Playing the ponies
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Friday, March 1
Mar 1, 2019, 8:01 am
Bigger Picture won the Connally Turf Cup. Coady photography
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). Lots of rain in the area so if the races come off the turf, ignore those picks.
FIRST
2-1-6-4
KING CLOUDY was a sharp winner in debut and should fit well here
SECOND
1-4-6-7
IRISH MISSLE might turn the tables in this spot in third off layoff
THIRD
5-1-11-8
SAMICEAN usually fires a good shot and has a strong record here
FOURTH
2-6-5-3
WHENTHEPENNYDROPS
Solid debut and should improve in start No. 2
FIFTH
11-9-1-8
GOOD MONGOLIA has been solid in both turf tries in Chicago
SIXTH
6-1-3-4
KINGSVILLE rolled in last and might have found a spot to repeat
SEVENTH
6-5-3-7
CORLUNA has reeled off a couple good wins and could do it again
EIGHTH
9-2-5-7
ASI FUE was solid in debut and should be in the mix
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.