PLAYING THE PONIES
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Friday, April 26
Apr 26, 2019, 6:06 am
Here are my selections for Friday 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).
FIRST
2-3-5-1
NO HABITS HERE should get to the front early and prove tough to catch
SECOND
2-1-3-5
HEZ DASHIN BIGTIME has not shown much but stretch-out should help
THIRD
5-4-2-3
DM MARY DEAL has been getting closer and this might be the night
FOURTH
4-5-3-6
EYE AM TUFF comes off s strong effort and fits well here
FIFTH
8-7-2-3
ILUMATOR is a first time starter with decent works
SIXTH
4-5-1-6
CY ME N YOU PROSPECT missed as a favorite last out and needs a cleaner trip
SEVENTH
10-4-5-8
COUNTRY HOT DOGGIN just missed in last and outside post should help
EIGHTH
1-10-3-9
CLASSY SEIS should be in a good spot for a break through
Gunnar Henderson and Luis Vázquez homered and Trevor Rogers worked seven strong innings as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Houston Astros 3-2 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.
Rogers (7-2) allowed five hits and three walks and struck out nine. The 27-year-old left-hander moved past two Hall of Famers with his 1.40 ERA through the first 13 starts of a season. Hoyt Wilhelm set the club record with a 1.50 ERA in 1959, and was followed by Jim Palmer’s 1.55 ERA in 1975.Keegan Akin struck out three in 1 2/3 scoreless innings for his third save.
Henderson hit his 16th homer, a solo shot off Spencer Arrighetti (1-5) in the first, to give Baltimore the lead. Ryan Mountcastle had an RBI single in the sixth and Vázquez made it 3-1 in the seventh with his first big league homer.
Arrighetti gave up two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. John Rooney relieved Arrighetti in his debut and allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings. Craig Kimbrel struck out two in a scoreless inning in his first game with the Astros.
Jeremy Peña had an RBI single in the third and Victor Caratini drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth for Houston.
Key moment
Akin entered with one out and the bases loaded in the seventh and allowed only the sac fly to preserve the lead.
Key stat
Arrighetti retired 15 batters in a row following his four-hit first inning.
Up next
Tomoyuki Sugano (10-5, 3.97) gets the start for the Orioles in a home series opener against the Red Sox on Monday.
The Astros turn to Hunter Brown (10-5, 2.36) to lead off a series against the Rockies on Tuesday.