Evangeline Picks & Predictions — June 13, 2026
Happy Saturday from Evangeline Downs, where nine races are on the board and the Louisiana summer is already making its presence felt — partly cloudy skies and 91°F at post time. That kind of heat can be a real factor, especially late in the card when horses are working through the stretch on a track that's been baking all afternoon. Keep an eye on how the dirt is playing as the day goes on.
Today's card has a little something for everyone: a turf stakes in Race 3 to give the afternoon some class, a pair of allowance optional claiming routes that should draw sharp money, and a maiden claiming closer in Race 9 that our ratings have as the top-rated horse on the entire card. Nine races, plenty of angles, and we've got free analysis on the first three to get you started.
Best Bets
Race 1
Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt
A deep 11-horse claiming sprint where three horses are tightly bunched at the top of the TrackWiz ratings, making this far more competitive than the morning line suggests.
Julia's Warrior lands on top of our ratings at 86.35 and pairs that edge with a solid 21% career win rate — respectable numbers for a claiming field at this level. Trainer Juan A. Larrosa sends her out with Harry Hernandez up, a familiar combination worth noting. At 7/2 on the morning line, she offers genuine value relative to her rating advantage over most of this field. The six-furlong dirt trip suits her profile, and she looks like the horse to beat.
Backfire rates just a hair below Julia's Warrior at 84.17 and also carries a 21% career win figure, making him a legitimate threat to land in the exacta. Trainer Alan Klanfer puts Timothy Thornton in the irons, and at 5/1 on the morning line there's some place overlay here. With a closely matched top trio, Backfire is the kind of horse you want onside in exacta and trifecta plays.
Bind Faith at 3/1 morning line is actually the public's second choice, but our rating of 84.15 slots her a tick behind both top selections — a spot that screams show value. Casey Fusilier rides for Allen Landry, and while her career win rate of 9% is modest, her average speed figure of 54 is the highest among the top three. She's a useful safety net in the trifecta.
Race 2
Claiming · 7 fur · Dirt
Top Notch Protocol looks like a cut above this seven-furlong claiming field, but the pace scenario between multiple closers could set up an upset if he's asked to do too much early.
Top Notch Protocol sits atop the TrackWiz ratings at 88.83 — a clear class edge in this spot — and draws the rail with Colby J. Hernandez aboard for trainer Patrick Devereux, Jr. The 9/5 morning line reflects public confidence, and honestly it's warranted. Despite a career win rate of 12%, the rating separation here is significant enough that this figures to be a wire-to-wire or stalking win. He's the play.
Guns is right there at 83.97 in our ratings, which is a comfortable buffer above the rest of the field outside the top two. Casey Fusilier takes the call for the Allen Landry barn, and while a 7% career win rate sounds modest, this is a place ticket where consistency counts more than peak wins. At 5/2 on the morning line, he's likely to see heavy action, but he genuinely deserves it.
Sarah's Runner at 7/2 morning line rates third in this field at 67.15, a meaningful step below the top two but well clear of the rest. Timothy Thornton rides for Alan Klanfer, and the seven-furlong distance on dirt should suit a horse with her profile. She's not a win threat against the top pair, but she rounds out the trifecta nicely as a show anchor.
Race 3
Stakes · 7 1/2 fur · Turf
Stakes company on the turf over an unusual 7.5-furlong trip, with the morning-line chalk looking vulnerable against a field that includes a serious Rylee Magnon-trained contender.
Wabash leads our ratings at 88.54 and flashes an eye-catching 27% career win rate — the best in this field by a wide margin. Trainer Rylee Magnon sends out Devin H. Magnon, a familiar barn-and-rider combination that can be dangerous when pointed for a spot. The 2/1 morning line is fair given his numbers, and on a turf surface where consistency matters, that win percentage is a genuine edge. He's our top play in the feature.
Channelfortynine rates second in the field at 76.18 and shows a solid 12% career win rate — the highest among horses outside of Wabash in this stakes field. Carlos Perez picks up the mount for trainer Ronnie P. Ward at a 5/2 price that's tighter than ideal but still workable in exotics. He's a reliable place candidate if Wabash handles the favorite's pressure.
Unaffiliated at 6/1 morning line is worth a look as a show play and exotic piece. A rating of 73.15 places her third in the field, and trainer Aubrie Suarez keeps the book tight by also running Simplicated — a barn that's clearly pointed for this turf route. The 7.5-furlong distance on grass is an interesting test, and at morning-line odds of 6/1, there's show overlay here.
Our three free previews cover Races 1 through 3, and they set up nicely. Julia's Warrior opens the card in a 6-furlong dirt claiming sprint — a distance and condition that tends to reward pace-pressing types on a warm afternoon when closers can flatten out late. In Race 2, Top Notch Protocol draws our attention at 9/5 on the morning line over 7 furlongs of dirt, carrying one of the higher TrackWiz ratings among the free picks. Then Race 3 shifts things to the turf for a stakes event at 7½ furlongs, where Wabash comes in as the 2/1 morning line choice — always worth a close look when a horse draws top billing in the only stakes race of the day.
The through-line across these three races: the heat and surface conditions favor horses that can settle comfortably early and still have something left when it matters. Horses that want to lead wire-to-wire will be working against the clock and the thermometer.
Full Card Analysis
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It's a full, varied card at Evangeline today with heat, turf, dirt, stakes company, and a maiden closer that our model loves to cap things off. Julia's Warrior, Top Notch Protocol, and Wabash lead the free picks — and Closing With Honor is the name to watch in Race 9. For pace projections, exotics breakdowns, and the full nine-race card, the complete analysis is available to TrackWiz subscribers at /pricing. Good luck out there — let's have a big day.