Daily Picks

Finger Lakes Picks & Predictions — June 9, 2026

Tuesday, June 9, 20268 racesFinger Lakes

It's a warm Tuesday afternoon at Finger Lakes — partly cloudy skies and 85°F on the thermometer — and the Farmington oval serves up eight races on the dirt today. Conditions look solid for fast-track running, which should reward horses that can get position early and sustain their speed through the stretch.

The card mixes Allowance company with Claiming battles and a Maiden Special Weight sprint, giving you plenty of angles to work across different race types. TrackWiz analysis flagged some genuine value scattered throughout, including a couple of morning-line overlays worth circling before post time.

Best Bets

Race 1

4:55 PM EDT

Allowance · 1 mi · Dirt

The morning line favorite gets outrated at the top of our model in this one-mile allowance opener, setting up a genuine value opportunity on the top of the card.

win1Candy Is DandyML 8/1

Candy Is Dandy opens at 8/1 on the morning line but earns the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 79.79 — that's a significant gap between public perception and our model's assessment, and that's exactly where value lives. Emanuel De Diego gets the call for trainer David Oyola, and at a mile on the Finger Lakes dirt, a horse with that kind of rating edge should be factored prominently. The 10% career win rate is modest, but the rating tells us recent form is pointing upward. Don't let the morning line scare you off — this is the kind of overlay spot that pays off over time.

place2Dancin JaneML 5/2

Dancin Jane is the second-highest rated horse in the field at 77.59 and posts the best average speed figure (54) among all six starters. Luis E. Perez rides for trainer Michael S. Ferraro, a barn that knows how to place horses. At 5/2 on the morning line, she's clearly respected by the oddsmakers, and a 16% career win rate gives her legitimate finishing credentials in the exacta slot.

show5Hidden RoseML 2/1

Hidden Rose is the morning-line favorite at 2/1 and carries an eye-catching 33% career win rate — best in the field by a wide margin. Trainer Miguel Clement puts Keiber J. Coa up, a live jockey booking that signals confidence. The TrackWiz rating of 74.45 keeps her third in our model, making her a logical show anchor in any exotics construction even if our top two outrun her.

Race 2

5:24 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

Mad Magic looks like a class standout in this claiming mile-plus, but two hidden threats lurk at double-digit odds and make the exotics worth attacking.

win1Mad MagicML 2/1

Mad Magic is the clear top of the TrackWiz model at 88.54 — that's a 31-point gap over the next-best horse, which qualifies as a dominant rating advantage in any field. Luis E. Perez rides for Michael S. Ferraro, the same trainer-jockey combination we highlighted in Race 1, and a 16% career win rate at a 2/1 morning line suggests the public is on board. At a route distance of 1 mile and 70 yards on the Finger Lakes dirt, a horse with this kind of rating edge is hard to fade as your win anchor.

place3Thirty OystersML 3/1

Thirty Oysters checks in third in our ratings at 57.69 but draws attention as the second choice on the morning line at 3/1 — the crowd sees something here. J. M. Rohena rides for trainer Jose Armando Rohena, a family barn connection that often signals sharp communication between connections. An 11% career win rate in claiming company is workmanlike, and the place slot is a reasonable landing spot if Mad Magic dominates from the front.

show2Retail ManML 10/1

Retail Man at 10/1 on the morning line is an interesting show price with a 12% career win rate that actually matches Thirty Oysters. Oscar Gomez rides for trainer Matthew Clarke, and a TrackWiz rating of 49.47 keeps him in the conversation for exotic plays. At those odds, tossing him into the show slot of a trifecta costs very little and could pay handsomely if the top two hold.

Race 3

5:53 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A six-furlong claiming sprint with a clear model standout, but the morning-line favorite and our top pick diverge — creating a potential overlay in a compact, competitive field.

win3RacerxML 3/1

Racerx earns the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 87.08, and Kevin Navarro gets the mount for trainer Jonathan B. Buckley. At 3/1 on the morning line, the odds are fair but not generous — the public has noticed. Racerx ties for the best average speed figure in the field at 54, matching Renew the Blue and Trew Violence, but the rating edge is substantial. In a six-furlong dirt sprint, early foot and raw ability tend to win out, and this horse brings both.

place1Renew the BlueML 5/1

Renew the Blue is an interesting angle at 5/1 on the morning line — Jacqueline A. Davis rides for trainer Kathleen Mastin, and the 54 average speed figure matches the field's best. A 7% career win rate looks modest but doesn't tell the full story; TrackWiz rates this horse at 62.22, second in the field, suggesting improved recent form. If Racerx draws all the money, Renew the Blue could offer some place price.

show6Trew ViolenceML 2/1

Trew Violence is the morning-line second choice at 2/1, trained by the accomplished Linda Rice with Oscar Gomez up. A 60.91 TrackWiz rating and 54 average speed figure keep this horse very much in the mix. The show slot is the floor here — Rice sends out horses that compete hard, and at a short price for win, the show payoff might actually offer the most efficient use of this horse in your ticket.

Three races are open to all readers today, and they give you a nice cross-section of the card. Candy Is Dandy kicks things off in Race 1 — a one-mile Allowance on the dirt — carrying an 8/1 morning line that our model rates as a potential overlay, coming in with a TrackWiz rating of 79.79. Then Mad Magic enters the picture in Race 2, a one-mile-and-70-yard Claiming route where the 2/1 chalk comes backed by an 88.54 rating — one of the stronger figures you'll see on the card all day. Race 3 brings a six-furlong Claiming sprint, and Racerx at 3/1 rounds out the free picks with an 87.08 rating and pace profile that should suit the distance nicely.

The theme across these three? All running on a dirt track that figures to play fair in this heat — no rain in the forecast to change the equation. Front-runners and presser types have a legitimate shot in these conditions, so keep an eye on early pace dynamics as the card unfolds.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

6:22 PM EDT

Allowance · 1 mi · Dirt

Go Yoshida tops the TrackWiz ratings but faces a morning-line shorter than its talent advantage, while a proven 25% winner lurks just behind — this allowance mile could get contested up front.

win6Go YoshidaML 9/5

Go Yoshida earns the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 88.83 and posts the best average speed figure at 54 — both figures sit above a quality allowance field. Keiber J. Coa gets the mount for trainer M. Anthony Ferraro, a sharp barn at Finger Lakes. The 14% career win rate might look modest, but our model says this horse is operating at a higher level than that number reflects, and the 9/5 morning line confirms the crowd agrees. This is your win anchor.

place4MercilesanihilatorML 2/1

Mercilesanihilator brings a 25% career win rate — best in the field — and a 79.47 TrackWiz rating that places this horse a clear second in our model. Trainer Linda Rice sends out Reylu Gutierrez, a strong jockey-trainer tandem. The 2/1 morning line is fair value, and a horse that wins a quarter of its races is exactly the kind of profile you want backing up your top selection in an exacta.

show1EvanderkeenML 5/1

Evanderkeen at 5/1 checks in third in the TrackWiz ratings at 62.76 with an 11% career win rate. Jacqueline A. Davis rides for Troy Smith, and the horse has a 53 average speed figure that's competitive for this level. At those odds, Evanderkeen is a low-cost inclusion in the show position of a trifecta, especially if the top two separate themselves early in this mile.

Race 5

6:51 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

A wide-open maiden special weight sprint where every runner is winless, but Hamilton's Reason stands well clear of the field in our model despite a field that includes some eye-catching morning-line prices.

win2Hamilton's ReasonML 4/1

Hamilton's Reason leads the field with an 85.62 TrackWiz rating and an average speed figure of 54 — the second-best in the field. Jacqueline A. Davis rides for trainer William H. Bartlett in this 5.5-furlong dirt dash for maidens. At 4/1 on the morning line, the public has this horse near the top, but the model gap over the next-best competitor is meaningful. In maiden races, raw talent and preparation tend to surface quickly, and Hamilton's Reason brings both.

place9AlmezML 8/1

Almez opens at 8/1 on the morning line but earns a 65.45 TrackWiz rating — second-best in the field and a solid 20 points clear of the next cluster of horses. Trainer Michael S. Ferraro puts Keiber J. Coa up, which is a notable jockey upgrade for a morning-line longshot. That combination of a strong rating and a live rider at an undervalued price makes Almez a very compelling place pick and an excellent exacta partner with Hamilton's Reason.

show5Grizz At the GateML 5/2

Grizz At the Gate is the morning-line second choice at 5/2 for trainer Paul W. Barrow with Oscar Gomez in the irons. A 57.50 TrackWiz rating and 54 average speed figure keep this horse in the mix, though the model puts the public's confidence ahead of our own ranking here. As a show inclusion, Grizz At the Gate's public support ensures a likely competitive effort, making this a sensible hedge in trifectas.

Race 6

7:20 PM EDT

Allowance · 1 mi · Dirt

Not for Hire owns the top rating and the best speed figure in this allowance mile, but Sunday's Currency lurks at a price that could make the exacta well worth building.

win7Not for HireML 3/1

Not for Hire sits atop the TrackWiz model at 87.08 and posts a standout average speed figure of 56 — that number is two full points above anyone else in this eight-horse field, which is a meaningful edge in a one-mile race where sustained pace matters. Kevin Navarro rides for Jonathan B. Buckley, a trainer who knows how to spot horses in winnable spots. At 3/1 on the morning line, this is a fair price for what amounts to the class of the field on both ratings and raw speed.

place1Sunday's CurrencyML 5/1

Sunday's Currency opens at 5/1 yet earns an 83.79 TrackWiz rating — second-best in the field and only 3 points behind the top selection. Trainer Arcadio Lopez sends out Reylu Gutierrez, a jockey who handles Finger Lakes routes well. A 14% career win rate in allowance company shows this horse belongs, and at a price that's generous relative to the rating, Sunday's Currency is a primary target in exacta and place wagering.

show6Hey PalML 7/2

Hey Pal checks in third on the TrackWiz model at 71.13 with a 16% career win rate — the best win percentage among horses not named Sunday's Currency in this field. Trainer M. Anthony Ferraro puts Keiber J. Coa up, the same barn-jockey combo that has our attention in Race 4. At 7/2 on the morning line, the public expects Hey Pal to factor, and including this horse in trifectas is sound construction.

Race 7

7:49 PM EDT

Allowance · 6 fur · Dirt

Mia Nipotina leads our model in a competitive six-furlong allowance, but an odds mismatch and a field loaded with horses posting identical average speed figures makes this a race where the exotics can really pay.

win5Mia NipotinaML 5/1

Mia Nipotina earns the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 84.17 while opening at 5/1 on the morning line — that's a meaningful discrepancy given that she's rated more than five points clear of the second choice. Luis E. Perez rides for trainer Rachel Sells in this six-furlong dirt allowance. With a 54 average speed figure matching most of the field, the edge here comes from overall model strength rather than raw speed separation, and at an overlay price, this is exactly the kind of bet that adds up over a card.

place4Apollonia VitelliML 7/2

Apollonia Vitelli is the morning-line second choice at 7/2 and holds a 78.75 TrackWiz rating — second in the field and within striking range of the top selection. Andre Shivnarine Worrie rides for trainer Michael A. LeCesse, and a 13% career win rate combined with a 54 average speed figure checks all the boxes for a place contender. This is a solid bridge in exacta tickets behind Mia Nipotina.

show7Irish JacksonML 5/2

Irish Jackson opens at 5/2 — actually making this horse the second-shortest price on the board despite ranking third in our model at 66.9. Christopher Elliott rides for Robert N. Falcone Jr., and an 18% career win rate (tied for best in the field) tells you this horse has a history of finishing close to the front. The short price limits show value, but in trifecta construction, Irish Jackson is a logical inclusion as a deeper horse who closes well.

Race 8

8:18 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

John's in Charge brings the top rating and an 18% career win rate into this six-furlong claiming sprint, but Yoheda Money Maker and Redoubtableripken make a compelling case that the top three can be constructed profitably.

win8John's in ChargeML 7/2

John's in Charge earns an 86.35 TrackWiz rating — highest in the field by a notable margin — and pairs that with an 18% career win rate that is among the best on the card today. Andre Shivnarine Worrie rides for trainer Chris J. Englehart, a barn with multiple runners today that clearly has a string in good form. A 54 average speed figure matches the field's best, and at 7/2 on the morning line, the public has this horse correctly identified as the key to the race.

place1Yoheda Money MakerML 4/1

Yoheda Money Maker rates second in our model at 77.39 and opens at 4/1 with Reylu Gutierrez up for trainer Julie Pierson. A 13% career win rate in claiming company is respectable, and a 52 average speed figure keeps this horse competitive. The gap between John's in Charge and Yoheda Money Maker in the ratings is real, but the place slot suits a horse of this profile — one that has the quality to finish close without necessarily taking down the win.

show7RedoubtableripkenML 6/1

Redoubtableripken opens at 6/1 with a 67.96 TrackWiz rating — third in the field — and Jacqueline A. Davis takes the mount for trainer Matthew Clarke. An 11% career win rate and a 53 average speed figure put this horse squarely in the mix for the show spot in claiming sprints where pace tends to collapse late. At 6/1, including Redoubtableripken in trifectas is a low-cost, potentially high-reward decision that makes sound handicapping sense.

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Bottom line for today at Finger Lakes: Mad Magic (Race 2) and Racerx (Race 3) are the strongest free-play figures on the card, while Candy Is Dandy offers intriguing value at 8/1 in the opener. For the full-card picture — including Go Yoshida, Not for Hire, and our exotic ticket recommendations — subscribers have everything they need waiting in the premium analysis. Eight races, a fast-playing dirt track, and some real betting opportunities. Let's get to work.

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