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
The Rockets added veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith on a four-year, $53 million deal shortly after free agency opened. ESPN first reported the deal, and a person with knowledge of the agreement confirmed the terms to AP.
Houston becomes Finney-Smith’s fourth team after stints with Dallas, Brooklyn and the Los Angeles Lakers. He’ll be added to a Rockets club that earlier this summer landed Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade with Phoenix, though that deal cannot receive formal approval from the NBA until next week.
Finney-Smith averaged 8.7 points and was a 41% shooter from 3-point range this past season.
ESPN also reported that the Rockets’ run on free agents continued with the addition of center Clint Capela, who spent the first six years of his career in Houston before playing for the last five seasons in Atlanta. Capela agreed to a three-year deal with the Rockets, ESPN said.