Playing The Ponies

Sam Houston Race Park selections for Friday, March 15

Horses leave the gate at Sam Houston Race Park
Courtesy photo

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
6-1-3-2
BIG BEN AA will be a short price but this is his softest spot in a while


SECOND
4-2-5-1
JAY ISKEY offers nice value on the stretch out and picks up Parker


THIRD
5-3-4-8
ZABETTE will be a short price but looks very solid in this spot


FOURTH
1-4-2-7
GET THE BLING might not have liked the off track in last; deserves another shot


FIFTH
7-5-6-2
CLEAR AS DAY had a decent effort in last against some tough runners


SIXTH
8-1-3-2
TOO TALL TONY stretches out off a pair of sharp efforts and might surprise


SEVENTH
2-5-7-4
NOBLE LOVE shortens up off some solid efforts in New Orleans; top four look tough here


EIGHTH
2-3-5-6
LUCKY LIGHTENING would not need to improve much to take this down


NINTH
7-2-1-4
IMALLABOUTIT is well bred for the grass and might pop at a price

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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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