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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Lance McCullers Jr is to start Sunday for the Houston Astros against the Chicago White Sox in his first major league appearance since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series in Philadelphia.
“I’m really excited to have him on the mound on Sunday,” Astros manager Joe Espada said Wednesday. “He’s worked his tail off to get back to this point, and this whole entire team and this city should be excited to get Lance back.”
An All-Star in 2018, McCullers had surgery on June 13, 2023, to repair his right flexor tendon and to remove a bone spur. The 31-year-old right-hander threw a bullpen session last June but had a setback and was shut down for the year. He has made four minor league rehab starts this year, allowing four runs and 10 hits over 12 2/3 innings with 16 strikeouts and six walks.
In his last appearance, he struck out seven in five shutout innings for Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday.
“My last two outings I’ve felt really good, my stuff has been pretty crisp,” McCullers said.
He is 49-32 with a 3.48 ERA in seven seasons, all with Houston. McCullers first injured his flexor tendon while pitching on short rest during the 2021 AL Division Series. He missed the first four months of the 2022 season.
“Been waiting for it for a long time,” McCullers said. “Almost feel like I’m making my debut in some aspects, but it’s been a really long road for me.”
McCullers has missed three full seasons since making his major league debut in 2015.
“It would’ve been a pretty sad ending to my story,” McCullers said.