PLAYING THE PONIES

Sam Houston Race Park selections for Monday, May 6

Sam Houston Race Park selections for Monday, May 6

Here are my selections for Monday. 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
6-1-5-7
CAT SCRATCH DASH is the most accomplished runner in the field


SECOND
6-2-1-8
MONA LISA TLC has been close against two tough fields

THIRD
7-4-1-8
PANCHOS FIRST KISS should improve in start No. 2

FOURTH
4-7-8-9
JM CALL ME FIRST has been in tough company and should improve

FIFTH
7-9-6-1
MR TERESO has some decent works for his debut

SIXTH
5-2-8-7
SO BANG THE IVORIES was solid in debut and has every right to improve

SEVENTH
4-9-5-8
IMA ROYAL CHOICE hooked a tough crew in New Mexico

EIGHTH
4-8-5-7
THE MODELITO CARTEL has steadily improved and should break through

NINTH
8-3-7-5
DM DASHIN BELLA debuted in a tough group in Louisiana

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
The Astros beat the White Sox, 10-2. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Christian Walker homered among his three hits and had a season-high four RBIs to lead the Houston Astros over the Chicago White Sox 10-2 on Wednesday night.

Jose Altuve added two hits to give him 2,300 in his career, joining Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (2,342) as the only active players with at least 2,300.

Altuve got things going with an RBI double in the first. There were two outs in the inning when Walker homered to left field off Sean Burke (3-7) to make it 3-0.

Houston starter Ryan Gusto (4-3) allowed seven hits and two runs with a season-best seven strikeouts in a season-high six innings.

Josh Rojas had two hits for the White Sox, who fell to 7-27 on the road.

Altuve singled with two outs in the third before Yainer Diaz walked. Walker then smacked a line drive to center field for a double to score them both and push the lead to 5-0.

There was one out in the fourth when Cam Smith hit a ground-rule double. With two outs, Jeremy Peña doubled on a ball that bounced off the wall in left field to make it 6-0. Isaac Paredes followed with another RBI double to chase Burke, who yielded eight hits and seven runs — both career highs — in 3 2/3 innings.

Rojas singled in the fifth and moved to third on a ground-rule double by Vinny Capra. Rojas scored on a groundout by Mike Tauchman to cut it to 7-1. Miguel Vargas hit an RBI single to make it 7-2.

Paredes had three hits and two RBIs to help the Astros snap a two-game skid.

Key moment

Walker’s home run that put Houston up 3-0 early.

He talked about his big night following the game.

Key stat

Walker had just two RBIs in his previous six games.

Up next

Houston LHP Framber Valdez (6-4, 3.07 ERA) opposes RHP Davis Martin (2-6, 3.62) when the series concludes Thursday night.

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome