Delaware Park Picks & Predictions — June 18, 2026
Happy Thursday from Delaware Park, where a gorgeous clear-day setup at 83°F means the turf courses should be playing fast and the dirt will be firm underfoot. That's good news for speed horses on the dirt and for turf routers who like a true surface. Nine races are on the card today, mixing maiden claimers, straight claimers, and a handful of Starter Optional Claiming events that often hide some interesting class angles.
The card spans both surfaces — five races on the dirt and three on the turf, plus one turf sprint thrown in at 7½ furlongs to keep things spicy. Distances stretch from a straight six furlongs all the way out to a mile and 70 yards, so pace scenarios are going to vary wildly from race to race. TrackWiz analysis has identified strong plays throughout the card, including a couple of intriguing price horses that could make for excellent value.
Best Bets
Race 1
Maiden Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
A wide-open maiden claiming mile on the dirt where the top two TrackWiz-rated horses are separated by just five points — expect a genuine pace battle with several horses posting identical average speed figures.
Sharp Wonder draws the five-hole with a TrackWiz rating of 87.08, the highest in the field, and checks in at a morning line of 3/1 — respectable value for the top-rated horse. Trainer Jose A. Gallegos sends him out with jockey Wesley Ho, and the avg speed figure of 53 ties the field's best. In a maiden claimer this competitive, a horse that combines the top rating with a fair price is exactly the kind of win play we want to anchor our ticket.
Gualillo is the morning line favorite at 9/5, and that price reflects a horse the market respects — his TrackWiz rating of 82.31 is second only to our top pick. Jockey Julio A. Hernandez has a strong book of mounts today, and Gualillo's avg speed of 53 gives him the raw foot to compete. If Sharp Wonder hits the front and faces any pressure, Gualillo is the most likely beneficiary.
Hotter Than Dem rounds out our exotic plays at 4/1 on the morning line, with a solid rating of 75.20 that puts him third best in this field. Paco Lopez in the irons is a major positive — he's one of the top pilots on the Delaware circuit. At a fair price with quality riding, he's a logical show anchor for trifecta coverage.
Race 2
Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt
The morning line favorite draws the rail in a one-mile-and-seventy-yard claiming affair, but there's a live pace threat on the outside with a closer lurking at a big number — the race shape could produce a surprise.
Chaperone (1) posts the field's top TrackWiz rating at 80.36 and draws the coveted rail under jockey Yedsit Hazlewood for trainer Jamie Ness, who is one of the more reliable conditioners running horses at Delaware. The 2/1 morning line is fair — he's clearly the class of the field by our metrics. His career win rate of 6% in claiming company isn't flashy, but the rating gap over the rest of the field is sizable enough to make him the most reliable win play on the card through the first two races.
Guard of Honour is a fascinating value angle at 8/1 on the morning line, carrying a TrackWiz rating of 79.79 — nearly identical to Chaperone's and well clear of the rest. His career win percentage is just 2%, suggesting he's found ways to be placed without closing the deal, which makes him an ideal place play. Jockey Shirley Esther Yancapallo Gomocio gets the call for trainer Martin Hinckson, and if Guard of Honour runs to his rating, he'll be right there at the wire.
Santinni is the second choice on the morning line at 7/5, trained by Greg Compton with Paco Lopez aboard — a strong tactical pairing. His rating of 76.56 and career win rate of 16% make him the most proven winner in the field by that measure. He's the type of horse who usually finds a check, and at the morning line price he's likely to be underlaid, but he's too consistent to leave off your exotic tickets.
Race 3
Maiden Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Turf
The turf is the great equalizer in maiden claiming races, and this 1 1/16-mile grass event features a clear standout on ratings but a deep undercard of lightly-raced horses who could spring a surprise on a surface where experience matters.
Nilambar tops the field with a TrackWiz rating of 86.35 and is one of the few horses in this maiden claimer who has actually won before — an 11% career win percentage stands out when everyone else in the field is winless. His avg speed figure of 54 is tied for the best in the race, and trainer Bruce M. Kravets sends him out with Yabriel O. Ramos up. At 7/2 on the morning line, there's genuine value for the clear top selection.
My Pal Bill draws the three-hole with Paco Lopez riding for Anthony Pecoraro, and the 8/5 morning line makes him the public's second choice. His TrackWiz rating of 61.96 lags behind Nilambar, but Lopez is the kind of rider who can nurse horses through turf traffic and find daylight late. He's the natural second wheel in any exotic combination here.
Cap'n Cats sneaks in at 8/1 with a rating of 58.29 — third best in the field — and jockey Angel Cruz has shown he can navigate a turf course. Trainer Josue Arce drops him into maiden claiming company, which is the right spot for a horse still searching for his first win. At 8/1, he makes a sensible show play and a useful trifecta include.
The first three races on the card are open to everyone today, and there's real meat on the bone here. Sharp Wonder opens the day at 3/1 morning line in a maiden claimer going a flat mile on the dirt — our top TrackWiz rating at 87.08 in that field makes this a confident opener. Chaperone follows in Race 2 as the 2/1 morning line favorite in a claiming route at a mile and 70 yards, a distance that rewards horses who can settle early and finish hard — the conditions set up perfectly for a front-to-close effort on today's firm dirt. On the turf in Race 3, Nilambar gets the nod at 7/2 in a maiden claimer going 1 1/16 miles — the firm going on a clear afternoon is exactly the kind of surface a turf maiden can pop a career-best figure on.
The through-line connecting these three free picks is simple: all three are top-rated in their respective fields by TrackWiz, and all three figure to benefit from the benign weather keeping both the dirt and turf surfaces honest and fair today. No excuses for any of them.
Full Card Analysis
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Nine races, a perfect racing afternoon, and some genuinely compelling plays up and down the card. Start with Sharp Wonder, Chaperone, and Nilambar in the free races — all three are strong top picks with solid TrackWiz ratings to back them up. And if you want the complete picture, including our best shot at a big-price winner in Race 7 and the full exotic strategy for the back end of the card, the full analysis is waiting for subscribers at TrackWiz Premium. Good luck out there — play smart and enjoy the day.