PLAYING THE PONIES
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Wednesday, March 4
Mar 4, 2020, 6:35 am
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
2-4-3-5
HOME EARLY SHIRLEY will be a short price but looks tough
SECOND
2-7-6-1
PRAETORIAN might have found the right spot for a breakthrough
THIRD
6-4-3-5
RAMAAH was an easy winner in last and could repeat
FOURTH
5-6-3-1
KARATE HOTTIE is in very sharp form and should be tough
FIFTH
6-2-3-5
BATTLESHIP BEVO has a nice effort over the surface
SIXTH
7-9-8-4
HOBOKEN looks like another shrewd Broberg claim
SEVENTH
2-3-5-4
COUNTENANCE should be competitive on either surface
EIGHTH
7-9-2-1
MISS SPICY has not shown much last two but class drop and turnback should help
NINTH
7-8-6-2
FLIGHT TIME had a rough go in last but should fare better here
TENTH
6-7-1-9
QUICK PAY had trouble in last and should bounce back
Jose Altuve and rookie Jacob Melton drove in three runs each as the Houston Astros jumped on Chris Paddack early and cruised to a 10-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.
Paddack (2-6) tied career highs by allowing 12 hits and nine runs — eight earned — in just four innings for his third straight loss.
Houston rookie starter Colton Gordon (2-1) gave up six hits and two runs with five strikeouts in a career-high six innings.
Jeremy Peña tied a season-high with four hits and rookie Cam Smith had two hits and two RBIs as the AL West-leading Astros won their third straight.
Willi Castro, Royce Lewis and Ty France all hit solo homers for the Twins, who were blown out for the third time in four games after losing to Texas 16-4 Tuesday and 16-3 Thursday.
Lewis, who missed the start of the season with a hamstring strain, pulled up as he was running to first base on a single in the ninth inning and was replaced by a pinch-runner. There was no immediate word on his injury.
The Astros got to work early in this one. The bases were loaded with two outs in the first when Smith hit a two-run single to center field to make it 2-0. Melton followed with a single to right field to drive in another run.
There were runners on first and third with one out in the second when Altuve’s double scored two to make it 5-0.
The Twins loaded the bases with two outs in the third but Carlos Correa grounded out to end the threat.
Melton hit a two-run triple with no outs in the bottom of the inning to push the lead to 7-0. A sacrifice fly by Mauricio Dubón made it 8-0.
The Twins got on the board with Castro’s two-out homer in the fourth inning.
Altuve homered to left-center to start the bottom of the inning and make it 9-1.
Key moment
Smith’s two-RBI single in the first that gave Houston the lead for good.
Key stat
The Astros had four doubles to give them 15 in their last three games.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (8-3, 1.82 ERA) opposes Twins RHP Joe Ryan (7-2, 2.96) on Saturday.