Daily Picks

Delta Downs Picks & Predictions — June 25, 2026

Thursday, June 25, 20268 racesDelta Downs

Delta Downs is rolling out an eight-race Thursday card under clear Louisiana skies, with the thermometer sitting at a sweltering 87°F. Conditions are about as ideal as you'll get for quarter horse racing — a fast, consistent dirt strip and no weather excuses for anyone in the paddock.

Short-distance sprinting is the name of the game today, with distances ranging from a blink-and-you'll-miss-it 250 yards all the way out to 400 yards — practically a marathon by Delta Downs standards. The card is a mix of maiden and claiming company, which means plenty of unsettled form and real opportunities if you know where to look.

TrackWiz has broken down all eight races. The first three are on us — free to every reader. Races 4 through 8 are where things get really interesting, and those are available to subscribers.

Best Bets

Race 1

11:15 PM EDT

Maiden · 330 yd · Dirt

A maiden sprint over 330 yards with a clear top-two separation in the ratings — but several first-time starters make this unpredictable, as debut form in short dirt dashes can surprise even the sharpest handicappers.

win1Carteron the FlyML 7/2

Carteron the Fly is the standout of this field, carrying the highest TrackWiz rating at 86.35 and the notable distinction of being the only horse in the race with a career win percentage on the board at 12%. That experience edge over a field full of winless first-timers is significant in a 330-yard dash where there's zero margin for error out of the gate. Trainer Francisco Campos, Jr. saddles a horse that has at least been around the winner's circle, and jockey Ubaldo Luna gets a favorable draw in the 1-hole — in a race this short, clean air from the rail is a real asset. At 7/2 on the morning line, this is fair but not inflated value given the edge our analysis sees.

place6Everyday DeedsML 5/2

Everyday Deeds posts an 81.06 TrackWiz rating — second-best in the field — which is a meaningful gap over the rest of the horses outside the top three. The 5/2 morning line makes this the likely betting favorite, and while that compresses the win value a bit, the rating supports a strong place effort. Trainer Esau H. Hernandez and jockey Adrian X. Morales team up for what looks like a live and ready debut runner.

show7San Lorenzo BigriverML 4/1

San Lorenzo Bigriver rounds out our top three with a 77.75 rating, which sits comfortably above the mid-pack and makes a podium finish a reasonable expectation. Juan Francisco Garcia, Jr. takes the mount for trainer Juan C. Garcia — a barn-and-jock combo that could mean additional inside knowledge about this horse's preparation. At 4/1, the show price will be minimal, but San Lorenzo Bigriver's rating profile makes it a sensible exotic anchor.

Race 2

11:40 PM EDT

Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

A tight claiming sprint over 250 yards where the top two horses in the ratings are separated by less than two points — expect a photo finish and a genuine pace battle at the break.

win4Marvelous RogueML 2/1

Marvelous Rogue tops the TrackWiz ratings at 88.54 and gets the 2/1 morning line to match, making this the consensus selection from every angle. The 9% career win percentage might look modest in isolation, but in this claiming company at 250 yards, raw speed and consistency matter more than win rate — and the rating edge here is legitimate. Ubaldo Luna in the irons is a proven quantity at Delta Downs, and trainer Eduardo L. Morales puts up a horse that our analysis identifies as the most complete profile in the field. This is a vulnerable-looking chalk, but the numbers back it up.

place2Mda Ivory PistolML 3/1

Mda Ivory Pistol is only 1.57 points behind Marvelous Rogue in the ratings at 86.97, and that's practically a dead heat on paper. What sets this horse apart as a place play is the 20% career win percentage — the best conversion rate among the top-rated contenders — suggesting a horse that has found the winner's circle before and knows how to fire. Trainer Larry D. Keith and jockey Leonardo Rodriguez form a pairing worth noting in short claiming sprints like this.

show8Valentina NiebesML 4/1

Valentina Niebes rounds out our exacta/trifecta coverage with an 81.54 TrackWiz rating and a 4/1 morning line that offers decent show value. Trainer Luis R. Martinez, Jr. and jockey Eddi Emanuel Martinez connect on this runner, and while the 7% career win percentage is modest, the rating profile puts this horse clearly in the mix for a piece of the prize. In a race this short, position and break quality can make up for other deficiencies, and Valentina Niebes has the profile to hit the board.

Race 3

12:05 AM EDT

Maiden · 400 yd · Dirt

One horse stands well above the rest in a maiden sprint over 400 yards, but second and third are closely bunched — the exacta underneath could be the real play here.

win3Is Leavin HotML 8/5

Is Leavin Hot is the dominant figure in this field with an 89.12 TrackWiz rating — the highest mark on the card through the first three races. Installed as the 8/5 morning line favorite, this runner gets trainer Ismael Solis-Guevara and jockey Juan Francisco Garcia, Jr., a combination that suggests connections are confident and ready to fire. The gap between Is Leavin Hot and the second-rated horse (Hez Toasted at 65.42) is over 23 points — that's a canyon, not a gap, in a maiden sprint. Back this one with confidence, understanding that first-out form always carries some uncertainty.

place2Hez ToastedML 5/1

Hez Toasted is our top selection for the place slot, rating second in the field at 65.42 and posted at a generous 5/1 morning line. Trainer Salvador G. Flores and jockey Rolando Cabrera take the mount with a runner that shows enough ability to land the runner-up spot if the favorite handles the longer 400-yard distance cleanly. The value play here is building an exacta with the top two, given the clear class separation from the rest of the field.

show6Gold Heart MafiaML 5/2

Gold Heart Mafia, the 5/2 second choice on the morning line, actually rates third in our analysis at 61.56 — slightly below Hez Toasted despite a shorter price. Trainer Francisco Campos Sr. has the mount for jockey Rene Hernandez, and while the morning line suggests bettors may over-bet this one, the rating still places it firmly in third-best territory. Include Gold Heart Mafia in your trifecta coverage but be aware the show price may not offer significant value at those odds.

Our free coverage spans the first three races, and there's legitimate value in all of them. Race 1 is a 330-yard maiden where Carteron the Fly (morning line 7/2, TrackWiz rating 86.35) offers some upside above the favorite's typical low price. Race 2 tightens up to 250 yards — the shortest sprint on the card — where Marvelous Rogue comes in at 2/1 and an 88.54 rating, making them one of the stronger chalk plays of the afternoon. Then Race 3 stretches back out to 400 yards in maiden company, and that's where Is Leavin Hot (8/5 ML, 89.12 rating) stands out as the highest-rated pick in our free tier. In quarter horse sprints, a horse that earns a rating that strong in a maiden field is worth taking seriously regardless of the short price.

One angle to keep in mind across these early races: the heat today can affect how horses break from the gate — fatigue is a non-factor at these distances, but a clean, explosive start is everything. Horses with a clean gate record have a clear edge on a card like this.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

12:30 AM EDT

Maiden · 300 yd · Dirt

Wide open 300-yard maiden sprint where the ratings cluster tightly at the top — no horse has a career win on the record, and the spread between the top five horses is just over eight points, making this a genuine toss-up.

win6Favorite Wild ChildML 3/1

Favorite Wild Child tops our analysis with a 56.67 TrackWiz rating and draws the support of jockey Juan Francisco Garcia, Jr., who has already been active on this card. Trainer Kenneth L. Roberts, Sr. sends this runner out at 3/1 — the lowest morning line odds in the race — suggesting connections are confident despite a field of pure maidens with no speed figures to reference. In a tight race like this, the small rating edge and the morning line agreement are enough to make this our top selection. It's razor-thin, so include multiple horses in your exotics.

place1Rebas FavoriteML 4/1

Rebas Favorite rates at exactly 55.00 — just under Favorite Wild Child — and lands on the inside post with jockey Leonardo Rodriguez, who has had a busy night on the card. Trainer Viviane Hill sends this one out at 4/1 morning line odds, and the inside draw in a sprint this short could be an asset for a clean break. The narrow points gap between the top three here means this horse is as likely to finish second as any runner in the field.

show8Ba Little WarriorML 9/2

Ba Little Warrior comes in third on our ratings at 54.17, separated by less than a point from Rebas Favorite, and the 9/2 morning line reflects a horse the book respects. Trainer Larry D. Keith and jockey Humberto Vital team up on a runner that could sneak onto the podium in what figures to be a chaotic scramble of debut sprinters. Use this one in trifectas as a hedge in a race where separation at the finish line is almost impossible to predict.

Race 5

12:55 AM EDT

Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

A nine-horse claiming dash at 250 yards where the win pick is a legitimate longshot angle — the top three in the ratings are closely bunched, but there's a potential value horse overlooked by the morning line.

win4SwiftieML 8/1

Swiftie is our top selection at 8/1 on the morning line despite owning the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 79.79 — and that price discrepancy is exactly the kind of overlay that sharp bettors look for. The headline stat here is a 33% career win percentage, the best conversion rate in the entire race by a significant margin, meaning this horse has a legitimate track record of hitting the wire first when it shows up ready. Trainer Salvador G. Flores saddles a runner that our analysis rates as the top horse despite the public seemingly undervaluing it. If the 8/1 holds through post time, this is one of the stronger value plays on the card.

place5Jrs Hiclass CartelML 3/1

Jrs Hiclass Cartel is almost a dead heat with Swiftie on ratings — 79.68 to 79.79 — and gets the 3/1 morning line, making it the likely betting choice for the win. Trainer Mardonio Flores, Jr. and jockey Humberto Vital connect on a horse that our analysis sees as nearly equal in ability to the top pick. If Swiftie fires at 8/1, Jrs Hiclass Cartel is the natural complement in the exacta, giving you the two highest-rated horses in the race in your key combination.

show2Bugs Gone RogueML 4/1

Bugs Gone Rogue rates third in the field at 70.83 and offers solid show value at 4/1 morning line odds. Trainer Luis R. Martinez, Jr. and jockey Eddi Emanuel Martinez team up on a horse that has been to the post enough times to understand what's expected — though the 4% career win percentage suggests breaking through hasn't come easy. In a race this competitive, third-place finishes are realistic, and Bugs Gone Rogue's rating gap over the rest of the field below it is notable.

Race 6

1:20 AM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

A ten-horse maiden claiming sprint at 250 yards where one horse towers over the competition on ratings — but maiden claimers at this distance are volatile, and the price on the top pick is fair enough to merit a straight win bet.

win1Jodys Kool SecretML 4/1

Jodys Kool Secret is the class of this field in our analysis, carrying an 85.62 TrackWiz rating that is more than 20 points clear of the second-rated horse, Tg Amount Dasher at 65.22. Trainer Santiago Villaseca partners with jockey Ubaldo Luna — who has been one of the busier and more successful jockeys on this card — and the 4/1 morning line represents genuine value for a horse this far clear of the field on ratings. In maiden claiming company over this distance, a 20-point edge in the ratings is a substantial edge. This is a confident play.

place4Tg Amount DasherML 5/1

Tg Amount Dasher rates second at 65.22 and the 5/1 morning line makes it an intriguing place option in a race where the win looks locked up. Trainer Luis R. Martinez, Jr. saddles two horses in this race, and jockey Eddi Emanuel Martinez takes the mount — connections that have shown activity throughout the card. The gap between Tg Amount Dasher and the third-rated horse (Drink Up Mister at 56.67) is meaningful enough to suggest a clear pecking order in the places.

show6Drink Up MisterML 3/1

Drink Up Mister rates third at 56.67 and is actually the morning line second choice at 3/1, which may create a show overlay for more conservative bettors. Trainer Trey Ellis also has Relentless Energy in this race, splitting the barn's chances, but Drink Up Mister is clearly the preferred runner based on the rating edge. Jockey Juan Francisco Garcia, Jr. picks up this mount, and his experience on the card tonight gives this horse a competent pilot worth trusting for a board position.

Race 7

1:45 AM EDT

Claiming · 400 yd · Dirt

One horse is clearly the best on paper in this nine-horse claiming mile at 400 yards, but the pace scenario sets up for a contested break that could benefit closers — the second and third choices are closely matched and worth playing underneath.

win3Jw First ContendereML 4/1

Jw First Contendere tops the TrackWiz ratings at 85.62 and is installed at a generous 4/1 on the morning line, which is better than the number usually attached to the highest-rated horse in a field like this. Trainer Jaime E. Gonzalez sends this one out with jockey Ignacio Reyes up, and the 7% career win percentage is consistent with the field's general conversion rates — this is not a horse that has underachieved at a dramatic level. The 400-yard distance suits horses that can sustain a full sprint, and the rating edge here is real. This is our top selection and a legitimate value play.

place5SupertruckerML 5/2

Supertrucker is the 5/2 morning line choice and rates second at 80.53 — over five points behind the top pick but clearly ahead of the rest of the field. Trainer Gilberto Rosales and jockey Randy B. Edison give this horse a pairing with solid standing at Delta Downs, and the 8% career win percentage shows a horse that has been competitive regularly. If Jw First Contendere hits any trouble out of the gates, Supertrucker has the profile to grab the lead and hold on for a top-two finish.

show9Hamlet On the MoveML 7/2

Hamlet On the Move rates third at 79.89 — essentially nose-to-nose with Supertrucker — and the 7/2 morning line suggests the public sees it similarly. Trainer Mardonio Flores, Jr. and jockey Humberto Vital have been active tonight, and a 9% career win percentage is the best conversion rate among the top three contenders in this race. Use Hamlet On the Move as a trifecta leg and consider it an alternative exacta partner if you're looking to beat the short-priced Supertrucker.

Race 8

2:10 AM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

A ten-horse maiden claiming sprint at 250 yards to close out the card — no horse in the field has ever won a race, and the top ratings are clustered tightly, making this a spread race that rewards exotic betting over straight win plays.

win2Full DrawML 5/2

Full Draw leads our analysis at a 57.50 TrackWiz rating and gets the 5/2 morning line as the likely favorite — a rating edge, albeit a modest one in a tight field. Trainer Jose U. Lopez and jockey Leonardo Rodriguez combine on what our analysis considers the most complete profile available in this closing maiden claimer. Rodriguez has been one of the busier jockeys on the card tonight, which can be a positive sign of a live book of business. In a race with no prior winners, the small edge Full Draw carries is enough to make it our top selection.

place10Rose NightML 7/2

Rose Night, the lone double-digit program number in the field, rates second at 55.83 and draws the 7/2 morning line with Bobby Ransom in the irons for trainer Vann E. Haywood. The gap between Full Draw and Rose Night is less than two points — in practical terms, these two horses are nearly identical on ratings, making Rose Night a natural place selection to complement the win pick. Exotic players should key these two at the top of their trifecta tickets.

show7Lil Ivory LegacyML 5/1

Lil Ivory Legacy rates third at 53.33 and the 5/1 morning line gives this horse some place and show value worth targeting in exotics. Trainer Victor Oviedo and jockey Erik N. Esqueda take the mount in a race where everyone is breaking even on career record — literally. The rating separation between Lil Ivory Legacy and the horses rated below it in this field provides a credible case for a podium finish, even if it takes some racing luck to get there.

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Eight races, clear skies, and a fast Delta Downs strip — it's a solid Thursday card with multiple angles worth playing. Is Leavin Hot is our marquee free pick in Race 3, and Swiftie at 8/1 in Race 5 is the longshot flag we're waving for premium subscribers today. Don't play the back half blind — the full breakdown, exotic tickets, and pace projections are waiting for you at TrackWiz Premium.

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