So many sports, so little time. April presents a loaded lineup, blending the start of baseball, the end of hockey, the groundwork for horse racing’s premier spectacle and, of course, boxing. There’s something for everybody.

Winky Wright and Paul Williams headline the live name-talent department with their April 11 battle at Mandalay Bay. These lefties are two of boxing’s premier combatants.

“Reach” is the word for their junior middleweight bout. Williams has an imposing 10-inch advantage over Wright, who must execute several maneuvers to work inside. That will be the story line of the battle.

Williams is 36-1 with 27 knockouts, and surprised the boxing world with a hustling decision over Antonio Margarito in 2007. He was shocked early in 2008 by Carlos Quintana, who buzzed around and frustrated him on the way to a decision. Four months later, Williams won the rematch and reclaimed his welterweight championship with a one-round knockout. The Aiken, South Carolina fighter is formidable, having moved up from the 147-pound to the 154-pound class.

Wright, 51-4 -1 with 25 knockouts, looks to recapture old form. He hasn’t fought since a 2007 loss to Bernard Hopkins. The former junior middleweight champion has beaten Felix Trinidad, Ike Quartey and Shane Mosley (twice).

One week after Wright-Williams, Buffalo Bill’s in Primm hosts consecutive nights of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Hockey Highlights

This is the season to make fans appreciate what the Wranglers have done before. They are the only team in the 20-year history of the ECHL to notch three consecutive 100-point seasons. Though none led to a Kelly Cup, the Wranglers made the finals last year.

But the show can’t always go on. League rules cap each team at four veterans. The Wranglers lost star goalies Kevin Lalande and Daniel Manzato, who helped them allow just 179 goals last year, two behind the league best. Their scoring is down this year and so is the consistency.

A bizarre, season-defining 18-game stretch ran from January 31 to March 1. The Wranglers began by winning eight straight games. They followed by losing 10 straight. Talk about highs and lows. To top it off, they gained an automatic playoff berth when Fresno folded in December.

After finishing the season against Stockton April 3 and 4 in the Orleans Arena, the Wranglers will attack the playoffs as if the season just started, because it will have. For three months, the team has played primarily for pride and managed to nudge its mark above .500 by mid-March. The good news? Nobody in their conference, which covers the first two rounds, looks particularly dominant. When the playoffs begin, anything can, and usually does, happen.

Baseball: The Song Remains the Same

The Las Vegas 51s are no longer affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they remain in the Pacific Coast League under a new deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. After starting their season on the road, the 51s launch their Cashman Field campaign with an eight-game stint from April 17 to 24. All games start at 7:05 p.m., except the 12:05 p.m. start on April 19.

While uniforms and prospects change, the allure of minor-league baseball remains. The 51s increased attendance for the fourth consecutive season in 2008, averaging nearly 5,300 fans for their 72 dates. Minor-league baseball surpassed $43 million last season, an all-time record, and remains a prominent recession-buster in the entertainment world.

The average minor-league game for a family of four cost $54 last season. That included tickets for adults and children, four hot dogs, two sodas, two beers, a program and parking. Trim the food costs and baseball becomes a cost-effective bargain.

Las Vegas went 74-69 last season, second in the Pacific Coast League to Sacramento. There are some who will bemoan the absence of the Las Vegas-Los Angles connection for players. But the core of minor-league baseball remains its emphasis on family entertainment, regardless of the players.

Playing the Ponies

It’s Derby Prep time. The biggest races prior to the May 2 Kentucky Derby occur April 4 and 11. Check out the Santa Anita, Wood Memorial and Illinois Derby on April 4 and the Blue Grass and Arkansas races on April 11. Kentucky Derby winners often emerge from these events.

For those with hunches on a Derby long-shot, bet now. Odds will drop dramatically if an animal looks strong in the prep trials. One of the most impressive winter victories came from The Pampelmousse at Santa Anita in February. Should the horse move up in company and perform well at Santa Anita, he may become a hot Derby favorite.

In the advanced age of technology, why not watch the last few years of the Derby on YouTube to get a feel for its legendary traffic problems? It’s an excellent review for serious Derby players.

The 135th Derby unfolds May 2. Some facts to consider: The rail and the 5 position have produced the most Kentucky Derby winners, but the advent of 20-horse fields has crippled the rail, which hasn’t produced a winner since 1986. And Ferdinand, who accomplished the feat, had to circle the field. Posts No. 17 and 19 have not hit the Derby winner’s circle, but the outside isn’t necessarily a curse. Big Brown took it last year, from post 20. And the second biggest Derby winner ever, Giacomo, at 50-1, prevailed from the 18 post.�

By Dave Bontempo

Casino Connection Sports Editor Dave Bontempo is an award-winning sports writer and broadcaster who calls boxing matches all over the world. He has covered the Philadelphia Flyers in the playoffs, as well as numerous PGA, LPGA and Seniors Golf Tour events, and co-hosted the Casino Connection television program with Publisher Roger Gros.