win. "We had to dig deep with our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said.CHICAGO -- The Pittsburgh Pirates ha

There was a valuable lesson contained within a $411,188.06 payout in Gulfstream Parks Rainbow Pick 6 Jackpot on Aug. 6.The handicapping genius who was the only one to correctly select all six winners made excellent use of a $2,160 bankroll, electing to use 10 of the 11 horses in one of the races.While its hardly unusual for a Pick 6 player to wheel a race (using all of the horses in that race) or include virtually all of the horses, what stood out here was the horse left off the ticket was the favorite in the race.And thats why they call it gambling.By taking a stand against the favorite -- who finished fifth -- that handicapper wound up having the $59.40 winner on that ticket and was ultimately rewarded with a life-changing payoff.While cashing a Pick 6 ticket would be a dream come true for a modest player, anyone can benefit from the wagering strategy and confidence that went into that huge payday at Gulfstream Park.As much as some handicappers like to focus their wagers on favorites so that they can cash a winning ticket more often, these chalk players are actually working against the odds. Even if favorites win 33 percent of the time, that means they lose 67 percent of the time.Its those numbers that illustrate why a handicapper would always be wise to exploit a vulnerable favorite. Youre chasing bigger payoffs, and, yes, about 67 percent of the time it makes sense to bet against the chalk.While a handicapper should always strive to pick winners, sometimes it can work out just as well when you find a race where you do not like the favorite. By spreading your wagers a little more than usual in that race, you just might cash a ticket that puts you in the black for the rest of the day.And if youre worried that the horse everyone but you seems to like will beat you, remember, about 67 percent of the time that horse will lose. So go ahead, take a chance.In case you have forgotten already, thats why they call it gambling.To help in understanding when it makes sense to latch on to a favorite or avoid it like a cold, lets take a look at whats happening at the Graveyard of Favorites, Saratoga Race Course -- which is actually embracing the chalk in a manner more befitting Aqueducts inner-track meet.From July 22 through Aug. 12, there have been 187 races at the Spa -- not including steeplechase events. In those races, the betting favorite has prevailed in 72 of them, which amounts to a very respectable rate of 38.5 percent.With so many favorites crossing the finish line first, it would seem like nirvana for chalk players. But if they tried to stretch their luck into the exotics, they are no doubt struggling.While betting the two favorites in an exacta might seem quite sensible while youre analyzing past performances, in reality betting on the two favorites in a race, in the long run, accounts for low payoffs and a low winning percentage.As much as the second choice has indeed wound up second behind the favorite more often than any other option in the wagering, your chances of cashing on the chalk running 1-2 are less than you might think.Of those 72 wins by favorites at Saratoga, on 25 occasions the second choice finished second. That might sound good in theory, but it averages out to a chalk exacta happening 13.7 percent of the time -- which is a rather low mark considering that 11 of those exactas paid $10.80 or less.Interestingly, playing the second choice over the favorite in the exacta has generated much weaker results as it has happened just nine times, or 4.8% of the time. Box the two favorites and youre winning at a rate of just 18.2% (34 of 187) -- which means youre losing 81.8% of the time.What can help in putting those numbers to work for you is an understanding of when the favorite is more likely to shine or stub its toe.In breaking those numbers down by the categories of races, turf claiming races have been a weak area for favorites.So far favorites have been victorious in just 22.7 percent of turf claimers (5 of 22 races) and have been first or second in 10 of the 22 races (45.5%).In contrast, the chalk has thrived in dirt claimers. Favorites have won 17 of 35 (48.5%) main-track claiming races and have been first or second in 25 of those 35 races for a stellar mark of 71.4%.Favorites have also excelled in dirt stakes, where they have won 7 of 15 races (46.6%) and been first or second 12 of 15 times (75%), and turf stakes, where favorites have won 6 of 9 races (66.6%) with no runner-up finishes.If youre looking for an opportunity to cast a thumbs down on a favorite, the best spots have been maiden special weight races on dirt (1 for 5, 20%), maiden special weight races for New York state-breds on dirt (0 for 4), starter allowance races on turf (0 for 4) and allowance races on turf (4 of 14, 28.5%).Keep all of those numbers in mind the next time you stumble across a favorite that you dont like. Rather than follow the pack and reluctantly back it, by sticking to your first instincts, youll actually have the percentages on your side and you could be staring at your big payoff of the day.Yes, taking a gamble can certainly have its rewards, even if youre not playing the Pick 6.For more stories like this check out Americas Best Racing. Tony Gwynn Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Austin Hedges Padres Jersey .com) - Yankee Stadium is the home of the Bronx Bombers, but on Sunday afternoon it will open its gates to host the latest addition of the Hudson River Rivalry. http://www.padressale.com/padres-tony-gwynn-jersey/ . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. Rickey Henderson Jersey .4 million title. Ryan Riess emerged with the title after a session in which he started behind, but used expert skill to gather the chips to his side amid the unpredictability of no-limit Texas Hold em. Riess put his final opponent Jay Farber all-in with an Ace-King. Greg Garcia Padres Jersey . Ashley Youngs cross was inadvertently headed by Chester into his own net in the 66th minute, allowing United to claim a third straight league win. "We had to dig deep with our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said.CHICAGO -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have put pitcher Jared Hughes on the 15-day disabled list because of inflammation in his right shoulder. The Pirates recalled outfielder Alex Presley from Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday. The roster move with Hughes was retroactive to Thursday.dddddddddddd Hughes was called up by the Pirates from the minors on Monday. He and appeared in two games and allowed two runs in 2 2-3 innings. Presley hit .282 with four home runs and 11 RBIs in Triple-A this year. ' ' '