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Century Mile Picks & Predictions — August 14, 2026
Happy Friday from Century Mile. We've got a crisp, partly cloudy afternoon in Edmonton — 66°F and comfortable — which means the dirt should be playing fair and fast. Eight races on the card today, all on the main track, mixing claiming action with a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming spots that should draw the better horses on the grounds.
The card leans heavily toward sprint distances, with six of eight races going six furlongs or less. That sets up a front-speed-friendly afternoon, and pace scenario is going to be everything today. The one-mile-plus route in Race 6 is worth watching as a change of pace — pun intended — and figures to attract a different kind of runner than the quick-twitch sprinters dominating the rest of the card.
Three races are free for everyone today, and we've got five premium breakdowns locked in for subscribers. Let's get into it.
Best Bets
Race 1
Claiming · 7 fur · Dirt
A wide-open claiming sprint at seven furlongs where the TrackWiz ratings tell a very different story than the morning line — the number-one rated horse is sitting at 7/2 while the morning-line favorite carries the field's lowest rating.
Ponderosa (4) owns the highest TrackWiz rating in this field at 86.35 — a full 16 points clear of the second-ranked horse — and that kind of separation in a claiming field at this level is hard to ignore. The 7/2 morning line represents genuine value given how dominant that figure is. Jockey Rashaun Delane Tristan Griffith gets the call for trainer Gonzalo Anderson, and the seven-furlong distance should suit a horse that projects as a presser over this dirt strip.
Alberta Berbon (5) posts the second-highest TrackWiz rating in the race at 70.27, and at 5/1 on the morning line there's plenty of value in the place pool. Jose Mariano Asencio is up for trainer Jerri R. Robertson, and matching an average speed figure of 54 with Now and Zen at the top of the field gives this one a realistic shot to hit the board in a race where the favorite's figures are underwhelming.
Now and Zen (1) carries the 2/1 morning-line chalk but a TrackWiz rating of only 66.04 — modest for a favorite — making a show ticket the prudent play rather than a win bet. The 11% career win rate isn't flashy, but Richard Henry takes the mount and the horse's average speed of 54 keeps it competitive. As a show hedge in exotics, Now and Zen's likely heavy tote action makes it a useful inclusion.
Race 2
Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt
Stone Carver looks like a heavy-duty class standout in this Starter Optional Claiming sprint, but Tennessee Moses and a lightly-raced Our Pact could make the board interesting if the favorite gets pressured early.
Stone Carver (3) is the most clear-cut selection on the card today — a TrackWiz rating of 89.71 that leads this field by over 14 points, a career win rate of 28%, and the morning-line favoritism at 6/5 all point in the same direction. Trainer Gonzalo Anderson puts Dane Nelson aboard, a familiar and effective combination at Century Mile. In a Starter Optional Claiming format where eligibility can vary widely, Stone Carver's figures suggest he's simply operating at a higher level than most of this group.
Tennessee Moses (2) posts a 75.17 TrackWiz rating — second best in the field — and brings a 21% career win rate to a six-furlong trip that should play to his strengths. The 9/2 morning line offers real place value here, especially if Stone Carver draws the majority of the tote money. Trainer William H. Leech sends him out with Alexander Marti, and the matching average speed of 54 keeps him in the same conversation as the top two.
Our Pact (6) is the most intriguing show play in this race — that average speed of 56 is the highest in the field, a full two ticks above the cluster sitting at 54. Trainer Jim Depew also has a second runner in here with Imperial Hornet, and when a barn doubles up, it's worth noting which horse has the better figures. Our Pact at 6/1 with that top speed number makes for a smart exotic inclusion.
Race 3
Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Dirt
Maiden Special Weight sprints over five furlongs are among the toughest races to handicap, but Bakken Town enters with a meaningful experience edge over first-time starters — in a field of eight, that could be all the edge you need.
Bakken Town (4) is the lone horse in this MSW field to show any recorded average speed figure — 54 — which tells us he's already had a race under his belt while most of these rivals are debuting. That experience edge is significant in maiden sprints, and his TrackWiz rating of 60 leads the field. Trainer Tim Rycroft also saddles Whiskey Moon, giving the barn two bites at the apple, and Enrique Alonzo Gonzalez takes the mount on the barn's top choice. The 4/5 morning line is short, but the data backs the price.
Sauce Me a Slice (8) posts a TrackWiz rating of 53.33 — third best in the field — and at 5/1 on the morning line, trainer Makayla Edwards and jockey Brian Boodramsingh give this maiden a legitimate place profile. Without a recorded speed figure, there's uncertainty, but the rating edges out most of the field and the barn has shown a knack for placing horses at Century Mile.
Whiskey Moon (1) is the second horse from the Tim Rycroft barn in this race, and trainers rarely double up in a maiden race without both horses being live. The 51.67 TrackWiz rating ranks fourth in the field, and the 6/1 morning line provides value for exotic players looking for a third wheel. Jose Mariano Asencio picks up the mount, and in a field where most runners are first-timers, barn confidence matters.
Our three free races today cover a nice cross-section of the card — a claiming sprint to kick things off in Race 1, the Starter Optional Claiming in Race 2, and the maiden sprint in Race 3. Ponderosa opens the day at a juicy 7/2 morning line in that first claiming race, and our model likes that price. Over in Race 2, Stone Carver comes in as the heavy favorite at 6/5 with the highest TrackWiz rating of the free races (89.71) — that's a horse worth keying in your early multi-race tickets. The MSW sprint in Race 3 introduces Bakken Town at odds-on, which tells you the morning-line maker is confident, even if maiden races always carry a little extra mystery.
With a sprint-heavy card on a cool, dry afternoon, watch for horses that can get position early without burning too much energy. The pace scenario in these shorter races could compress quickly, and closers may find it tough if the speed holds on. Our free picks factor in those pace dynamics — don't leave them on the table.
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Bottom line: Century Mile is serving up a fast, fun eight-race card on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Stone Carver is our standout free play, Ponderosa offers live value at 7/2 to start the day, and premium members have a loaded card of pace projections and exotic ticket breakdowns waiting for them. Good luck at the windows — and as always, bet smart.