PLAYING THE PONIES

Sam Houston Race Park selections for Sunday, Jan. 26

Sam Houston Race Park
Bigger Picture won Sunday's Connally Turf Cup. Coady photography

Here are my selections for Sunday at Sam Houston Race Park for the special racing festival card. There will not be a better racing card in America today. There are several terrific races and high quality animals. It is a day you should enjoy. These selections 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).

FIRST

1-5-4-6
EMPIRE OF GOLD chased a nice runner in last and should be in the mix


SECOND
5-3-8-10
GRAY HOPE has some nice efforts over the turf course


THIRD
2-9-4-5
BOLD LEGEND has a pair of sharp efforts coming in and looks tough


FOURTH
1-3-7-5
THREE DEE FLAG has faced top company and should bounce back


FIFTH
4-1-11-10
FAST BOAT has two sharp efforts over difficult courses

SIXTH
6-5-4-1
MR MONEY BAGS is in good form and loves this surface


SEVENTH

4-7-1-11
BILLY BATS rates a slim edge in a wide open, talented group


EIGHTH
5-4-1-6
MYLADY CURLIN is a win machine but this is a tough group


NINTH
12-10-2-7
BEMMA'S BOY should be a nice price for a trainer who owns this race


TENTH

2-11-6-5

WINNING ENVELOPE caught yielding turf last two; should be better on a good track


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Hunter Brown takes the mound for Houston Tuesday night. Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Astros will look to even their three-game set against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night at Daikin Park, with ace-in-the-making Hunter Brown taking the mound.

The Astros (55-36) dropped the series opener 7-5 on Monday, snapping a stretch that saw them win six of their last eight games. But they'll have their best arm on the hill in Brown, who enters with a 9-3 record, a sparkling 1.82 ERA, and a microscopic 0.90 WHIP. The right-hander has been the definition of dominant this season, striking out 126 batters and giving Houston a clear edge in any matchup he starts.

Cleveland (41-48) will counter with Joey Cantillo, who has impressed in limited action. The lefty owns a 3.41 ERA and will face a Houston lineup that has been red-hot, batting .298 over the last 10 games and piling up runs behind contributions from Victor Caratini, Cam Smith, and Jose Altuve.

Despite Monday’s setback, the Astros are still 32-15 at home and boast a 43-13 record when outhitting their opponent. Cleveland, meanwhile, has lost nine of its last 10 and is hitting just .187 over that span — though Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan remain threats to change a game with one swing.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jake Meyers has 15 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 21 RBIs for the Astros. Meyers is dealing with a calf issue and was out of the lineup for Game 1 versus the Guardians.

Caratini is 10 for 38 with two doubles and four home runs over the past 10 games.

Tuesday marks the fifth meeting between the two clubs this season, with the series tied 2-2. With Brown on the mound and the offense continuing to click, Houston will try to reclaim control and keep pace atop the American League.

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -211, Guardians +173; over/under is 7 runs.

Lineup breakdown

Here's an early look at Houston's lineup for Game 2. Spots 1-6 are the same as Game 1, except Cooper Hummel is playing left field, with Altuve in the DH spot. Mauricio Dubon is hitting seventh and playing second base, with Zack Short (SS) hitting eighth, followed by Taylor Trammell batting ninth and playing center field. Jake Meyers is out of the lineup again with a calf issue.



 

  Image via: MLB.com/Screenshot


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