Playing the ponies

Fred Faour's picks for Wednesday at Sam Houston Race Park

Fred Faour's picks for Wednesday at Sam Houston Race Park
It's race day at Sam Houston. Sam Houston Race Park

 

It's Wednesday racing at the Sam Houston Race Park thoroughbred meet. Here are my selections. These are not meant to be in exact order, but merely the four horses I think have the best chance to win. For beginners, I suggest exacta boxes with three horses, using two of mine and one of your own. And you can always pick up a copy of Acing Racing 2016 to learn everything you need to know. (These are the picks and format that are available on the free tip sheet at SHRP).

FIRST

7-2-6-3

COMMANCHE HOPPER

Close in first try over the track and should get a good trip under Sasha

SECOND

8-2-3-7

DANNY'S TURBO

Has yet to miss the board in four turf sprints while facing tough customers in La. 

THIRD

 8-5-3-1

VISCIOUS GRASSHOPPER

Faced quality runners at Woodbine but specializes at this distance and could pop at a price

FOURTH

2-1-9-6

CIVITAVECCHIO

Ran behind the 1 at Retama but should get a nice trip off the speed and could upset

FIFTH

8-2-1-10

LAST DESSERT

A beaten favorite in last but barn's young horses usually improve with each start

SIXTH

1-6-5-3

OLDWYCK was a little flat in meet debut but should improve

SEVENTH

7-6-5-4

TIZ A MELODY

Has faced stakes company and run well on grass but distance is a question mark

EIGHTH

1-6-7-8

ZILKER 

Lost the rider in turf start last out but should be in the mix here

NINTH

2-3-4-9

ALL ABOUT VOODOO

Another Asmussen runner who should show a lot more in this spot

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The Astros beat the Phillies, 2-1. Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.

Cam Smith hit an RBI single in the eighth inning to give the Houston Astros a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.

The rookie's second hit of the game came off Orion Kerkering (5-3) and gave the Astros their fourth straight win.

Brandon Marsh tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the top of the inning to end the Phillies' 26-inning scoreless streak.

The Astros took a 1-0 lead on Yainer Diaz’s RBI single in the second inning. They only managed three more hits off Phillies starter Christopher Sanchez, who struck out 11 with zero walks over six innings. Sanchez has not issued a walk in three straight starts.

Hunter Brown lowered his league best ERA to 1.74 by scattering three singles over seven shutout innings, with nine strikeouts. He did not allow a runner to reach second base.

Bryan Abreu (3-3) struck out Trea Turner to end the eighth, and then struck out Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm, and Nick Castellanos in the ninth.

Abreu joined Julia Morales after the game and talked about his impressive performance!

Rafael Marchán had two of the Phillies' four hits. Bryson Stott reached base twice and scored the Phillies' lone run.

Key moment

Smith’s RBI.

Key stat

Brown’s 1.74 ERA is the fourth best in Astros history through 16 starts and the best since Justin Verlander posted a 1.60 ERA through 16 starts in 2018.

Up next

The Astros open a three-game series against the Cubs on Friday with LHP Brandon Walter (0-1 3.80 ERA) on the mound.

The Phillies open a three-game series at the Braves on Friday with RHP Mick Abel (2-1 3.47 ERA) against Atlanta RHP Bryce Elder (2-4 4.77).

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