PLAYING THE PONIES
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Saturday, April 13 (with bonus selections on the Arkansas Derby card at Oaklawn and Lexington at Keeneland)
Apr 13, 2019, 6:36 am
PLAYING THE PONIES
Here are my selections for Saturday. 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). Also, it is Arkansas Derby Day at Oaklawn, and if you are looking for some simulcast action before Sam starts, we have a few plays for you...As to SHRP, these are all 2-year-old races and most have never run, so we are basically making our best guess by looking a breeding, trainers and works. It is not a card I have a lot of confidence in, but good luck today! We also have bonus picks on the cards for the final major Derby preps - the Arkansas Derby and Lexington:
OAKLAWN PARK
Race 4: The Count Fleet features one of the best sprinters in America in No. 4 Whitmore. But we like No. 1 Mitole to pull a mild upset. Straight exacta 1-4.
Race 9: The Oaklawn Handicap. Rain is expected and it should be a sloppy track. If so, we will bet No. 3 Chris and Dave across the board. If the track is fast, we will pass.
Race 11: Arkansas Derby. This one should come down to four horses to win the race - No. 1 Improbable, No. 3 Omaha Beach, No. 8 Country House an No. 11 Long Range Toddy (terrible name by the way). We will play the trifecta with 1-3-8-11 on top with 1-2-3-5-6-8-11 with 1-2-3-5-6-8-11. I like this play on a fast or wt track and you can play it for .50 if you don't want to spend more than $60.
KEENELAND
Race 9: The Lexington Stakes. I like No. 3 Sueno off an OK third in the Louisiana Derby. If he returns a stalking trip, I like his chances a lot. Will play across the board and wheel first and second in exactas with the 1-2-4-5-6-9-10. I will also double dip and take long shot Senden, who hung in there against probable Derby favorite Tacitus in his last start. So bet the 9 across and go 9 with 1-2-3-4-5-6-10 and 1-2-3-4-5-6-10 with 9. I will also hit the 3-9 box a couple extra times.
SHRP
FIRST
10-7-4-1
AGAVERO CARTEL has harp works for the career debut
SECOND
8-1-6-10
CANELO ALVAREZ might pack a...punch at first asking?
THIRD
1-8-2-5
BABY LICIOUS just missed in a big race in Louisiana
FOURTH
6-2-1-5
TRS HOMBRE looks as good as any in a wide open affair
FIFTH
2-4-6-3
TRUMP MY RECORD is already a stakes winner after two starts
SIXTH
7-2-5-6
KOMMANDER just missed in debut and should improve here
SEVENTH
8-1-10-3
DIAMOND DOMINATION could surprise at a nice price
EIGHTH
9-1-3-5
GBH STREAKINFORGIRLS is bred to run early and has solid works
NINTH
1-10-2-4
DOC HOCKADAY has fired off a pair of bullet works for this
TENTH
4-7-8-3
J RODS MACHO MAN has a nice win under his belt, which should give him an edge
11TH
5-6-2-7
NSM ICE STORM has nice works and is bred to run early
12TH
5-2-7-9
CLICK CLICK BANG has solid works for good connections
13TH
5-8-6-1
CY ME AND YOU PROSPECT was OK in debut and should improve in start No. 2
14TH
7-3-6-2
HES EL MARTILLO was close in debut in Oklahoma; should move forward
15TH
8-9-5-3
QUEEN CORONADA has a couple nice works and is bred to be quick
Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia are back on the mound, but can they actually help the Houston Astros this season?
Javier made his first rehab start in the Florida Complex League (FCL), his first appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery, and the results weren’t promising.
He struck out two but gave up three runs and reported some elbow soreness afterward. He’s expected to use his full 30-day rehab window.
Meanwhile, Luis Garcia had a slightly better outing, striking out four in his own FCL appearance. But with the Astros dealing with a wave of long-term pitching injuries, fans are left wondering: Are these arms just rusty, or not ready at all?
Be sure to watch the video below as ESPN Houston's John Granato and Lance Zierlein break down both pitchers’ status, what their timelines look like, and whether Astros fans should have hope or concerns about their returns.
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