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Delaware Park Picks & Predictions — August 7, 2026
Delaware Park rolls out a nine-race Friday card under partly cloudy skies with temperatures pushing 87°F. The heat is on, and so is the competition — every race on the book is contested on the main dirt track, which means pace scenarios and trip handicapping are going to matter all afternoon long.
It's a claiming-heavy card with a pair of Maiden Special Weights mixed in to keep things interesting. The distances range from a quick five-furlong sprint in Race 7 all the way out to a mile and 70 yards in Races 1 and 5, so there's plenty of variety for bettors who like to play different parts of the card. TrackWiz has full ratings on all nine races — let's break down what you need to know before the first post.
Best Bets
Race 1
Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt
One horse stands well above the rest on TrackWiz ratings in this one-mile dirt claimer, but there's legitimate depth in the middle of the field that could make the exotics interesting.
Concealed Carry (5) is the clear class of this field with a TrackWiz rating of 88.54 — more than 30 points clear of the next-best horse. Trained by Jamie Ness, who knows how to spot his horses in the right spots, and jockey Martin Chuan gets the call. The 2/1 morning line feels right for a horse that leads this field in average speed (54) and whose overall profile screams 'best bet.' At that price, there's no reason to overthink it.
Twenty One Kid (1) opens at 8/1 and posts the second-highest rating in the field at 58.45, making Angel Cruz's mount a clear overlay in the place spot. The career win rate of 11% isn't flashy, but in a race where you're looking for horses to run into the money behind a dominant top pick, this one has the numbers to get there.
Rapidity (8) rounds out the TrackWiz top three with a rating of 57.87, nearly matching Twenty One Kid and giving Brittany Scampton a live runner at 8/1 morning line. That average speed of 52 keeps her competitive against this field, and at double-digit odds she's worth slotting into trifecta tickets as a show hedge.
Race 2
Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
Kick Startness looks like a standout in this one-mile dirt claimer, but a trio of horses bunched in the mid-to-high 50s on rating could scrap hard for the remaining spots and make the place and show payoffs worthwhile.
Kick Startness (5) is the most dominant win profile on today's card through two races, posting an 88.83 TrackWiz rating alongside a 25% career win percentage — the highest win rate in this field by a wide margin. Trainer Jamie Ness and jockey Martin Chuan connect again here, the same tandem we're backing in Race 1, and they clearly have the horse in the right spot. The 9/5 morning line makes this a short-priced play, but the separation in rating justifies it.
Seeking Unity (6) brings an 18% career win percentage — second only to Kick Startness in this field — and a rating of 57.81 that puts her right at the top of the chasing pack. Cipriano Gil navigates the six-hole and this kind of horse with a solid win rate fits perfectly as an each-way companion to the top pick.
Final Drama (4) has the highest TrackWiz rating among the trio clustered in the 57s at 57.72, and Jesus M. Rios pilots her from the inside draw. A 15% career win rate adds credibility to the show projection, and at 7/2 on the morning line she offers fair value in the third slot of your trifecta.
Race 3
Maiden Special Weight · 1 mi · Dirt
A wide-open maiden special weight at a mile on dirt — maiden races are notoriously unpredictable, but one horse stands out as a surprising overlay given the morning line doesn't reflect her TrackWiz rating at all.
Maximus Princess (4) is the TrackWiz top pick at a whopping 10/1 morning line, and that disconnect is exactly the kind of overlay our analysis loves to surface. She carries the highest rating in the field at 76.88 — nearly 20 points clear of the second-best horse — and posts an average speed figure of 53 among a field full of first-time starters or horses showing zeros. Jose Corrales sends out Angel Cruz, a reliable combination in a spot where trainer intent matters a lot in maiden company.
Award (1) is the morning-line favorite at 5/2 and brings a solid 57.50 rating for the H. Graham Motion barn, one of the most respected training operations in the Mid-Atlantic. While the lack of a recorded average speed figure means we're relying more on the TrackWiz model than raw Beyer-style numbers, Motion's horses typically show up ready, especially on debut.
Springtime Diva (7) rates third in the field at 55.83 and is trained by Keri Brion, who also saddles Misses Boots in this race — a trainer with multiple runners can signal confidence in both, but the morning line of 7/2 suggests Brion's camp may lean toward Springtime Diva. Vincent Cheminaud takes the mount, and the combination of rating and barn support makes her a solid show-ticket inclusion.
Three races are unlocked for every reader today, and they're a solid cross-section of the card. Concealed Carry opens the day in Race 1 — a mile and 70 yards of dirt that should sort out stamina from speed. Our top rating of 88.54 at a 2/1 morning line makes this one of the stronger value alignments on the card. Race 2 brings Kick Startness onto the scene at 9/5, another dirt miler with a nearly identical TrackWiz rating of 88.83 — that consistency across back-to-back races tells you the top of this field is competitive and worth watching closely.
Race 3 is where casual bettors might want to pay attention: Maximus Princess opens at 10/1 in a Maiden Special Weight mile, and while the morning line screams longshot, our rating of 76.88 reflects a genuinely live contender in an unpredictable field. MSW races — where no horse has won before — are the wild cards of any card, and this one has upset written all over it. The free picks today aren't just about chalking up favorites; there's real betting texture here.
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It's a workmanlike but beatable Friday card at Delaware Park. Concealed Carry and Kick Startness anchor the free plays with strong TrackWiz ratings, while Maximus Princess offers the kind of longshot intrigue that keeps the Pick 3s interesting. Italy's 89.27 rating in Race 7 makes that sprint one of the most compelling standalone bets of the day. For pace scenarios, exotic strategies, and the full nine-race breakdown, subscribers have everything they need — good luck out there.