PLAYING THE PONIES
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Saturday, March 23 (with bonus picks on Lousiana Derby Day at Fair Grounds)
Mar 23, 2019, 6:35 am
Mr. Money Man is back tonight. Coady Photography
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 will be making an appearance from 7-9 at the ESPN area by the Jockey Club. Come by and say hello. I will have a couple picks I like I will share in person.
Also, it is Louisiana Derby Day at Fair Grounds. Below are a couple of plays:
FAIR GROUNDS
Race 10, New Orleans Handicap: This is a wide open race with lots of speed, stalkers and closers balanced out nicely. I am going to play No. 3 Souper Tapit across the board at 6-1. He lost all chance at the start of his last at Oaklawn, but his prior two efforts put him right there. Better start should put him in the hunt.
Race 13, Louisiana Derby: War of Will is the 6-5 favorite and has done little wrong. But he is also not all that fast; any one of several horses could improve. We will look at Sueno, who is improving and has been consistent. We will wheel him first and second in the exactas with several potential horses that could also improve including the favorite. So the bet will be 4 with 1-2-3-5-6-8-10-11 and 1-2-3-5-6-8-10-11 with 4.
SHRP SELECTIONS
FIRST
6-4-3-1
HI HEAT BOY has been nibbling and maybe feasts on the whole thing tonight
SECOND
2-3-6-1
SHES OUR FASTEST has been in tough and should be in the mix here
THIRD
4-1-6-2
TEXAS BELLE is in sharp form and will take some beating in this spot
FOURTH
3-4-1-2
DIRECT DIAL was in tough in last, has good speed and a recency edge over the favorite
FIFTH
2-3-9-6
IMA DISCREET LADY should get a nice stalking trip here and should be tough
SIXTH
6-3-1-4
MR MONEY BAGS has big goals and should turn in another big effort
SEVENTH
2-7-1-5
HIGHWAY SONG gets a little more distance and should thrive here
EIGHTH
8-9-6-1
COMMANDER MCDIVIT should stretch out just fine and should be in the mix
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Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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