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Delaware Park Picks & Predictions — August 27, 2026

August 27, 20268 racesAll Delaware Park picks

It's a warm Thursday afternoon at Delaware Park — 82 degrees under partly cloudy skies — and the main track should be in solid shape for the eight-race card posted today. No rain in the picture means a consistent, likely fast surface all day, which rewards horses with reliable speed figures and punishes anything that needs an off track to fire its best.

Eight races spread across dirt and turf give you plenty of angles to work with. The card mixes claiming races and maiden events in the early going before stepping up in class through the back half, capped by an Allowance Optional Claiming mile in Race 7 that looks like the day's marquee matchup. Turf fans get their moment in Race 5, a five-furlong allowance that could play fast on what should be firm going.

TrackWiz has ratings and top picks locked in for every race. Races 1 through 3 are free for everyone — the rest of the card is available to subscribers. Let's get into it.

Best Bets

Race 1

4:20 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

A wide-open one-mile dirt claimer where the TrackWiz ratings reveal a clear top pick hiding beneath an underlay morning line — the public will have to choose between four legitimate contenders.

win8Miti Fast FlowerML 6/1

Miti Fast Flower is the standout in this field by rating, posting an 82.71 — a full 15 points clear of the second-ranked horse. Sitting at 6/1 on the morning line, that's a significant overlay given her numerical edge, and trainer Jesus Rodriguez sends her out with a 20% career win rate behind her. Her average speed figure of 51 is in line with the field, but the TrackWiz composite rating suggests she's doing more right than raw speed numbers alone can show — she belongs on top of your tickets.

place2Recognize MeML 9/2

Recognize Me checks in with the second-best rating in the field at 67.59 and owns the second-highest career win percentage at 21% — that's a horse who knows how to get the job done. Jockey Leonardo Corujo gets the call, and at 9/2 on the morning line, there's real value here for exacta and place wagers if Miti Fast Flower leads the way.

show1Always ForwardML 7/2

Always Forward (7/2 ML) is the morning-line second choice and rounds out our TrackWiz top three with a solid 62.12 rating under Jorge F. Hernandez. The 10% career win rate is modest, but in a race this open, getting him on your tickets for show and exotic coverage makes sense at a price that should be fair at the windows.

Race 2

4:52 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Six furlongs of dirt with a legitimate top-rated contender trying to hold off two dangerous rivals who both carry strong win percentages — pace could be the deciding factor in what shapes up as a three-horse battle.

win3Sister CarlieML 4/1

Sister Carlie tops the TrackWiz ratings at 85.62, the highest in the field, and she pairs that number with an average speed figure of 54 — tied for best in the race. Trainer Pedro Nazario hands the reins to Emanuel Rosario, an active book at Delaware Park, and at 4/1 on the morning line, she's offering a touch of value given how clearly she separates herself in our model. This is the play.

place5Stylish GemML 6/1

Stylish Gem at 6/1 is the value play in the exotics — her 76.52 rating is third-best in the field but she carries a 12% career win rate and an average speed figure of 54, matching Sister Carlie's top-end figure. Trainer Jeffrey A. Poole with Cipriano Gil up is a combination worth watching, and if the pace gets hot up front, Stylish Gem's profile suggests she could be the one picking up the pieces.

show6True PhenomenonML 3/1

True Phenomenon is the morning-line favorite at 3/1 and posts a 76.26 rating — nearly identical to Stylish Gem's — making this a tight three-way at the top. Trainer Jamie Ness is a name you'll see all day at Delaware, and Jaime Rodriguez riding gives the connections a strong hand. He's worth keeping in your show tickets and exacta boxes.

Race 3

5:24 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

A maiden claiming mile on the dirt where every horse in the field is still chasing their first win — ratings separate the contenders, but upsets are always on the table in these conditions.

win2Williston WizardML 8/5

Williston Wizard owns the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 59.0 and matches that with a 54 average speed figure — tied for the best in the race. Trainer Edward T. Allard sends him out as the 8/5 morning-line choice, and jockey Martin Chuan has a familiar book at this track. In maiden claiming company, the horse who's simply doing the most right analytically often gets the job done — Williston Wizard is that horse today.

place5EclipsenessML 2/1

Eclipseness is razor-close to the top at 58.33 and also sports an average speed figure of 54 — making this a genuine dead-heat at the top of our model. Trainer Jamie Ness with Jaime Rodriguez is a live tandem, and at 2/1 on the morning line, the public agrees. If Williston Wizard hits any traffic, Eclipseness is right there to capitalize.

show3Tis WellML 4/1

Tis Well slots in third in our ratings at 55.0 with a 53 average speed figure, and Vincent Cheminaud is a jockey who can get horses to settle and finish in route races. At 4/1, she offers enough value to include in your exotic tickets — third place in a wide-open maiden is a perfectly realistic outcome for a filly with this profile.

The opening three races give us plenty to like. Miti Fast Flower draws our attention in the one-mile dirt opener — the extra ground should suit, and at 6/1 on the morning line there's genuine value attached to a TrackWiz rating of 82.71. In Race 2, Sister Carlie brings a strong 85.62 rating into a six-furlong claiming sprint and is worth following as a short-priced but legitimate top choice at 4/1. The wild card of the free trio is Race 3, a maiden claiming mile where Williston Wizard opens as the 8/5 favorite — maiden races carry more uncertainty by nature, but the figure supports the favoritism.

One thread running through these early dirt races: pace scenario matters on a surface that should be consistent and fast today. Front-runners who can control the tempo in sprint-distance races have historically had an edge at Delaware in these conditions. Keep that in mind when deciding how much to trust early speed in Race 2 specifically.

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Race 4

5:56 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

This six-furlong dirt claimer has a clear class standout at the top, but the morning-line favorite's 5% career win rate raises legitimate questions — the two horses directly behind him are ready to pounce.

win1Federal ExchangeML 8/5

Federal Exchange leads all comers with a 89.12 TrackWiz rating — a dominant number in this field — and an average speed figure of 54, tied for best in the race. Trainer Robert A. Werneth sends him out as the 8/5 morning-line chalk with Cipriano Gil up, a rider who's been busy and effective at Delaware. The 5% career win rate is the one yellow flag, but model ratings often lead the win percentage when a horse is stepping into a softer spot — and this field is soft enough to forgive past struggles.

place2Megan's HonorML 2/1

Megan's Honor is the legitimate threat at 2/1 on the morning line, posting an 80.76 rating and a career win percentage of 18% — one of the stronger win rates in today's field. Trainer Michael V. Simone with Ajhari Williams gives her a solid foundation, and if Federal Exchange has any trouble off the gate, Megan's Honor has the profile to run him down.

show5EnforcerML 9/2

Enforcer at 9/2 comes in with a 60.63 rating and a 12% career win rate, fitting neatly as the third wheel in a three-horse race. His average speed figure of 54 matches the top of the field, and trainer Ernesto Padilla-Preciado with Anthony Salgado up gives him a fighting chance to hit the board. He's the right show-ticket horse in this spot.

Race 5

6:28 PM EDT

Allowance · 5 fur · Turf

A full field of 14 goes to post in a five-furlong turf allowance — this is the deepest race on the card, with seven horses rated above 60 and no horse under 3/5 running away from a competitive bunch.

win8Candy TalkingML 3/1

Candy Talking is our top selection at 87.08 — the highest rating in the entire 14-horse field — and she's going postward at a very reasonable 3/1 on the morning line. Trainer McLean Robertson has Julio A. Hernandez up, and her 25% career win rate tells you she's done it before at this level. On a short five-furlong turf sprint where early positioning matters, a horse this highly rated at a fair price deserves to be your single.

place6Baby BlocksML 5/1

Baby Blocks brings a 74.32 rating and the best average speed figure in the field at 58 — on a tight turf course, pure speed matters, and she has more of it than anyone else in here. Her 24% career win rate is excellent, and trainer Blake Kelly sends her out at 5/1 with Martin Chuan, who knows how to get a horse positioned on the grass. She's a strong place play and legitimate exacta partner with Candy Talking.

show5TruthorconsequenceML 6/1

Truthorconsequence slots third in our picks with a 71.81 rating and a 6/1 morning line that offers real value on a crowded ticket. The 13% career win rate is modest, but trainer Michael M. Moore with Andy Hernandez suggests a horse live enough to hit the board in a big field. In a 14-horse turf race, securing show coverage on a horse with this kind of rating at 6/1 is smart exotic construction.

Race 6

7:00 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

A nine-horse dirt sprint at 5½ furlongs features a fascinating co-top-rated situation — two horses share the highest TrackWiz number, but only one of them is the morning-line favorite, creating an obvious value angle.

win1Risk FactorML 3/1

Risk Factor and Float On share the exact same TrackWiz rating of 79.79, but Risk Factor gets the nod as our win pick based on the post position and morning-line respect — he's the 3/1 chalk with Jaime Rodriguez aboard for trainer Michelle Castillo. His 14% career win rate is respectable in this company, and his average speed figure of 54 fits the class level. In a sprint where the leader often controls the pace narrative, getting Jaime Rodriguez in the gate at the rail is a significant edge.

place5Float OnML 8/1

Float On is the value bomb of the card — sharing that 79.79 rating with the win pick but going off at 8/1 on the morning line. Trainer Josue Arce, who also saddles Guaio today, sends Float On out with Jose A. Batista and a 20% career win rate — that's a horse who closes out races at a clips that should earn him a check today. If Risk Factor draws the pressure early, Float On has every tool to swoop through the place spot.

show3Laddie DanceML 2/1

Laddie Dance sits third in our model at 69.08 with a 15% career win rate and a 55 average speed figure — the best raw speed number in the field. Trainer Gina Perri with Matilda Burnham is a combination that flies under the radar, and at 2/1 on the morning line, the public is giving her fair respect. She's the right show horse in a race where the top two have nearly identical model profiles.

Race 7

7:32 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

The allowance optional claiming mile features a clear top-rated contender who's going off at a generous morning line — but the 9/5 morning-line favorite carries a legitimately eye-catching 50% career win rate that makes this race more than a formality.

win4Our NotionML 3/1

Our Notion is the TrackWiz top pick by a wide margin, posting an 87.08 — nearly 27 points clear of the next-rated horse in the field. Trainer Jamie Ness — one of the most active and effective trainers at Delaware — saddles him with Jaime Rodriguez up, and that's about as strong a jockey-trainer combination as you'll find on this card. At 3/1 on the morning line, you're getting real value on the highest-rated horse in the race, and in an allowance optional claimer, class and quality tend to win out.

place6L Golden BoyML 12/1

L Golden Boy is the value play of the entire card at 12/1 on the morning line — yet he checks in with a 59.99 TrackWiz rating, comfortably in the middle of this seven-horse field. Trainer Hugo O. Padilla with Andy Hernandez is a live combination, and a 7% career win rate in allowance company doesn't tell the whole story when the model sees this much underlying quality. At 12/1, you don't need him to win — a place finish pays handsomely.

show7Street PartyML 8/1

Street Party rates at 59.62 with a 14% career win rate and draws Martin Chuan for trainer Michael V. Pino. His average speed figure of 51 is on the lower end of the field, but in a one-mile race where pace can set things up for closers, Street Party's profile fits a horse who might be saving ground and pouncing late. At 8/1, he's worth a look on your show tickets and any longshot exotics.

Race 8

8:04 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

The nightcap is a maiden claiming sprint at 5½ furlongs — every horse is still looking for win number one, but the TrackWiz ratings reveal a significant standout hiding under a price that casual bettors might overlook.

win7Mom EsterinaML 7/2

Mom Esterina is the clear top pick in this field with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating — more than 27 points ahead of the morning-line favorite Montserrat Boom. Despite that dominant analytical edge, she's going off at 7/2, making her a genuine overlay in our view. Trainer Kelly Lynn Deiter sends her out with Edgar Villasmil up, and in a six-horse maiden field, a horse with this kind of rating separation should be your anchor. Maiden races are unpredictable, but this gap in the numbers is hard to ignore.

place4Montserrat BoomML 8/5

Montserrat Boom is the morning-line chalk at 8/5 and carries a 59.0 rating — second-best in the field — along with the best average speed figure in the race at 54. Trainer Niall Saville and jockey Brittany Scampton form a combination worth watching, and if Mom Esterina faces any trouble in the sprint, Montserrat Boom has the raw speed to take over. She's a solid place ticket anchor.

show1Nova's TimeML 2/1

Nova's Time rounds out the top three at 58.33 with a 53 average speed figure, and trainer Ben Ramos puts Cipriano Gil up — one of the more active riders at Delaware Park today. At 2/1 on the morning line, she's not a longshot by any means, but tucking her into the show position of an exacta or trifecta gives you solid coverage in a race where the top two are closely matched on raw speed.

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Delaware Park's Thursday card has real depth — Miti Fast Flower, Sister Carlie, and Williston Wizard headline the free plays, and the premium half of the card features our highest-rated pick of the day in Federal Exchange alongside a turf race and a marquee allowance mile built for exotic wagering. As always, the figures are a guide, not a guarantee — racing has a way of humbling everyone. Play smart, manage your bankroll, and enjoy the action. Full card analysis is waiting for subscribers at TrackWiz/pricing.

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