Daily Picks

Delta Downs Picks & Predictions — July 17, 2026

Friday, July 17, 20269 racesDelta Downs

We're heading to Delta Downs on a warm Louisiana Friday — partly cloudy skies and 89°F on the thermometer, which means a fast, consistent dirt surface for what shapes up as a full nine-race card of Quarter Horse sprints. These short bursts — distances ranging from 220 yards all the way out to 770 yards — demand explosive gate speed and clean trips, so pace scenarios and break quality are going to be front and center all day long.

The card mixes Maiden events, Allowances, Claiming races, and an Optional Claiming nightcap, giving us plenty of different angles to attack. Three races are available free to all TrackWiz readers, with six premium races rounding out the full-card experience for subscribers. Let's break down what stands out today.

Best Bets

Race 1

11:15 PM EDT

Maiden · 330 yd · Dirt

A maiden sprint over 330 yards with a clear ratings standout on top, but several lightly raced unknowns make this field trickier than the morning line suggests.

win6Different CoronaML 3/1

Different Corona (No. 6) tops our TrackWiz ratings with an 87.08 — the highest mark in the field by a meaningful margin — and carries a 14% career win rate, which is the only horse in this maiden field with a documented win percentage to speak of. That experience edge matters in a race full of horses with zero recorded wins. Jockey Randy Edison Jr. gets the call for trainer Noe R. Sanchez, and at 3/1 on the morning line, the price is fair for a horse who grades out as the class of the field.

place7Tee PrairieML 9/2

Tee Prairie (No. 7) rates second-best among the TrackWiz figures at 78.23 and sits at a generous 9/2 on the morning line. Trainer Jorge E. Rubio sends this one out with jockey Noe Castaneda, a competent pairing for a maiden sprint. The rating gap between Tee Prairie and the horses below it is wide enough that a place finish looks very achievable.

show3A Party to RememberML 2/1

A Party to Remember (No. 3) comes in as the morning-line favorite at 2/1 and rates at 76.32 — close enough to Tee Prairie to make this a competitive trio at the top. Trainer Trey Ellis has this one ready for Ubaldo Luna, and while our model likes Different Corona to win, A Party to Remember's favorite billing suggests public confidence that shouldn't be ignored in the show slot.

Race 2

11:40 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 770 yd · Dirt

A Starter Optional Claiming event at 770 yards where our top-rated horse is sitting at a juicy price, while a proven career-winner battles for relevance against a very competitive middle of the pack.

win7Cosino RogueML 4/1

Cosino Rogue (No. 7) is the standout here with a TrackWiz rating of 85.62 — well clear of the rest of the field — and carries an 11% career win rate in what projects as his best effort at this level. Trainer Ray Robbins hands the reins to Donell Blake, and at 4/1 on the morning line, there's legitimate value on a horse our model grades as the class of this Starter Optional Claiming field. The longer 770-yard distance adds a stamina component, and Cosino Rogue's rating suggests he has the profile to last.

place2B the VisionML 2/1

B the Vision (No. 2) brings a 25% career win rate into this spot — one of the highest in the field — and rates at 77.77 on the TrackWiz scale. Trainer Preston Jourdan puts Ubaldo Luna up, a savvy combination at this level. The morning line favors this horse at 2/1, so while we're taking Cosino Rogue to win, B the Vision's proven record makes a place finish a reasonable expectation.

show3Curlin CoalML 5/1

Curlin Coal (No. 3) slots in as our show selection with a solid 74.94 rating and a 10% career win rate. Juan Francisco Garcia, Jr. rides for trainer Mardonio Flores, Jr., and at 5/1 the price is workable for a horse who rates third in this field. Worth including in exactas and trifectas as a key underneath.

Race 3

12:05 AM EDT

Allowance · 250 yd · Dirt

This 250-yard allowance features a wide range of talent — a couple of horses in the mid-80s rating range tower over a bottom half of the field that grades out very modestly.

win7Channings MagicML 4/1

Channings Magic (No. 7) leads the TrackWiz ratings at 85.62 and checks in at 4/1 on the morning line — a fair price for the top-graded horse in an allowance field. Trainer Luis R. Martinez, Jr. sends this one out with Eddi Emanuel Martinez in the irons, and a 20% career win rate provides a solid baseline. At 250 yards, there's no room to make up ground; our model says Channings Magic breaks on top and doesn't look back.

place1Bigg Tymer StoneML 7/2

Bigg Tymer Stone (No. 1) is a fascinating play with a 40% career win rate — the highest of any horse in this field — and a TrackWiz rating of 79.3. Trainer Adalberto Miranda also conditions Dahlonega Stone in this race, so he knows the competition well. Ubaldo Luna aboard at 7/2 gives this one a real shot, and that win percentage is hard to ignore for place purposes.

show4San Lorenzo CashML 2/1

San Lorenzo Cash (No. 4) rates at 64.28 and is the morning-line favorite at 2/1, which tells us the public sees something we want to respect here. Trainer Juan C. Garcia uses Leonardo Rodriguez, and a 25% career win rate backs up the short price. Even if the top two come through ahead, San Lorenzo Cash's class profile makes a show finish very much in play.

Our three free races — Races 1, 2, and 3 — give us a solid cross-section of today's action. Different Corona opens the card in the 330-yard Maiden at a 3/1 morning line with an 87.08 TrackWiz rating, one of the stronger marks among the free picks. In Race 2, Cosino Rogue stretches out to 770 yards in the Starter Optional Claiming — the only route-ish test on the card — and figures to benefit if the pace gets honest up front at 4/1. Channings Magic rounds out the free trio in the Race 3 Allowance sprint at 250 yards, sharing an 85.62 rating with Cosino Rogue and sitting right at 4/1 on the morning line.

One thread connecting all three: the hot, dry conditions tend to keep the Delta Downs surface playing quick and true, which rewards horses that break sharply and establish position immediately. In these ultra-short sprints, there's simply no room to recover from a slow start. All three free picks profile as horses that earn their numbers up front.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

12:30 AM EDT

Allowance · 250 yd · Dirt

A full nine-horse allowance sprint at 250 yards where the top of the ratings field is well-separated from the bottom, but the morning line spreads the prices unevenly — creating some interesting value spots.

win7Fly SweetsML 5/1

Fly Sweets (No. 7) grades out as the top horse in the field with an 84.17 TrackWiz rating and backs it up with a 25% career win rate — the best winning percentage among the horses rating 60 or above. Trainer Larry D. Keith deploys Leonardo Rodriguez, and at 5/1 on the morning line, this is a value play our model strongly supports. In a 250-yard race where it's all about the break and the burst, Fly Sweets profiles as the one to beat.

place6Ebony JamesML 3/1

Ebony James (No. 6) rates at 73.85 and is on the morning line at 3/1, making her the public's lean for top honors — but our model grades Fly Sweets above her. That said, a 10% career win rate and trainer Francisco Campos, Jr. pairing with the accomplished Ubaldo Luna makes Ebony James a very credible place horse. She's the type that runs consistently and can hit the board at a short price.

show3Leaving You LocoML 7/2

Leaving You Loco (No. 3) is worth including at 7/2 on the morning line with a 68.27 rating that places her solidly in the conversation. Trainer Kenneth Weeks and jockey Servando Ramirez are a workmanlike combination, and an 11% career win rate suggests she's capable of firing on any given day. A trifecta key under the top two makes sense here.

Race 5

12:55 AM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 220 yd · Dirt

Ten maiden claimers converge at 220 yards — the shortest sprint on the card — and our model identifies a clear top selection, though wide-open maiden fields always carry a healthy dose of unpredictability.

win4Amys Game ChangerML 3/1

Amys Game Changer (No. 4) has the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 87.08 — tied for best on today's entire card — and is fairly installed at 3/1 on the morning line. Trainer Gregory O. Williams puts Ubaldo Luna on board, one of the track's most consistent riders. In a 220-yard race, this is essentially a gate-to-wire proposition, and Amys Game Changer's top rating suggests she has the raw ability to explode out of the gate and hold on.

place10Jrs Majestic Jet EyeML 4/1

Jrs Majestic Jet Eye (No. 10) rates second in the field at 66.83 and is listed at 4/1 — a price that reflects reasonable confidence from the morning line makers. Trainer Oswaldo Hernandez sends this one with Jorge Javier Garcia, and with a clear gap between this horse and the rest of the field below it, a place finish is well within reach if Amys Game Changer gets the win.

show3Spicey TrainML 9/2

Spicey Train (No. 3) slots in third on our TrackWiz model at 54.14 and sits at 9/2 on the morning line. Trainer Ramiro Aboytes-Suarez uses Randy Edison Jr., and in a wide-open maiden claimer like this, a show-place-show punch from the top three makes for solid exotic construction. Spicey Train's rating holds up well against the rest of the field below the top two.

Race 6

1:20 AM EDT

Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

A ten-horse claiming sprint at 250 yards that's wide open from top to bottom — the morning-line third choice tops our ratings, and there's a sharp value play lurking in the field.

win2SwiftieML 8/1

Swiftie (No. 2) is our top-rated horse in Race 6 at 79.79 on the TrackWiz scale and brings a 25% career win rate into this spot — one of the highest in this field. Despite that strong profile, the morning line has this one at 8/1, making Swiftie one of the most undervalued horses on today's card from a pure ratings-to-price standpoint. Trainer Salvador G. Flores puts Juan Garcia-Gonzalez in the irons, and at a quarter-mile, Swiftie's explosive potential projects as the key to this race.

place6Meagans HuckleberryML 5/1

Meagans Huckleberry (No. 6) rates second at 72.92 and sits at 5/1 on the morning line — a workable price for a horse who grades out clearly above the field's lower half. Trainer Danny Hoda and jockey Rene Hernandez are a familiar combination, and a 6% career win rate suggests this one gets close but may need the conditions to set up favorably. As a place bet in a wide-open field, the 5/1 morning line is appealing.

show8San Lorenzo FastML 7/2

San Lorenzo Fast (No. 8) rates third in our model at 69.3 and carries a 9% career win rate with trainer Francisco Campos, Jr. using Ubaldo Luna at 7/2 on the morning line. The connection to a top-tier rider at that price suggests this barn likes their chances, and the rating backs up their confidence. A solid show-bet option in what shapes up as a competitive claiming sprint.

Race 7

1:45 AM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 330 yd · Dirt

Ten maiden claimers line up at 330 yards with a clear top selection on the TrackWiz model, but every horse in this field is still searching for their first win — making pace and gate position especially critical.

win5The Jess LouisianaML 7/2

The Jess Louisiana (No. 5) leads all entrants in Race 7 with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating — the highest mark in this field by a solid eight-plus points — and is installed at 7/2 on the morning line. Trainer Salvador G. Flores, who is active throughout today's card, assigns Rolando Cabrera, and this combination has the tools to get the job done. In a maiden field at 330 yards, raw ability tends to rise to the top, and The Jess Louisiana profiles as the one with the most of it.

place6GuidrysboodietrainML 5/2

Guidrysboodietrain (No. 6) rates second at 78.03 and is the morning-line second choice at 5/2 — the betting public agrees this one belongs near the top. Trainer Jose U. Lopez deploys Noe Castaneda, and in a race where most of the field rates in the 20s and 30s, a horse with a 78-plus rating has a clear edge for at least a place finish. A competitive gate break could push this one right to the wire.

show4Zactex IvoryML 4/1

Zactex Ivory (No. 4) grades out third on our model at 74.86 and lands at 4/1 on the morning line. Trainer Ramiro Aboytes-Suarez uses Angel A. Fierro, and this horse rates well clear of the bottom half of the field. With three horses clearly superior to the rest in this maiden field, the trifecta using 5-6-4 in some order is worth constructing.

Race 8

2:10 AM EDT

Optional Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

A ten-horse Optional Claiming sprint at 250 yards with a dominant ratings leader carrying an elite career win percentage — this looks like a race where the favorite could be legitimately formidable, with a couple of value plays lurking underneath.

win1Lrh Henry TML 5/2

Lrh Henry T (No. 1) is the clear standout in Race 8, topping the TrackWiz ratings at 87.81 — the highest mark on the entire card today — while also packing a 41% career win rate that is frankly exceptional for any level of Quarter Horse racing. Trainer Trey Ellis puts Juan Francisco Garcia, Jr. in the irons, a strong combination that projects confidence. At 5/2 on the morning line, Lrh Henry T may not offer knockout value, but a horse with this win percentage at this rating level is the type you build your card around.

place5Rogues Fast PrizeML 8/1

Rogues Fast Prize (No. 5) rates at 63.84 — second-best in the field by our model — and brings a 22% career win rate that ranks among the better marks in this field outside of the clear top choice. Trainer Riley S. Aguilar uses Jorge Javier Garcia, and at 8/1 on the morning line, there's definite place value here if Lrh Henry T takes care of the win spot. This is the type of horse you use in exactas underneath the favorite at a price.

show8First Cash Ha ChiML 6/1

First Cash Ha Chi (No. 8) comes in at 56.94 on the TrackWiz scale with a 26% career win rate — actually the second-highest win percentage in the field. Trainer Danny Hoda and Rene Hernandez combine at 6/1, and that winning percentage suggests this horse has fired consistently in the past. As a show selection or trifecta component, First Cash Ha Chi is worth including.

Race 9

2:35 AM EDT

Maiden · 300 yd · Dirt

A ten-horse maiden sprint at 300 yards where the morning-line favorite doesn't match up to our top-rated selection — creating an interesting dynamic between public sentiment and TrackWiz analysis.

win10A Guerrero SecretML 3/1

A Guerrero Secret (No. 10) tops the TrackWiz ratings in Race 9 at 81.01 — well clear of the morning-line favorite Jp Fast Dash — and is installed at 3/1, making this one of the better value-to-rating combinations on today's card. Trainer Santiago Villaseca puts Rolando Cabrera aboard, a jockey who has been active all night at Delta Downs. In a maiden sprint with a lot of unproven horses, a horse that grades out 22 points above the next closest rival on our model is a strong play.

place3Jp Fast DashML 8/5

Jp Fast Dash (No. 3) is the morning-line favorite at 8/5 — suggesting the public really likes this one — and rates at 59.0 on the TrackWiz scale. Trainer Josue Ponce and jockey Jorge Javier Garcia get a well-supported mount, and the short price means the market expects this horse to hit the board. Even though our model prefers A Guerrero Secret to win, Jp Fast Dash's public support makes the place slot very legitimate.

show7Hottexassmokeshow ZML 5/1

Hottexassmokeshow Z (No. 7) rounds out our selections at 53.33 on the TrackWiz ratings and is a reasonable 5/1 on the morning line. Trainer Jose U. Lopez deploys Leonardo Rodriguez in what is a lightly competitive maiden field — most rivals rate in the high-20s or below 50. At 300 yards, there's a little more room to get organized than the ultra-short sprints, and Hottexassmokeshow Z's rating holds up well enough to land in the money.

Premium Content

Get the Full Card Analysis

Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.

View Plans Sign In

Bottom line: Delta Downs is serving up nine quick-hit sprints on a hot, fast Friday, and our top-rated horse on the entire card is Lrh Henry T in Race 8 — a premium pick worth the look. For the free side, Different Corona in Race 1 is our marquee play. The full pace maps, exotic tickets, and every premium pick are waiting for subscribers — check out TrackWiz Premium to get the complete picture before first post. Good luck out there.

← Back to all picks

Best Bets

Race 1↗

Race 2↗

Race 3↗

Full Card Analysis

Get the Full Card Analysis

Race 1

Race 2

Race 3