PLAYING THE PONIES
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Saturday, Feb. 9
Feb 8, 2019, 8:39 pm
Kentuckyderby.com.
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. If the races come off the turf due to rain, check out Twitter and I will update the picks. (These are the picks and format that are available on the free tip sheet at SHRP). I like the second, third, fifth, eighth and ninth races the best).
FIRST
7-2-5-4
RB BLASTFROMTHEPAST might have found the right spot here
SECOND
2-4-3-5
SPECIAL PRAISE could pull off a mild upset here
THIRD
2-5-6-1
GOLD BUYER is another Calhoun/Parker runner and should be tough
FOURTH
5-4-1-3
RARE POPPY was a beaten favorite in last but should bounce back
FIFTH
2-4-3-6
VOLLEY MOLLEY stretches back out and could take this at a nice price
SIXTH
6-4-1-2
SHES A TEXAN needed last and should fare better in this spot
SEVENTH
1-3-6-4
KITCHEN BOSS could turn the tables in this spot
EIGHTH
5-6-1-4
MARIA CHUCHENA was right there with solid fields in Oklahoma
NINTH
2-1-6-5
A PLACE REMEMBERED rates a slim edge in a competitive group
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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.