Docs Website

53 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu
Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza

by Doc's Sports - 5/3/2016

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant

The Kentucky Derby is the biggest horse race of the year, and in this week's discussion with Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza we will try and get one of the biggest horse racing fans around to reveal his picks for this Saturday's "Run for the Roses" at Churchill Downs.

Raphael rose through the ranks to become one of the top handicappers in the nation during a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry. At one point in this career, the former Vegas Sports Informer held the prestigious position as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement in 2013. Since then, he has been splitting his time between his old stopping grounds in Las Vegas and some new digs in New Orleans running a successful and diverse sports investment service. The following is this week's Q&A with one of Doc's most interesting handicappers.

Doc's Sports: We have already talked about both Miami and Toronto taking a much harder path than expected to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. But now that they will square off against one another in a best-of-seven series starting on Tuesday, which team has the inside track to win?

RE: Unless Toronto can get some much better shooting production from Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan in its backcourt, I would have to give the slight edge to Miami right now. If the Heat can continue to push the pace and play at a high tempo, they have all the tools to get by the Raptors to advance to the conference finals. However, I still see this series going seven games.

Doc's Sports: You picked San Antonio to come out of the NBA's Western Conference long before the knee injury to Stephen Curry of Golden State. Is there any reason for concern following a stunning loss to Oklahoma City in Game 2 of that conference semifinals series considering that the Spurs were 40-1 at home this season?

RE: I was surprised that San Antonio lost that game, but I still like the Spurs' chances to win this series in six or seven games. They are the better all-around team and Oklahoma City does not seem to have an answer for stopping LaMarcus Aldridge. I also cannot help but feel that the Thunder still have another fourth-quarter collapse lurking in its future that could prove to be the difference.

Doc's Sports : Turning to the NHL's Eastern Conference Semifinals, you were pretty high on Washington's chances to finally break through with a run to the Stanley Cup Finals this year. Is there any reason for concern in that pick now that the Capitals are down 2-1 in their best-of-seven semifinals showdown against rival Pittsburgh?

RE: When it comes to the NHL Playoffs, we have already talked at length of how a hot goalie can carry a team to a Stanley Cup title, especially when it is a team as a good as Pittsburgh. I am not sure that Penguins' goalie Matt Murray is even old enough to shave yet, but he is playing like a seasoned veteran in the postseason, so there should be some major concern if you are Washington.

Doc's Sports : The clear favorite in the Kentucky Derby has lived up to expectations the past two years with California Chrome winning in 2014 followed by American Pharoah's amazing run to a Triple Crown title last year. We are pretty sure that Nyquist will open as the favorite to win when the official morning line is released on Wednesday, so are you going chalk again in this year's Kentucky Derby?

RE: Nyquist is undefeated in his career, but he is not coming into this race with nearly the fanfare that those other two horses had when they were instilled as obvious Kentucky Derby favorites. That is actually a good thing since it should put some decent value in his opening odds. I do expect him to win, but I am going to be spreading my money around in this race on various exotics.

Doc's Sports: The best way to win money on horse racing is picking trifectas. If you had to go to the betting window right now, which two horses would you add to the list to round out your top-three finishers in Saturday's Kentucky Derby?

RE : Right now I would probably go with Mo Tom as my second choice, but I am going to hold back on naming a third horse for the show position until the actual post positions for the race are announced. This is still a pretty wide-open field with quite a few solid contenders.

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 .

Most Recent Weekly Sports Betting and Handicapping

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers