You're reading 3 of 8 races free
Unlock the other 5 races on today's card, plus AI ratings on every runner and SmartBet ticket construction.
Belterra Park Picks & Predictions — September 23, 2026
Belterra Park is running eight races on a cloudy Wednesday afternoon with temperatures sitting right around 65°F — comfortable weather for both horses and horseplayers. The cool, overcast conditions should keep the dirt track playing honest, and with two turf sprints sprinkled into the card, there's plenty of variety to work with today.
The card leans heavily on claiming company, which means pace scenarios and class-level moves are going to be the story all afternoon. We've got three free race analyses for everyone, plus a full premium breakdown covering the back half of the card where things get really interesting. Let's get into it.
Best Bets
Race 1
Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
The morning line favorite gets overbet here, creating a real opportunity for the top-rated closer to steal the show at a mile on the dirt.
Champagne On Ice tops our TrackWiz ratings at 84.17 — a clear edge in this claiming field — and comes in at a juicy 5/1 morning line despite that edge. Trainer Larry E. Smith sends her out with jockey Yarmarie L. Correa, a strong combination. The 15% career win rate is respectable for this level, and her profile screams class advantage over much of this field at a flat mile.
Wave Skipper owns the top morning line at 2/1 and carries a solid 79.41 TrackWiz rating, making her a legitimate contender for the exacta. The 15% career win rate mirrors Champagne On Ice's, but the lower average speed figure suggests she may settle for second best here. John McKee gets the call and knows this track well — expect her to be in the mix at every call.
Spring Spinning at 7/2 slots in nicely as a third option to anchor your trifecta. Her TrackWiz rating of 66.79 puts her solidly mid-pack, and Rafael Mojica, Jr. gives this barn a live rider. With dual Alvarez runners in the race, it's worth noting that trainer Yimi Alvarez could be playing a numbers game — Spring Spinning profiles as the better of the barn's two entries based on our ratings.
Race 2
Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
A dominant top-rated horse faces a thinly credentialed field, but the second choice brings enough quality to make the exacta interesting.
Bishops Cleeve is the standout of the entire card through the early going — a 89.42 TrackWiz rating towers over every other horse in this race. The 7/5 morning line reflects that dominance, and at 16% career wins, he's consistently competitive. With Santiago Gonzalez up and trainer William E. Morey sending him out sharp, this is the kind of horse you build your ticket around.
Paved in Gold at 8/5 is the public's second choice, and TrackWiz agrees she belongs in the exacta at 64.12. Guillermo Rodriguez has the mount for trainer Nancy L. Adams, who knows how to place her horses. The 5% career win rate is modest, but in a race where the top horse figures to clear, second place is very much in play here.
Unusual Activity at 4/1 gives you a live show option with a 54.91 rating — enough to sneak into the trifecta in what is otherwise a thin field below the top two. The 4/1 price is workable for vertical exotics. Trainer Marcelino Salas keeps her spotted at a mile on the dirt, and Kevin J. Jimenez has shown patience on this oval.
Race 3
Claiming · 5 fur · Turf
Five furlongs on the turf with a clear class standout, but a trio of legitimate challengers bunched in the ratings makes the underneath exotics genuinely enticing.
Chanticleer checks all the boxes at 88.54 on the TrackWiz scale — best in field by a meaningful margin — and the 56 average speed figure leads the entire field on this turf sprint. Trainer Anthony J. Granitz puts Guillermo Rodriguez up, and at 2/1 on the morning line, the price isn't fat but the credentials are real. A 9% career win rate may look modest, but speed figures and ratings tell the better story here.
Fracture at 5/2 is the natural exacta partner with a 75.28 rating and a 54 average speed figure that keeps her in range of the top pick. Trainer Daniel Leitch sends her out with Yarmarie L. Correa, who has been among the busier jockeys on this card. At 10% career wins, she's competitive without being flashy — exactly the kind of place horse that pays a fair price.
Peripoli rounds out the trifecta at 4/1, sitting at 71.57 on our scale and posting the highest average speed figure in the field at 55. The 12% career win rate is solid for a turf sprinter at this level. Trainer Timothy E. Hamm has her positioned to run, and Laureano Sosa can get her into a good spot off the break in a short five-furlong dash.
Our free coverage kicks off with three races that each have a clear TrackWiz top pick worth knowing about. Champagne On Ice opens the card at 5/1 morning line in the first — that's an overlay price if our rating of 84.17 holds up under scrutiny. Race 2 is the one casual bettors will want to circle: Bishops Cleeve carries a 7/5 morning line and our highest rating among the free races at 89.42, making him the most straightforward play of the first half of the card. Then Race 3 flips us over to the turf for a 5-furlong sprint, where Chanticleer at 2/1 brings an 88.54 rating and figures to be ideally suited to the distance and surface.
With two dirt routes and a turf sprint covered in the free tier, you're getting a real cross-section of today's card before you spend a dime. The cooler temperatures should keep the turf firm and playing to speed — something to keep in mind when assessing Chanticleer's chances in Race 3.
Send me tomorrow's free Belterra Park card before post time.
Free picks in your inbox each morning. No card required, unsubscribe anytime.
Full Card Analysis
Premium Content
Get the Full Card Analysis
Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.
Bottom line: Bishops Cleeve is the most confident play on the free tier, Chanticleer is the best value on the turf side of things, and Race Day Rebal is a name to know if you're chasing a longshot score late in the card. For pace projections, exotic tickets, and the complete Race 4 through 8 analysis, the full breakdown is waiting for TrackWiz subscribers — check out our plans at /pricing if you want in on the whole card. Good luck out there.