Alright baby, we’ve got a great slate of action to pick from today both on the ice and at the track. We have put the man hours in, done the research, cracked the code, and whittled down our choices. Now sitting here, we are confident. We are assured. We are ready to win. We are ready to cash these tickets. Let’s do it!

Thursday, March 4

Florida Panthers vs. Nashville Predators, 8 p.m. ET

This is a matchup that favors the Florida Panthers from top to bottom.

Florida is better on offense and defense, but I will concede that those margins can be close depending on the game. Where the two teams are not close, however, is in between the pipes.

Nashville’s previously formidable combination of Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros are simply not what they used to be. This is particularly true of Saros. Rinne has managed to turn the clock back enough to stop Nashville from panicking, but Saros has not been what was expected and it is problematic for the Predators.

Not only does the on-ice matchup favor the Panthers, but they are coming off two consecutive losses, and three in four games. This for a team with 13 wins already on the season. Florida will use this game to break out and get back on the right side of things.

The Pick: Florida ML (-110)

Sam Houston Pick 3 Ticket

For our ponies plays of the day, we are going to look down to the Lone Star State and the great folks at Sam Houston Race Park. They have a nice little Thursday card and we’re targeting a Pick 3 sequence early on that could pay some nice cash if we hit it right.

Click image to purchase shirt.

Second Race: Our sequence starts here in the second, where the name of the game is class relief. None of these horses is a superstar, but several are taking a drop that should be enough to get the job done here. Top choice would be (4) A Fast Broad with Sophie Doyle aboard. Also using (1) and (7).

Third Race: When I originally looked at this race, I was going to spread a bit here, but then I thought better of it. I said to myself, “Don’t spread for the sake of spreading, BlackJack. You know what to do here.” And I did know what to do ... press. The (5) Henley’s Joy has great connections with trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Stewart Elliott, but it’s more than that. This horse has run at considerably higher levels. If it’s going to happen any time soon, it’s happening Thursday in Houston. It’s a single for me.

Fourth Race: Instead of spreading above, I’m going to do it here. This race feels a little bit more wide open. My top choice would be the Bret Calhoun horse (3) Intimidation, but there could a case of seconditis with that one. I’ll also use the (1), (2), (4) and (5).

Sam Houston Pick Three Ticket Beginning in Second Race: 1,4,7/5/1,2,3,4,5 =$30 for $2.

Let’s cash some tickets, baby!