PLAYING THE PONIES
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Saturday, Feb. 22
Feb 22, 2020, 6:04 am
Coady photography
Here are my selections for Saturday night at Sam Houston Race Park. 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
8-7-5-4
MS PUEBLO WEST drops in class and should be in the mix
SECOND
2-7-5-6
MEGANS LAD has been running on the turf but has run well on dirt in the past
THIRD
6-3-4-7
CURLIN'S JOURNEY has been chasing talented runners; should like this spot
FOURTH
4-6-5-7
SWASHBUCKLER should like the drop in class
FIFTH
12-9-6-7
EMPIRE OF GOLD keeps coming close; this might be the night
SIXTH
12-2-9-8
CORLUNA is a consistent turf runner who should be a decent price
SEVENTH
3-2-5-4
STILLATUNE seemed to figure things out at Delta Downs
EIGHTH
11-13-2-8
MR MONEY BAGS makes turf debut but should handle the surface just fine
NINTH
5-3-2-6
GOOD JUDGEMENT dusted a nice group at Oaklawn and will be tough
TENTH
7-8-3-9
FIANCEE should be favored but the 8 could have a say as well
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.