Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero ripped a 503-foot shot during the Home Run Derby in San Francisco on Monday night. Vladimir Guerrero had an easy final round as he claimed his first Home Run Derby title on the eve of the 78th Major League Baseball All-Star Game at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Monday night. Guerrero, the Los Angeles Angels’ rightfielder, only had to hit three home runs in the third round to eclipse surprise finalist Alex Rios of the Toronto Blue Jays to win the exhibition of power that highlighted the festivities leading to Tuesday’s All-Star Game. The victory by Guerrero was predicted in Bodog Nation, which tipped baseball bettors to take the 31-year-old slugger in its All-Star Game preview published earlier on Monday. All-Star Game bettors who put money on Guerrero were rewarded with a solid payday at 6/1 odds. Among Guerrero’s 17 total blasts was a 503-foot blast to left-centerfield. He needed eight swings to beat Rios’ total of a mere two in the final round.Rios, a 12/1 long shot who will play in his first midsummer classic, hit 17 homers through the first two rounds but ran out of gas in the final. Going ahead of Guerrero, he didn’t put much pressure on the veteran slugger. Rios, Guerrero and the Rockies’ Matt Holliday each hit five homers in the first round, which featured eight of the majors’ most feared power hitters.

Ryan Howard, last year’s champ and the 2/1 favorite among All-Star Game bettors, didn’t make it out of the first round as he hit only three home runs.

Albert Pujols beat Justin Morneau in a swing-off to advance after both tied for the final spot in the second round with four homers apiece. He finished tied Holliday with 13 homers, one shy of Guerrero’s total through two rounds.