PLAYING THE PONIES
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Wednesday, March 17
Mar 18, 2020, 6:45 am
Bigger Picture won Sunday's Connally Turf Cup. Coady photography
Here are my selections for Wednesday 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
6-1-7-3
GOLIATH RIDGE keeps getting closer and might finally break through
SECOND
2-6-1-5
LEMON ROSES should thrive with added distance and offers good value
THIRD
1-7-4-2
GAME SET AND MATCH has been OK in last two vs. better
FOURTH
8-7-2-3
BRENDA'S AN I FULL should be tough if race stays on turf
FIFTH
2-9-10-8
JUDY'S PRIZE was in tough in last and could pop at a price
SIXTH
6-1-3-4
KATE'S SECOND SILVER should be competitive in this spot
SEVENTH
3-9-11-10
MILLI STAR could offer some nice value; should do well at this distance
EIGHTH
7-6-8-1
MISS FUNNY GUN plunges in class and that should do the trick
NINTH
3-7-5-4
BANDY'S MAP gets in for a tag and should improve here
TENTH
4-6-7-3
BLACKROCK CASTLE could thrive with the surface switch and stretch out
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Alperen Sengun had 32 points and 14 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets held on to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 119-115 on Thursday night in a showdown between two of the top teams in the Western Conference.
Jalen Green finished with 27 points and Fred VanVleet scored 22 as the Rockets won their third straight and solidified their hold on second place in the Western Conference, moving 1 1/2 games ahead of Memphis.
Ja Morant scored 27 points in his return from a five-game absence with a shoulder injury, and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points, eight rebounds and six blocks for Memphis. Desmond Bane had 16 points.
Houston dominated the inside early, scoring 20 points in the paint before the halfway point of the first quarter. Memphis initially couldn't stop anything at the rim. Houston opened a 17-point lead before taking a 68-63 advantage at the break.
Takeaways
Rockets: Houston is 12-5 on the road, including six straight wins away from home.
Grizzlies: After allowing the Rockets to score inside and build a big lead, Memphis chipped into the advantage to make it a more competitive game.
Key moment
With 3.8 seconds left in the game and Houston leading 117-114, Bane fired up a 3-pointer that rattled in. But Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins called timeout before the shot was made. Bane was fouled on the ensuing inbounds, and Memphis wouldn't get another chance for a winning shot.
Key stat
Houston is 19-3 when they score at least 110. Houston hasn't allowed more than 115 points in past 15 games.
Up next
The Rockets are at Atlanta on Saturday. Memphis travels to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves on Saturday.