Hawthorne Picks & Predictions — June 11, 2026
It's a warm Thursday afternoon at Hawthorne with partly cloudy skies and temperatures sitting at 85°F — the kind of day where the dirt dries out fast and speed figures hold up well. Seven races are on the board, all on the main track, and our TrackWiz models have been busy crunching pace scenarios and class angles all morning.
The card is a solid mix of starter optional claiming routes, maiden sprints, allowance company, and a couple of straight claiming affairs. In other words, there's something for every type of bettor — from the pick-3 grinder to the win-bet-only casual fan. Don't sleep on the longer routes today; the one-mile-and-70-yard trips dominate the card and pace shape is going to be everything.
Best Bets
Race 1
Starter Optional Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt
Larry Rivelli sends out two arrows in this starter optional claiming mile-plus, but the morning line tells the real story — Bizzee Channel opens at 9/5 for a reason, and the question is whether Honor Point can keep the barn's win column ticking at a price.
Bizzee Channel carries the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 88.83, a sizable gap over the rest of the horses, and that kind of separation at this level is hard to ignore. Trainer Larry Rivelli is no stranger to placing horses for maximum effect, and sending Bizzee Channel out as the morning-line favorite at 9/5 suggests connections believe this is a winnable spot. The 20% career win rate looks modest on paper, but the raw rating suggests recent form that outpaces what that figure tells you — this is a horse whose ceiling is above the competition here. At a mile and 70 yards on dirt, Bizzee Channel has the profile of a horse that can settle and pounce in the stretch.
Honor Point at 5/1 morning line is excellent value for a horse carrying a 78.77 TrackWiz rating and a 50% career win rate — that win percentage is the best in the field by a wide margin. Sharing the Eduardo Rodriguez barn with Sponge Bath means connections may favor one over the other in terms of tactics, but Honor Point's raw talent makes it a logical place contender regardless. At 5/1, the place price should be generous enough to make this a worthwhile exotic inclusion.
Moogie Son rounds out the Rivelli barn's presence in this race and slots nicely as a show play at 5/2 morning line. The 72.21 TrackWiz rating is solidly mid-pack, and an average speed figure of 54 gives Moogie Son a slight edge over most of the field. The low career win rate of 9% suggests this is a horse that finds the board more often than the winner's circle — a classic show-horse profile worth using in trifectas.
Race 2
Starter Optional Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt
Hugo Rodriguez has the two horses to beat with Code Runner and Euclid Avenue both drawing posts in this starter optional claiming mile-plus — a barn that controls the pace scenario usually controls the race.
Code Runner is the clear standout here with an 87.81 TrackWiz rating, well clear of the second-best horse in the field. Trained by Hugo Rodriguez, who also saddles Euclid Avenue, connections have flexibility to use multiple runners and let Code Runner settle into a comfortable trip. The 5/2 morning line is fair for the class of the field, and a 16% career win rate tells only part of the story — the rating data suggests Code Runner is trending in the right direction. At a mile and 70 yards, there's enough real estate for this horse to find its best stride.
Euclid Avenue gives the Rodriguez barn a one-two punch, carrying a 73.72 rating and a 20% career win rate that stacks up well in this field. Jockey Frank Reyes takes the call and will benefit from knowing his barn's other horse is also in the race — barn communication can be a subtle tactical edge. At 3/1, Euclid Avenue figures to run a honest race and hit the board even if Code Runner handles things up front.
Handsoffthegoods brings a 20% career win rate to the table — tied for the best among non-Rodriguez runners — and a solid 64.52 TrackWiz rating. Trainer Irvin Moreno has Javier Tavares in the irons, and at 7/2 morning line, this horse could easily pop up on the board if the Rodriguez duo gets into any trouble. A useful third-place insurance play in your trifecta.
Race 3
Maiden Claiming · 5 fur · Dirt
A five-furlong maiden claiming sprint where every horse is winless, but Engagement stands apart in the TrackWiz ratings — the question is whether the morning line chalk can convert in a race full of unknowns.
Engagement sits at an 87.81 TrackWiz rating, the highest in a maiden field where the next-best horse checks in at 58.33 — that's a significant gap in a race with no prior winners to sort through. Trainer Armando Hernandez puts Orlando Mojica in the irons, a seasoned jockey who can be trusted not to burn a horse in a sprint like this. At 5/2 on the morning line, Engagement is priced as the logical choice, and our analysis backs that up emphatically. Five furlongs on dirt suits a horse with a sharp speed profile, and this field doesn't look capable of exposing any weaknesses.
Macha Latte opens as the 2/1 morning-line favorite despite a 58.33 TrackWiz rating that trails Engagement by a wide margin — the market likes this horse more than our model does, which means there's likely a form angle or workout pattern driving the price. Trainer Blake Kelly puts Jareth Loveberry up, one of the better jockey-trainer combos on the Hawthorne circuit, and that combo gives Macha Latte a real shot to finish second. In a maiden race at five furlongs, the pace can be hectic and a well-placed closer can sneak into the exacta.
Ww Best of Times posts the best average speed figure among the non-Engagement horses at 54, a subtle edge in a race where raw speed counts at five furlongs. Trainer Elias Lopez sends Ademar Santos out on this one, and the 3/1 morning line reflects the market's respect for this horse's chances. As a show play in trifectas, Ww Best of Times makes plenty of sense as a speed horse who can hang on for a piece in a chaotic maiden sprint.
Our three free races give you a strong foundation to start building tickets. Bizzee Channel opens the card as a 9/5 morning-line choice in the Race 1 starter optional claiming route, posting an 88.83 TrackWiz rating — the kind of number that commands respect at this level. In Race 2, Code Runner checks in at 87.81 against a similar condition, and the back-to-back starter optional format here is worth noting: horses who thrive in these restricted spots often carry a consistent pace profile that suits the one-turn route at Hawthorne. Sprinting over to Race 3, maiden claiming sprinters hit the track at five furlongs and Engagement draws our attention at 5/2 on the morning line.
With the warm, dry conditions today, look for the dirt to play fair and maybe even favor horses with early speed that can clear the field and dictate. That bias, if it develops, connects Bizzee Channel and Code Runner nicely — both worth watching in the early going as a baseline for how the track is playing heading into the premium races.
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Bottom line: Hawthorne's seven-race dirt card on June 11 has genuine opportunities from the jump, starting with Bizzee Channel in Race 1 and Engagement in Race 3 in the free tier. The real fireworks — Ciao Tommaso as a 6/1 value play and the full exotics breakdown around Tiz China — are waiting for you in the full card analysis. Upgrade to TrackWiz premium at /pricing and get every angle before the first post.