Playing the Ponies
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Saturday, March 2 with bonus play on the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream
Mar 2, 2019, 9:06 am
Courtesy photo
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). I included a play on the big Kentucky Derby prep this weekend, the Fountain of Youth.
Fountain of Youth bonus play
There will be a heavy favorite in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream in No. 7 Hidden Scroll. But he only has one dominant race under his belt. He could crush this group, but he could also miss the board. So we will take a flyer on No. 4 Bourbon War. We will key him first and second in the trifectas with six other horses. That will be $60 total for a buck, $30 if you play it for .50. Here is the play: 4 with 1-5-6-7-8-9 with 1-5-6-7-8-9 and 1-5-6-7-8-9 with 4 with 1-5-6-7-8-9.
Sam Houston selections
FIRST
7-6-1-2
TEXAS STYLE CS
Should improve with drop from stakes company
SECOND
3-2-6-8
COUNTRY KING finds a soft spot and should be tough here
THIRD
5-1-7-9
HIGHWAY SONG
Crushed most of these in last and would need to regress not to do it again
FOURTH
3-7-6-5
ARCH VALUE bounced in last but should fare better here
FIFTH
5-1-9-2
REAL DE JAPA
Should improve with a start over the surface; price is square
SIXTH
2-1-4-3
IRISH CITY LAD
Just nudged the second choice in last; should come down to these two again
SEVENTH
6-1-4-2
FLYING MAGIC SONG
Has been very OK on grass recently, not so good off it. Contender if race stays on turf
EIGHTH
2-3-7-5
MISCHIEF GALORE is one of two Asmussen contenders in this one
NINTH
8-7-2-5
WILLTHERESAWAY might have needed last and could surprise
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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.