Century Mile Picks & Predictions — September 11, 2026

Jackpot Bar sits just a half-point behind Just Ken in our ratings at 69.07, and the 12/1 morning line makes this another significant overlay. Trainer Carson Frey has him at 20% for his career — that's a legitimate strike rate — and jockey Keihton Natera gives him a capable pilot. In a race where the two best-rated horses are both double-digit longshots, the place pool on Jackpot Bar could pay extremely well.

Counter Cat is the morning-line favorite at 8/5 and posts a 62.22 rating — lower than both of our top picks — but the Tim Rycroft barn angle is real here. Rycroft trains both Just Ken and Counter Cat, and Jose Mariano Asencio takes the mount on Counter Cat, which could be a signal about where the barn's confidence lies. An 11% win rate keeps expectations measured, but at 8/5, she's a logical show anchor if you're playing the exotics.

Pisco enters as the morning-line favorite at 4/5 — which tells you the public is split on this race — and backs that up with a 76.23 TrackWiz rating and a 54 average speed figure. Jose Mariano Asencio gets a key mount for trainer Tom Rycroft, and a 14% career win rate at this level is workable. If Squalotoro gets to the front and controls the pace, Pisco has the figures to chase her down for a piece.

Man At the Pulpit is the sleeper in this spot. A 33% career win rate is the best in the field — that kind of consistency at the claiming level is hard to ignore — and trainer Tom Rycroft has two horses in this race, giving the barn options. His 73.78 rating is third-best in the field, and Enrique Alonzo Gonzalez is a capable pilot. The 6/1 morning line makes him an attractive show play and a live exacta wheel underneath the top two.

Perdition comes in as a value play at 5/1 on the morning line with a 78.22 TrackWiz rating — second in the field — and a 23% career win rate. Trainer Joan Petrowski sends out Antonio Ambrosio Reyes, and that combination has been active on this card. The 6½-furlong distance on dirt at Century Mile should suit a horse averaging 54 in speed figures. If Glava gets into any trouble or faces early pressure, Perdition is the horse most likely to pick up the pieces.

Deal Em draws the rail post and comes in at 74.47 on our ratings with a 17% career win rate. Trainer Colleen O'Hagan keeps her competitive at this starter optional claiming level, and Keimar Trotman is a capable rider for the spot. The 7/2 morning line makes her a reasonable show investment — she's not the flashiest play in the race, but a horse with a top-three rating that gets a clear trip from the inside should hit the board.

Sunday Rain leads all other contenders in our ratings at 55.08 and gets the rail post with Antonio Ambrosio Reyes aboard for trainer Deanne Davies. An average speed figure of 51 is in line with the field, but the ratings edge over the rest of the non-Benzene group makes her the logical place horse. At 5/2 on the morning line, she's not a screaming overlay, but she's the right second choice on the numbers.

Chasing Daydreams sits third in our ratings at 54.03 — just a tick behind Sunday Rain — and shows a slightly higher average speed figure of 52, which is the best of the remaining field outside of Benzene. Trainer Rodney J. Cone sends out Keihton Natera, and the 7/2 morning line gives her modest value. In a maiden field where pace can get chaotic over seven furlongs, a horse with legitimate figures who can rate mid-pack and close is exactly the type to sneak into third.

Unveil the Grace is the value angle in this race — an 82.71 TrackWiz rating puts her just 1.77 points behind Goldie Monroe, but the morning line has her at 6/1. Trainer Craig Robert Smith and jockey Richard Balgobin team up, and a 22% career win rate in allowance company is solid. The ratings gap between her and the morning-line favorite is razor-thin, which makes 6/1 an attractive price. She's the type to sit a couple lengths off the pace and get there.

Loveaboveandbeyond checks in third on our ratings at 72.04 and pairs that with a 33% career win rate — tied for the best in the field alongside Goldie Monroe and Gimlet. Jose Mariano Asencio gets the call for trainer Marvin Buffalo, and a 53 average speed figure keeps her competitive in the pace scenario at 6½ furlongs. The 6/1 morning line makes her a live longshot-show play and a logical include in trifecta coverage.

Swift Kahuna comes in second in our ratings at 82.32 with a 53 average speed figure that matches Dale's Magic — this filly has real ability. Trainer Deanna Walper also saddles Ari Ready in this race, but Swift Kahuna clearly has the stronger profile, and Dane Nelson is a reliable pilot. The 5/2 morning line is fair value for a horse that figures to be the main threat to the favorite, and the exacta of Dale's Magic over Swift Kahuna deserves serious consideration.

Due Coarse is a sneaky show play at 10/1 — a 75.47 TrackWiz rating makes her third-best in an eleven-horse field, and trainer Craig Robert Smith puts Silvino Morales on board. An average speed figure of 52 is a step behind the top two but well ahead of most of this field. In a large maiden claiming field, the show pool can get distributed widely, and a horse with a top-three rating at 10/1 is exactly the kind of overlay that pays well in the show spot.