Sam Houston Picks: Stidham entry R2 Thursday January 13

After some raucous Saturday storms in H-Town, SHRP is ready for another week of racing! With low takeouts at 12% for wagers like the Daily Double and Pick 3s, 4s, 5, and the Space City 6, there is absolutely no reason to not be playing at "Sam." With the excellent John B. Connally Turf Course, great fields, and a solid purse structure, the team in the Bayou City is ready to trot out a fabulous Meet. It was a record-setting handle last Thursday, so let's see what is in-store this time around!

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Most Likely Winner: (Race 2: Kizzy B #1, 6/5):

If you are after a “sure bet,” and quite a few are … then, look no further than this runner from the barn of Mike Stidham. This 5-yr-old mare by Ghostzapper has 15 starts to her credit, but no wins. Stidham is sending her to SHRP to get it done. A perennial MSW Co. router-turned-sprinter, she will be going 1 mile on the MT. The best is that she is drawn next door to a Steve Asmussen trainee, and that means that she will not be taking as much money. That might bring her up towards 5/2, and make this one a solid wager to win. The hot-riding Ry Eikleberry gets the call … all he did on Opening Weekend in Houston was win 7/14 races! Holy cow …

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Win, #1

Off-the-Pace Play of the Day: (Race 3: Aragon #9, 12/1):

Last season at “Sam,” trainer Tommy Short won nicely with some long odds runners. He can train, and it is a just matter of time before he scores again. He inherited this filly by Street Boss from John Ortiz, and she looks to have some advantages coming to Texas. She got her debut out of the way at Keeneland back in October in a MSW84k event. Even though the result was not spectacular (9th-showing little), she has the opportunity to improve sprinting on the MT. Sold at the Keeneland Nov. 2021 sale for $12k, the now 3-yr-old gets Lasix and “Blinkers,” which could provide the key to victory. This is a much lower condition, and Short knows how to get them ready. The best news is that the odds are sure to be double-digits! Let’s go …

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Bankroll, Graduated Wager WPS #9 ($10-W, $15-P, $75-S)

Spotlight Race of the Day: (Race 5: Turf, 1 Mile, Clm25kn3L, F&M 4+):

Taking to the John B. Connally Turf Course, it is time for a good group of claimers to take to the green. Out of the 8 that are drawn in here, you could go in several directions. I am sure the team of Austin Gustafson and Ry Eikleberry will garner some attention with Magical Soul #6. This is a recent acquisition for the barn, and this filly by More Than Ready was bred for the grass. She was running up at Woodbine for Pat Parente against better. Coming to H-Town will be a drop in company for this one. I do not think that I want to take 9/5 on this surface because as we know, anything can happen … If she is sharp, she can win, but I would like to find a top pick with a little more recency than October. For my money, let’s tab an entry like Ronnie Cravens’ Twilight Curfew #8. Here is a daughter of Twirling Candy that is going to be getting back to a surface that she truly liked when she ran at Remington last fall. If Carlos Montalvo can keep her loaded, and forwardly-placed, I think she has a great shot at a score. She last ran on the undercard in OKC on Springboard Mile Night 17 Dec., and clearly was overmatched. This is a much better spot for her, and Cravens knows this track through and through. I am going to use her as my “key,” and roll under Gustafson’s entry, plus Steve Asmussen’s Daddymademedoit #3 and Karl Broberg’s Miss B #4. Nice ticket …

Wagering Recommendation: $2 Superfecta Wheel, 8 w 3/4/6 w 3/4/6 w 3/4/6

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Enjoy some racing from “Deep in the Heart of Texas!” Best of luck on another run at Sam Houston!