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Full card analysis on every Thistledown race, AI ratings on every runner, and SmartBet ticket construction.
Free Thistledown Picks & Predictions
Thistledown is an all-dirt track, racing from 5 fur to 1 1/4 mi, with fields averaging 7.1 starters. Every card gets free picks on selected races plus a full-card breakdown for subscribers — 77 Thistledown sheets published so far.
Latest Thistledown Free Picks
Thistledown is not racing today. Below are the free picks from the last Thistledown card, September 15, 2026.
Race 1
Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt
A wide-open opener at 6 furlongs on dirt where the top-rated horse carries a commanding edge on paper, but several horses have legitimate win credentials that could scramble the result.
Jilly Runs Deep (No. 4) enters Race 1 as our top-rated horse with an 85.39 TrackWiz rating — the highest in this field by a meaningful margin. Trained by Loren Huepenbecker, who also saddles Salute the Ghost here, the connections clearly feel confident in her at this level. She's posted a 22% career win rate, which is respectable in claiming company, and her profile sets up nicely for six furlongs on the dirt. At 3/1 on the morning line, she's a fair price for the class of this field.
Biondettisnitemare (No. 2) comes in with a 75.56 TrackWiz rating — second-best in the field — and figures to be a factor on the front end. Trainer Rodney C. Faulkner has the horse pointed right, and Erik Barbaran takes the mount. At 9/2 on the morning line, there's enough value to include her underneath in exactas and trifectas.
Tipsy Tulip (No. 3) carries the morning-line favoritism at 9/5 and shows a 100% career win rate — though that figure likely reflects a very short record. Chelsey Keiser picks up the mount for trainer Megan Fadlovich. Her 58.67 rating ranks third in the field, and her average speed figure of 54 leads the race, making her a logical piece in multi-race exotics even if our model pegs her behind the top two.
Race 2
Allowance · 1 mi · Dirt
A mile allowance with two high-rated horses at the top of the form cycle — Rivers Angel and Sweet Vivian are separated by razor-thin model margins — setting up a fascinating stretch duel in a deep ten-horse field.
Rivers Angel (No. 5) tops our TrackWiz ratings at 86.74 in a field of ten and is the morning-line second choice at 5/2. Trained by John Corriveau and handled by T.D. Houghton, she owns a 14% career win rate — the best among the top three rated horses in this race. Crucially, her average speed figure of 53 is tied for tops in the field, and the added distance of a mile on dirt looks like it plays into her closing profile. This is a confident top selection.
Sweet Vivian (No. 10) sits just a hair behind at 86.35 on our ratings scale and exits the outside post at 7/2 on the morning line. Trainer Joseph M. Poole sends out Jose A. Bracho from that wide gate, which could be a factor pace-wise going a route of ground. Her rating is nearly identical to Rivers Angel's, so if anything shuffles the pace scenario, she's perfectly capable of turning the tables and is a must-use in exactas.
Gabadost (No. 6) at 9/2 morning line is the third rung of our ladder here, checking in at a 69.50 TrackWiz rating. Trainer Christi Lynn Esposito sends her out with Bailey Weatherly up, and while her 6% career win rate doesn't jump off the page, her consistency in allowance conditions gives her a chance to hang around for a share. At mid-range odds, she's a useful show horse and trifecta inclusion.
Race 3
Allowance · 6 fur · Dirt
A tidy six-horse allowance sprint where Illuminate sits atop the ratings but faces a legitimate class battle from My Kinda Party and a morning-line favorite in Sassy Walker that the model isn't fully buying.
Illuminate (No. 2) leads all comers with an 87.81 TrackWiz rating — the top mark in this allowance field — and goes postward at 5/2 under Laureano Sosa for trainer Timothy E. Hamm. Her 26% career win rate is strong for this level, and her average speed figure of 54 ties for the best in the race. In a six-furlong sprint, that early foot matters, and Illuminate looks like the horse to catch. This is a confident top selection.
My Kinda Party (No. 3) rates second on our model at 80.23 and is trained by Nestor R. Rivera, who puts Fernando Salazar Becerra in the irons. Her 22% career win rate and matching 54 average speed figure make her a genuine threat to Illuminate if the pace unfolds favorably. At 7/2, she offers solid value as a place horse and exacta partner.
Sassy Walker (No. 5) is the morning-line favorite at 2/1 for trainer Richard Zielinski, but our model rates her third at 73.06 — a bit of a gap behind the top two. Jose A. Bracho has the call, and she does share the top speed figure of 54 with two others. She won't be overlooked at the windows, but if you're playing exotics, she's the show horse that keeps you alive rather than the one to anchor.
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About the Thistledown Racing Surface
- Surfaces
- Dirt
- Distance range
- 5 fur to 1 1/4 mi
- Typical field
- 7.1 starters
- Typical card
- 8 races
Most common race conditions at Thistledown: Claiming, Allowance, Maiden Special Weight, Maiden Claiming.
Measured across the last 24 Thistledown cards we have handicapped.
Thistledown Results & Payouts
Official finishing order and mutuel payouts for September 3, 2026.
Race 1
| Fin | # | Horse | Jockey | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Go West7/2 | Luis Antonio Gonzalez | $10.60 | $3.40 | $2.40 |
| 2 | 1 | Colonel Vargo5/2 | Jason Simpson | — | $2.80 | $2.10 |
| 3 | 3 | Big Prankster3/1 | Luis Raul Rivera | — | — | $2.20 |
| 4 | 5 | Aye Aye Sir12/1 | Erik Barbaran | — | — | — |
| 5 | 4 | Liltonytwophones6/1 | Chelsey Keiser | — | — | — |
| 6 | 7 | Zippin Gigi9/2 | Jose A. Bracho | — | — | — |
Exotic payouts
- $1 Exacta 6-1 paid $13.10
- $0.50 Trifecta 6-1-3 paid $9.75
- $0.20 Superfecta 6-1-3-5 paid $28.96
Race 2
| Fin | # | Horse | Jockey | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Need to Know Basis9/2 | Alexander Chavez | $11.60 | $5.40 | $3.60 |
| 2 | 3 | Check the Facts3/1 | Angel I. Diaz | — | $11.40 | $7.00 |
| 3 | 1 | Mister Mobil5/2 | T. D. Houghton | — | — | $3.20 |
| 4 | 6 | Sammy's Smile2/1 | Fernando Salazar Becerra | — | — | — |
| 5 | 2 | Drill City10/1 | Jose A. Bracho | — | — | — |
| 6 | 5 | Goldstriker8/1 | Jefferson Skerrett | — | — | — |
Exotic payouts
- $1 Daily Double 6-4 paid $16.30
- $1 Exacta 4-3 paid $50.50
- $0.50 Trifecta 4-3-1 paid $60.10
- $0.20 Superfecta 4-3-1-6 paid $46.00
Race 3
| Fin | # | Horse | Jockey | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Willing N Abled8/5 | Erik Barbaran | $2.80 | $2.40 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Whiskey Point2/1 | Luis Antonio Gonzalez | — | $2.40 | — |
| 3 | 3 | Princeton6/1 | Rocco Bowen | — | — | — |
| 4 | 5 | Total Silence5/1 | Luis Raul Rivera | — | — | — |
| 5 | 2 | Distant Galaxy7/2 | Fernando Salazar Becerra | — | — | — |
Exotic payouts
- $1 Daily Double 4-4 paid $14.70
- $1 Exacta 4-1 paid $4.90
- $0.50 Trifecta 4-1-3 paid $9.65
- $0.20 Superfecta 4-1-3-5 paid $9.82
- $0.50 Pick 3 6-4-4 paid $19.40
Race 4
| Fin | # | Horse | Jockey | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Moonlighter8/5 | Erik Barbaran | $2.20 | $2.10 | $2.10 |
| 2 | 3 | Killa Creed4/1 | Chelsey Keiser | — | $3.60 | $4.60 |
| 3 | 5 | Crimson Crush15/1 | Mauro Cedillo | — | — | $5.80 |
| 4 | 6 | Rollin for Real3/1 | Jefferson Skerrett | — | — | — |
| 5 | 7 | Cantcatchlilfletch6/1 | Yuri Yaranga | — | — | — |
| 6 | 4 | Scared Cause5/1 | Fernando Salazar Becerra | — | — | — |
| 7 | 1 | Ultissimo15/1 | Samuel Jimenez | — | — | — |
Exotic payouts
- $1 Daily Double 4-2 paid $2.20
- $1 Exacta 2-3 paid $5.50
- $0.50 Trifecta 2-3-5 paid $21.15
- $0.20 Superfecta 2-3-5-6 paid $22.34
- $0.50 Pick 3 4-4-2 paid $7.15
Race 5
| Fin | # | Horse | Jockey | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Rhythm 'n Blues4/1 | Alexander Chavez | $9.00 | $3.60 | $2.40 |
| 2 | 5 | Moreau9/5 | Jose A. Bracho | — | $2.40 | $2.10 |
| 3 | 1 | Capo Luca5/1 | Luis Antonio Gonzalez | — | — | $2.60 |
| 4 | 2 | We Need a Favor8/1 | Rocco Bowen | — | — | — |
| 5 | 6 | Silence10/1 | Jefferson Skerrett | — | — | — |
| 6 | 3 | Chiron2/1 | Ricardo Feliciano | — | — | — |
Exotic payouts
- $1 Daily Double 2-4 paid $7.00
- $1 Exacta 4-5 paid $10.70
- $0.50 Trifecta 4-5-1 paid $20.20
- $0.20 Superfecta 4-5-1-2 paid $21.02
- $0.50 Pick 3 4-2-4 paid $8.35
- $0.50 Pick 4 4 OF 4 4-4-2-4 paid $35.80
- $0.50 Pick 5 5 OF 5 6-4-4-2-4 paid $177.90
Race 6
| Fin | # | Horse | Jockey | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Compute This3/1 | Chelsey Keiser | $4.80 | $3.60 | $2.60 |
| 2 | 5 | Siofra8/5 | Mauro Cedillo | — | $3.80 | $2.60 |
| 3 | 6 | Kat Trax6/1 | David J. Haldar | — | — | $2.40 |
| 4 | 1 | Cause of Love4/1 | Alexander Chavez | — | — | — |
| 5 | 3 | Shakeurskinnylegs5/1 | Jefferson Skerrett | — | — | — |
| 6 | 2 | Hello Sweets8/1 | Fernando Salazar Becerra | — | — | — |
Exotic payouts
- $1 Daily Double 4-4 paid $18.60
- $1 Exacta 4-5 paid $9.30
- $0.50 Trifecta 4-5-6 paid $9.50
- $0.20 Superfecta 4-5-6-1 paid $13.62
- $0.50 Pick 3 2-4-4 paid $8.60
Race 7
| Fin | # | Horse | Jockey | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Silent Rule9/5 | Brandon Tapara | $5.40 | $3.20 | $2.20 |
| 2 | 4 | City Scene7/2 | Luis Raul Rivera | — | $3.20 | $2.40 |
| 3 | 3 | Candlelight Hours3/1 | T. D. Houghton | — | — | $2.60 |
| 4 | 2 | Az We Speak12/1 | Erik Barbaran | — | — | — |
| 5 | 1 | Lionistic10/1 | Jose A. Bracho | — | — | — |
| 6 | 5 | Practicallyelusive5/1 | Chelsey Keiser | — | — | — |
Exotic payouts
- $1 Daily Double 4-6 paid $5.30
- $1 Exacta 6-4 paid $7.70
- $0.50 Trifecta 6-4-3 paid $8.05
- $0.20 Superfecta 6-4-3-2 paid $12.54
- $0.50 Pick 3 4-4-6 paid $16.10
Race 8
| Fin | # | Horse | Jockey | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Val's Twinstar2/1 | Luis Antonio Gonzalez | $15.00 | $6.00 | $4.80 |
| 2 | 6 | Kiss Valentina7/2 | Fernando Salazar Becerra | — | $6.20 | $4.80 |
| 3 | 1 | Amy's Star8/1 | Brandon Tapara | — | — | $7.40 |
| 4 | 7 | Cali Cruiser5/1 | Jefferson Skerrett | — | — | — |
| 5 | 4 | Feeling Easy4/1 | Rocco Bowen | — | — | — |
| 6 | 2 | Mizzen the Point6/1 | Jose A. Bracho | — | — | — |
| 7 | 3 | Kerri's Miracle10/1 | Chelsey Keiser | — | — | — |
Exotic payouts
- $1 Daily Double 6-5 paid $15.90
- $1 Exacta 5-6 paid $36.10
- $0.50 Trifecta 5-6-1 paid $184.95
- $0.20 Superfecta 5-6-1-7 paid $248.78
- $0.50 Pick 3 4-6-5 paid $17.85
- $0.50 Pick 4 4 OF 4 4-4-6,7-5 paid $127.65
- $0.50 Pick 5 5 OF 5 2-4-4-6,7-5 paid $150.25
- $0.20 Pick 6 6 OF 6 4-2-4-4-6,7-5 paid $161.00
- $0.20 Super Hi 5 5-6-1-7-4 paid $764.20
Recent Thistledown Race Sheets
- September 15, 20268 races
- September 14, 20268 races
- September 10, 20268 races
- September 9, 20268 races
- September 8, 20268 races
- September 7, 20268 races
- September 3, 20268 races
- September 2, 20268 races
- September 1, 20268 races
- August 31, 20268 races
Recent Thistledown Results & Payouts
Thistledown Picks — Common Questions
Is there a free Thistledown card?
Yes. Every Thistledown race sheet includes free picks with full analysis on selected races, with no account required. The remaining races on the card are part of a TrackWiz subscription.
What surface does Thistledown race on?
Thistledown races on dirt. Every race across the last 24 cards was run on the dirt.
How many races are on a typical Thistledown card?
Thistledown cards average 8 races, with fields of about 7.1 starters. Distances run from 5 fur to 1 1/4 mi.
When are Thistledown picks published?
Thistledown picks are published ahead of the first post for that day's card. We have published 77 Thistledown sheets; you can get each new one by email before post time.