PLAYING THE PONIES

Sam Houston Race Park selections for Wednesday, Feb. 12

Sam Houston Race Park selections for Wednesday, Feb. 12


Here are my selections for Wednesday afternoon at Sam Houston Race Park. 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).

FIRST
9-3-2-4
APPROVETHISMESSAGE will be tough if race comes off the grass


SECOND
6-1-4-7
MISLED's debut was a disaster but works since are sharp


THIRD
1-7-9-2
Another powerful Broberg entry that will take some beating


FOURTH
10-1-9-4
MR TICKLE keeps winning and looks good on either surface


FIFTH
11-8-7-2
BANDY'S MAP was not bad in two starts in Oklahoma and should be in the mix

SIXTH
6-7-2-1
COUNTENANCE was sharp in meet debut and could win right back


SEVENTH
4-6-5-10
ANNA'S LINGERIE is worth a flyer in a struggling group


EIGHTH
11-6-9-2
HURRY BACK should get a nice pace setup to make a late run


NINTH
6-1-2-9
IM A BARNKAT looks competitive in this spot


TENTH
1-5-12-10
AFFAIRS UNLIMITED responded to the claim n a big way in last

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
The Angels beat the Astros, 4-1. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

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.

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome