Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 7/28/2015

by Doc's Sports - 7/28/2015

American Pharoah captured the attention of the entire horse racing world earlier this year in his dramatic run to an elusive Triple Crown title. He is expected to return to the track this upcoming Saturday, and in this week's discussion with Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza, we will get his opinion on what to expect.

The former Vegas Sports Informer has been on Doc's team for the past eight years. He rose to the prestigious position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria during a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry until his retirement in 2013. Raphael continues to use this "insider's edge" in his sports investment business to provide winning selections for one of the widest array of betting events in the handicapping industry. The following is this week's conversation.

Doc's Sports: Starting things off in the MLB, you have been riding Kansas City in the American League all season long. Does the recent addition of starting pitcher Johnny Cueto seal the deal for a Royals trip to this year's World Series?

RE: I still like the Royals' chances, and the addition of Cueto puts them firmly in the driver seat. He is the kind of pitcher that will give you six to seven innings every start, and he could have a major impact in the postseason. That being said, both the Yankees and the Astros could quickly close that gap if they pull off the right moves before this week's MLB trade deadline.

Doc's Sports: We have already covered your top contenders to win both the ACC and the Big Ten this upcoming college football season, so turning to the Big 12, can you give us your thoughts on which team would be your top pick to win this power conference?

RE: Oklahoma is always capable of making some noise, but I think the Big 12 title will come down to the winner of this season's Baylor at TCU game in late November. If I had to choose one team it would be the Horned Frogs given their very favorable situation at quarterback and on defense.

Doc's Sports: Last week we started our trip around the NFL with your pick to win the AFC East. The AFC North has been a three-way battle between Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati the past few seasons, but which team has the clear edge to win this division title heading into this season?

RE: I have a good feeling about Pittsburgh this season as not only a favorite to win the AFC North, but also as an 'under-the-radar' team that could go all the way to the Super Bowl. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger should come into the new season highly-motivated, and the Steelers finally added some much-needed youth on the defensive to try and regain their swagger on that side of the ball.

Doc's Sports : American Pharoah is set to make his return to the track in this Saturday's Grade 1 William Hill Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. Does his amazing winning streak continue, or is there another top thoroughbred in the field capable of ending his run?

RE: Looking at the current field for this race, I would expect American Pharoah to go off as a prohibitive favorite, and there is just no way I see him losing on Saturday. He may race one more time possibly in Saratoga before this year's Breeders' Cup Classic at the end of October. Depending on which horses are in field for that race, the Classic could present a legitimate test to his current winning streak.

Doc's Sports: We understand that you recently handicapped a planned trip to Mars by several competing groups in an article for "Popular Mechanics". Can you tell us a bit more about this venture?

RE: Right now there are five separate groups aiming to launch a manned mission to Mars. My job was to handicap each one's chances to be the first successful group to pull of this incredible feat. The earliest it could possibly be accomplished would still be 15 to 20 years out, so I also added betting odds for the field given such a long time frame.

Click here to visit Raphael Esparza's Insider's Page at Doc's Sports for more information on his amazingly-profitable sports handicapping picks. Also, get $60 worth of Esparza's member's picks absolutely free - no obligation, no sales people - you don't even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit for any sport Esparza handicaps. Click here for $60 worth of free picks from Raphael Esparza .

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