Prep Football Poll 10/31

Here is this week KRQE, Ch. 13 prep football poll that I vote in on a weekly basis. Las Cruces High remains No. 1, followed by Mayfield. What are your thoughts on the Bulldawgs and should they still be ranked No. 1? It's a tough call because the Bulldawgs are 8-0 with some impressive wins against Eldorado and Artesia, but Mayfield has played the tougher, overall schedule.

Mayfield and Las Cruces High play Nov. 9 with the No. 1 seed in the 5A state football playoffs on the line.

— Felix

KRQE HS FOOTBALL POLL
WEEK 10
1ST PLACE VOTES POINTS

1. LAS CRUCES (10) 154
2. MAYFIELD (2) 145
3. CLOVIS 129
4. ARTESIA 116
5. MANZANO 109
6. CIBOLA 99
7. HOBBS 69
8. GODDARD 56
T9.ELDORADO 51
T9.AZTEC 51
11. LA CUEVA 50
12. DEXTER 21
13. LOS ALAMOS 11
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: ALAMOGORDO 10, RIO RANCHO 5, ST. MIKE'S 3, RATON 3, BLOOMFIELD 3, VALLEY 3, LORDSBURG 2, CARLSBAD 2, SANTA ROSA 1, CAPITAL 1, ONATE 1.

Las Cruces High/Mayfield High football tickets

Some fans have been inquiring about tickets for the Nov. 9 Las Cruces High/Mayfield High football game at Aggie Memorial Stadium. Fans can purchase tickets at each school beginning Wednesday, Nov. 7. The number to Las Cruces High is 505-527-9400 and the number to Mayfield is 505-527-9415.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.

— Felix

New Mexico High School Football Schedule

Thursday, Nov. 1

Chaparral vs. Hot Springs, 7 p.m
Albuquerque High vs. La Cueva, 7 p.m.
Sandia vs. Valley, 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 2

Animas vs. Pine Hill, 7 p.m.
Aztec vs. Kirtland Central, 7 p.m.
Bernalillo vs. Taos, 7 p.m.
Bloomfield vs. Crownpoint, 7 p.m.
Carrizozo vs. Mescalero, 7 p.m.
Clovis Christian vs. Floyd, 7 p.m.
Deming vs. Silver, 7 p.m.
Dexter vs. Eunice, 7 p.m.
Dulce vs. Navajo Prep, 7 p.m.
Espanola Valley vs. Capital, 7 p.m.
Oñate vs. Las Cruces, 7 p.m.
Gadsden vs. Mayfield, 7 p.m.
Gallup vs. Cibola, 7 p.m.
Gateway Christian vs. Tatum
Grants vs. Belen, 7 p.m.
Hobbs vs. Clovis, 7 p.m.
Jal vs. Hagerman, 7 p.m.
Laguna-Acoma vs. Navajo Pine, 7 p.m.
Logan vs. Melrose, 7 p.m.
Lordsburg vs. Tularosa, 7 p.m.
Loving vs. Capitan, 7 p.m.
Lovington vs. NMMI, 7 p.m.
Menaul vs. Valley Christian, 7 p.m.
Highland vs. Rio Grande, 7 p.m.
Moriarty vs. St. Pius, 7 p.m.
Piedra Vista vs. Farmington, 7 p.m.
Reserve vs. Magdalena, noon
Rio Rancho vs. West Mesa, 7 p.m.
Ruidoso vs. Portales, 7 p.m.
Socorro vs. Cobre, 7 p.m.
Thoreau vs. Cuba, 7 p.m.
Tucumcari vs. Santa Rosa, 7 p.m.
Eldorado vs. Manzano, 7 p.m.
Wingate vs. Newcomb, 7 p.m.
Roswell vs. Artesia, 7 p.m.
Zuni vs. Tohatchi 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 3

Cloudcroft vs. Estancia, 1 p.m.
McCurdy vs. Escalante, 1 p.m.
Mountainair vs. Springer, 1 p.m.
Pojoaque vs. St. Michael's, 1:30 p.m.
Robertson vs. West Las Vegas, 1:30 p.m.

Boxing Book Review

I just finished reading a book about former middleweight champion Carmen Basilio. The book is titled "The Onion Picker, Carmen Basilio and Boxing in the 1950s"

The book focus on Basilio and his path to glory while growing up in Canastota, N.Y. The book, written by Gary B. Youmans, is an unique look into one of the top fighters in his era. Basilio went 56-16-7 during his career, fighting the likes of Kid Gavilan, Tony DeMarco, Johnny Saxton and Sugar Ray Robinson. He beat Saxton, DeMarco and Robinson in title fights.

Basilio lived an honorable and determined life in and out of the ring, refusing to deal with the mob-controlled sport. The book also looks into some of the mob characters of the time and others who put the fights on.

Basilio worked hard at his craft during his nearly 13-year career. He never backed down from a challenge and it was his wins against Robinson and DeMarco that showed his true will. His fights against DeMarco were all-action and took everything in Basilio to earn the win. Against Robinson, he beat one of boxing's great champions and even though he lost the rematch, Basilio's win against Robinson was arguably his greatest moment.

There is no doubt that Basilio was one of boxing's great warriors and the book about his life gives an unique view into what made him a great fighter and how he got involved in the sport. He was guts and glory, but he had a soft side to him that many liked.

The book also offers insight into other great fighters of the era and offers perspective from fighters about Basilio and Robinson among others.

If you are a fight fan and enjoy the old-time fighters, then this book is a must read.

For myself, older fighters such as Basilio, DeMarco and Robinson were interesting characters, who helped define the sport when boxing held a much larger role in sporting society.

For more information on the book or to order a book, the address and phone number of the publisher is listed below.

Syracuse University Press
621 Skytop Road, Suite 110
Syracuse, New York 13244-5290
Phone: 315-443-5534

NM State soccer pairings Nov. 1-3

2007 NMAA World Cup Match Ups
Girls Class A-AAA

1) St. Michael’s A1
2) Sandia Prep B1
3) Hope Christian C1
4) Bosque School D1
5) Socorro D2
6) Bloomfield C2
7) Santa Fe Prep B2
8) Robertson A2
9) Rehoboth A3
10) Ruidoso B3
11) Pojoaque C3
12) Hatch Valley D3

Pool A
Field # 2
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (1) St. Michael’s vs. (9) Rehoboth
Fri. Nov. 2 (8) Robertson vs. (9) Rehoboth
Sat. Nov. 3 (1) St. Michael’s vs. (8) Robertson

Pool B
Field # 5
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (2) Sandia Prep vs. (7) Santa Fe Prep
Fri. Nov. 2 (7) Santa Fe Prep vs. (10) Ruidoso
Sat. Nov. 3 (2) Sandia Prep vs. (10) Ruidoso

Pool C
Field # 6
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (3) Hope Christian vs. (11) Pojoaque
Fri. Nov. 2 (6) Bloomfield vs. (11) Pojoaque
Sat. Nov. 3 (3) Hope Christian vs. (6) Bloomfield

Pool D
Field # 4
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (4) Bosque School vs. (5) Socorro
Fri. Nov. 2 (5) Socorro vs. (12) Hatch Valley
Sat. Nov. 3 (4) Bosque School vs. (12) Hatch Valley

Boys Class A-AAA

1) Sandia Prep A1
2) Hope Christian B1
3) Rehoboth C1
4) Bosque School D1
5) Socorro D2
6) Santa Fe Prep C2
7) St. Michael’s B2
8) Ruidoso A2
9) Hatch Valley A3
10) Moreno Valley B3
11) Robertson C3
12) Bloomfield D3

Pool A
Field # 5
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (1) Sandia Prep vs. (8) Ruidoso
Fri. Nov. 2 (8) Ruidoso vs. (9) Hatch Valley
Sat. Nov. 3 (1) Sandia Prep vs. (9) Hatch Valley

Pool B
Field # 6
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (2) Hope Christian vs. (10) Moreno Valley
Fri. Nov. 2 (7) St. Michael’s vs. (10) Moreno Valley
Sat. Nov. 3 (2) Hope Christian vs. (7) St. Michael’s

Pool C
Field # 2
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (3) Rehoboth vs. (6) Santa Fe Prep
Fri. Nov. 2 (6) Santa Fe Prep vs. (11) Robertson
Sat. Nov. 3 (3) Rehoboth vs. (11) Robertson

Pool D
Field # 4
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (4) Bosque School vs. (5) Socorro
Fri. Nov. 2 (5) Socorro vs. (12) Bloomfield
Sat. Nov. 3 (4) Bosque School vs. (12) Bloomfield

Girls Class AAAA

1) St. Pius A1
2) Los Alamos B1
3) ABQ. Academy C1
4) Aztec D1
5) Goddard D2
6) Del Norte C2
7) Moriarty B2
8) Farmington A2
9) Roswell A3
10) Santa Teresa B3
11) Taos C3
12) Silver D3

Pool A
Field # 9
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (1) St. Pius vs. (8) Farmington
Fri. Nov. 2 (8) Farmington vs. (9) Roswell
Sat. Nov. 3 (1) St. Pius vs. (9) Roswell

Pool B
Field # 12
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (2) Los Alamos vs. (7) Moriarty
Fri. Nov. 2 (7) Moriarty vs. (10) Santa Teresa
Sat. Nov. 3 (2) Los Alamos vs. (10) Santa Teresa

Pool C
Field # 10
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (3) Albuquerque Academy vs. (6) Del Norte
Fri. Nov. 2 (6) Del Norte vs. (11) Taos
Sat. Nov. 3 (3) Albuquerque Academy vs. (11) Taos

Pool D
Field # 11
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (4) Aztec vs. (5) Goddard
Fri. Nov. 2 (5) Goddard vs. (12) Silver
Sat. Nov. 3 (4) Aztec vs. (12) Silver

Boys Class AAAA

1) St. Pius A1
2) ABQ. Academy B1
3) Roswell C1
4) Taos D1
5) Farmington D2
6) Los Alamos C2
7) Piedra Vista B2
8) Artesia A2
9) Capital A3
10) Santa Teresa B3
11) Goddard C3
12) Deming D3

Pool A
Field # 9
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (1) St. Pius vs. (9) Capital
Fri. Nov. 2 (8) Artesia vs. (9) Capital
Sat. Nov. 3 (1) St. Pius vs. (8) Artesia

Pool B
Field # 10
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (2) Albuquerque Academy vs. (7) Piedra Vista
Fri. Nov. 2 (7) Piedra Vista vs. (10) Santa Teresa
Sat. Nov. 3 (2) Albuquerque Academy vs. (10) Santa Teresa

Pool C
Field # 11
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (3) Roswell vs. (11) Goddard
Fri. Nov. 2 (6) Los Alamos vs. (11) Goddard
Sat. Nov. 3 (3) Roswell vs. (6) Los Alamos

Pool D
Field # 12
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (4) Taos vs. (5) Farmington
Fri. Nov. 2 (5) Farmington vs. (12) Deming
Sat. Nov. 3 (4) Taos vs. (12 Deming

Girls Class AAAAA

1) La Cueva A1
2) Las Cruces B1
3) Rio Rancho C1
4) Eldorado D1
5) Sandia D2
6) Cibola C2
7) Highland B2
8) Alamogordo A2
9) Hobbs A3
10) Manzano B3
11) Carlsbad C3
12) Mayfield D3

Pool A
Field # 15
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (1) La Cueva vs. (8) Alamogordo
Fri. Nov. 2 (8) Alamogordo vs. (9) Hobbs
Sat. Nov. 3 (1) La Cueva vs. (9) Hobbs

Pool B
Field # 16
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (2) Las Cruces vs. (7) Highland
Fri. Nov. 2 (7) Highland vs. (10) Manzano
Sat. Nov. 3 (2) Las Cruces vs. (10) Manzano

Pool C
Field # 17
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (3) Rio Rancho vs. (6) Cibola
Fri. Nov. 2 (6) Cibola vs. (11) Carlsbad
Sat. Nov. 3 (3) Rio Rancho vs. (11) Carlsbad

Pool D
Field # 20
11:00 AM

Thur. Nov. 1 (4) Eldorado vs. (5) Sandia
Fri. Nov. 2 (5) Sandia vs. (12) Mayfield
Sat. Nov. 3 (4) Eldorado vs. (12) Mayfield

Boys Class AAAAA

1) La Cueva A1
2) Highland B1
3) Hobbs C1
4) Gadsden D1
5) Eldorado D2
6) Las Cruces C2
7) Sandia B2
8) Rio Rancho A2
9) Mayfield A3
10) Rio Grande B3
11) Cibola C3
12) Carlsbad D3

Pool A
Field # 15
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (1) La Cueva vs. (8) Rio Rancho
Fri. Nov. 2 (8) Rio Rancho vs. (9) Mayfield
Sat. Nov. 3 (1) La Cueva vs. (9) Mayfield

Pool B
Field # 16
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (2) Highland vs. (7) Sandia
Fri. Nov. 2 (7) Sandia vs. (10) Rio Grande
Sat. Nov. 3 (2) Highland vs. (10) Rio Grande

Pool C
Field # 17
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (3) Hobbs vs. (11) Cibola
Fri. Nov. 2 (6) Las Cruces vs. (11) Cibola
Sat. Nov. 3 (3) Hobbs vs. (6) Las Cruces

Pool D
Field # 20
2:00 PM

Thur. Nov. 1 (4) Gadsden vs. (5) Eldorado
Fri. Nov. 2 (5) Eldorado vs. (12) Carlsbad
Sat. Nov. 3 (4) Gadsden vs. (12) Carlsbad

Weekend Prep Football Scores 10/26-27

Friday's New Mexico Scores

Animas 64, Reserve 14
Artesia 82, Taos 0
Aztec 36, Piedra Vista 0
Bloomfield 57, Wingate 0
Capital 50, Los Alamos 30
Carrizozo 28, Hagerman 27
Crownpoint 49, Thoreau 0
Dexter 65, Loving 15
Dulce 23, Newcomb 7
Espanola Valley 48, Bernalillo 47, 2OT
Floyd 47, Logan 16
Gateway Christian 50, Valley Christian 28
Goddard 56, Roswell 6
Hatch Valley 41, Chaparral 6
Highland 23, Valley 14
Hobbs 37, Carlsbad 13
Hot Springs 40, Cobre 15
Jal 42, Mescalero Apache 0
Kirtland Central def. Shiprock, forfeit
La Cueva 63, Santa Fe 6
Lake Arthur 28, Hondo 14
Lordsburg 44, Estancia 0
Lovington 19, Ruidoso 6
Manzano 49, Rio Grande 12
Mayfield 34, Alamogordo 7
Melrose 53, Clovis Christian 12
Onate 36, Gadsden 7
Portales 60, NMMI 0
Rio Rancho 35, Gallup 17
Santa Teresa 33, Deming 0
Texico 42, Tucumcari 6
Tularosa 28, Cloudcroft 7

Saturday’s New Mexico scores

Albuquerque Academy 33, Pojoaque 0
Cuba 22, Zuni 6
Eldorado 49, Los Lunas 8
Moriarty 35, Del Norte 0
Mountainair 30, Tatum 6
Navajo Pine 16, Navajo Prep 8
St. Michael’s 28, Robertson 14
St. Pius 59, Grants 0

Cage Fighting

Cage fighting show tonight at Pan American Center
By Felix Chavez
Sun-News Reporter
LAS CRUCES — Sal Lentini hopes tonight’s Extreme Cage Fighting show at the Pan American Center is a sign of things to come.
Next year, Lentini hopes to begin putting on shows on a frequent basis in Las Cruces.
“We want to have an alternative to the UFC and we want to be active in the area and we want to draw from different areas,” said Lentini, who is helping promote tonight’s show. “We want to put on other types of shows as well, including boxing.”
Tonight’s show at the Pan American Center will have 15 amateur fights between fighters from New Mexico and Texas. There will be a handful of championship fights.
“It’s great to have these types of shows here,” said Las Cruces fighter Joe Torrez, a former wrestler at Mayfield High School. “These shows keep us busy and helps us learn the ropes of the sports.”
Torrez, who has won a pair of championships in his young career, hopes to make the sport a career.
“I just want to keep improving and it’s a daily grind, but I want to do well and make a name for myself,” Torrez said.
The participants in tonight’s fights will perform a variety of mixed martial arts, ranging from boxing to karate.
Lentini is hoping for a crowd of about 2,000 at the Pan American Center. Tickets are $21.50 and the first bout is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Felix Chavez can be reached at fchavez@lcsun-news.com

Class 5A at-large teams for football playoffs

It's a lock that Las Cruces High and Mayfield will be in next month's Class 5A football playoffs. The only question is where they will be seeded.

Now, the question remains should District 3-5A earn the two at-large bids to the state playoffs? The top two teams in each of the five districts will earn playoff bids. Oñate is coming off a nice win against Alamogordo last week and if it beats Gadsden, will have four wins and will have played a good scheduled.
Alamogordo will likely finish 6-4 overall, but will also likely finish just 1-3 in 3-5A.

The teams for sure in the playoffs in my mind are Mayfield, LCHS, Cibola, Clovis, Manzano, La Cueva, Eldorado and Hobs. Teams like Carlsbad, Valley, Oñate, Alamogordo, Rio Rancho and Gallup will all fight for the other playoff spots.

I think one team from 3-5A will get an at-large bid. The Knights have the upper hand right now, but the Tigers will get serious consideration because of their 5-1 non-district record. Oñate must win and win impressively against Gadsden and also play Las Cruces High tough. What hurt the Knights were losses to El Paso Eastwood and Hobbs, two games they could have won.

It would be a travesty if 3-5A didn't get three teams in because its probably the deepest and most competitive district in the state.

— Felix

Antonio Margarito and Joel Casamayor comments

On Thursday afternoon, welterweight contender Antonio Margarito and lightweight champ Joel Casamayor addressed the media via conference call prior to their Nov. 10 fights in New York.

Margarito (34-5, 25 knockouts) will take on Golden Johnson (25-8-3, 18 knockouts) in a 12-round fight. Margarito, who hails from Tijuana, Mexico, hopes to land a shot at the winner of the Miguel Cotto/Shane Mosley fight sometime next year. Margarito is coming off a decision loss to Paul Williams in July. It was a fight that Williams controlled early before Margarito came on late to make the fight interesting.

On Nov. 10, he hopes to get back on the winning track to get another crack at a welterweight title. Margarito's promoter, Bob Arum, said if Margarito wins, he'll be in line to get a crack at Mosley or Cotto.

"Golden Johnson is a tough fighter," Margarito said. "He comes to you and he stands right there. This is a big fight for me. The loss to Williams was tough. I hope to fight him again sometime down the road. But I have to take care of this fight against Johnson and I hope to get Cotto or Mosley down the road."

This is a huge fight for Margarito, who didn't fight a bad fight against Williams, he was just too cautious early on. If he would have been more aggressive early on, he might have stopped Williams late in the fight. But Margarito is still a major player in the welterweight division and will be a tough opponent for any of the welterweight champions.

Of note, Arum took a shot at welterweight Floyd Mayweather, who fights Ricky Hatton on Dec. 8. Mayweather was once promoted by Arum.
"Mayweather fights guys he can beat," Arum said. "He won't fight Margarito, Mosley or Cotto. Floyd has a choice. Forget Mayweather."

Casamayor (34-3-1) has taken on some of the biggest names in boxing, including the late Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo and Acelino Frietas. On Nov. 10, he will defend his interim World Boxing Council championship against the always tough Jose Armando Cruz, who fought and won in Las Cruces on Jan. 5.

The 36-year-old Casamayor hopes to land big fights down the road against Juan Diaz or David Diaz, but he can't overlook a tough Santa Cruz, a former sparring partner.

"Jose has a good jab, he's tough, but I don't have to worry about opponents, they have to worry about me," Casamayor said. "We know each other well. I fully expect to win and I look forward to bigger fights down the road. I will show who is the best lightweight in the world."

— Felix

Prep Football Poll 10/24

Here is the latestt KRQE-13 New Mexico high school football poll, which I vote in on a weekly basis.

— Felix
KRQE FOOTBALL POLL
WEEK 9
1ST PLACE VOTES POINTS
1. LAS CRUCES (9) 141
2. MAYFIELD (2) 134
3. CLOVIS 115
4. ARTESIA 106
5. MANZANO 97
6. CIBOLA 94
7. HOBBS 48
8. GODDARD 47
9. LOS ALAMOS 45
10. LA CUEVA 38
11. AZTEC 35
12. ELDORADO 32
13. DEXTER 19
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: ALAMOGORDO 18, CARLSBAD 7, ONATE 6, LORDSBURG 4, ST. MIKE'S 4, MORIARTY 3, SANTA TERESA 3, VALLEY 2, SANTA ROSA 2, RIO RANCHO 1, RATON 1.

More info on Dec. 21 Las Cruces boxing card

Looks like unbeaten lightweight Urbano Antillon is going to be the headliner on the Dec. 21 boxing card in Las Cruces.
Antillon is 20-0 with 13 knockouts and is ranked No. 2 in the world by the World Boxing Council. He is slated to fight 18-5-3 Adrian Valdez of Juarez. Antillon is coming off a second round knockout of Wilson Alcorro in Las Vegas, Nev., on Oct. 4.

Las Cruces junior middleweight Austin Trout (11-0, 9 knockouts), who is also slated for the Dec. 21 card, is likely to get a tuneup on Nov. 17 in Indiana.

- Felix

Prep Football Schedule 10/26-28

Thursday

Cibola vs. West Mesa, 7 p.m.
NMSD vs. Roy, 4 p.m.
Sandia vs. Albuquerque High, 7 p.m.
Zuni vs. Wingate, 7 p.m.

Friday

Artesia vs. Taos, 6 p.m.
Aztec vs. Piedra Vista, 7 p.m.
Bernalillo vs. Espanola Valley, 7 p.m.
Capital vs. Los Alamos, 7 p.m.
Carlsbad vs. Hobbs, 7 p.m.
Cobre vs. Hot Springs, 7 p.m.
Crownpoint vs. Thoreau, 7 p.m.
Cuba vs. Zuni, 7 p.m.
Dexter vs. Loving, 7 p.m.
Estancia vs. Lordsburg, 7 p.m.
Eunice vs. Capitan, 7 p.m.
Mayfield vs. Alamogordo, 7 p.m.
Floyd vs. Logan, 4 p.m.
Fort Sumner vs. Questa, 7 p.m.
Gadsden vs. Onate, 7 p.m.
Gallup vs. Rio Rancho, 7 p.m.
Hagerman vs. Carrizozo, 7 p.m.
Hatch vs. Chaparral, 7 p.m.
Hondo vs. Lake Arthur, 7 p.m.
House vs. Vaughn, 2 p.m.
Kirtland vs. Shiprock, 7 p.m.
Lovington vs. Ruidoso, 7 p.m.
Melrose vs. Clovis Christian, 7 p.m.
Mescalero vs. Jal, 7 p.m.
Newcomb vs. Dulce, 7 p.m.
NMMI vs. Portales, 7 p.m.
Reserve vs. Animas, 2 p.m.
Roy vs. Evangel Christian, 6 p.m.
Santa Fe High vs. La Cueva, 7 p.m.
Santa Teresa vs. Deming, 7 p.m.
Thoreau vs. Crownpoint, 7p.m.
Tohatchi vs. Santa Fe Indian, 7 p.m.
Tucumcari vs. Texico, 7 p.m.
Tularosa vs. Cloudcroft, 7 p.m.
Valley Christian vs. Gateway Christian, 7 p.m.
Manzano vs. Rio Grande, 7 p.m.
Wingate vs. Bloomfield, 7 p.m.
Goddard vs. Roswell, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Magdalena vs. Pine Hill, 1 p.m.
McCurdy vs. Espanola Valley, 1 p.m.
Evangel Christian vs. San Jon, 3 p.m.
Navajo Prep vs. Navajo Pine, 2 p.m.
St. Pius X vs. Grants, 1:30 p.m.
Mountainair vs. Tatum, 1:30 p.m.
Pojoaque vs. Albuquerque Academy, 1:30 p.m.
Springer vs. Menaul, 1 p.m.
St. Michael's vs. Robertson, 1:30 p.m.
West Las Vegas vs. Raton, 1:30 p.m.
Eldorado vs. Los Lunas, 1:30 p.m.
Del Norte vs. Moriarty, 7 p.m.

David Rodriguez's next fight

Unbeaten heavyweight David Rodriguez, who trains here in Las Cruces will likely take on Byron Polley on Dec. 21 in Las Cruces. Rodriguez is 26-0 with 25 knockouts, while Polley is 21-7-1.

Rodriguez is the likely main event on a card that is slated to be shown on one of the Spanish channel's that show boxing, likely Telefutura or Telemundo.

Rodriguez last fought in June when he knocked out Rick Dyer. The Dec. 21 fight for Rodriguez will be a big step up for Rodriguez, who wants to and needs to pick up his level of competition if he wants to get his name in the heavyweight mix. Rodriguez is quick and has a good punch, but he needs to see what he can do against opponents of similar competition.

Also slated for the card are Las Cruces fighters Austin Trout (unbeaten) and Sammy Di Pace (pro debut).

El Paso fighter Abie Han, who trains in Las Cruces, could make his pro debut on Nov. 10 in Arizona.

— Felix

My Breeders' Cup Classic Pick

Wow, what a solid Breeders' Cup Classic coming on Saturday in New Jersey. The two-day Breeders' Cup is horse racing's biggest event with the top horses in the world putting a finish to what has been a very exciting 2007 racing season. I am going to concentrate on a couple of races here on my blog.
First the 1 and 1/4 mile Classic, worth $5 million. The morning-line favorite is Lawyer Ron at 3-1 for trainer Todd Pletcher. I would definitely keep this horse in mind because he has been so consistent in 2007 with four firsts, two seconds and a third in seven starts, plus he figures to be better than his ninth-place in last year's Breeders' Cup. Lawyer Ron has been impressive in wins in the Whitney Handicap and Woodward Stakes.

Also entered in the Classic are Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, Preakness Stakes winner Curlin, Haskell Invitational winner Any Given Saturday and Kentucky Cup Classic winner Hard Spun.

Personally, I like Lawyer Ron. The 4-year-old is a solid come from behind horse, he's battled tested and he's maturing more and more as he gets older. I like Hard Spun for second and George Washington for third.

But don't forget Street Sense. He could become the first thoroughbred to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the Derby, the Travers and the Classic.

The other race I really like is the 1 and 1/16 mile Juvenile. One of the better horses, Majestic Warrior is out. Still, that leaves a pretty solid field with War Pass, Tale of Ekati and Wicked Style.

War Pass, who is trained by the always formidable Nick Zito, is coming off a win in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park and he also won two races at Saratoga. The win for Zito lifted a load off his back. He had a two-year span of 18 Grade 1 races in which he finished second or third. War Pass is the son of 1994 BC Sprint winner Cherokee Runner.

Tale of Ekati has won two of three races and won the Belmont Futurity on Sept. 15, beating Kodiak Kowboy. Barclay Tagg trains the solid horse. The horse worked a blazing 45.79 seconds in four furlongs on Monday.

But my pick is Wicked Style. Wicked Style is 3-for-3 and is coming off a win in the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity. Wicked Style is a chestnut son of 2000 Juvenile winner Macho Uno. Wicked Style won last time out on a polytrack, but I don't believe the dirt will be a problem this weekend. If he gets a good pace, Wicked Style will be 4-for-4 and and early favorite for the Kentucky Derby in May of 2008.

Don't forget, this year's Breeders' Cup is a two-day event, Friday and Saturday.

— Felix

Clovis' big win and solid QB

Well, it looks as if Clovis is making a comeback in high school football this season. The Wildcats were up and down through six games with a 3-3 mark. But impressive come-from-behind wins against Cibola and Artesia have put the Wildcats back among the elite in Class 5A.

No longer is the talk simply about Las Cruces High and Mayfield. The Wildcats have solid running backs in Manuel Robles, Scott McMath and Derrick Phillips and an opportunistic defense that has made some huge plays the past two weeks in the team's two wins. Watch out for Clovis come playoff time, it's not the best Clovis team ever, but certainly one that has matured and grown into a danger.

Former Gadsden head coach Damien Ocampo has himself a very good quarterback at Socorro in Emil Matthews. The senior ran for 238 yards in Friday's 39-19 win against Hatch Valley. Matthews is a very intelligent player, who reads defenses well and makes good decisions. He's drawn interest from Army, Navy and Air Force and some interest from New Mexico and New Mexico State. He's a good enough athlete to play somewhere on Saturday's next fall.

- Felix

Prep Football Scores 10/20

Friday’s New Mexico scores

Friday

Albuquerque Academy 49, West Las Vegas 6
Carlsbad 24, Silver 7
Carrizozo 48, Jal 0
Clovis 35, Artesia 31
Cobre 7, Chaparral 6
Crownpoint 50, Tohatchi 0
Del Norte 28, Grants 0
Deming 20, El Paso Cathedral, Texas 6
Dexter 54, Capitan 6
Dulce 9, Laguna-Acoma 6
Eldorado 34, Highland 7
Hobbs 21, Goddard 20
Hondo 59, Vaughn 18
Lake Arthur 52, House 7
Logan 52, Clovis Christian 6
Lordsburg 28, Cloudcroft 7
Los Alamos 56, Espanola Valley 20
Loving 20, Eunice 15
Lubbock Cooper, Texas 53, Lovington 13
Manzano 55, Los Lunas 7
Navajo Prep 20, Newcomb 6
Onate 24, Alamogordo 21
Roswell 21, Portales 14
Ruidoso 54, Bernalillo 20
Sandia 34, Santa Fe 10
Santa Rosa 24, Texico 6
Santa Teresa 28, Hot Springs 0
Socorro 39, Hatch Valley 19
St. Pius 38, Belen 14
Tucumcari 47, NMMI 14
Valley 35, Albuquerque High 0
Valley Christian 22, Tatum 14
Zuni 34, Wingate 7

Thursday

Las Cruces High 49, Gadsden 7
Rio Grande 41, West Mesa 14

Ricky Hatton and comments about Dec. 8 fight

On Dec. 8 in Las Vegas, Nev., the highly-anticipated welterweight match between 43-0 Ricky Hatton and 38-0 Floyd Mayweather takes place.

Mayweather is the fighter with the great hand speed, tremendous footwork and a cockiness that can drive people crazy.

Hatton is the British fighter that is aggressive, underrated in many facets and has great motivation because so many people have picked him to lose the fight between two of the sport's biggest personalities.

On Thursday via teleconference, Hatton had many things to say. Here are a few quotes.

"I'm coming off one of the best fights of my career when I beat Jose Luis Castillo in June. Floyd is coming off a great win against Oscar De La Hoya. I can't wait for this fight. Floyd is a great fighter, he's got good hand speed and he's a great defensive fighter."

"I've been studying a lot of his fights and what his strengths and weaknesses are. He's least comfortable when there is pressure on him. I have to set a high pace and not waste a lot of punches. I want to be ready for rounds 6-12. I'm motivated because nobody is picking me to win the fight. I won't leave Floyd alone in the ring, I want to put constant pressure in the ring."

Hatton has mainly campaigned at 140 pounds, but in May of 2006 he fought Luis Collazo at 147 and although he won the fight, he looked sluggish at times.

"I came into the fight too heavy and I was sluggish down the stretch," Hatton said. "For the Mayweather fight, I won't gain as much weight between the weigh-in and the fight."

While many so-called boxing experts (believe me, there are very few) pick Mayweather, I actually like Hatton on Dec. 8. If Hatton can smother Mayweather like Castillo did in Castillo-Mayweather I, Hatton has a great chance of winning on points because he is quicker and stronger than Castillo. Plus, Hatton has learned from his mistakes in the Collazo fight and he's maturing into a much more complete fighter.

Don't put your money on it, but I like Hatton by a score of 115-113 on Dec. 9

— Felix

Juan Diaz and boxing

Last Saturday in Illinois, lightweight Juan Diaz stayed unbeaten with a win against Julio Diaz. The "Baby Bull", who is now 33-0 continues to be impressive. He added the IBF title to the WBA and WBO belts he already holds.

Diaz continues to improve in the ring, he wears opponents down and he's a smart fighter in the ring. Sadly, he is not as popular as he should be. The University of Houston student, does things the right way in terms living his life on the right side and preparing earnestly for every opponent.

The 2000 Olympian has already defeated several top flight lightweights, including Julio Diaz and Acelino Frietas.

So what's next for Juan Diaz? A possible showdown with Michael Katsidis, maybe a meeting with Joel Casamayor or maybe a future date with Manny Pacquiao.

Either way, Juan Diaz has set himself up well for the future. I'd say he'd be the favorite in fights with Casamayor and Katsidis, but he'd be the underdog against Pacquiao.

The Pacquiao fight would be interesting in many ways. Pacquiao would bring his speed and power up to the lightweight division and he would be taking on a fighter in Juan Diaz, who is in his prime.

Diaz, with his aggression and ability to be patient in the ring and wait for the kill, would give the great Pacquiao a serious challenge, moreso than his recent fights with Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales.

Either way, Juan Diaz has plenty of options, but the one with the most visibility is the fight with Pacquiao. Hopefully, that happens within the next year.

— Felix

Prep Football Poll

Here is the latest KRQE Channel 13 poll that was released late Tuesday night. I am voter in the poll. Las Cruces High, which is 7-0, is ranked No. 1 in the state. The poll includes all classes. Artesia is No. 2 and Mayfield in No. 3, followed by Roswell Goddard and Manzano to round out the top five. Artesia and Goddard are Class 4A schools, the other three are Class 5A programs.

- Felix

KRQE FOOTBALL POLL
OCTOBER 16TH

1 LAS CRUCES (7) 116
2 ARTESIA 105
3 MAYFIELD (2) 104
4 GODDARD 78
5 MANZANO 73
6 CIBOLA 70
7 CLOVIS 59
8 ALAMOGORDO 55
9 LOS ALAMOS 42
10 LA CUEVA 37
11 HOBBS 21
AZTEC 21
13 DEXTER 16

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:
ELDORADO 7; VALLEY 7; CARLSBAD 5; ST. MIKES 3; LORDSBURG 1

Las Cruces/Mayfield Football

With Cibola losing to Clovis on Friday night in Clovis and with both Las Cruces High and Mayfield both winning, there is no doubt that Mayfield and Las Cruces should be the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the state of New Mexico.

Las Cruces is 7-0 and has passed big-time tests at Eldorado, at home against Artesia and at Alamogordo in the District 3-5A opener. Mayfield has beaten Clovis, La Cueva and Manzano and its only hiccup came against a very good El Paso Montwood team.

Cibola had its one big road test at Clovis and failed. I still think the Cougars could be a force come playoff time because of its size and experience. Cibola had been mentioned among the top two in the state in Class 5A for much of the preseason and into the first seven weeks of the regular season. But a loss at a up and down Clovis team in a game that the Cougars had control of makes you wonder if the Cougars are good enough to compete with the Bulldawgs or Trojans.

The Trojans and Bulldawgs likley won't lose heading into their Nov. 9 mathcup that will decide the district champion and the likley No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the state playoffs.

— Felix

Prep Scores 10/12

Friday’s New Mexico prep football scores
Animas 78, Tanque Verde, Ariz. 0
Belen 33, Del Norte 22
Capital 42, Bernalillo 0
Carrizozo 39, Clayton 27
Chaparral 30, NMMI 12
Clovis 13, Cibola 12
Crownpoint 32, Wingate 7
Dexter 32, Tucumcari 14
Dulce 53, Navajo Pine 6
Eldorado 23, Rio Rancho 13
Floyd 32, Tatum 14
Fort Sumner 35, Loving 0
Gallup 27, Sandia 24
Gateway Christian 38, Reserve 7
Hatch Valley 52, Cobre 50
Hobbs 45, Gadsden 7
Hot Springs 27, Socorro 0
Laguna-Acoma 44, Newcomb 6
Las Cruces 48, Alamogordo 20
Los Alamos 61, Taos 0
Mayfield 49, Onate 7
Moriarty 69, Grants 0
Mountainair 74, Valley 32
Mountainair 74, Valley Christian 32
Raton 48, Pojoaque 6
Robertson 14, Albuquerque Academy 10
Santa Teresa 35, El Paso Cathedral, Texas 21
Tularosa 34, Eunice 0
Zuni 36, Thoreau 0

— Felix

Bulldawgs get some attention

KRQE channel 13 publishes a weekly poll in Albuquerque that I am a voter. Las Cruces passed Mayfield and Artesia by virtue of its 46-45 win against Artesia last week and is ranked No. 1. The Bulldawgs are now 6-0 on the season and take on Alamogordo this week. Mayfield and Las Cruces are the top two teams in the state in my opinion as of now. Cibola from Albuquerque is right there with them. Mayfield is ranked No. 2.
With the Bulldawgs and Trojans enjoying so much success, there has been talk of another MHS/LCHS matchup in the state championship. The two met in 2002 when the Bulldawgs won 17-14.
There is a good chance of the two meeting up again this year. What are your thoughts about that potential matchup and what do you think of LCHS being ranked No. 1?

- Felix

KRQE FOOTBALL POLL WEEK 7
1ST PLACE VOTES PTS.


1. LAS CRUCES 6-0 (7) 139
2. MAYFIELD 5-1 (4) 128
3. ARTESIA 5-1 126
4. CIBOLA 5-0 111
5. ALAMOGORDO 5-1 86
6. GODDARD 5-1 80
7. MANZANO 5-1 78
8. CLOVIS 2-2 43
9. LOS ALAMOS 6-0 41
10.LA CUEVA 2-3 34
T11.AZTEC 5-1 21
T11.VALLEY 4-1 21
13. HOBBS 4-2 19
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: DEXTER 16, ELDORADO 13, RIO RANCHO 13, ST. MIKE'S 13, LORDSBURG 9, CARLSBAD 4, CLOUDCROFT 3, SOCORRO 2, SANTA ROSA 1.

This week's prep football games

New Mexico Prep Football Games
Friday

Rio Grande vs. Los Lunas, 7 p.m.
Alamogordo vs. Las Cruces, 7 p.m.
Capital vs. Bernalillo, 7 p.m.
Carlsbad vs. Goddard, 7 p.m.
Clayton vs. Carrizozo, 7 p.m.
Clovis vs. Cibola, 7 p.m.
Cobre vs. Hatch, 7 p.m.
Crownpoint vs. Wingate, 7 p.m.
Mayfield vs. Onate, 7 p.m.
Fort Sumner vs. Loving, 7 p.m.
Gadsden vs. Hobbs, 7 p.m.
Gateway Christian vs. Reserve, 7 p.m.
Hondo vs. House, 7 p.m.
Hot Springs vs. Socorro, 7 p.m.
Kirtland Central vs. Farmington, 7 p.m.
Laguna-Acoma vs. Newcomb, 7 p.m.
Los Alamos vs. Taos, 7 p.m.
Mescalero vs. Santa Fe Indian, 7 p.m.
Del Norte vs. Belen, 7 p.m.
Moriarty vs. Grants, 7 p.m.
NMMI vs. Chaparral, 7 p.m.
Raton vs. Pojoaque, 7 p.m.
Rio Rancho vs. Eldorado, 7 p.m.
Robertson vs. Albuquerque Academy, 7 p.m.
Santa Teresa vs. El Paso Cathedral, 7 p.m.
Shiprock vs. Aztec, 7 p.m.
Springer vs. Melrose, 3:30 p.m.
Tatum vs. Floyd, 7 p.m.
Texico vs. Capitan, 7 p.m.
Thoreau vs. Zuni, 7 p.m.
Tohatchi vs. Bloomfield, 7 p.m.
Tucumcari vs. Dexter, 7 p.m.
Tularosa vs. Eunice, 7 p.m.
Valley Christian vs. Mountainair, 7 p.m.
Sandia vs. Gallup, 7 p.m.
Roswell vs. Deming, 7 p.m.
Zuni vs. Thoreau, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Cloudcroft vs. Santa Rosa, 1 p.m.
Magdalena vs. Menaul, 1 p.m.
Albuquerque High vs. Santa Fe, 1:30 p.m.
San Jon vs. Roy, 3 p.m.
St. Michael's vs. West Las Vegas, 1:30 p.m.
Vaughn vs. Lake Arthur, 2 p.m.
La Cueva vs. Valley, 7 p.m.

Siju Shabazz

Word is that amateur boxer Siju Shabazz could represent the United States in a dual vs. England in January. Shabazz represented the U.S. in a dual vs. Australia last month and won his match by decision.

— Felix

No losers in Cruces/Artesia game

Wow, what a game on Friday night between Las Cruces High and Artesia. Las Cruces High showed tremendous will in winning 46-45 in overtime. The Bulldawgs proved they are one of the state's best with the win.
Running back James Hall Jr. showed why he's the premier back in the state with 176 yards rushing and four touchdowns. He has a great instincts and just has a knack for the big play.
Artesia QB Landry Jones is big, strong and a gamer. He nearly willed AHS to the win and he has a bright future ahead of him in college. Several times, LCHS had Jones in trouble only to see him scramble away to make a play.

But needless to say there were no losers on Friday night. The battle of 5-0 teams was everything it was supposed to be and more. Both teams gave great efforts and there was a mixture of big plays on offense, defense and special teams. The two teams have met the last 10 years with LCHS winning six of those. There have been plenty of great ones in the series, but none better than Friday's game at the Field of Dreams.

With the win, LCHS puts itself in great position to get a top four seed when the Class 5A playoff matches are announced in November. Right now, LCHS, Mayfield and Cibola are the top three teams in my mind in 5A. Artesia, unless it suffers a big injury or something bad, should win Class 4A.

— Felix

Mexican-American Fighters

A few days ago, I listed my top five fighters of Mexican decent. Today, I am listing my five favorite fighters who are Mexican-American. Again, this was a very difficult decision. Mexican-American fighters have a great history in the sport. From Art Aragon to Johnny Tapia to Oscar De La Hoya, the sport has been influenced heavily by Mexican-American fighters.

1. Johnny Tapia
I am a little biased here since I am a native New Mexican. Tapia won titles at 115, 118 and 126. He was non-stop action and had great instincts. Those great instincts helped him even when he was having trouble outside the ring and didn't always train his best. He was a natural in the ring and could adjust on a whim. He beat some very good fighters in his prime, including Danny Romero, Nana Konadu, Jorge Julio and Arthur Johnson. Tapia was an outstanding fighter and had great heart. If he had a little more power, he might have been able to beat Marco Antonio Barrera at 126, but Barrera was simply too much for him at that weight.

2. Orlando Canizales
The great South Texas fighter was one of the best with 50 wins against just five losses. Defended his IBF bantamweight title 14 times. Beat the likes of Sergio Reyes, Kelvin Seabrooks and Paul Gonzales. Was a good boxer and an exciting one to boot. He didn't get the acclaim that other fighters did, but always gave a great effort and took on some of the boxing's best in his class.

3. Juan Diaz
The Baby Bull as he is known fights Julio Diaz next week to help unify some of the major titles in the lightweight division. Juan Diaz is a ferocious fighter with better than average boxing skill. He has gotten better and better as he has gotten older. Is coming off a methodical beating of Acelino Frietas. Diaz always gives a great effort in the ring and if he can win this fight on Oct. 13 against the other Diaz, even bigger fights await.

4. Oscar De La Hoya
The 1992 Olympic Gold medalist has been one of the sport's most entertaining fighters. Beat the likes of John Molina, Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker. Was robbed against Felix Trinidad in battle of unbeaten welterweights. Also lost close decisions to Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather. A masterful boxer when focused and in shape. Has good power and is still a great draw at age of 34. Wants to fight 2-3 more times. Has started own promotional company, which is very successful.

5. Bobby "Schoolboy" Chacon
Chacon was all intensity and action in the ring, collecting 59 wins and two world championships along the way. Engaged in wars with Bazooka Limon, Cornelius Boza Edwards and Ruben Olivares in his career. The California fighter will always be remembered for his great heart and his willingness to engage in a fierce battle. Unfortunately all the tough fights and life issues outside the ring slowed him down. But Chacon will never be forgotten for what he did in the ring and what he accomplished.

— Felix

Hall Jr., Landry

If you are doing nothing else in Las Cruces on Friday night, head out to the Las Cruces High/Artesia football game at the Field of Dreams.
This is the best game in the state this weekend and arguably the best up to this point of the season.
Both teams are 5-0 and feature Division I prospects. Artesia has QB Landry Jones and LCHS has RB James Hall Jr.
Jones is headed to Oklahoma and has thrown for 1,517 yards this season, while Hall has run for 665 yards and has been a weapon returning kicks.
Artesia has to be given credit for taking on a tough schedule. The Bulldogs have already beaten Hobbs, Carlsbad and Rio Rancho and still have LCHS and Clovis before district play starts.
Las Cruces High has had nice wins against El Paso Hanks and Eldorado. I think LCHS has a little bit better defense and that could be the difference. My pick: LCHS 42, Artesia 31.
Friday's game starts at 7 p.m.

Favorite Mexican Fighters

Over the years there have been many great Mexican fighters, too many to name on a blog. But with the Saturday fight between Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao on the horizon. I thought I'd put my top five Mexican-born fighters on the blog. Believe it was very tough and I know others probably have a different list. If you have a list, feel free to add a comment with the five. Here are is my list.
1. Julio Cesar Chavez
No surprise here. Chavez won six world titles and beat the likes of Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor (twice), Juan LaPorte, Tony Lopez, Roger Mayweather, Jose Luis Ramirez and Edwin Rosario. Chavez was a beautiful fighter on the inside and his boxing skills were often underrated because of his aggression and knockout capability. Chavez was a hero in his native Mexico and revered among Mexican-Americans.

2. Ricardo Lopez
The king of the strawweight and light flyweight divisions. He won 51 of 52 fights and beat notables like Saman Sorjaturong, Kyun Yun Li, Kermin Guardia, Andy Tabanas, Ala Villamor, Alex Sanchez, Rosendo Alvarez, Will Grigsby. A wonderful fighter and he got out at the right time and didn't tarnish his record.

3. Salvador Sanchez
Sadly this great champ was just 23 when he died in a car crash. A good fighter not afraid to mix it up. Became a household name after victories against the popular Danny Lopez and Puerto Rico's Wilfredo Gomez. Also beat a young Azumah Nelson in a wonderful and brutal war in New York.

4. Carlos Zarate
A great power puncher, who has the distinction of being the only fighter in the history of the sport to have two streaks of 20 or more knockout wins in a row. Won 63 of his 66 fights via knockout.

5. Marco Antonio Barrera
Barrera has been one of the great champions of our time. Has won 63 and lost just five times. Has won world titles at 122, 126 and 130 pounds. Says the fight with Pacquiao on Saturday is his last major fight. Very determined fighter, good skills and has a knack for rebounding from loss with a win. He lost his last fight against Juan Manuel Marquez. Has beaten Erik Morales, Paulie Ayala and Kennedy McKinney among other. A win on Saturday would give him one of his greatest victories of all time.

Santa Teresa players draw interest

For many years, Santa Teresa High School football hasn't been taken very seriously. That is no longer the case. The Desert Warriors are 3-2 on the season and have high hopes of winning District 3-4A, which includes Silver and Deming.
Santa Teresa head coach Harold Wagner said several of his players are drawing interest from Division I, II and II coaches, including running back Harvey Wells, linebacker Garson Lamb and wide receiver David Fierro. This week, the Desert Warriors face 2-2 Hatch Valley.

Hatch Valley features senior quarterback and Division I prospect Alex Carson. Carson has received attention from North Texas, New Mexico State and New Mexico. He is averaging nearly 350 yards passing per game.
Carson has a bright future and he should mature even more. He just turned 17 and he doesn't make many mistakes. Expect the recruiting battle to heat up over the 6-foot-2 quarterback.

— Felix

Curlin is my pick

Later this month at Monmouth Park, the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic takes place with plenty of contenders.
But my pick is Curlin. The 3-year-old beat the best older horse in racing, Lawyer Ron, on Sunday in the Jockey Gold Cup and he did so with plenty of grit.
Curlin wasn't rushed and didn't appear panicked as he slowly but surely caught Lawyer Ron to beat him by a neck.
Trainer Steve Asmussen has done a wonderful job of getting Curlin ready for his 3-year-old campaign.
Curlin, who won the preakness and just missed in the Belmont, didn't run as a 2-year-old which raised some eyebrows. But he ent on to win the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby before finishing third in the Kentucky Derby.
Asmussen is one of the nation's best trainers, who seems to have a knack to know where to place his horses and how to get them ready.
Curlin is maturing each race out and he'll be challenged by the likes of Lawyer Ron, Street Sense and Hard Spun at the Breeders' Cup, but his durability and his training should be enough to get him the win in my opinion.

Also impressive this weekend was English Channel, who should be the favorite or close to it in the BC Turf. English Channel, who won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for the second straight year, bullied his away along the rail and won by 2 1/4 lenghts.

— Felix