Playing the Ponies
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Wednesday, Jan. 22
Jan 22, 2020, 6:30 am
Playing the Ponies
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
4-3-5-1
EVIL WAYS tries turf for the first time and should handle the surface
SECOND
1-3-5-2
SONG AND A G faltered as the favorite in last; should bounce back
THIRD
5-2-1-6
DE BIRD IS DA WORD is coming off a decent win and could pull off another
FOURTH
1-2-7-6
KENAI BOB has faced tougher and should be competitive in this spot
FIFTH
5-4-9-1
GOLD PILOT should benefit from a little extra ground
SIXTH
3-2-7-8
CHRONIQUEUR is in consistent form and should be in the mix
SEVENTH
1-3-2-12
SAILSNTHESUNSET gets back to sprinting and that could do the trick
EIGHTH
3-7-9-4
ALPHA AND OMEGA likes this surface and is in good form
NINTH
5-1-6-7
WORLD collapsed in a tough heat in last; should get back in the mix
TENTH
3-7-5-10
GOLDEN HEAT has been inconsistent but this might be a good spot
Wyatt Langford homered with a career-high tying four hits and Adolis García added a solo shot to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
The Rangers jumped on Lance McCullers Jr. (2-4) early. There were two outs with the bases loaded in the first when Evan Carter’s single to right field knocked in a pair to put the Rangers up 2-0.
The AL West-leading Astros cut the deficit to 2-1 when Cam Smith scored on a groundout in the bottom of the inning.
García homered for a second straight game with one out in the third that made it 3-1. Carter walked with two outs before a single from Jake Burger. Jonah Heim’s double to right field scored them both to extend the lead to 5-1.
McCullers allowed six hits and five runs in three innings as Houston’s losing streak reached a season-high four games.
Langford’s blast came with two outs in the seventh to push the lead to 7-3.
Jack Leiter (5-6) yielded five hits and three runs while striking out six in 5 1/3 innings.
Christian Walker singled to open Houston’s fourth before Victor Caratini’s home run to right field got the Astros within 5-3.Burger was replaced in the middle of the sixth inning with discomfort in his left quad.
Houston’s top prospect, second baseman Brice Matthews, went 0 for 4 with with three strikeouts in his major league debut.
Heim’s two RBI double in the third that pushed the lead to four.
The Rangers forced McCullers to throw 36 pitches in the first inning.
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (10-4, 2.90 ERA) opposes RHP Jacob deGrom (9-2, 2.29) when the series continues Saturday.