However for bettors who are heading to Laurel Racetrack to place a bet (or for those who prefer the TVG app), a Rich Strike-less field could be advantageous — it’s just one less horse to worry about.

Last year it was Rombauer who finished first, at 11-1 odds, besting the late Derby winner Medina Spirit, who finished third. Here are the nine horses looking to earn the Woodlawn Vase in 2022:

And now for the predictions for how the horses will finish:

WIN: #1 SIMPLIFICATION

After a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby with Jose Ortiz aboard, Simplification will now get a new jockey; Ortiz had previously committed to ride Early Voting. Enter John Velazquez, who has won every race there is except the Preakness.

The 2022 season for Simplification has been successful, but rocky at times. He came into the Florida Derby with 2-1 odds and got off to a good start. After taking the lead at the half-mile, he quickly lost it at the Âľ when White Abarrio took over.

In the Mucho Macho Man Stakes, Simplification took a clear lead at Gulfstream Park and was never threatened, despite a brief challenge from Skippy at the beginning. At the Fountain of Youth Stakes, the 3-year-old Florida-bred colt came in as a 3-1 favorite and, despite running wide on the second turn, he took advantage of a few jockeys who got unseated from their mounts, hindering the final pace.

If you bet Simplification to win, like I plan to, don’t be alarmed if he is not at the front out of the gate. History suggests he can be a tad unsettled in the first stretch but has gotten used to hanging back behind horses in the beginning. He has great closing speed and I expect Johnny V to sit on the rail most of the race and make a move for first at the end.

PLACE: #8 EPICENTER

Epicenter was victorious in track-record time at the Louisiana Derby, despite galloping in third for a while. Joel Rosario eased the horse back, taught the horse about getting dirt kicked up in the face before cruising ahead to an easy victory. He was also the decisive winner of the Risen Star Stakes and after a neck-and-neck sprint with Surfer Dude at Gun Runner, Epicenter ended up taking over, winning by six.

As far as post position, Rosario will have the opportunity to get a nice look at what his inside opponents are doing. Legendary trainer Steve Asmussen won the Preakness in 2007 with Curlin and two years later with Rachel Alexandra. However I expect Asmussen’s Epicenter to finish as the runner-up once again, two weeks after doing so against Rich Strike at the Kentucky Derby.

SHOW: #4 SECRET OATH

The Kentucky Oaks winner has proven she can run with the boys or the girls in 2022.

On the Friday race before the Derby, Secret Oath came on the outside of Echo Zulu as they headed into the stretch and took the lead at the eight pole. She was the 2-5 favorite in the Honeybee G3, running from the rail to start. Ice Orchid kept her in tight, but in two strides Secret Oath took the lead and then stormed to a seven-length victory.

She finished third in the Arkansas Derby, and who knows how it could have finished if she had a solid trip. She was last leaving the backstretch but was able to ascend to third and fell just short of second place at the very end.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas won the Kentucky Derby in 1988 with a filly by the name of Winning Colors but finished third in the Preakness. That is where I expect this year’s lone filly to finish in Baltimore on Saturday.

LONGSHOT (TO FILL OUT THOSE SUPERFECTAS): #3 FENWICK

After this year’s Kentucky Derby saw the longest shot win outright, I know I will be spending at least a buck on a superfecta lottery ticket with the #3 Fenwick rounding out card.

Some may scoff at Fenwick after an 11th-place finish at the G1 Blue Grass Stakes a month ago, but he won at a mile and 40 yards in Tampa in a Maiden Special Weight this year where he held the rail position. In that race, he led Âľ of a length in front in the beginning and was able to hold on before pulling away at the final sixteenth, claiming victory at 21-1 odds.

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The six-time Derby-winning trainer has been barred from entering any horses into races at Churchill Downs until mid-2023 after Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned substance after last year’s race. Mandaloun would end up being crowned the winner; Medina Spirit died later in 2021.

So with no Baffert, who is the trainer to beat this year?

Steve Asmussen has won every big race in his career except the Derby, and has to be in consideration with his #3 horse Epicenter. Meanwhile, Todd Pletcher and Doug O’Neill each have two Derby victories to their credit, and we’ll see whether Brad Cox can follow up his first Derby victory last year (albeit via DQ) with a strong performance out of one of the three horses he’ll be running. There’s also Baffert mentee Tim Yakteen, who will run a couple of horses with shorter odds.

Then there’s Chad Brown, the trainer of the current favorite, Zandon. Brown has one Triple Crown victory in his career (the 2017 Preakness, with Cloud Computing), while the jockey who will be aboard the #10 horse, Flavien Prat. was ruled the winner of the 2019 Derby after Maximum Security was DQ’d.

Two disqualifications in three years — hopefully we’ll see a nice clean race this year sans Baffert, and we get a crowd that is enthusiastic. We’ll even have Louisville’s own Jack Harlow doing Riders Up!

The 20-horse field with the current odds:

This week I interviewed horse racing analyst and longtime Philadelphia Inquirer writer Dick Jerardi, who is in Churchill Downs for his 34th Kentucky Derby. Dick the illustrious chase of holding a winning Superfecta ticket and how it is considered “The Holy Grail” of betting the Kentucky Derby. So, let’s predict how the Top 4 will shake out:

Win: #12 Taiba

Jerardi is also part of the Beyer speed figure team, a system that was designed by legendary Washington Post racing columnist Andy Beyer. For the purpose of this particular preview we’ll just point out that it is very impressive to get a score in the 100s. Taiba has done it twice, and check out the elite company he is in:

I know Taiba’s circumstances are different given his lack of experience, but this is the list of horses dating back to 2012 who had at least two consecutive 100+ Beyer Speed Figures entering the Kentucky Derby and where they finished in the Derby itself:

— Matt Bernier (@bernier_matt)

About that lack of experience Bernier points out: Taiba has only raced twice but was victorious in both races; most recently by 2 ¼ lengths in the Santa Anita Derby. While it may seem nerve-wracking to back Taiba considering only one other horse has won the Kentucky Derby in his third career start, and that was all the way back in 1883, jockey Mike Smith that with a good trip, inexperience won’t matter much.

Speaking of “Money” Mike Smith, the 56-year-old is hoping to become the oldest jockey to win the Kentucky Derby. He’s already accomplished the biggest triumph in horse racing, capturing the Triple Crown aboard Justify in 2018.

Smith has teamed with trainer Tim Yakteen, who has more than 250 career victories and purse earnings of more than $12 million. That seems like a match made in the Winner’s Circle. Even with the weather conditions looking iffy, I expect the speedy Taiba to spoil Steve Asmussen’s best shot at winning his first Derby late in the race.

PLACE: #3 Epicenter

Asmussen is the leading trainer in North America when it comes to wins and he has collected victories in Triple Crown races on three occasions: twice in the Preakness (Curlin in 2007, Rachel Alexandra in 2009) and one Belmont (in 2016 with Creator). Epicenter also was selected to the #3 post, which Jerardi suggested could be a favorable position as it forces the horse to be more aggressive.

Speaking earlier this week, Asmussen did not seem as enthralled with the idea of starting out of that gate:

Thank you trainer Steve Asmussen for taking time to speak with following today’s draws for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks!

Listen in here for his thoughts on Epicenter drawing the #3 post in the Derby & Echo Zulu drawing post #7 in the Oaks!

— TVG (@TVG)

Joel Rosario’s hand could certainly be forced, especially if the track conditions are not ideal with the weather. But will he be able to come out of that first turn at the top of the pack? I don’t believe so. Epicenter ran past Zandon in Risen Star Grade 2 back in February, and I expect that to happen once again, but it won’t be enough to finish first.

SHOW: #10 Zandon

I was tempted to go with the horse with the shortest odds as favorites 35% of the time in the Kentucky Derby. My fade with this horse is because of trainer Chad Brown’s history.

Only Good Magic, back in 2018, has finished in the money out of Brown’s six previous entries, and while the odds may suggest this is his best chance, I’m not so sure, pedigree. The #10 post has produced nine winners in Derby history and I don’t foresee this 10 horse becoming the 10th.

Fourth place to fill out your Superfectas: #15 White Abarrio

The Florida Derby winner did not have the easiest trip last month Saffie Joseph Jr., but was still good enough to win. Joseph pointed out that he does need to improve a bit to finish first at the Derby and it’s curious to see how he’ll perform on the big stage away from the Sunshine State — all four of his career wins have come at Gulfstream Park.

Jerardi pointed out that while Tyler Gaffalione has never won the Derby in four rides, he’s had multiple exceptional performances in other races at Churchill Downs for years – he just hasn’t had the right horse to win the Derby. I am not so sure this will be the year either, but I liked enough of what I saw out of White Abarrio to consider him on my Holy Grail tickets.

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The 2021 Preakness drew a despite the controversy surrounding Medina Spirit’s now-positive drug test. And the second leg of the Triple Crown was still the highest-rated sporting — even if ratings sagged a bit.

The question now is: Without the prospect of one of the horses joining the elite 13 member club of Triple Crown winners, will the Belmont Stakes still generate interest from the viewing and betting public?

I believe so. Betting only eight horses as opposed to 20 in the Kentucky Derby increases chances that you can actually hit that trifecta you hopelessly throw a few dollars at every Triple Crown race.

I would know; I had a winning ticket in 2015 when American Pharoah won the Belmont Stakes and joined Triple Crown immortality.

There are only eight horses running the 1.5-mile race — same as 2015. The purse is $1.5 million with a post time of 6:47 p.m. Saturday.

Below are their current odds in the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes, .

I will be placing a Trifecta Box on FanDuel Sportsbook and I believe this is how the top three will finish up in New York Saturday:

WIN: #4 Hot Rod Charlie

This horse finished third in the Kentucky Derby and could have had a chance to pass Medina Spirit at some point, had he not run into any traffic. He’s never really done anything wrong and his Louisiana Derby in March was such an impressive win — especially against tough competition.

What might be the most enticing for a bettor who likes Hot Rod Charlie’s chance to win are the jockey musical chairs.

Flavien Prat is honoring his commitment to trainer Doug O’Neill to ride the Hot Rod in the Belmont after doing so in the Derby.

I understand keeping your word, but he won the Preakness with Rombauer who is running this same race! He won’t say it publicly, but to me this spells Prat believing he has a better shot of winning this race aboard Hot Rod Charlie.

There are question marks when it comes to how he’ll run at this distance, but those linger with most of this field, right? Horses do not often run this 1.5-mile race, so it can be a crapshoot to predict how they react.

His pedigree is there: His grandfather was Awesome Again in long distances and he’s the son of Oxbow, who finished second in the 2013 Belmont Stakes.

There should not be any hiccups or bumps out the gate in an eight horse field, so I believe his tactical speed will propel him to the front late for a first place finish.

PLACE: #7 Rock Your World

He was supposed to get the lead with Medina Spirit in the Kentucky Derby but ended up finishing 17th, as he got pinched at the start and never got into it at all. That can certainly happen in a 20-horse field, so I won’t crush him too much for that.

Joel Rosario is a perfect fit for this horse and will ride him again. With a clean break it’s certainly possible that Rosario could capture the lead and keep it all the way to the finish line.

History is not exactly on his side with that, as only four horses this century have gone gate to wire to win the Belmont Stakes.

Rock Your World will need to have some fast fractions like he had when he won the Santa Anita Derby and keep it up all the way through Saturday’s race.

Even without a ton of speed in the race, I believe he will lose the lead late after running in first most of the race. Rock Your World is bred to go this far, but I just can’t see a gate to wire win for this John W. Sadler trained horse.

SHOW: #3 Rombauer

Rombauer has gone forward with every single step of his career and that’s what you want to see from 3 year olds. With Mike McCarthy training, he should be able to replicate his efforts and even possibly improve from his Preakness win.

The question for me is the jockey switch, and unlike Hot Rod Charlie I believe the jockey shuffling works to Rombauer’s disadvantage.

No disrespect to Johnny Velazquez, who has won the Belmont Stakes twice (in 2007 and 2012) and was victorious aboard Medina Spirit in this year’s Kentucky Derby.

However, the jockey aboard Rombauer in the Preakness win is on a different — and maybe better — horse.

I just wonder if Johnny Velazquez will be able to turn Rombauer loose at the end and allow him to showcase that same closing ability he possessed in Baltimore?

BONUS HORSE FOR SUPERFECTAS: #6 KNOWN AGENDA

You didn’t think you would get through this article without some love for a Todd Pletcher horse right?

Irad Ortiz Jr. appears to have avoided major injury when he unfortunately took a tumble which led to a hospitalization.

If he were unable to ride, I would certainly not consider this horse in your tickets as Ortiz Jr. is one of the best riders in the world.

He rode Known Agenda to a win at the Florida Derby and was victorious in the Belmont Stakes five years ago when he was aboard Creator.

Pletcher and Ortiz Jr. are a deadly combination and are very familiar with the New York tracks. Not to mention Pletcher frequently likes to preserve his horses by not running them in the Preakness, rather taking a shot at winning the Belmont — which he’s done three times.

My biggest concern with this horse ultimately is speed — and I do not believe he will have the closing ability to win at this distance.

That being said, it certainly would not shock me if he won the whole thing as it’s only an eight-horse race and the 1.5-mile trip can be somewhat unpredictable.

Source

Those were the words of Larry Collmus as Medina Spirit crossed the finish line first at this year’s Kentucky Derby. Who would have thought that phrase now has two meanings?

Seven Derby wins for Baffert, and now five medication violations in a little over a year as this past Sunday morning it was revealed that Medina Spirit failed a postrace drug test for the steroid betamethasone.

The Derby winner was cleared to run on Tuesday after Baffert changed his tune from his Mother’s Day denial of any circumstances that would have led to a positive test. Jimmy Barnes, Baffert’s assistant trainer, will take the reigns for both Medina Spirit and No. 10 Concert Tour who did not run in the Derby.

Medina Spirit and Concert Tour trainer Jimmy Barnes held court for 11 minutes this morning. Kept the focus on the horses, spoke about how he’s used to filling in for Bob Baffert at big races.

FWIW when Authentic won the Haskell last year, Barnes was there, not Baffert.

— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno)

While both favorites are Baffert horses, they come from different ownership groups so there should be no expectation of any shaking and baking to get Medina Spirit to the front for a win. There are certainly questions from a ratings and wagering standpoint: Will people tune in to watch what happens with the former $1,000 darling-turned-controversial-favorite? Are bettors going to be skeptical that the race is actually clean?

Post time is at 6:47pm at Pimlico in Baltimore. Here is how the ten horses will line up:

Without further adieu, below are the Big Chee Preakness Picks, along with an explanation as to why I will be fading one of the Baffert horses in the second leg of the Triple Crown:

WIN: No. 3 Medina Spirit 

John Velasquez ran this horse masterfully in the Derby, but Medina Spirit the horse showed a lot of guts en route to a wire-to-wire victory.

Surprisingly, Velazquez has never won the Preakness but he fits this tough little horse perfectly. If you are wagering on Medina Spirit, you do have to be weary of the prospect of a scratch. Will all of the pre-race tests, additional or otherwise come back clean?

If the answer is yes, the rest of the field is inadequate compared to the horses at the Derby so he has a strong chance to capture the second leg and 60% of the $1 million purse at Pimlico.

Under normal circumstances, Medina Spirit would probably be a 6-5 or 7-5 favorite and he is certainly beatable, but there isn’t much of a threat for a quicker pace or surge inside or outside to match his tactical speed.

Were you kicking yourself for betting against Baffert in the Kentucky Derby? Don’t get fooled again: Five out of Baffert’s six Derby winners have gone on to win the Preakness. Authentic is the only exception last year and that could have been attributed to the modified Triple Crown schedule.

We saw what works for Medina Spirit at Churchill Downs: When he goes to the lead, he wins the race, and that’s what I am expecting to happen at Pimlico Saturday no matter how controversial it is for him to be running in the first place.

PLACE: No. 5 Midnight Bourbon

Irad Ortiz, who along with Johnny V is one of the two hottest jockeys in the country, is now aboard Midnight Bourbon — who finished sixth at the Derby. He got caught up getting bumped early and had a lot to overcome and it certainly wasn’t one of Mike Smith’s finest rides.

With Ortiz you can expect an aggressive riding style and he will want Midnight Bourbon to get into his preferred running style which is from the stalking position.

Is it realistic to expect Midnight Bourbon to overtake Medina Spirit while running from behind? Meh.

The speed figures are there but to me he just doesn’t seem fast enough to run with the front runner, and if he does push the pace too much, he will be cooked by the final stretch. I also worry that he seems to lose ground in the stretch and that sometimes he’s a one-paced horse.

I expect this horse to be overbet as the public will want to have some action on a non-Baffert horse, and this is the one with the best chance to win according to oddmakers.

He’s a contender and you have to use him in your tickets but I do not believe he is good enough to win outright.

SHOW: No. 4 Crowded Trade

A lightly-raced horse that finished third in The Wood Memorial where he was right there but couldn’t make up ground to close because he was too wide.

He did run well in the Gotham where he finished ahead of Highly Motivated who was highly touted (especially by yours truly) coming into the Derby.

This horse definitely seems live, he comes from a very good stable and Chad Brown is the right guy to get him ready. If he were to win, it would not be that surprising as Javier Castellanos is a big money rider who will know how to ride the horse.

One concern I have with Crowded Trade is that all three career starts have been run at the Aqueduct which is kind of a slower track.

He won his debut in January which was followed up with a nose loss to Weyburn in the Gotham Stakes. He finished third in his third career race behind Bourbonic and Dynamic One, neither of whom were in contention at the Derby.

If you need a fourth for a superfecta…

No. 6 Rombauer 12-1 

Rombauer won the El Camino Real Derby, so he gets a free trip to the Preakness. However, this time around he’s in a tough spot at Pimlico and it’s debatable whether he is actually capable of finishing first in this race.

Trainer Mike McCarthy is a solid conditioner and Flavien Prat is a terrific jockey.

Despite not getting the pace set up that he wanted and going up against the rail in a change of style, he finished third in Bluegrass behind Essential Quality and Highly Motivated. He has run multiple good races on the dirt and he is a consistent kind of runner.

If no one gets in his way he can run up and even potentially make the trifecta.

FADING: No. 10 Concert Tour

Baffert’s “other” horse finished third in The Arkansas Derby after backing out of the lead and succumbing to Super Stock. Was the horse winded? Did he give his best effort?

Mike Smith is now aboard after Joel Rosario surprisingly hopped off to ride a relative unknown in Japanese horse France Go De Ina.

Concert Tour’s workouts have been good but, despite skipping the Derby, the owners seem keen on running him every three or four weeks, which is kind of a lot.

Smith is a legend after winning the Triple Crown with Justify but his performance in the Derby was questionable and I wonder if the 55-year-old jockey’s best days are behind him.

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The first leg of the Triple Crown returns to its normal slot on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs. The expected attendance in the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby is expected to approach 60% capacity in certain areas, but the venue is expected to generate less than one-tenth of its normal annual revenue. Estimated post time is 6:57 p.m. ET, and weather is not expected to be an issue.

The favorites in this year’s race include Essential Quality, Highly Motivated, Rock Your World and Known Agenda. Highly Motivated checks in as the No. 17 horse, a post that has never won at the Kentucky Derby.

Here is the full list of all 20 horses expected to compete:

Betting a Trifecta? Below are the trio of horses that I believe will finish first, second and third at the Kentucky Derby.

WIN: No. 17 Highly Motivated

Not only has the No. 17 spot never produced a Kentucky Derby winner, but Highly Motivated’s trainer Chad Brown has also never been victorious in the Derby either. And 43-year-old jockey Javier Castellano? Zero Derby wins in his career.

So what gives?

One could assume Highly Motivated would be the favorite coming into Churchill Downs had his nose finished first at the Bluegrass Stakes and not Essential Quality’s. Highly Motivated really should have gotten there as he was inside doing all the work, but maybe all of the heavy lifting he had to do in that race may have cost him in the end.

The bottom line: Sometimes horses just lose. Not this time though.

Based on the effort and how he’s progressed entering this race, Highly Motivated deserves to be the buzz horse this week.

His workouts have just been tremendous, and he’s coming off of great speed numbers in three straight races. Never seeing a winner out of the 17 spots is an anomaly, and Javier should be able to look inside at the other speed horses, gradually cut over and save ground, and eventually win the Kentucky Derby.

PLACE: No. 14 Essential Quality

There are so many things to like about this horse: He’s won all five of his career races; Mattress Mack will be betting $3-4 million on him, and he’s had excellent workouts leading up to the Derby.

It’s hard to find faults and easy to like the progression of his numbers as they get better every trip. You have to love Tapit as his sire. Luis Saez seems to fit this horse perfectly.

A little less than a month later, however, I believe that it will be Highly Motivated necking out a win over the No. 14, a great horse but in my opinion not on the level of recent Triple Crown champions American Pharoah or Justified.

The biggest reason not to bet this horse to win? The odds. In a field of 20 horses, 2-1 just does not offer enough value when the horse is not a convincing favorite.

SHOW: No. 15 Rock Your World

Another undefeated horse that is coming in with a lot of buzz.

This is a quality horse that checks a lot of boxes and could figure in the early pace. Rock Your World won’t need the lead, as he can relax off of a horse if one goes ahead of him.

Joel Rosario is a tremendous rider particularly in big races, and the horse’s speed figures are just as good as Essential Quality’s. You don’t get purchased at Keeneland for $650K if you’re a slowpoke after all.

There are a ton of positives here and Rock Your World has a tremendous chance, but is regression possibly coming? All three of his career victories have been at Santa Anita, and I probably would have liked to see him workout more at Churchill Downs ahead of the Derby. The Santa Anita Derby victory was impressive, but he was basically untouched.

Is he experienced enough to win? Probably, but I believe the two aforementioned are more battle tested for the mile and a quarter.

Will you have some exotics and superfecta tickets? Here are some dark horse candidates to consider betting:

No. 10 Midnight Bourbon

Steve Asmussen is still seeking his first Kentucky Derby victory, while jockey Mike Smith is a two time Kentucky Derby winner who fits the horse very well. But is Midnight Bourbon talented enough to actually win?

There is a lot of talent in the field, and pace will be an important factor. His workouts have been really solid coming into the race, and he has spent a lot of time familiarizing the track at Churchill Downs.

Asmussen knows what to do with these big money horses, and Midnight Bourbon seems to have everything going for him on paper.

The question is: What does he do in the biggest race of his career? Midnight Bourbon probably won’t win, but he’ll stalk the pace enough to possibly catch a third or fourth finish.

#8 Medina Spirit

You can never count out a Bob Baffert horse.

But it does feel like a weird horse for Baffert, as the legendary trainer normally looks for horses that are 10 times as expensive as Medina Spirit was.

Baffert will have this horse ready to give full effort, even if he did not finish strong in the Santa Anita Derby. The speed figures are there, and John Velazquez is the rider you would want in any situation.

One concern is that Medina Spirit had some professional runs early on in his career, and it’s questionable whether he’s capable of a big step forward.

He has won two races though and could have some of the best statistical numbers in the field, so he definitely should be considered for tris and supers.

No. 1 Known Agenda

Trainer Todd Pletcher may have started “weeping openly” upon hearing the No. 1 post position, but maybe he wasn’t aware that eight horses have won from the one post in Kentucky Derby history.

Known Agenda isn’t considered a dark horse with his odds, especially after a Florida Derby victory where he dusted the competition. That being said, his closing numbers weren’t that great and sometimes he does quirky things that maybe he’s working through.

He’s got one of the top riders in the country (Irad Ortiz) in one of the top barns in America.

He can’t get banged around too much, and I expect him to stalk while getting close. The price is decent, and Pletcher has won the Derby twice, which should be enough to consider for your tickets.

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The defending AFC North champion Baltimore Ravens host the Cleveland Browns this Sunday at 1 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium.

The last time the Ravens hit the field in Baltimore in January, it was one of the more disappointing losses in team history: a 28-12 loss to Tennessee in the divisional round of the playoffs.

QB Lamar Jackson, who would later be named only the second unanimous MVP in league history, reflected on how the team should be remembered: “14-2. Great team. Family-oriented team. Flock Nation.”

Record setting is also an attribute of the Ravens 2019 season, as no team accumulated more rushing yards in history than the Ravens last year. However, eight months and an ongoing pandemic later, the expectation is for more than just having the best record and an outstanding run game during the regular season.

Flock Nation wants another Super Bowl appearance. Are the Ravens a great enough team to make it to Tampa? Most would say yes.

Here are four additional questions facing Baltimore ahead of the 2020 season:

Can the Ravens running game match, or even improve on, last year’s historical campaign?

The Ravens rushed for 3,296 yards during the regular season last year, nearly a 1,000 yards more than the 49ers, who had the second-most.

Both Lamar Jackson and running back Mark Ingram eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing. Now the rushing attack will feature J.K. Dobbins, a rookie out of Ohio State who is since the year 2000 with 2,000-plus rushing yards, 20 touchdowns and 20 receptions in a single college season.

Gus Edwards and Justice Hill return as well, and with fullback Patrick Ricard leading the way out of the backfield, offensive coordinator Greg Roman once again has the personnel to execute the run-pass option, pistol formation or whatever scheme and personnel package the situation calls for.

The question mark with the run game isn’t about the running backs themselves, but rather the offensive lineman up front pushing the pile.

Eight-time Pro Bowler and member of the 2010 all-decade team Marshal Yanda retired this offseason, leaving a gaping hole at guard.

Third-round pick Tyre Phillips is a candidate to fill in for Yanda, as is veteran OL D.J. Fluker. Matt Skura and Patrick Mekari have split time at center in training camp. Skura, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last year, is listed as the starter on the depth chart but head coach John Harbaugh on who will primarily snap the ball.

Left tackle Ronnie Stanley, left guard Bradley Bozeman and right tackle Orlando Brown Jr. anchor a unit by Pro Football Focus.

When it comes to run blocking in 2020, the question is whether the unit will be frequently paving the way for Jackson on QB-designed runs or will the team let the running backs handle the rock more this year.

Prior to the team drafting Dobbins, Jackson said in a press conference: “I doubt I’m going to be carrying the ball a lot going on further into the future, because we’ve got dynamic running backs.”

We may see the Ravens dial up more passing plays (no team threw the ball less than Baltimore in 2019) but with Jackson being so dynamic, will we really see him throwing the ball away or taking a sack when the play breaks down instead of taking off and running? Maybe every now and then, but either way, Jackson should be an essential part of the rushing game even if he does not run for over 1,000 yards once again.

Is winning the AFC North a sure bet?

According to , the Ravens are heavy favorites to win the division once again. The offense was prolific last season and the defense might even be more improved as the front office added five-time Pro Bowl DE Calais Campbell to bolster their already potent pass rush.

Matthew Judon, who led the team in sacks last season, is back for another year after signing his franchise tender. The team spent their first-round pick on LB Patrick Queen out of LSU, who will contribute immediately. With Marcus Peters, Marlon Humphrey and Jimmy Smith, the Ravens CBs could be considered the best trio in the league.

The Pittsburgh Steelers come in with the second-lowest odds to win the division, as Ben Roethlisberger is back after missing all of last year with an elbow injury. The Steeler defense is solid too, finishing fifth-best in total yards per game surrendered last year (304.1). Baltimore was fourth-best at 300.6.

The Browns and Bengals feature two recent Heisman Trophy recipients under center (Baker Mayfield and last year’s winner Joe Burrow) but both teams combined for an 8-24 record last season and feature defenses in the bottom third of the league.

In a season played in front of minimal or no fans, there are variables to consider outside of the usual X’s and O’s and recent successes. However, it’s hard to envision a scenario where the Ravens do not earn their third consecutive AFC North title.

Which rookie will make the biggest impact?

The nod probably will go to inside linebacker Patrick Queen, the team’s first round pick this year out of LSU and the Defensive MVP of the National Championship. Queen has been immediately inserted as a starter at LB and he follows a decorated list of first round LBs that have each made the Pro Bowl four times while starting for five plus years: Ray Lewis (1996), Peter Boulware (1997), Terrell Suggs (2003) and C.J. Mosley (2014).

The 21-year-old finished in the top ten in the SEC in tackles last year and shouldn’t come off the field either during obvious passing down situations as he did not allow a reception of more than 20-plus yards on any of his nearly 500 career coverage snaps.

Then there’s J.K. Dobbins, who could end up getting the most carries on any given game as OC Greg Roman that the team’s backfield “division of labor” would change “on a week-to-week basis.” Mark Ingram is 30 years old with nearly 1,800 touches in his career, so if Ingram cedes carries to someone in the running back room, it’s probably going to be Dobbins over Gus Edwards or Justice Hill.

WRs Devin Duvernay and James Proche will contribute on special teams, and the aforementioned Tyre Phillips has a chance to be immediately inserted on the starting offensive line. The third-round pick out of Mississippi State is battling an ankle injury ahead of the season opener (along with fellow rookie Justin Madubuike) so his path to immediate playing time could be hindered, during Training Camp has impressed the coaching staff.

Can Marquise “Hollywood” Brown eclipse 1,000 yards receiving?

Lamar Jackson might have lobbied for Hollywood’s cousin Antonio Brown to be signed by the team, but unsurprisingly, the Ravens decided against bringing in the controversial wide receiver. That means Marquise Brown is the unquestioned WR1 once again in his second season and he’ll be the deep threat while tight end Mark Andrews should continue to get a lot of looks in the middle of the field. Andrews, who led the team in targets last season, should continue to pull safeties’ attention, meaning Brown should have plenty of one-on-one opportunities on the outside.

The two biggest factors working against Brown’s productivity that will be tested this season is his durability and the offense’s penchant for running the football. Hollywood elected to have offseason surgery to remove the screw from his foot that plagued him last season and there has been no indication throughout training camp that he’s anything less than 100%.

As far as the offensive philosophy, defenses have had an entire offseason to scheme against the Ravens’ rushing attack. While it’s hard to imagine a defensive unit completely stifling the potent Baltimore run game, there could be scenarios where a stacked box or multiple spies on Jackson could open up the aerial attack. While Miles Boykin and Willie Snead are still in the mix for catches, and despite the fact that the team drafted two WRs, Brown is the clear WR1.

When a team wins 14 out of 16 games, throwing the football to get back into the game is not often a priority for an offense. Ravens fans would assuredly rather win football games than have Brown accumulate “garbage time” statistics. Hollywood’s mere presence on the field is so influential in that he stretches the defense, which allows for other skill players to get open underneath.

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Tiz the Law, winner of the Belmont Stakes, comes in as a massive favorite. Two of the better horses that could have made life uneasy for Tiz have been scratched — Art Collector has a foot injury and King Guillermo came down with a fever Thursday. Finnick the Fierce was also scratched on Friday, reducing the Derby field to 16, its fewest starters since 2003.

Besides Tiz the Law, only Max Player and Sole Volante are running in the second leg after also running in the Belmont. Here are the horses that will be running Saturday (as of Friday):

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

AP Photo/Darron Cummings

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AP Photo/Darron Cummings

AP Photo/Darron Cummings

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

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AP Photo/Gregory Payan

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Here is how I see the horses finishing Saturday at the Derby:

WIN: #17 Tiz the Law

From a talent standpoint, Tiz the Law is as impressive as recent Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify. He’s won six out of seven races, with the only loss coming at Churchill Downs, where he got trapped on the rail during a rainy, sloppy race last November. No horse has ever won the Derby out of the #17 post but that seems like more of an aberration rather than an unfavorable draw.

Tiz has improved tremendously since he was a 2-year-old, and his win at the Travers last month could have been more dominating if he hadn’t eased up at the very end with victory assured (he still won by more than six lengths).

A lot is going to have to go wrong for the Belmont Stakes winner to falter and he should go into the Preakness next month with the hopes of joining an elite group of Triple Crown winners.

PLACE: #2 Max Player

Max Player was assigned to trainer Steve Asmussen from Linda Rice after a third-place finish at the Belmont to prepare for the Kentucky Derby. Owner George Hall says he was proud of his horse’s finishes at both the Belmont and Travers this year, mentioning how “there’s no shame in losing to Tiz the Law.”

The Travers is the same distance as the Kentucky Derby so he does have experience running the mile and a quarter.

The 3-year-old Colt did win the Withers in February and Asmussen has won three Triple Crown races in his career (Preakness in 2007 and 2009, Belmont in 2016). Asmussen is happy with how the horse has trained this week, mentioning how his attitude is really good.

Is there enough talent to pull off the major upset? No, but history suggests he won’t finish near the bottom, either — and he should push Tiz the Law until the final few furlongs.

SHOW: #15 NY Traffic

Similar to Max Player, NY Traffic has shown a level of consistency ahead of the Derby. Born in New York and purchased in Maryland, the colt has raced five times in 2020 with three consecutive second-place finishes, and before that, a third-place finish at Risen Star.

NY Traffic had a good stalking pace during one of those second-place finishes at the Louisiana Derby and there shouldn’t be any rust after a month and a half layoff. Max Player has a strong bloodline but the issue is that there just isn’t enough talent to overcome the likes of such a dominating horse like Tiz the Law.

Dark horse contenders to consider including on Superfectas:

#3 Enforceable: A fifth-place finish at the Louisiana Derby may not exactly inspire a ton of confidence but his trainer Mark Casse said he’s “grown up a lot” and the late closer had good workouts this week at Churchill Downs.

A faster pace this time will bode well for his chances to finish at least in the top half of the field.

#8 South Bend: Trainer Bill Mott doesn’t typically run horses if he doesn’t think there is a chance of victory, and last year Country House at 65-1 odds delivered Mott his first career Kentucky Derby win (albeit in controversial fashion).

Despite a second-place finish at the Ohio Derby in June, South Bend was arguably the best horse in the race but just had too wide of a trip. He may have lost by ten lengths to Tiz the Law at the Travers but again he looked like he ran a good race.

The late addition to the field is a closer who won the first three races of his career and is definitely a horse to consider underneath.

#12 Sole Volante: Along with Tiz the Law and Max Player, Sole Volante is considered one of the deep closers. He finished sixth at the Belmont but that was after just a 10 day layoff after finishing first in a feature race at Gulfstream Park. Before that, he finished first at a graded Tampa race and second in the Tampa Bay Derby.

Sole Volante has the pedigree and breeding to run the ten furlong race at Churchill Downs successfully.

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moving Trent Williams. It’s over.

— George Wallace (@GWallace˛ÝÝ®´«Ă˝)

The move, which is pending a physical, ends a bitter saga that saw Williams sit out all of the 2019 season because of a dispute with management. His agent, Vincent Taylor, said in a statement that it was time for Williams to leave Washington.

“Trent Williams is ready to get back to competing in the NFL and is glad to be part of a great organization like the San Francisco 49ers,” Taylor said.

The 49ers had a big need at left tackle because six-time Pro Bowler Joe Staley informed them he planned to retire. He announced it later Saturday, saying a deteriorating neck injury led to his decision to retire after 13 seasons.

The trade also reunites Williams with 49ers head coach and former Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who was in Washington when Williams was drafted fourth overall in 2010.

Williams made the Pro Bowl every season from 2012-18 and is considered one of the best left tackles in the league when healthy. He has one year remaining on his contract, which will pay him $12.5 million this season.

The Redskins seemed to address the offensive tackle position immediately by selecting OT Saahdiq Charles out of LSU with the second pick in the fourth round.

“Growing up as an offensive lineman, I watched Trent’s film many a time, and I have a lot of respect for his game,” Charles said. “Just to see that they traded him and picked me, it just shows what they might have in mind for me. I’m going to come in there (with) hard work and go do my thing.”

The Redskins further added to their offensive line with the 2020 pick acquired in the Williams trade, selecting San Diego State center Keith Ismael (156th overall).

˛ÝÝ®´«Ă˝’s Rob Woodfork and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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The XFL is giving operations another go in 2020, starting Saturday when the DC Defenders host the Seattle Dragons at Audi Field.

ICYMI: The first 10,000 fans through the gate Saturday will receive a replica foam Defenders Battle Shield

» |

— DC Defenders (@XFLDefenders)

The original version of the league started and ended with the 2001 season. Nineteen years later, the Defenders and Dragons kickoff the league’s official return at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by the Houston Roughnecks home against the Los Angeles Wildcats at 5 p.m.

The inaugural week features two more games Sunday: The New York Guardians host the Tampa Bay Vipers at 2 p.m., followed by the Dallas Renegades home against the St. Louis BattleHawks at 5 p.m.

“What you’ll see is a much better quality of football,” said XFL CEO Oliver Luck in an interview with ˛ÝÝ®´«Ă˝ in December 2018 when asked about the main difference between the current XFL and the league that folded 19 years ago. “I think the XFL in 2001 suffered from not spending enough time putting the football together. We want to appeal to the passionate, die-hard football fans. Those who have a void in their lives after the Super Bowl. And to do that you’ve gotta play good football.”

So what other changes can fans expect in the coming season? There will be innovative rules implemented in the new XFL, along with a plethora of big names to hopefully jump-start the league.

What are some of the new rules that fans can expect when the season begins?

Traditionally in football, an offense is allowed to make a forward pass only once. In the new version of the XFL, an offense can now design a play where two skill players can throw a forward pass as long as the ball stays behind the line of scrimmage. Luck explained:

“I’ll give you the rationale which may help — 65-70% of plays nowadays, QBs are in the shotgun. When you’re already five yards deep, it’s difficult to really have a lateral to throw to a wideout because he’s gotta be behind you … 6-7 yards deep … which gives away, in a sense, the play. So as we thought about it, we said, ‘why not redefine what a forward pass is?’ As long as it doesn’t cross the line of scrimmage, you can throw it a second time. And that includes the little pop pass on the jet-sweep which is technically a forward pass. You can allow that guy to throw it, or a running back swinging out of the backfield.

We also think it makes it easier for the officials because there is always a referee at the line of scrimmage. The ref will easily see if that ball crosses the (line of scrimmage) or not and doesn’t have to worry so much about the question of whether it’s a lateral or forward pass.

So as we put that all into consideration, we thought, ‘let’s give that a shot.’ We tested it a bunch of times with (junior college) kids and in a bunch of semipro leagues, and we think it makes some sense. How often will we see a double forward? Who knows? Maybe once a game? But when we do see it, it’s probably going to be a big play.”

What are the major differences from the NFL/College football?

• The XFL wants the kickoff to be more relevant again. Instead of kicking from the 35-yard line in the NFL, the kicking team will boot it from their own 30. The objective for the kicker will be to kick the ball between the opposing 20-yard line and the goal line.
• There is no kick for the point-after touchdown. A team that scores a touchdown has three options: Go for one point from the 1-yard line, two points from the 5-yard line or three points from the 10-yard line.
• The XFL is hoping to minimize the frequency of fair catches, which ultimately take away from the thrill of a punt return. : “All out of bounds kicks create a touchback and no punt-coverage players can release until the ball is kicked. This will create an average distance between the punt return and the nearest defender to 11 yards, vs. similar leagues of six yards, creating less reason to fair catch.”
• Overtime is much different from both the NFL and college. Think in terms of the NHL’s overtime rules or a shootout in soccer: Both teams will alternate taking turns running one play from the 5-yard line. The team with the most scores after five tries wins the game (if a team mathematically is eliminated before they attempt five tries, the game will end sooner).

• Time Clock is 25 seconds per play. The NFL is currently 40 seconds.
• With an effort to keep games under three hours, the clock will run (outside of two minutes in each half) when the ball is spotted, even after an incomplete pass or a play out of bounds.
• Each team will have two one-minute timeouts per half. The NFL and college have three per half.
• No coaches’ challenges; all plays will be subject to review from the Replay Official.
• Like college, one foot inbounds for catches will be considered complete (NFL is two feet). The site “When interviewing over 100 players on their opinion, players often said, “A catch is made with your hands, not your feet.”
  
• Just a ten minute break for halftime. The NFL’s is around 12 minutes.

A full list of rule changes can be found on the .

Who are some of the players to watch for?

When the Defenders take the field on Saturday, Cardale Jones will be under center for the DC offense. Jones was instrumental in the Ohio State Buckeyes’ championship run in 2015 and one of his targets on the outside is former LSU standout wide receiver Malachi Dupre, along with former Redskins Rashad Ross and Simmie Cobbs.

Commissioner Luck believes the XFL is loaded with talent, especially at quarterback in D.C.

“A guy like Tyree Jackson … I wouldn’t count him out, as he’s a pretty talented player,” he said. “Cardale (Jones) no question … I’m excited about watching him and seeing if he can regain that magic he had at Ohio State during the National Championship. There are some really good football players. I’m seeing that across the league with all of our teams but I think (DC head coach) Pep Hamilton and his staff have done a very nice job of assembling their roster.”

Who is Pep Hamilton? What about the other head coaches?

Head coach on what he thinks the biggest new rule is, and how it will affect the game.

— DC Defenders (@XFLDefenders)

A graduate of Howard University, the 45-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, began his coaching career with the Bison after playing QB for Howard from 1993-1996. While Pep has never had full reigns as a head coach at either the college or NFL level, he was the assistant head coach with both the Cleveland Browns (2016) and the Michigan Wolverines (2017-2018).

Remember in the first paragraph of this article when I mentioned how football was back in D.C.? He may have been head coach of the Redskins long after they played at RFK, but Jim Zorn makes his return to D.C. Saturday as head coach of the Dragons.

There’s also Marc Trestman, head coach of the Tampa Bay Vipers. Baltimore Ravens fans certainly remember Trestman as their offensive coordinator from 2015-2016. Before Baltimore, he head a two-year stint as head coach of the Chicago Bears after leading Montreal to two Grey Cups in the CFL. When Trestman returned north of the border in 2017, he won another Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts, giving him three in his career.

The biggest name of the eight head coaches is undoubtedly six-time Big 12 Coach of the Year Bob Stoops, who left retirement to lead the Dallas Renegades. Commissioner Luck talked about the “building block” of the league once the XFL landed Stoops.

“When we were able to hire Bob, all of a sudden other coaches became interested in our league because they know the type of guy Bob is,” Luck said. “Bob isn’t a gimmicky guy, he’s a real football man through and through. And players see that as well. If you’re a young QB, who wouldn’t want to play for Bob Stoops? He’s coached Heisman Trophy winners.”

How to Watch

Can’t make it to Audi Field? The XFL will be nationally televised.

There will be ten weeks of football, and except for two late-season games that will be broadcast on Thursday nights, all XFL games will air on Saturdays and Sundays. Games will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, Fox and FS1.

Playoff games will be played Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19. The championship game will be on Sunday, April 26.

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The Sportsbook is ways to make money with prop bets on the Big Game in Miami between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, despite the fact that over a year ago the NFL wanted prop bets banned. That seems unlikely, however, with the trend of legalized gambling becoming more commonplace. In fact, could have legal gambling in place by 2020.

The Big Chee Prop Bets went 4-1 in 2019 so let’s hope we build off that momentum and crush it once again. Here are my favorite prop bets for this year’s Super Bowl:

Will there be a safety? Big Chee Bet: YES +550

Leading off with a long shot here but there’s too much juice at -800 so plunking down a couple of bucks to root on one of these defenses tackling their opponent in the offense’s own end zone could lead to a rather rewarding experience. 

The 49ers and Chiefs both were Top 12 in terms of sacks during the regular season so if one of these teams gets deep into their own territory either QB is certainly vulnerable. Even more encouraging, San Francisco led the NFL in forced fumbles. So if Pat Mahomes is blindsided while scouring in the field in his own end zone and fumbles, as long as he or one of his teammates recover the ball you will take home a nice profit.

Oddly, neither team forced a safety this season and it hasn’t occurred in the Super Bowl in the past five years. However, it has happened four times in the past eleven years. Seems like we’re due for one this year, right?

Deebo Samuel receptions 3.5 — Big Chee Bet: OVER 3.5

The 49ers have pounded their running backs with great success on the way to the Super Bowl but when they do dial up passing plays, Jimmy Garoppolo has had a keen eye for the rookie out of South Carolina. Samuel has a whopping 33% target share in both of San Francisco’s playoff victories despite only hauling in five catches. With the Chiefs an ever so slight favorite, it’s certainly possible that the 49ers will be forced to abandon the rush attack featuring Mostert/Coleman/Breida and rely on the passing game. George Kittle may be Jimmy G’s overall favorite target when dropping back to pass but Samuel is the #1 WR in this offense and 3.5 just feels like it’s too low.

Will there be three unanswered scores in the game? Big Chee Bet: YES -165

Juice isn’t too strong on this bet and with the line against the spread at only a point in favor of Kansas City, three unanswered scores might seem like a lot. However, both teams did it a combined twenty times during the regular season and the Chiefs accomplished the feat in both of their playoff wins as did the 49ers. I’ll bite on the recent trends statistics and hope one of the teams catches fire at a some point of the game. 

Bonus Offshore Prop Bets via BetOnlineAG:

Will President Donald Trump tweet during the game? Big Chee Bet: NO -150

The President did not tweet at all the entire day last Super Bowl Sunday so I’ll take my chances that he doesn’t tweet during the four-ish hour period of this year’s game. 

Will J-Lo show butt cleavage? Big Chee Bet: NO -325

Those who consider backing a YES bet here may reference “” back in 2004 but Roger Goodell was not the commissioner during that Super Bowl. There is just no way I envision this happening in today’s NFL and J-Lo is accomplished and talented enough that she doesn’t need the unnecessary controversy.

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Titans Running Back Derrick Henry accumulated 195 yards rushing on 30 carries becoming the first player in NFL history to rush for 180+ yards in three straight games. While the former Heisman Trophy winner did not run for a touchdown, the Titans had Henry receive a direct snap in the third quarter in which he threw a touchdown pass to WR Corey Davis.

Baltimore Quarterback Lamar Jackson turned the ball over three times (two INTs, one fumble) while rushing for 143 yards on 20 carries. Jackson also threw for 365 yards through the air but the key negative takeaway: Jackson and the Ravens offense was 0/3 on fourth down conversions.

The Ravens led the NFL during the regular season on fourth down, converting at over a 70% clip. Titans Quarterback Ryan Tannehill finished with just 88 yards, passing but throwing for two touchdown passes while running in the Titans fourth touchdown of the contest.

Tennessee will now await the winner of the Chiefs/Texans game in Kansas City Sunday. That game gets underway at Arrowhead Stadium at 3:05 p.m. ET.

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Washington plays its final game of the 2019 season Sunday in Dallas.

It remains unclear whether Allen will be back with the Redskins in any capacity next season.

ESPN that former Carolina Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera is the primary candidate to take over as head coach for the Redskins next season, replacing Jay Gruden, who was fired earlier this year. Rivera led the Panthers to three NFC South titles and a Super Bowl berth in nine seasons.

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The seven-time Pro Bowler discussed how his contract status, and playing with no guarantees, both factored into his decision to stay away from the team.

Williams also said team doctors did not take a growing tumor in his skull seriously enough — the 31-year-old had a tumor removed from his skull during the offseason and now requires biyearly checkups, The Associated Press reported.

“I almost lost my life. Seriously, I almost lost my life,” Williams said. “You’re 30 and coming off seven straight Pro Bowls and a doctor tells you to get your affairs in order. It’s not going to sit well with you. It still doesn’t. It’s a scary thing to go through. Think how you describe to your 9-year-old, your 5-year old that daddy might not be here. It’s tough,” he told reporters.

Williams failed a physical when he returned to the team on Tuesday because he was not able to comfortably put on a helmet. While head coach Bill Callahan is hopeful Williams will return at some point this season, it is still unclear whether he will return to practices or games.

Williams evaded commenting on whether the relationship between him and Redskins team President Bruce Allen could be mended, responding with, “Next question.” He said there was “no trust” with the Redskins, cracking a smile when asked if he wanted to be traded.

In a statement obtained by NBC Sports, the Redskins said they have requested a third party to review Williams’ medical records and the care he received.

The team said it continues to “prioritize the health and well-being of our players and staff.”

Redskins statement after Trent Williams comments this afternoon. Team sources believe the results of the review will look different. This won’t stop for a while.

— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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