Playing the ponies

Sam Houston Race Park selections for Friday, Feb. 22

SHRP logo
Sam Houston Race Park

Here are my selections for Friday. 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
1-2-9-7
SLUFFYS GIZMO heads an intriguing entry


SECOND
3-7-5-2
TRUE WISDOM flashed speed going longer for strong connections

THIRD
2-8-5-4
CHASE FOR THE GOLD ripped off a nice maiden win in last and could repeat

FOURTH
7-1-3-4
RARE POPPY has been a money burner of late but is in a good spot

FIFTH
2-6-7-1
LITTLE SNIP has been facing tough customers and fits well here

SIXTH
8-1-6-4
ARCH VALUE freaked in last; similar effort probably takes this

SEVENTH
6-4-5-2
SARGE'S DAUGHTER caught a tough group in last and should be prominent early

EIGHTH
8-3-5-9
PURELY BOY likely needed last and could pop at a price

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
The Royals beat the Astros 2-0. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

Michael Wacha scattered four hits over six innings, Vinnie Pasquantino homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 2-0 for the second straight night Saturday to run their winning streak to six.

Wacha (1-3) once again received little run support, but the veteran right-hander made the meager production stand up on chilly evening at Kauffman Stadium. He struck out six while walking two and never allowed a runner past second base.

Steven Cruz worked the seventh for Kansas City, his seventh appearance this season without allowing a run. John Schreiber left runners on the corners in the eighth, and Carlos Estévez had a perfect ninth for his seventh save.

Bobby Witt Jr. doubled and scored in the first inning for the Royals, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.

Framber Valdez (1-3) gave up a sacrifice fly to Mark Canha in the first inning and Pasquantino's shot down the right-field line in the fifth. Otherwise, the Astros left-hander kept Kansas City in check, allowing three hits and two walks over eight innings.

Valdez had tossed seven shutout innings against the Royals last August in a 3-2 victory.

The Astros, who have lost five straight at the K, have managed just nine hits while getting shut out over the first two games of the series. They had rolled into Kansas City having won three straight and five of their last six games.

Key moment

Isaac Parades hit a two-out double and Jeremy Peña followed with a single to give Houston runners on the corners in the eighth inning. Schreiber bounced back to strike out Christian Walker with a four-seam fastball to end the threat.

Key stat

The Royals have only scored seven runs in the 32 innings that Wacha has pitched this season.

Up next

RHP Hunter Brown (3-1, 1.16) tries to extend a 24-inning scoreless streak for Houston in the series finale Sunday. LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 1.45) gets the start for Kansas City after tossing seven shutout innings against the Rockies his last time out.

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome