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Canterbury Park Picks & Predictions — September 17, 2026

September 17, 20268 racesAll Canterbury Park picks

It's a beautiful Thursday at Canterbury Park — partly cloudy skies and a comfortable 74°F means the turf courses should be running true all afternoon. That's good news on a card that leans heavily on the grass, with three of the eight races scheduled for the lawn, including both openers.

Eight races are on the board today, mixing maiden special weights, claimers, and a pair of allowance-level spots to round out the late card. The class diversity gives bettors a chance to find angles across multiple betting levels, whether you're playing cheap claimers or digging into the allowance optional claiming in Race 7.

TrackWiz analysis has strong opinions on several races today — including a couple of legitimate longshot angles in the turf maiden and the Ratings Handicap. Let's break it down.

Best Bets

Race 1

9:10 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 7 1/2 fur · Turf

A maiden turf sprint where two standout TrackWiz ratings create a clear top tier, but the morning line favorite and the program favorite don't agree — expect a pace battle that sorts out quickly on this 7½-furlong trip.

win3English IconML 2/1

English Icon enters with the field's highest TrackWiz rating at 88.54 and draws the morning-line chalk at 2/1, meaning the market and our model are aligned here. Trainer Valorie Lund puts Eduardo Gallardo in the irons, a combination worth tracking on the grass. At 7½ furlongs on turf, this is a route-leaning trip that tends to reward horses with a sustained running style, and English Icon's profile fits that mold. In a maiden field with zero career wins across the board, having the top rating by a meaningful margin is a significant edge.

place5Loco Por Ser LibreML 9/5

Loco Por Ser Libre is the morning-line favorite at 9/5 despite carrying a TrackWiz rating of 81.23 — second-best in the field. Trainer Santiago Tranquilino sends out Constantino Roman, and the 9/5 price suggests strong connections-side confidence. The slight rating gap behind English Icon is real, but in maiden company on the turf, a horse this well-regarded by the market is a strong place candidate and a logical exotics anchor.

show2Days in DublinML 5/1

Days in Dublin at 5/1 owns the third-highest rating in the field at 52.48 — a meaningful step above the bottom half of this lineup. Jockey Kelsi Harr has been active on the Canterbury card, and trainer Troy A. Bethke knows how to spot horses in spots where they can hit the board. In a six-horse turf maiden, the show pool can be thin, making Days in Dublin a sensible safety net in tri bets.

Race 2

9:40 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

This six-furlong dirt claimer has a clear top-rated contender, but a lively pace scenario with several speed horses and a wide range of career win percentages makes the exacta and trifecta pools worth targeting.

win7DazzlemesilverML 5/2

Dazzlemesilver is the standout here with a TrackWiz rating of 87.81, the highest in this claiming field by a comfortable margin. Julio A. Hernandez takes the mount for trainer McLean Robertson, a pairing that carries credibility at this level. At 5/2 on the morning line, the price isn't generous, but when your model tops the field this decisively in a six-furlong dirt sprint, the value is in the win ticket. A 13% career win rate is modest, but it's the raw rating advantage that makes this horse hard to fade.

place1Laws of ManML 5/1

Laws of Man comes in with an 80.52 rating and a solid 16% career win rate, making him one of the more reliable profiles in this field. Manuel Americano rides for Ronald L. Westermann, and at 5/1 on the morning line, there's real overlay potential if Dazzlemesilver attracts heavy support. Laws of Man's average speed figure of 55 ties for tops in the race, which suggests he can press or set a pace that sets up a solid placing effort.

show3Pass LineML 3/1

Pass Line checks in at a 77.35 rating with a 15% career win rate and draws the 3/1 morning line — third choice but arguably the third-best rated horse in the race too, so the market is reasonably efficient here. Trainer Stacey Rushton sends out Luis A. Fuentes, and at six furlongs on dirt, Pass Line's 54 average speed figure is workable. Include this one underneath in your trifectas as a logical stalker type who can clean up late if the pace unfolds favorably.

Race 3

10:10 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Turf

Five furlongs on the turf with a full field of maidens and no prior winners in sight — the top of the ratings card is tightly bunched enough that post position and trip luck could decide things, making this a race to play horizontally.

win1My EverythingML 6/1

My Everything is our top selection at 6/1 morning line, which represents genuine value against a field where the top-rated horse is sitting well off the chalk. The 82.71 TrackWiz rating leads the field by over 11 points, a gap that's hard to ignore in maiden company. Trainer Tim P. Padilla puts Constantino Roman aboard, and Roman has been a consistent presence on this card. Five furlongs on turf favors tactical speed, and with an average speed figure of 55 — best in the field — My Everything has the raw material to get there first.

place5Miracle MindedML 2/1

Miracle Minded is the 2/1 morning-line favorite, and while our model places her second behind My Everything, a 71.51 rating still makes her a serious contender. Trainer Tony Rengstorf uses Eduardo Gallardo, and the market clearly respects this horse's chances at five furlongs on the grass. She's a strong place play, particularly for bettors looking to key her under My Everything in exactas.

show4Roots TootnML 9/2

Roots Tootn sits at 67.87 in our ratings — third-best in the field — and the 9/2 morning line feels about right given the competition above her. Trainer Robert N. Cline doubles up in this race with Hotchkiss, but the ratings favor Roots Tootn as the stable's stronger entry. Kelsi Harr gets the call, and in a five-furlong turf sprint where pace can get hectic quickly, a well-rated closer profile makes for a solid show bet and exotics inclusion.

The first three races are on the house today, and there's plenty to work with. Our top-rated pick across the entire card at 88.54 is English Icon in the opening Maiden Special Weight on the turf — a morning line of 2/1 means the market already respects this one, so look for value underneath rather than betting into a short price blind. Meanwhile, Dazzlemesilver at 5/2 brings our second-highest free-race rating (87.81) into a 6-furlong dirt claimer in Race 2, a surface and distance combo where pace scenario matters enormously.

The sleeper in the free trio is My Everything in Race 3 — a 6/1 morning liner in a 5-furlong turf maiden with a TrackWiz rating of 82.71. Maiden turf sprints are famously unpredictable, but the mild weather and firm-ish conditions today could favor a horse with early tactical speed. Don't sleep on the value at that price.

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Full Card Analysis

Race 4

10:40 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

A one-mile dirt claimer that looks top-heavy on paper with a standout favorite, but a deep eight-horse field with some savvy win percentages in the middle of the pack means the exotics could get interesting — and one longshot is worth a second look.

win3EightysixchevyML 9/5

Eightysixchevy owns this field from a ratings standpoint with an 88.83 score, and a 26% career win rate confirms this horse knows how to get to the winner's circle. Trainer Tim P. Padilla sends out Constantino Roman, the same combination we like throughout the card, and they land the 9/5 morning-line spot — justified by both our model and the horse's raw numbers. At one mile on dirt, pace-pressing types with strong speed figures tend to hold on, and Eightysixchevy's 54 average is best among the top-rated contenders. This looks like a horse to build your exotics around.

place8Catholic GuiltML 9/2

Catholic Guilt brings an 18% career win rate and a 72.34 TrackWiz rating to the table, making her the clear second-best option in our model. Luis A. Fuentes rides for Edgar Espinoza, and at 9/2 on the morning line, there's a touch of overlay here relative to her rating. A one-mile trip on dirt suits a horse that can settle and make a run in the stretch, and Catholic Guilt's profile suggests she can follow the favorite home.

show1Prince Is My BoyML 12/1

Prince Is My Boy is listed at 12/1 on the morning line but carries a 69.77 rating — higher than several shorter-priced horses in this field. A 13% career win rate isn't flashy, but Manuel Americano aboard for trainer Nancy Sheehan gives this one a competent team. The price alone makes Prince Is My Boy worth sprinkling into your trifectas, especially if the pace scenario sets up for a closer to come through the field late.

Race 5

11:10 PM EDT

Claiming · 7 1/2 fur · Turf

A 7½-furlong turf claimer with a decisive ratings standout sitting right in the middle of the morning line — this race has a clear top choice but the exotics could pay nicely given how tightly packed the bottom of the field is.

win5Baby Doll PeachML 3/1

Baby Doll Peach leads all comers with an 87.08 TrackWiz rating and a 17% career win rate, and the 3/1 morning line puts her at a workable price for the win pool. Eduardo Gallardo takes the mount for trainer Joel Berndt, a combination with a track record at Canterbury. At 7½ furlongs on turf, pace setup matters, and Baby Doll Peach's average speed figure of 54 — tied for best in the field — positions her to sit a good trip and still have something left in the lane. This is our most confident top selection of the race.

place4Morgs WorldML 7/2

Morgs World is an interesting inclusion at 7/2 with a 69.69 rating — the clear second-best in the field — but a career win rate of just 5% that suggests a horse who hits the board more than she wins. That's actually an ideal profile for a place pick: talented enough to run second, possibly a touch star-crossed when it comes to getting her nose in front. Trainer Nik G. Goodwin and jockey Betty Jo Williams team up here, and at 7/2, she's a logical place wheel option under Baby Doll Peach.

show2Northern AngelML 9/2

Northern Angel comes in at 9/2 with a 16% career win rate and a 47.67 TrackWiz rating — modest on its face, but third-best in a field where most of the bottom half is clustered in the low-to-mid 40s. Luis A. Fuentes rides for Coty W. Rosin, and the turf at 7½ furlongs is a distance that tends to produce a clear pace hierarchy. Northern Angel fits the show profile in a race where the top two selections are solid — she's here to round out trifectas at a reasonable price.

Race 6

11:40 PM EDT

Ratings Handicap · 5 fur · Turf

This five-furlong turf ratings handicap features a horse with a jaw-dropping 50% career win rate and the field's top speed figure — but he's going off at 6/1, which means there's real value hiding in plain sight if the public overlooks him.

win3Max VegasML 6/1

Max Vegas is the play here, and the case starts with a 50% career win rate — the best in the field by a wide margin — paired with the field's top average speed figure of 57. Our model backs him up with an 82.71 rating, tops in this six-horse turf sprint. Julio A. Hernandez rides for McLean Robertson, a barn that has multiple horses on this card and clearly likes its chances today. The 6/1 morning line feels like a gift given those credentials — this is a legitimate value play on a horse who wins half the time he runs.

place6Athens MoonML 5/2

Athens Moon at 5/2 brings a 66.40 rating and an average speed figure of 56 — one of the better figures in the field. Luis A. Fuentes rides for trainer Jose Silva Jr., and a 14% career win rate is supplemented here by what looks like a favorable pace position on a short turf sprint. If Max Vegas goes to the front or sits the pace, Athens Moon has the profile to chase him down or at least finish alongside. A logical place anchor in your exotics.

show4Philo BeddoeML 7/2

Philo Beddoe catches the eye with a field-best average speed figure of 58 — a number that stands out even if the 65.82 TrackWiz rating is mid-pack. Trainer Martin Escobar sends out Kelsi Harr, and a 27% career win rate says this horse has been a consistent presence in the winner's circle. Five furlongs on turf is short enough that raw speed matters, and Philo Beddoe's blazing average figure makes him a live show threat even at 7/2.

Race 7

12:10 AM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A six-furlong dirt allowance optional claiming with legitimate depth — the ratings top out at a horse going off at 9/2, while the morning-line favorite is actually third in our model, setting up a potential overlay situation worth exploiting.

win6It's MilesML 9/2

It's Miles leads our model at 84.90 and goes postward at 9/2 on the morning line — a price that almost certainly undervalues what the TrackWiz ratings are seeing. Trainer Joel Berndt puts Constantino Roman in the irons, the same combination firing all day on this card, and a 15% career win rate in an allowance field is respectable. At six furlongs on dirt, the pace is likely to be honest, and It's Miles' 54 average speed figure combined with that elite rating makes this one of the stronger value plays on the card today.

place4NavarreML 9/2

Navarre comes with the field's second-best TrackWiz rating at 77.01 and an eye-catching 25% career win rate. Manuel Americano rides for Troy A. Bethke, and the 9/2 morning line feels right for a horse who wins a quarter of his starts. His average speed figure of 53 is modest, but in allowance company this deep, he's the type of professional who figures things out and hits the board. A natural pair with It's Miles in exactas.

show3Sir SterlingML 2/1

Sir Sterling draws the most public attention as the 2/1 morning-line favorite, but our model has him third at 68.13 — meaning the chalk may be underperforming relative to his price. That said, a 18% career win rate and an average speed figure of 55 make Eduardo Gallardo's mount a legitimate contender for Tony Rengstorf. If the public bets him down further, fading him to show while keying It's Miles on top is the sharp play — he's the type to finish third in a race he's expected to win.

Race 8

12:40 AM EDT

Allowance · 5 fur · Dirt

The five-furlong dirt allowance closer features the card's most dominant top-rated horse relative to post price — the favorite in our model is also the co-favorite on the morning line, making this one of the most straightforward win plays of the day.

win3T C GoldML 2/1

T C Gold is sitting on an 88.54 TrackWiz rating — tied for the highest mark on the entire card today — and the 2/1 morning line has him as the public favorite, which our model fully endorses. Julio A. Hernandez rides for trainer McLean Robertson, a barn running multiple horses on this card with apparent confidence. A 16% career win rate in allowance company is solid, and an average speed figure of 56 — tied for the field's best — suggests the raw talent is there to back up the ratings. At five furlongs on dirt, speed and early position are paramount, and T C Gold looks equipped on both fronts.

place6Mighty ArmyML 3/1

Mighty Army is our place selection at 3/1 with a 65.40 rating and a 16% career win rate — a consistent profile that fits a second-place finish nicely. Trainer Tena Birdwell sends out Fausto Henrique Da Silva, and the 3/1 morning line suggests the market sees this one as a legitimate threat to T C Gold. His average speed figure of 56 ties for the field's best, so he has the raw numbers to keep up in a short, honest five-furlong sprint. A strong candidate to fill out your exactas underneath the top selection.

show4WoodsonML 7/2

Woodson lands at 56.90 in our ratings and carries a 7/2 morning line that suggests the market views him as a mid-tier contender — which matches our model well. Manuel Americano rides for Kevin Eikleberry, and an 11% career win rate with a 55 average speed figure paints the picture of a horse who can get competitive at five furlongs on dirt. He's not beating the top two on current form, but he's a logical trifecta piece at a price that won't kill your ticket.

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Today at Canterbury Park is headlined by strong turf conditions, a card-best rating on Eightysixchevy in Race 4, and a free-race value shot with My Everything at 6/1 to kick things off on the lawn. The first three races are fully unlocked — dive in and enjoy. For pace scenarios, exotic strategies, and the complete eight-race breakdown, subscribers have everything they need waiting for them. Good luck out there.

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