Sam Houston Race Park picks for Jan. 26 with bonus play on the Pegasus World Cup
Jan 26, 2019, 7:47 am
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Here are my selections for Saturday night. 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). At the bottom you will find some plays for the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park today.
FIRST
1-6-4-3
RU MYSTIFIED ships in from California and has some good efforts
SECOND
1-3-7-5
TWO EIGHTY FIVE is a first timer from a strong barn
THIRD
1-5-6-4
FANCY STOCKINGS was close in debut and could be ready off the layoff
FOURTH
2-4-9-5
JOYOUS THUNDER did not run a step in stakes company in last but priors were solid
FIFTH
2-6-9-1
Strong entry should be competitive in this spot
SIXTH
11-2-5-6
KITCHEN BOSS is consistent and has a good record on the SHRP turf.
SEVENTH
6-10-1-3
GET THE BLING has been close in last two at Remington and could break through
EIGHTH
5-1-2-6
NORTH HULLEN has been in good form and should be in the mix
NINTH
1-9-6-7
BYARS MELODIE had a solid debut at Delta and should improve here
PEGASUS WORLD CUP
This is a really strong race and most of the attention will be on City of Light and Accelerate. This is the last race for both horses and on the surface it looks like those two are standouts. But you won't make any money if those two run 1-2 and there are some intriguing runners that could bust up the party. We are going to land on a horse the always shows up for big races, has missed the board once in nine tries at Gulfstream, and always offers value. No. 8 Gunnevera was third in this race last year and always seems to cash a check going against the best runners in the country. He does not win often, but four of his six career triumphs have been at this track. He will be rolling late and should at least get third and might do better than that. We will do a weighted win/place/show bet on him, where you double the place and show depending on your bankroll. So if your bankroll is $70, bet $10 to win, $20 to place and $40 to show. If it is a small bankroll, bet $2 to win, $4 to place and $8 to show. We will also wheel him up and down in the exactas: 8 with 1-3-4-5-6-9-10-11 and 1-3-4-5-6-9-10-11 with 8. We will also double down on additional exactas with the two favorites: 8 with 3-5 and 3-5 with 8. Good luck!
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Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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