I post the above video to illustrate two points:

1. What happens when Rob tries to touch me during the show.

2. To show how jacked and pumped I am for Breeders’ Cup Weekend.

As a refresher we had a good day in this space in 2008 tabbing two “on-top” winners and a $75 horse Desert Code in the exotics - a six dollar bet that triggered an exacta of just under $800.

The Breeders’ Cup has expanded to two days. The action starts today at Santa Anita with six BC races and eight more on Saturday. And once again we are greeted by the synthetic Pro-Ride surface.

There is a great local angle today as Manchester, NH based Sovereign Stables is running two-year-old filly Negligee in the $2 million Juvenile Filly race (445 EST). Negligee has an ownership group that includes residents of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

What makes this weekend great for handicappers is the depth of the fields and the huge prices available. It’s two days of handicapping unseen the rest of the year in American racing.

My approach on days like this is to play multi-race wagers (Pick 3s and Pick 4s) more than I usually do. Because of the added “event” money being put into the pools by people who only play the races once or twice a year, overlays in these bets can mean big, big payouts. That means if I like a short-priced favorite, staying away from the race individually but playing it in the horizontal bets. And playing those favorites and spreading with longer-priced horses that could hit the board and trigger boffo payouts.

I’ll also personally be treading lightly today and saving a bulk of my action for tomorrow’s eight races.

Below are my selections for each race Friday. The top selection will be my “pick” to win the race. The slots under it will be value plays and horses to use with a horse that you like in exactas, tris, etc. They will also include favorites I’m playing against who could hit the board.

As always - bet with your head, not over it. We’ll post Saturday picks late Friday or early Saturday. And Mut and Bradford will actually air during a bulk of the races tomorrow (1-5PM TSSaturday).

EDITS: Bolded and marked up to reflect results.

Breeders’ Cup Marathon
Didn’t like the race last year. Like it less in 2009

1. Man of Iron (14.80)
2. Father Time
3. Mastery

Juvenile Filly Turf
Wide open event where prices abound.

1. Rose Catherine (2nd)
2. House of Grace (3rd)
3. Tapitsfly (21.60)

$1 exacta $76.20
$1 trifecta $479.40

Juvenile Filly
Taking a stand against the CA horses here.

1. Negligee
2. Beautician (2nd)
3. She Be Wild (16.80)

$1 exacta $72.20

Filly & Mare Turf
Lack of speed here really confounds things. Tricky race where I think any of five could win.

1. Magical Fantasy
2. Rutherienne
3. Forever Together

Filly & Mare Sprint
Features the most likely winner on the card, Ventura. I’ll play against but will not be treading lightly in this one.

1. Informed Decision ($8.80)
2. Ventura (2nd)
3. Free Flying Soul (3rd)

$1 exacta $7.70
$1 tri (ice cold) $120.60

The Distaff (I refuse to call it the Ladies Classic)
Truth be told…I found this one to be a skull-buster and ended up with the ML fave.

1. Music Note
2. Cocoa Beach
3. Rainbow View

Follow Mut on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MikeMutnansky or email him at mutt@weei.com.

Yeah, what I said below.

Hopefully I can find the old, by now likely too small “Martinez” Sox tee out of the garage.

Just like Pedro, I’ll have a couple of Aleve or Advil, a cup of coffee and a little mango and an egg — and lets go!

Should be fun tonight in the Bronx. Go Pedro and go Phils.

-Mut

…and have me face him. Maybe I’ll drill him in the ass.” — Pedro Martinez

Since my World Series pick went 0-6 and out I’m jumping on the Phillies Bandwagon for the next few weeks.

There are few athletes in my lifetime that have as many ‘where were you’ moments as Pedro:

• 17 strikeouts against the Yankees
• 1999 -All-Star Game
• Six no-hit innings out of the pen vs. the Indians 1999 ALDS
• Beat Clemens 1999 ALCS (I was there)
• Tossed Don Zimmer 2003

So yeah, I’m rooting for Pedro and the Phillies.

Mut and Bradford is set for noon on Saturday. We’ll autopsy the 2009 Sox season and look ahead to 2010.

Until then, I’m going to try and figure out the science behind this Rob Bradford headshot.

"I love Irving Oil...."

Look forward to talking with you then - Mut

Email Mike at Mutt@weei.com and follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MikeMutnansky

There’s nothing quite like the Yankees annual ALDS drubbing of the Twins. Like the leaves turning color and 20 different types of Octoberfest and Pumpkin style beers showing up at the local packie, it truly is a sign of fall in New England.

Like every other homer, I’m picking the Red Sox to win the World Series. Over the St. Louis Cardinals and Raymond, NH native Chris Carpenter. In a much better World Series than 2004.

The Angels are going to run wild on the Sox when they get on base. But between Bradford and Dale and every other Sox fan beating me into submission with the breakdown of the Halos 15 stolen bases vs. the Sox this year and just how spread out they were, I’m finally buying what everyone is selling. But it’s going to be a long, five-game series that is decided by a much better Red Sox bullpen beating a very aggressive Angels team.

Get the Red Bulls and NoDoze ready because first pitch Thursday hits you right between the eyes at 9:37PM EST.

“Mut and Bradford” is scheduled around Game Three of the ALDS Sunday, either before or after the game depending on time. Check your local listings Saturday.

Some other leftovers:

…Here’s the video Rob referenced Saturday with Bobby Bowden. This is right after his team got beat by South
Florida - a team who just lost its best player to injury the prior week.

And we actually got calls (yes plural) defending Bowden Saturday afternoon. Bowden is a college football legend, but like an old pair of sneakers, it’s time to hang em’ up.

…Mark down Week 5 of the 2009 NFL season as the worst week, game by game, in he last decade of NFL games. There are three I would pay to see (Pats/Broncos, Bengals/Ravens, Dolphins/Jets) and another in 49ers/Falcons I’d go if offered free tickets. That’s it. The rest of the lot stink to high heaven. Noon Sunday would be a great spot for a Sox-Angels game three.

…How about UConn alum Darius Butler making plays in Pats secondary? He’s doing the fans at Huskies’ proud.

…Make sure you check out Joey Zarbano’s NFL Power Rankings each week here on WEEI.com each week. The comments alone are worth the click.

…And make sure you follow Rob and Alex as the Sox/Angels begin their ALDS. Great coverage, around the clock.

Look forward to previewing or reviewing ALDS Game 3 Sunday. Talk to you then - Mut

You can email Mike at mutt@weei.com. And follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MikeMutnansky

Quick programming note kids…

Mut and Bradford’s Tony Phillips-like, WEEI utility continues Saturday as we’ll join you after BC Football and lead into Red Sox and Orioles from Camden Yards.

Plenty of Pats and Sox to keep us busy.

Talk to you then,
Mut

Time to get the NFL Picks on WEEI.com. If you print them out, they make a nice paper airplane.

Quick progamming note, “Mut and Bradford” will air between the double-header Sunday on WEEI. We’ll join you live from Fenway Park just after game one.

AFC Playoff Teams

1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2. New England Patriots
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. San Diego Chargers
5. Tennessee Titans
6. Baltimore Ravens

AFC Title Game: Steelers-Patriots

NFC Playoffs:

1. New York Giants
2. Green Bay Packers
3. New Orleans Saints
4. Seattle Seahawks
5. Philadelphia Eagles
6. Minnesota Vikings

NFC Title Game: Giants-Saints

Super Bowl 44: Giants over Steelers

MVP: Adrian Peterson, Vikings

Offensive Player of the Year: Tom Brady, Pats

Defensive Player of the Year: Osi Umenyiora, Giants

O-Rookie: Mark Sanchez, Jets

D-Rookie: B.J. Raji, Packers

Coach: Mike McCarthy, Packers

Our long, cold wait is over - the 2009-2010 NFL season kicks off tonight. And thus begins a stretch this Sunday were we’ll have NFL football every Sunday between now and February.

Life is good.

As a programming note this Sunday is also the launch of a revamped NFL Sunday here on WEEI.

Being the versatile, utilityman-like show that we are -think my main man Tony Phillips in the early 90s, the guy to your left - “Mut and Bradford” will be moving around a bit in the next coming weeks. This week we’ll join you after the Sox-Rays on Sunday to recap that one, the early 1PM NFL games and get you set for Packers-Bears on Sunday night football.

And Saturday I’ll play the role of pre and post game host for BC Football - talking after the Baseball Show until the game and then after BC-Kent State until Sox baseball.

Interested to your “Patriots Predictions” on the upcoming season Saturday and Sunday. In doing my own NFL Predictions for the blog and the show as well.  (which I will post in full here Saturday morning)I’m not sure I’ll have the Patriots representing the AFC in Super Bowl 44.

Maybe I can even get Rob to post some predictions… if he’s done telling his Jonathan Papelbon Fantasy Football story.

As for tonight, I’m not getting financially involved. But it’s tough to bet against the home team on opening night. Even  if they are Curt Schilling’s Steelers.

Great calls and reaction to the Seymour trade this past Sunday. Look forward to talking to you this weekend,

Mut

You can email Mike at mutt@weei.com and follow him on Twitter at MikeMutnansky