcus Mariota pitch play on third down changed the momentum, and the game ended with Oregon scoring 28 unanswered, winning and covering.
Credit Memphis for scoring 14 points in 37 seconds to start the fourth quarter as they hounded UCLA all night, covering their spread as well.
Notre Dame destroyed Michigan behind the arm of Everett Golson, and the arm of Michigan QB Devin Gardner. That was going to be a tough one from the get-go for Michigan to steal.
Can’t win ’em all, but fortunately for us, you can’t lose ’em all either.
On to the next one ...
College Football Trifecta
Last week: 1-2 (.333); Season Total: 1-2 (.333) 
Texas (+8) @ #12 UCLA (8 pm ET, FOX)
(being played in Dallas)
It could be argued that the score in each of these program’s previous games didn’t exactly indicate how closely contested they were. UCLA was ahead of Memphis most of the game, but kept letting the Tigers back in. Texas was statistically competitive, but decided not to show up on the scoreboard against BYU. This will be Charlie Strong’s coming out party for the Longhorns, and FOX will be loving every second of it.
East Carolina (+11) @ #17 Virginia Tech (noon ET, ESPN)
Personally, I was more impressed with East Carolina’s showing against an angry South Carolina team than I was Virginia Tech winning in Columbus. And the Pirates are getting 11 big points. Give me ECU, and watch for the upset.
Florida (-19) vs. Kentucky (7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
Yes, Florida is not ranked, but I couldn’t pass this up. They will play like a ranked squad in this one. Quarterback Jeff Driskel and Co. might actually have it figured out, and the Gators could potentially be a SEC dark horse in the coming weeks. The Swamp will be ALIVE on this night, and UK might wish they had never left the comfy confines of Lexington. 
Best of the Rest: Washington (-13.5) vs Illinois
Let’s rebuild that trust ... 
Ponies – by Joe Kristufek
Last week: 3-2-1-0 ($11.33 Return on Investment based on $2 Win/Place/Show wager = $6) Season Total: 3-2-1-0 ($11.33 ROI)
Each week, I’ll zero in on a trifecta of horses in high-profile races across the country, prioritizing winners while remaining cognizant of value.
We enjoyed a profitable Saturday last week, nearly doubling our money with two winners and a second.
In the Arlington-Washington Lassie, the promising 2-year-old filly Quality Rocks rolled over her opponents and fair odds of 4-1; the veteran mare Don’t Tell Sophia came out swinging off the bench to take down the Locust Grove Stakes at 2-1; and as the odds-on favorite in the Dueling Grounds Derby, Medal Count lost by the slimmest of margins, but still turned us a slight profit on the place and show wagers. 
Arlington Park – Arlington Heights, Ill.
8th Race – $150,000 Pucker Up Stakes (Grade 3)
#3 Kiss Moon (morning-line odds 6-1)
This sophomore filly has had lots of ups and downs in her young career, but she appears to have found a home on turf. Her victory in the second division of the Hatoof Stakes on Arlington Million day was two seconds faster than the other division. She’s trained well since and her pedigree suggests longer distances should not be an issue. With Aurelia’s Belle and Stellaris entering the same gate, she’s very likely to fly under the radar. 
Kentucky Downs – Franklin, Ky.
7th Race - $200,000 More Than Ready Mile Stakes
#3 Guys Reward (morning-line odds 2-1)
This hard-charging 7-year-old ran only twice last year, but he’s bounced back to enjoy a very productive 2014 campaign. He should absolutely relish the seemingly forever stretch that Kentucky Downs offers. The presence of former Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Regally Ready should keep our guy’s odds floating at a playable level, and none of the other eight horses in the field scares me all that much, with the exception of the upstart R. Great Adventure. 
GUYS REWARD WINNING OCEANPORT STAKES IN JULY AT MONMOUTH

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Kentucky Downs – Franklin, Ky.
9th Race - $250,000 Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes (Grade 3)
#10 O’Prado Ole (morning-line odds 5-1)
At the age of four and with 11 starts under his belt, this Dale Romans charge is starting to come into his own. Two races back at Arlington, he just missed in the Stars and Stripes Stakes at longshot odds of 13-1, and The Pizza Man, the horse who won that day, returned to capture the American St. Leger Stakes on Million day, too. This guy tested tough waters in the Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes. He finished sixth but was only beaten by four lengths. He fired a bullet workout in advance of this, and there’s no reason to think he won’t run another huge race.