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Del Mar Picks & Predictions — August 6, 2026

August 6, 20268 racesAll Del Mar picks

It's a beautiful Thursday at Del Mar — clear skies, 80 degrees, and the Pacific breeze doing exactly what it should. The kind of afternoon that makes you remember why this track has one of the best settings in American racing. Eight races are on the board today, mixing claiming, allowance, and maiden action across both the main track and the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

The dirt looks quick under these conditions, which matters quite a bit today — five of the eight races are contested on the main track, and pace scenarios on fast surfaces can be unforgiving. Meanwhile, the turf course gets three outings, including a pair of five-furlong maiden sprints that tend to favor horses with tactical speed and clean trips. TrackWiz analysis has identified strong angles across the full card, with a couple of genuine value opportunities worth circling early.

Best Bets

Race 1

9:00 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Two horses dominate the TrackWiz ratings in this 6-furlong dirt claimer, but the morning line tells a different story — creating a potential overlay situation worth exploiting.

win4Rock N Roll SongML 5/2

Rock N Roll Song is the clear top-rated horse in this field with an 87.81 TrackWiz rating — a significant margin over the second-best runner. Trained by Jesus J. Uranga, this horse carries a 22% career win rate, which ranks among the best in the field, and matches the field's top average speed figure of 55. At 5/2 on the morning line, the price isn't glamorous, but the numbers justify making this your win single — the class edge here is real.

place6NokieML 3/1

Nokie is the only horse in the field with an average speed figure of 56, a tick above the top group, and that raw speed edge becomes significant in a sprint. The 3/1 morning line with trainer Mark Rheinford makes this a legitimate place-bet anchor, and a 15% career win rate suggests she hits the board more often than she wins — exactly the profile you want in your place spot.

show8Buds N SudsML 6/1

Buds N Suds comes in at 6/1 morning line with a 52.93 rating that slots comfortably in the middle tier of this field. The 8% career win rate is low, but in a show spot you're just looking for a horse that can hang around, and trainer Steve R. Knapp's entrant shows enough average speed (54) to be dangerous late in a pace-pressured sprint. Worth including as a show hedge or in exacta/trifecta construction.

Race 2

9:30 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

A two-horse top-tier stands out in this one-mile dirt AOC, with a mid-pack cluster lurking — including a sneaky longshot with a career win rate that demands attention.

win1Christel CleanML 3/1

Christel Clean tops the TrackWiz ratings at 81.71 and gets the services of Joel Rosario, one of the sharpest pilots in the game. Trained by the accomplished John W. Sadler, she carries a 20% career win rate and an average speed figure of 56 — tied for best in the field. At 3/1 morning line, she's fairly priced but fully supported by the data, and Sadler-Rosario is a combination that hits at a premium clip at Del Mar.

place2Jacklyn LucasML 10/1

Jacklyn Lucas is the value angle here — a 76.88 rating that makes her second-best in the field, yet she opens at 10/1 morning line. That disconnect is significant. Trained by Steven Miyadi, she's a closer profile with a 14% career win rate, and at a mile on dirt she has plenty of room to work into the race. If Christel Clean gets caught in a pace duel, Jacklyn Lucas could be the one flying at the end.

show5Cecilia StreetML 7/2

Cecilia Street rates third in TrackWiz analysis at 76.44, separated from Jacklyn Lucas by less than half a point — essentially a coin flip between them for the second spot. She shares the 22% career win rate with Berry Valley but brings a more consistent speed profile. Trainer Leonard Powell also saddles Dorie Miller in this race, so he's double-barreled — and Cecilia Street looks like the stronger of that stable's two entries based on the numbers.

Race 3

10:01 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Turf

First-time starters on turf make this 5-furlong MSW a genuine puzzle — when nobody has a win to their name, the workouts, connections, and ratings do the heavy lifting.

win8Golden ClubML 2/1

Golden Club tops the TrackWiz ratings at 58.33 and draws Antonio Fresu, a rider who navigates the turf rail at Del Mar as well as anyone in the colony. With an average speed figure of 55 — one of the better marks among the horses in this field with prior speed data — trainer Craig Anthony Lewis has this one pointed correctly. The 2/1 morning line reflects public respect, and the data backs it up.

place1Chiseled in StoneML 3/1

Chiseled in Stone opens the morning line at 3/1 and rates second in the field at 56.67 despite showing no prior speed figure, which means trainer Steve R. Knapp is keeping this one's cards close to the vest. The inside post (1) can be either a blessing or a curse on Del Mar's turf course at 5 furlongs, but with Armando Ayuso aboard, this horse figures to be forwardly placed and tough to pass. A strong place play.

show2Enjoy the RideML 5/1

Enjoy the Ride is one of three horses clustered at 53.33 in the ratings, but the 5/1 morning line offers fair value for show purposes in what figures to be a wide-open heat. Trainer Ryan Hanson gives this horse a shot, and Adrian Escobedo brings local course knowledge that can matter at a short distance on turf. In a race where no horse has won before, depth of coverage is key — Enjoy the Ride adds that in your show spot.

Three races are available to all readers today, and they offer a solid cross-section of the card. Rock N Roll Song (Race 1, 5/2 morning line) leads the free picks with the highest TrackWiz rating on the entire card at 87.81 — an eye-catching number in a six-furlong dirt claimer that should be competitive right off the jump. Christel Clean (Race 2, 3/1) stretches out to a mile on the dirt in an Allowance Optional Claiming spot, a conditions type that often draws a mix of horses on the way up and horses being freshened — knowing which camp a runner falls into is exactly where our ratings give you an edge. Rounding out the free plays, Golden Club (Race 3, 2/1) takes on a five-furlong turf maiden where the morning line favoritism reflects some real ability — though that 58.33 rating signals this is far from a lock, and the maiden turf sprint is historically one of the trickier bets on the board.

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Full Card Analysis

Race 4

10:32 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

This one-mile dirt claimer has a clear TrackWiz top two, but the morning line prices them apart — setting up a potential value scenario on the horse the public is slightly underestimating.

win5Bitter TruthML 4/1

Bitter Truth is your top-rated horse at 85.62 and goes with Kazushi Kimura, who has been razor-sharp at Del Mar. Trained by Jose R. Valdez, she carries a 20% career win rate and average speed of 53 — respectable for a one-mile dirt claimer. At 4/1 on the morning line, she's priced as a near-favorite despite not being the public's top choice, which is exactly where you want to be when your rating says she's the best horse in the field.

place4Can't Say ThatML 3/1

Can't Say That rates second in the field at 75.2 and draws Joe Bravo — a seasoned veteran who gets the most out of horses at one turn or two. Trained by the sharp George Papaprodromou, this filly carries a 12% career win rate but that may undersell her ability to hit the board, which she appears to do with regularity. The 3/1 morning line makes her a solid place anchor in exactas alongside Bitter Truth.

show7Good Golly DollyML 7/2

Good Golly Dolly rates third at 63.85 and gets Joel Rosario — arguably the best pure race-rider in the field. Trainer Steve R. Knapp has her at 7/2 on the morning line, suggesting connections believe in her chances. Her 16% career win rate is above average for a claiming field, and Rosario's ability to find a ground-saving trip at one mile on dirt is a genuine tactical edge worth paying for in your show spot.

Race 5

11:03 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Turf

A wide-open 10-horse turf maiden sprint with a tight cluster at the top of the ratings — the connections and post positions could easily determine the outcome here.

win3Missed FortuneML 5/2

Missed Fortune tops the TrackWiz ratings at 57.5 and gets Umberto Rispoli, one of the best turf specialists working the Southern California circuit. Trained by George Papaprodromou — who has an exceptional record with first-time turf starters — this horse opens at a fair 5/2 morning line. In a field where no one has won before, backing the best-rated horse with the most turf-savvy rider is the percentage play.

place8Hal of a DayML 3/1

Hal of a Day rates a close second at 56.67 and runs for trainer Peter Miller, who is consistently among the leaders in win percentage at Del Mar. Jockey Hector Isaac Berrios brings energy and course familiarity, and the 3/1 morning line offers reasonable value for a place ticket. In a tight maiden field, Miller's knack for having horses ready to fire first out is a meaningful edge.

show6Can'tafford Not ToML 4/1

Can'tafford Not To rates third in the field at 55.0 and goes for trainer Carla Gaines, who also saddles Bold Tiger (programNumber 9) in this race — giving the barn a two-bullet shot. Emisael Jaramillo takes the mount at 4/1 morning line. Gaines is a smart conditioner who doesn't waste bullets, and doubling up in a wide-open turf maiden suggests she has confidence in at least one of her two starters — Can'tafford Not To's rating edge makes her the preferred option of the two.

Race 6

11:34 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 6 1/2 fur · Dirt

Saucier dominates the TrackWiz ratings in this 6.5-furlong dirt maiden, creating a rare situation where the data and the value actually line up — she's notably underlaid in the ratings but overlaid on the morning line.

win1SaucierML 6/1

Saucier rates a massive 82.71 — nearly 27 points clear of the next-best horse in this field — yet opens at 6/1 on the morning line, suggesting the public hasn't caught up to her profile yet. Trainer Leonard Powell has her poised correctly, and Armando Ayuso is a capable handler who won't overcook the fractions at 6.5 furlongs on dirt. An average speed figure of 55 adds further credibility. This is exactly the kind of overlay that TrackWiz analysis is built to identify.

place8HimariML 3/1

Himari draws out of the Bob Baffert barn — and that alone demands respect in any maiden race at Del Mar. She rates second in the field at 56.67 with Juan J. Hernandez up, and the 3/1 morning line reflects the public's faith in the connections rather than measurable form data. When Baffert fires a first-time starter in a turf maiden, it often means the morning works have been impressive. Solid place coverage.

show6MesmerizeML 4/1

Mesmerize brings the Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella and Hall of Fame-adjacent rider Mike E. Smith to the post — that's a combination that has produced countless Del Mar winners over the decades. She rates fourth in the field at 55.0 with a 4/1 morning line, and while the lack of a speed figure adds uncertainty, Mandella almost never wastes Smith's time on a horse that isn't ready. A legitimate show option with powerful connections.

Race 7

12:05 AM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 1 3/8 mi · Turf

The morning line in this 1 3/8-mile turf AOC points to Mythical Reel and Living Life as the top choices, but TrackWiz analysis has a double-digit longshot rated above both — making this an intriguing exotics race.

win3Fomo JoeML 12/1

Fomo Joe opens at 12/1 on the morning line but carries a 73.96 TrackWiz rating — best in the field by a meaningful margin. The 28% career win rate is the highest in the entire race and speaks to a horse that genuinely knows how to finish first. Trainer Ryan Hanson gives Edwin A. Maldonado the call, and at 1 3/8 miles on turf, a horse with the top win percentage and top rating deserves serious consideration regardless of what the morning line says.

place4Mythical ReelML 7/2

Mythical Reel is one of two Phil D'Amato entrants in this race and rates second at 71.13 — a legitimate contender who the morning line correctly identifies as a key player at 7/2. Antonio Fresu has been excellent on turf this meet, and D'Amato is one of the very best turf trainers in America. The 11% career win rate is modest, but in a longer-distance turf spot, board finishes matter more than wins — and Mythical Reel figures to be right there.

show6Living LifeML 3/1

Living Life rates third at 65.91 and goes at 3/1 morning line, making her the public's probable favorite based on price. Trainer Ronald W. Ellis and jockey Hector Isaac Berrios pair well at route distances on turf, and a 15% career win rate is respectable. She's a natural show anchor — the kind of horse that runs her race every time even if she can't quite win. At 3/1, she might be a little short for win use, but she's an excellent trifecta saver.

Race 8

12:36 AM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Fourteen runners in a 5.5-furlong dirt maiden claimer creates chaos, but one horse separates herself dramatically from the field — making the win pick unusually straightforward in what is otherwise a chaotic mess of a race.

win2ZadraML 7/2

Zadra is a standout on the TrackWiz model with an 86.35 rating — more than 31 points clear of the next-best horse in a 14-runner field, which is a truly extraordinary gap. She shows an average speed figure of 56, tied for best in the race, and gets Epifanio Garcia for trainer D. Wayne Baker. At 7/2 morning line she's the second choice by price, but by the data she's essentially in a field by herself. This is a strong win play.

place13I'm No SwiftyML 4/1

I'm No Swifty rates second in the field at 55.0 and draws Emisael Jaramillo for trainer Peter Eurton — a sharp combination in Southern California maiden races. She opens at 4/1 morning line and shows a 55 average speed figure that holds up in this company. Eurton has a strong record placing maiden claimers right, and the 4/1 price makes her excellent value in the place spot as a backup to Zadra.

show5SisselML 4/1

Sissel ties I'm No Swifty at 55.0 in the ratings and gets none other than Joel Rosario — the most decorated rider in this field by a considerable margin. Trainer Andy Mathis sends her out at 4/1 morning line, and while her average speed figure of 52 is the lowest among the top-rated horses, Rosario has a proven ability to extract every last bit out of what a horse gives him. In a field this large, having an elite rider aboard a well-rated horse is a genuine edge in the show spot.

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Bottom line for today: Rock N Roll Song is the TrackWiz top-rated horse on the card and the anchor of the free plays, while Fomo Joe at 12/1 in the late turf route stands out as the day's most compelling longshot angle. The fast dirt and clear conditions set up a straightforward day for horses that want to be on or near the lead — pace is king when the main track is this quick. Full card breakdowns, pace projections, and exotic plays are available to TrackWiz subscribers at /pricing. Good luck at the windows.

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