Daily Picks

Century Mile Picks & Predictions — June 21, 2026

Sunday, June 21, 20269 racesCentury Mile

It's a damp, chilly Sunday at Century Mile — rain is falling and the thermometer is sitting at 52°F, which means the dirt is going to be a factor all day long. Nine races are on the card, stretching from a quick 350-yard quarter-horse sprint in Race 1 all the way through a pair of allowance routes to close things out. Wet, sealed dirt can be a great equalizer, and it can also expose horses that just don't handle the off-going. That makes today a card where pace scenarios and surface preferences matter more than usual.

The mix of conditions — Allowance, Maiden Special Weight, Claiming, and Allowance Optional Claiming events — gives every type of bettor something to dig into. Whether you're looking to fire a straight win bet on a short-priced standout or build a multi-race exotic ticket around a couple of live longshots, the Century Mile card today has the pieces. Let's break it down.

Best Bets

Race 1

7:15 PM EDT

Allowance · 350 yd · Dirt

A short-field quarter-horse sprint at 350 yards where two barn-mates from the William H. Leech shedrow look to dominate, leaving the rest to scramble for the minor awards.

win3Lethal N RojoML 9/5

Lethal N Rojo is your morning-line co-favorite at 9/5 and carries the top TrackWiz rating in this field at 88.83 — and that 100% career win rate, however small the sample, is impossible to ignore in a five-horse field. Trainer William H. Leech sends out two runners here, which signals confidence in the barn's stock, and Lethal N Rojo draws the edge in the ratings over stablemate Hot Cerveza. In a 350-yard sprint, every tenth of a second matters, and this horse's profile screams early speed and efficiency.

place2Hot CervezaML 2/1

Hot Cerveza is the other half of the Leech barn's one-two punch, rated 83.22 and carrying a very respectable 40% career win rate — fourth best on the board but with significantly more depth than most in here. At 2/1 on the morning line, the place price won't be generous, but the horse profiles as nearly as dangerous as the win pick and is a strong safety net in exactas.

show4Team Rip 109ML 8/1

Team Rip 109 at 8/1 morning line is the most interesting underneath horse in this short field. A 28% career win rate is solid for this level, and trainer Buckey A. Stockwell's runner draws a middle post which is workable in a straight quarter-mile dash. At that price, stacking him in trifecta wheels behind the Leech pair makes plenty of sense.

Race 2

7:45 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 4 1/2 fur · Dirt

A wide-open maiden special weight at 4½ furlongs where every horse enters with a zero in the win column — making the morning-line favorite's class edge the clearest edge on the card.

win6CentellaML 8/5

Centella tops the TrackWiz ratings at 59.0 and is installed as the 8/5 morning-line favorite — a significant gap over the rest of the field in a race where nobody has broken their maiden yet. Trainer Milton Palma puts up Jose Mariano Asencio, and the combination of top rating and market confidence makes this the most logical single in the race. In a maiden field this green, any edge in preparation and form tends to show up quickly at 4½ furlongs.

place1Bakk for BriaML 4/1

Bakk for Bria (No. 1) shares an identical 55.0 TrackWiz rating with Bakken Town and is listed at 4/1 on the morning line, offering fair value to land in the exotics. Trainer James R. Brown also saddles Beyondthesun in this race, suggesting the barn has multiple live bullets — but the program number and shared rating put Bakk for Bria as the preferred Brown runner.

show2Bakken TownML 4/1

Bakken Town mirrors Bakk for Bria's 55.0 rating and 4/1 morning line exactly, making this a true coin flip between the two co-third choices. Trainer Tim Rycroft's runner could benefit from any pace pressure generated up front, and at 4/1 the show price should offer value in trifectas behind Centella. This is a race to spread in the third spot.

Race 3

8:15 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A claiming sprint at six furlongs that shapes up as a three-horse fight at the top of the ratings, with the even-money favorite holding the biggest edge on paper but two live prices lurking to spring an upset.

win1MendeljohnML EVN

Mendeljohn is the standout here — a 90.0 TrackWiz rating is the highest in the field by a clear margin, and the even-money morning line reflects the market's agreement. Trainer Gonzalo Anderson puts up Amadeo Perez, and both horse and connections profile well for this level. An average speed figure of 55 matches the top tier in this field, and a 21% career win rate in claiming company suggests a consistent performer rather than a flash-in-the-pan.

place6Linchpin StormML 3/1

Linchpin Storm draws the outside post but carries an 84.49 TrackWiz rating and a 3/1 morning line that represents real value relative to the top pick. A 17% career win rate with an average speed of 55 ties Linchpin Storm with the favorite on raw figures, and trainer Cory Rumsey's runner could benefit if Mendeljohn gets caught up in any pace battle. This is the horse to beat if the favorite meets any trouble.

show4Pump the BrakesML 7/2

Pump the Brakes (No. 4) is right there at 72.08 in the ratings with an average speed of 55 — identical to the top two — but opens at 7/2 on the morning line, suggesting the oddsmakers see a gap that the raw figures don't fully justify. A 18% career win rate with Brian Boodramsingh in the irons makes this a legitimate show contender and a useful piece in trifecta construction.

Three races are open to everyone today, and they span the full spectrum of what makes handicapping fun. Lethal N Rojo opens the card in the 350-yard Allowance sprint — short distances reward raw speed and clean breaks, and on a rain-soaked track, traction out of the gate becomes even more critical. In Race 2, maiden sprinters go 4½ furlongs on the wet dirt, where Centella draws our attention despite the maiden-race unpredictability that always comes with first-timers and lightly raced horses. And in Race 3, Mendeljohn opens as the morning-line even-money favorite in a 6-furlong Claiming event — a top TrackWiz rating of 90 backs that confidence up. The thread connecting all three free picks? Speed that figures to translate even with a tricky, rain-affected surface.

Keep in mind that off-track conditions can compress fields — horses that might get buried on a fast track sometimes find their best form when the dirt gets a little sticky. Watch the early races closely for pace and surface clues before building tickets in the back half of the card.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

8:45 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

The morning-line favorite and the top-rated horse are different horses in this maiden claimer — a split that creates genuine intrigue and a potential overlay on the TrackWiz top pick at 9/2.

win4BenzeneML 9/2

Benzene carries the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 84.9 yet opens at 9/2 on the morning line — well behind Touristica's 4/5 chalk price. That's a meaningful gap in the ratings that our analysis flags as a potential overlay. Trainer David Nicholson puts up Keihton Natera, and with an average speed of 52 in a maiden claimer, the ceiling here looks higher than the odds suggest. Betting against the public in maiden claimers can be tricky, but when the top-rated horse is available at 9/2, that's a value spot worth taking.

place2TouristicaML 4/5

Touristica is the clear public choice at 4/5 and trainer Cory Rumsey's 77.73 rating backs up the market confidence. With Brian Boodramsingh — one of the more active riders on this card — in the saddle and an average speed of 53, this horse fits the profile of a maiden claimer that's been pointed at this spot. Even if Benzene tops out, Touristica looks secure for the place.

show5Scarlett LetterML 3/1

Scarlett Letter opens at 3/1 and carries a 64.53 TrackWiz rating — the third-best in the field — which makes her the clear logical choice for the show spot. Trainer Colleen O'Hagan and jockey Kodi Dottin-Downes combine here, and an average speed of 52 keeps pace with the core of the field. At 3/1 in the show pool she's arguably a slight overlay and worth including in trifectas.

Race 5

9:15 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

An allowance optional claiming sprint at six furlongs where the two top-rated horses are mid-price overlays and the morning-line favorite is actually a shorter price than the TrackWiz ratings support — creating a genuine betting opportunity.

win5Little Did We KnowML 5/1

Little Did We Know sits atop the TrackWiz ratings at 84.17 but is available at 5/1 on the morning line — a meaningful overlay when you compare that to the 3/2 chalk Twickenham, who rates out at just 51.01. Trainer Gonzalo Anderson sends Dane Nelson to the irons, and while a 16% career win rate isn't flashy, the horse's rating separates it clearly from the top of the morning line. In a six-furlong allowance optional claimer, this kind of ratings gap at a generous price is exactly the spot TrackWiz looks to exploit.

place6LetsgototheninoML 5/2

Letsgotothenino is nearly the equal of the top pick at 83.44 TrackWiz rating, yet opens at only 5/2 — second-shortest in the field. Trainer Robert Henson puts up Brian Boodramsingh, who has had multiple mounts on today's card and appears to be in strong form. A 33% career win rate and average speed of 54 make this a legitimate contender to win outright, but the place position is locked in given the competition above.

show1TwickenhamML 3/2

Twickenham is the 3/2 morning-line favorite but rates a distant third in our analysis at 51.01 — well behind the top two. However, a 33% career win rate and Kimal Santo in the saddle ensure the public will back this horse heavily, and the show pool will likely be thin. Use Twickenham as the show anchor in exotics knowing the chalk will be well-represented in that slot.

Race 6

9:45 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Seven horses line up in this six-furlong claimer with the top two rated horses holding a clear edge on the field — but a pair of horses with eye-catching career win percentages add an unpredictable element to the bottom of the ticket.

win5SailingforthestarsML 7/2

Sailingforthestars leads all horses with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating and gets Antonio Ambrosio Reyes up from the outside post. A 16% career win rate is modest on paper but it's the raw rating edge that drives this selection — the next closest is Jackpot Bar at 82.26, and the gap widens quickly after that. An average speed of 54 matches the top tier of this field, and trainer Pat Jarvis's runner has the profile of a horse in form at this level.

place4Jackpot BarML 4/1

Jackpot Bar is the legitimate main threat to the top pick, rated 82.26 with a field-best 28% career win rate among horses with significant experience. Trainer Carson Frey puts up Keihton Natera, and an average speed of 54 keeps this runner right in the mix through the stretch. If Sailingforthestars meets any trouble or softens from the pace, Jackpot Bar is the most likely beneficiary.

show3Cranberry ChillML 10/1

Cranberry Chill opens at 10/1 morning line but carries a 71.19 TrackWiz rating — third in this seven-horse field — making this a clear overlay for show purposes. Rafael Zenteno Jr. takes the mount for trainer Rick Hedge, and a 15% career win rate with an average speed of 54 shows a horse that competes consistently. At double-digit odds in a deep claiming field, Cranberry Chill is the kind of horse that pays handsomely in trifectas when the favorites underperform.

Race 7

10:15 PM EDT

Allowance · 7 fur · Dirt

The morning-line favorite rates second in our TrackWiz rankings while the top-rated horse is available at 5/1 — a classic case of public money chasing recent form over underlying numbers, and one of the more compelling betting opportunities on the card.

win1River SevenML 5/1

River Seven tops the TrackWiz ratings at 84.17 and is available at 5/1 morning line — a substantial overlay given that Big Curl is installed at 4/5 despite rating out at 79.02. Trainer Joan Petrowski puts up Brian Boodramsingh, who is having an active card, and a 14% career win rate with an average speed of 54 shows a horse that's consistent in seven-furlong allowance company. When the top-rated horse is available at more than five times the odds of the second-rated one, that's a value situation worth leaning into.

place3Big CurlML 4/5

Big Curl is the obvious public choice at 4/5 with Enrique Alonzo Gonzalez handling the mount for Tim Rycroft, who has multiple runners on the card today. A 16% career win rate and average speed of 54 keep this horse fully competitive, and the market's confidence isn't misplaced — just potentially overpriced relative to River Seven. Expect Big Curl to sit close to the pace and challenge in the stretch, making the place ticket a safe structure.

show6Zip It WritML 10/1

Zip It Writ at 10/1 morning line is the most intriguing underneath option in this six-horse field, carrying a 69.05 TrackWiz rating — third among all entrants. Trainer Karline Kingston and jockey Kimal Santo combine here, and a 7% career win rate in allowance company doesn't tell the full story when the rating separates this horse so clearly from the bottom half of the field. At 10/1, a small show bet or a trifecta slot is very easy to justify.

Race 8

10:45 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

An eight-horse claiming sprint where the top-rated horse opens at 4/1 and a legitimate place contender is buried at 12/1 morning line — making the exotics particularly attractive in a race with genuine spread.

win7Now and ZenML 4/1

Now and Zen leads the field with a 77.74 TrackWiz rating and opens at 4/1 on the morning line — reasonable value in an eight-horse field. Trainer Jason Coney puts up Richard Henry, and a 14% career win rate in claiming company with an average speed of 54 shows a reliable performer. While the field here is bunched tighter in the ratings than some other races on the card, Now and Zen's edge is clear enough to make it the win anchor.

place2PonderosaML 12/1

Ponderosa is the most glaring overlay on today's entire card — a 73.96 TrackWiz rating (second in this field) at a 12/1 morning line is a price-to-performance mismatch that's hard to explain away. Trainer Gonzalo Anderson sends Rashaun Delane Tristan Griffith to post, and while an 8% career win rate is low, the raw rating says this horse is much closer to the top of the field than the odds suggest. Load up on Ponderosa in exactas and trifectas — this is the kind of value play that can turn a good day into a great one.

show4Barberry BanditML 5/2

Barberry Bandit comes in at 5/2 on the morning line and shares a 69.26 rating with Hugh Glass — making it a genuine toss-up between the two at the same odds. Trainer Pat Jarvis puts up Antonio Ambrosio Reyes, who has been active on this card, and an average speed of 54 matches the top tier in this field. Use Barberry Bandit as the show anchor in trifectas with Ponderosa as the value play in the place spot.

Race 9

11:15 PM EDT

Allowance · 6 fur · Dirt

The nightcap allowance at six furlongs has a clear standout on ratings but a field with several horses carrying respectable win percentages, making the undercard exotics worth constructing carefully.

win5Snap to ItML 7/5

Snap to It is the most dominant top pick of the night — a 89.42 TrackWiz rating leads the field by a wide margin and trainer Barbara Heads sends Amadeo Perez to post on the 7/5 morning-line favorite. A 20% career win rate in allowance company is respectable, and an average speed of 54 matches the upper tier of this field. The rating gap between Snap to It and the second-ranked horse (Prime Directive at 77.4) is the largest separation we see in any race today — this horse deserves to be bet accordingly.

place7Prime DirectiveML 3/1

Prime Directive checks in at 77.4 TrackWiz rating and 3/1 morning line, but what really jumps off the page is a 40% career win rate — tied for the highest among horses with substantial records on this card. Trainer Geovani Olalde's runner gets Kimal Santo up, and an average speed of 54 keeps this horse right in pace contention through the stretch run. If Snap to It faces any trouble early, Prime Directive is the horse most likely to capitalize.

show3Who IsML 9/2

Who Is opens at 9/2 with a 52.37 TrackWiz rating and a 22% career win rate — the second-best win percentage in a crowded field. Trainer Robert Henson's runner gets Alexander Marti up, and an average speed of 55 is actually the highest in the field, suggesting this horse has been running in faster company recently. At 9/2, the show slot is easily justified, and Who Is rounds out the trifecta nicely behind the two clear leaders.

Premium Content

Get the Full Card Analysis

Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.

View Plans Sign In

Nine races, cold rain, and plenty of live plays — Century Mile is serving up a full Sunday of handicapping opportunity. Lethal N Rojo, Centella, and Mendeljohn headline the free picks, with Snap to It drawing our eye as the card's most compelling overall contender at 7/5 in Race 9. The full-card breakdown, exotic strategies, and pace projections are all waiting for subscribers — check out TrackWiz Premium and get every edge before first post.

← Back to all picks

Best Bets

Race 1↗

Race 2↗

Race 3↗

Full Card Analysis

Get the Full Card Analysis

Race 1

Race 2

Race 3