PLAYING THE PONIES
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Wednesday, Jan. 15
Jan 15, 2020, 6:50 am
Courtesy photo
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). We will be doing The Blitz from 4-7 at the track so please drop by.
FIRST
6-1-2-4
KADA is in sharp form but should be challenged by a talented entry.
SECOND
1-3-8-7
IMPRESSIVE REWARD has been close in Oklahoma and should break through
THIRD
9-7-2-5
ICED OUT should be in a good spot to clear this condition
FOURTH
8-1-7-2
RAILROAD ROSIE has won two in a row and should be in the mix
FIFTH
6-1-5-4
BANKROLL BEN is in a good spot and should offer some value
SIXTH
2-8-10-1
WAR ARGYLE has been knocking on the door and should break through here
SEVENTH
7-6-3-10
DECLARE WAR has a good record over this surface and is in good form
EIGHTH
5-6-8-4
GRADE ONE struggled in last but prior efforts were strong
NINTH
3-4-6-9
GRAY HOPE is in sharp form and should be competitive in tough group
TENTH
1-3-5-6
COUNTENANCE will be a short price but looks very good in this spot
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Critical takeaways from Rockets' Game 4 collapse versus Warriors
Apr 29, 2025, 1:22 pm
Jimmy Butler converted three free throws with 58.7 seconds left, grabbed the game-clinching rebound with 4 seconds to go and then made two more free throws on the way to 27 points in his return from a pelvic injury, sending the Golden State Warriors past the Houston Rockets 109-106 on Monday night in a heated Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.
Fred VanVleet missed a 3-pointer under pressure at the buzzer.
The teams return to Houston for Game 5 in the best-of-seven series on Wednesday night as seventh-seeded Golden State tries to close out the No. 2 seed Rockets on their home floor.
Brandin Podziemski scored 26 points, Stephen Curry finished with 17 in the frantic finish and Buddy Hield hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:32 left and scored 15 after joining the starting lineup.
Alperen Sengun scored with 40 seconds left for Houston to make it a one-point game. He had 31 points and 10 rebounds, while VanVleet hit a tying 3-pointer with 1:20 to play and scored 25 points.
Butler was back after sitting out Game 3 with a pelvic contusion and deep gluteal muscle bruise suffered on a hard fall when he was fouled by Amen Thompson early in Game 2.
The second quarter Monday featured four technical fouls and a flagrant 1 in two separate tussles, including shoving during one sequence involving Curry, Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks.
With the game tied at 36, Curry dribbled down the sideline when Green put a hard screen on Houston’s Amen Thompson. Brooks fouled Curry and he appeared to become angry about the push before going at Curry and Green.
Curry received a technical for “taunting” Brooks, who also received a technical along with Green. Warriors rookie Quinten Post and Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. flailed their arms at each other but avoided technicals upon replay review by the officials.
Then with 2:44 left in the quarter, tempers flared again. Green received a Flagrant 1 foul for pushing Tari Eason’s face to the ground and Eason also received a technical. Green was dribbling when Eason went for a steal and the ball got loose and both players hit the floor trying to corral it. Green’s left leg was on the Rockets forward’s neck.
Butler shot 7 for 12 in 40 minutes after he watched Curry overcome a slow start to finish with 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in Golden State's 104-93 victory Saturday night without him.