PLAYING THE PONIES

Sam Houston Race Park selections for Saturday, May 18

Sam Houston Race Park selections for Saturday, May 18
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 doing an appearance at the track from 1-3 p.m. so please drop by. Also, it is Preakness Day so check elsewhere on this site for my plays.

FIRST
1-7-2-4
FLY TOOLE FLY should benefit from better post


SECOND
5-6-4-3
CAPTAIN VALOR looks very solid in this spot

THIRD
7-5-4-1
LA GRAN VALENTINA just missed in last and fits well here

FOURTH
3-6-5-2
LOTTA CASH ON THE FLY has not shown much but clean trip would help

FIFTH
9-6-1-3
ONE SWEET KO has improved in each start

SIXTH
7-6-2-5
MOMAS DEALING has two sharp efforts in a row

SEVENTH
9-4-2-7
SO BANG THE IVORIES was dull in last but deserves another shot

EIGHTH
8-6-4-5
JLS RUSTYSPECIALPIE has been off for a while but could surprise

NINTH
7-1-4-6
VIOLETA LUNA should improve off a decent debut

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Yordan Alvarez is still having issues with his hand. Composite Getty Image.

Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has experienced a setback in his recovery from a broken right hand and will see a specialist.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez felt pain when he arrived Tuesday at the team's spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he had a workout a day earlier. Alvarez also took batting practice Saturday at Daikin Park.

He will be shut down until he's evaluated by the specialist.

“It’s a tough time going through this with Yordan, but I know that he’s still feeling pain and the soreness in his hand,” Brown said before Tuesday night's series opener at Colorado. “We’re not going to try to push it or force him through anything. We're just going to allow him to heal and get a little bit more answers as to what steps we take next.”

Alvarez has been sidelined for nearly two months. The injury was initially diagnosed as a muscle strain, but when Alvarez felt pain again while hitting in late May, imaging revealed a small fracture.

The 28-year-old outfielder, who has hit 31 homers or more in each of the past four seasons, had been eyeing a return as soon as this weekend at the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now it's uncertain when he'll play.

“We felt like he was close because he had felt so good of late,” Brown said, “but this is certainly news that we didn't want.”

You can watch Brown discuss the setback in the video below.

Also Tuesday, the Astros officially placed shortstop Jeremy Peña on the 10-day injured list with a fractured rib and recalled infielder Shay Whitcomb from Triple-A Sugar Land.

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