PLAYING THE PONIES
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Saturday, Feb. 23
Feb 23, 2019, 5:41 pm
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
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).
FIRST
8-1-3-4
RISKY VAZ needed last start and should improve in this spot
SECOND
5-1-4-3
MULA CHAMULA tries turf for the first time and should do just fine
THIRD
6-7-2-4
NOBLE GAMBLER has not shown much but fits in this spot
FOURTH
1-2-6-4
Competitive group where MR MONEY BAGS rates a slim edge
FIFTH
6-8-9-7
Will take a flyer on HIGH HEAT BOY in a struggling group
SIXTH
5-3-7-8
COWGIRLS LIKE US will be a short price but looks very tough
SEVENTH
2-5-1-8
Will take a shot against the favorite with SING PRADA SING
EIGHTH
5-4-2-1
JACK WITH SEVEN should fare better on the main track
NINTH
9-12-5-7
AWESOME WILD GIRL disappointed in last but should bounce back
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Michael Wacha scattered four hits over six innings, Vinnie Pasquantino homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 2-0 for the second straight night Saturday to run their winning streak to six.
Wacha (1-3) once again received little run support, but the veteran right-hander made the meager production stand up on chilly evening at Kauffman Stadium. He struck out six while walking two and never allowed a runner past second base.
Steven Cruz worked the seventh for Kansas City, his seventh appearance this season without allowing a run. John Schreiber left runners on the corners in the eighth, and Carlos Estévez had a perfect ninth for his seventh save.
Bobby Witt Jr. doubled and scored in the first inning for the Royals, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.
Framber Valdez (1-3) gave up a sacrifice fly to Mark Canha in the first inning and Pasquantino's shot down the right-field line in the fifth. Otherwise, the Astros left-hander kept Kansas City in check, allowing three hits and two walks over eight innings.
Valdez had tossed seven shutout innings against the Royals last August in a 3-2 victory.
The Astros, who have lost five straight at the K, have managed just nine hits while getting shut out over the first two games of the series. They had rolled into Kansas City having won three straight and five of their last six games.
Key moment
Isaac Parades hit a two-out double and Jeremy Peña followed with a single to give Houston runners on the corners in the eighth inning. Schreiber bounced back to strike out Christian Walker with a four-seam fastball to end the threat.
Key stat
The Royals have only scored seven runs in the 32 innings that Wacha has pitched this season.
Up next
RHP Hunter Brown (3-1, 1.16) tries to extend a 24-inning scoreless streak for Houston in the series finale Sunday. LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 1.45) gets the start for Kansas City after tossing seven shutout innings against the Rockies his last time out.