has been very good about protecting the ball. For the season Evans has 17 to

DEL MAR, Calif. -- The presence of the popular California Chrome in the $200,000 San Diego Handicap on Saturday is expected to boost attendance at Del Mar, but track officials are reluctant to predict the size of the crowd.Craig Dado, Del Mars chief marketing officer, said California Chromes appearance and promotions that include food-truck and craft-beer festivals could produce an audience in excess of 25,000.Chrome is a unique horse, Dado said. He almost has a cult following.Dado said a much larger audience is possible Aug. 20 if California Chrome runs in the $1 million Pacific Classic that day against the three-time champion female Beholder. The two have never raced against each other.The real payoff could be Aug. 20, he said.The San Diego Handicap will be the first start for California Chrome since he won the $10 million Dubai World Cup in March.Track president Joe Harper said focusing on a racehorse rather than ancillary promotions such as a concert should please racing purists.I guess my reaction is to expect a good day from something that has four legs and runs around a racetrack and not someone with a short skirt or someone with a guitar on stage, he said. Its about the racing, and its where our hearts are. Hopefully, we can have a successful day.Clearance Football Jerseys . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. Cheap San Francisco 49ers Jerseys China . 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Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series.Longtime rivals Miami and Virginia Tech look to get their season headed back in the right direction when they square off Thursday night in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup.The Hurricanes (4-2, 1-2 ACC) have lost two in a row and have fallen out of the Top 25, but have never lost to the Hokies (4-2, 2-1) in their previous three Thursday night games.Virginia Tech has also tumbled out of the Top 25 after a 31-17 loss at Syracuse last Saturday.The Hokies have long embraced the opportunity for the exposure a Thursday night game offers. They played 30 Thursday night contests under Frank Beamer, second only to Georgia Techs 32, but this will be the first under new coach Justin Fuente.I always enjoy the challenge every week, but the short weeks are certainly different, he said. I told my wife when I got home, `Its going to be a long, short week. Thats just the way it is, but weve got two hungry football teams that are going to play out here. Theyre very well-coached, obviously have a fine tradition and history.The challenge also is new for first-year Miami coach Mark Richt.Southeastern Conference teams play some Thursday night games, but his former school, Georgia, does not. Richt said it was administration policy, and if he had his way, college teams wouldnt play on such short rest.He also said he doesnt like the idea of Miami getting home around 5 a.m. Friday.The five-day turnaround, in my opinion, I dont think its very good even though both teams are doing it, Richt said. If you have one team with an open date, and one team with five days, thats not fair. As far as what makes sense for TV, Im sure it makes sense for TV. But what makes sense for the student-athletes?I dont think its a good idea. I think its a bad idea.---Here are some other things to watch when Miami visits Virginia Tech:STAKES: The ACCs Coastal Division is a wide open race at this point with every team having at least one loss, the Hokies having beaten current leader North Carolina (3-1) and with games against the Hurricanes and Pittsburgh (2-1 in the division) still ahead. The next two weeks will likely help sort the contenders and pretenders.ddddddddddddFRESHMEN STARTERS: Theres a chance that Miami could have five true freshmen starting on defense against the Hokies. Shaquille Quarterman, Michael Pinckney and Zach McCloud are the starting linebackers, and because of a rash of injuries, Miami might be forced to start Joe Jackson and Pat Bethel on the defensive line as well. Its been an unusual year, theres no doubt, with guys being in and out of the lineup, Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. But well see. Well have 11 the first play of the game Thursday night.NUMBERS GAME: Miami has the edge both in scoring average (36.7 ppg to the Hokies 35.7) and defensive scoring average (14 ppg allowed to the Hokies 18.2), but the Hurricanes also didnt play a Power Five conference school until the fourth game of the year, which could skew the numbers. Miami has won the last two meetings, and three of the last four, and is 3-0 against their former Big East Conference rival when they meet on Thursday night.PASSING FANCY: Since fumbling three times in a loss to No. 18 Tennessee, Hokies quarterback Jerod Evans has been very good about protecting the ball. For the season Evans has 17 touchdowns and just two interceptions, and hes the fourth-rated passer among Power Five schools. Miamis Brad Kaaya is 2-0 against Virginia Tech, but still working his way back from a shoulder injury that caused the Miami coaches to shut him down for a few days.COMMON GROUND: Richt and Fuente have plenty in common -- they are both quarterbacks successfully recruited out of high school by Howard Schnellenberger. Richt played for Schnellenberger at Miami, and Fuente signed with Oklahoma to play for Schnellenberger (though the coach resigned after Fuentes redshirt season there).---AP sports writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report---Online: The APs college football page: http://collegefootball.ap.org---Follow Hank on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hankkurzjr ' ' '