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Delta Downs Picks & Predictions — August 20, 2026

August 20, 20268 racesAll Delta Downs picks

This card ran on August 20, 2026.

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Best bets at Delta Downs, August 20, 2026

Race 14Choose HappyML 4/17:15 PM EDT

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Last 30 days at Delta Downs: our top pick won 17 of 68 races (25%) and finished in the money in 35.

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It's a hot Thursday afternoon at Delta Downs — 92°F under partly cloudy skies — and the quarter horse sprint card is locked, loaded, and ready to fly. Eight races are on the board today, all on the main dirt strip, ranging from tight 220-yard bullet sprints to a longer 550-yard test in Race 6 that stands out as the most interesting contest of the afternoon.

The heat and humidity are par for the course in southwest Louisiana in August, so don't expect surface conditions to be a major disruptor today. What will matter is early speed — in short-distance quarter horse racing, getting out of the gate clean is often the whole ballgame. Our TrackWiz models have been digging into the reaction times and gate efficiency numbers all morning, and a few horses are set up very nicely.

Three races are free for all TrackWiz readers today, and our top-rated horse across the entire card — Never Bleu at 7/5 morning line in Race 6 — is sitting behind the premium wall. Worth knowing before you build your tickets.

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Race 1

7:15 PM EDT

Claiming · 220 yd · Dirt

A wide-open 220-yard dash at the claiming level where two horses pull away from the pack on the ratings sheet, but a big-priced longshot in the gate adds a wrinkle to the exotics.

win4Choose HappyML 4/1

Choose Happy comes into this sprint with the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 85.62 — a meaningful edge over the rest of the gate in what is a thin claiming dash. Jockey Eddi Emanuel Martinez gets the call, and with a 25% career win rate backing this horse up, the connections know how to get one home. At 4/1 on the morning line, there's still some value here relative to the program favorite. In a 220-yard race where every gate break matters, having the highest-rated horse in your corner is exactly where you want to be.

place6Hf Mama SaysML 2/1

Hf Mama Says opens as the 2/1 morning-line chalk, which signals that the market respects this one plenty — and a TrackWiz rating of 80.49 backs that up as the second-highest number in the field. Trainer Adalberto Miranda doubles up today, and it's worth noting he also saddles Carters Moon, but his resources appear squarely behind this runner. At short odds, the place ticket is your safer play if you want exposure to this horse without taking the short win price.

show8Lm Piloto PerryML 20/1

Here's the exotic angle of the race: Lm Piloto Perry opens at 20/1 on the morning line yet posts a TrackWiz rating of 62.29 — that's a legitimate number that far outpaces the morning-line price. Trainer Salvador G. Flores sends this one out with jockey Rolando Cabrera, and the 33% career win rate attached to this horse is the best in the entire field. Longshot prices and a career win rate north of 30% in a short field make Lm Piloto Perry a must-use underneath in any exotics.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 8 runners

Race 2: Free with an Account

Race 2

7:40 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

A ten-horse maiden claiming sprint at 250 yards where one horse stands out sharply on the ratings, though the all-maidens condition keeps everyone honest.

win4Kj FerarriML 5/2

Kj Ferarri carries the top TrackWiz rating in this field at 87.81 — that's a substantial cushion over the second-best number and aligns neatly with a 5/2 morning line that makes this the clear public choice. Jockey Juan Francisco Garcia Jr. gets the mount for trainer Ismael Solis-Guevara, a combination worth tracking. In a maiden field where separating horses is always a challenge, a rating gap this large gives us enough confidence to tab this one as our top play.

place10Dashing RobinML 4/1

Dashing Robin comes in as the second-ranked horse on our sheet with a 66.42 rating and opens at a workable 4/1 on the morning line. Trainer Leonard W. Phillips Jr. puts J.R. Ramirez in the irons — a jockey who keeps busy on this circuit. Given the gap between this horse and the rest of the field below it, Dashing Robin looks like a solid place underlayer in the exacta beneath Kj Ferarri.

show8Comanche SpiritML 5/1

Comanche Spirit checks in with a 53.57 TrackWiz rating and a 5/1 morning line, sitting comfortably in the middle tier of this maiden field. Trainer Danny Hoda hands the reins to Rene Hernandez, and the combination gives this one a professional look in what is otherwise a wide-open lower tier. As a show play or third leg in trifectas, the price relative to the rating makes Comanche Spirit worth including.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

The first three races on the card are open to everyone, and there's some genuine value to unpack here. Choose Happy leads our free analysis in Race 1 at 4/1 morning line — that price is worth a second look if you think the crowd overlooks her. Race 2 belongs to Kj Ferarri, our highest-rated free pick at 87.81, sitting at a very fair 5/2. And in Race 3, High Plains Eagle draws our attention at 2/1 — a morning-line favorite with an 88.54 rating is exactly the kind of short-price horse you can use confidently as a key in your exotic tickets.

One thing connecting all three free races: they're 220–250 yard sprints on a fast Louisiana dirt strip in peak summer heat. Horses that break sharply and maintain their momentum through the stretch will be almost impossible to run down. When you're playing these races, gate position and early quickness matter more than late kick — there simply isn't enough real estate for a closer to make up ground.

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Race 3

8:05 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

One horse looks like a significant class standout in this 250-yard maiden claimer, setting up a race where the real question is who fills the exacta behind the heavy likely favorite.

win5High Plains EagleML 2/1

High Plains Eagle has a TrackWiz rating of 88.54 — the top mark in this field by a wide margin — and the market agrees, installing this one as the 2/1 morning-line favorite. Jockey Noe Castaneda handles the mount for trainer Jose U. Lopez, and the combination has a professional setup for a horse that looks clearly superior on paper. In 250-yard maiden company, when your top rating exceeds the next-best horse by 31 points, you have to respect the edge. This is a horse to build your exotics around.

place7Ms DeleonML 7/2

Ms Deleon earns the second-best TrackWiz rating in the field at 57.37 and opens at 7/2 — a fair price for a horse that figures to be in the mix for the runner-up spot. Trainer Ray Robbins sends her out with Donell Blake aboard, and that's a workmanlike pairing on the Delta Downs circuit. If High Plains Eagle does what the ratings project, Ms Deleon is the logical beneficiary in the place slot.

show1I C Me Leaving UML 5/1

I C Me Leaving U sits at 53.33 on the TrackWiz scale and has a 5/1 morning line to match, giving the Kenneth Weeks barn a legitimate outside chance to land in the money. Jockey Eddi Emanuel Martinez rides, and Weeks is a trainer who keeps horses fit and ready. As the third-ranked horse in the field, this one slots in naturally as a show play and trifecta consideration behind the top two on the sheet.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 4

8:30 PM EDT

Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

This 250-yard claiming race features a tight cluster of three horses all rated within four points of each other at the top, making pace and gate break the deciding factors.

win4Jesst Black IvoryML 4/1

Jesst Black Ivory leads our ratings at 80.89 and draws in at 4/1 on the morning line, sitting just a point ahead of Blondies Gonna Fly on the TrackWiz sheet. Trainer Preston Jourdan puts Ubaldo Luna in the saddle — Luna is comfortable on this strip and knows how to get a horse out of the gate quickly, which matters enormously at 250 yards. A 9% career win rate is modest, but this horse's overall profile points to a ceiling that hasn't been fully tapped yet. In a tight race like this, the rating edge, however slim, gives us the tiebreaker.

place2Blondies Gonna FlyML 8/1

Blondies Gonna Fly is essentially a co-top horse here with a 79.79 rating and opens at a generous 8/1 on the morning line — that's where the value lives in this race. Trainer Ray Robbins puts Donell Blake up, and with a 7% career win rate, this one has shown enough to suggest it belongs. The price relative to the rating makes Blondies Gonna Fly the most interesting horse in the race from a wagering standpoint, especially in exactas.

show3Mda Eyes of CarterML 3/1

Mda Eyes of Carter opens as the 3/1 morning-line second choice and carries a strong 77.61 TrackWiz rating to match that public support. Trainer Carlos Gabriel Castro has Humberto Vital in the irons, and an 8% career win rate is respectable in this claiming class at the 250-yard distance. With three horses rated within three and a half points of each other, the trifecta using this trio in any order makes plenty of sense.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Race 5

8:55 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

The favorite here opens at 9/5 but our top-rated horse is sitting at 6/1 — that kind of disconnect between the morning line and the ratings sheet is exactly the kind of spot where value hunters should be paying attention.

win10My FavoriteML 6/1

My Favorite draws the 10-hole but don't let the outside post scare you off in a 250-yard sprint where the gate break determines everything equally. This horse carries the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 82.71 and opens at 6/1 — a legitimate overlay when you consider that our model sees this as the most capable runner on the grounds today. Trainer Ismael Solis-Guevara has Bobby Ransom up, and this barn has been active and competitive. If you're looking for a win bet with upside, My Favorite is the play.

place2Sweetheart Eagle VML 12/1

Sweetheart Eagle V comes in at 60.76 on the TrackWiz scale and opens at 12/1 — that's a big morning-line number for the second-ranked horse in our analysis, and it opens the door to real exacta value. Pedro Chavarria Espinosa gets the ride for trainer Jose Estrada, a pairing that's competent at this level. In a full field of ten with several horses bunched in the 58-60 rating range, Sweetheart Eagle V's edge at a double-digit price makes this one compelling in the second slot.

show3Jess Lika TrainML 8/1

Jess Lika Train rates at 60.54, essentially neck-and-neck with our place pick on the ratings sheet, and opens at 8/1. Trainer Trevor Soileau sends out Everardo Rodriguez, and the combination is solid at this level. With multiple horses clustered in a similar rating band, the trifecta here could pay well — and Jess Lika Train at 8/1 as a show selection adds meaningful upside to the ticket.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 6

9:20 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 550 yd · Dirt

The longest race on the card at 550 yards, and it shapes up as a two-horse battle at the top of the ratings — though the third-ranked horse could make this a proper three-way show at a price.

win2Never BleuML 7/5

Never Bleu is as strong a top pick as you'll find on this card — a TrackWiz rating of 89.42 leads the entire field and a 33% career win rate makes this horse a proven winner, not just a projection. The 7/5 morning line reflects that confidence from the market, and trainer Preston Jourdan has Ubaldo Luna in the irons again, the same combination that's firing in Race 4. At 550 yards, career win percentage carries more weight than in the shorter dashes, and 33% is elite in this company. The price is short but the profile is legit.

place7Sheet N GheetML 3/1

Sheet N Gheet is right there at 85.23 on our ratings — only 4 points behind Never Bleu — and opens at a much friendlier 3/1 on the morning line. Trainer Orlando Orozco has Bobby Ransom up, and a 25% career win rate confirms this horse knows how to compete at this level. If you're looking to play against the favorite or need a place hedge, Sheet N Gheet at 3/1 is a strong alternative that won't insult your ticket.

show3Ana MariaML 6/1

Ana Maria rates at 75.66 — a solid third-best in the field — and comes in at 6/1 on the morning line, which looks workable for a show play or trifecta inclusion. Trainer Salvador G. Flores puts Francisco Giles aboard, and an 18% career win rate shows this is a horse that gets to the winner's circle regularly enough to trust in exotics. In a race where the top two are likely to dominate, getting a third horse at 6/1 to close out the trifecta is the smart play.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Race 7

9:45 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

Three horses are bunched closely at the top of the ratings in this maiden claiming sprint, but the TrackWiz model gives a narrow edge to a horse that the morning line has as a mid-priced overlay.

win8Lsu Winning LadyML 9/2

Lsu Winning Lady carries an 84.90 TrackWiz rating — the top mark in this ten-horse maiden field — but opens at 9/2, which makes this one of the better prices on the top-rated horse we'll see all night. Trainer Kenneth Weeks puts Eddi Emanuel Martinez in the irons, and Weeks is one of the more active trainers at Delta Downs on this card, which typically signals barn confidence. In a maiden race where the top three horses are rated within five points of each other, having the highest number at the best price is a clear value signal.

place1James MoonML 3/1

James Moon opens as the 3/1 morning-line choice and backs that public support up with a 79.73 TrackWiz rating — second-best in the field. Trainer Adalberto Miranda sends J.R. Ramirez to post, and Miranda is running two horses today showing he's engaged on this card. James Moon is only half a point behind the third-place pick on our sheet, so the exacta using 8 over 1 is the natural play here.

show2Ts NepheleML 4/1

Ts Nephele rates at 79.43 — just a sliver behind James Moon — and opens at 4/1, making this a legitimate three-way trifecta key at the top. Trainer Salvador G. Flores teams up with Leonardo Palomo, a pairing that appears multiple times today, suggesting good stable form. With three horses rated within five and a half points of each other, the trifecta boxing the top trio is an attractive wager and Ts Nephele rounds it out at a fair price.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 8

10:10 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 400 yd · Dirt

The final race steps up to 400 yards in a maiden claiming event, and one horse stands out sharply on the ratings while a pair of value plays underneath offer genuine upside in the exotics.

win5El Piloto PsML 5/2

El Piloto Ps carries a 86.99 TrackWiz rating — comfortably the best number in this ten-horse field — and opens at a fair 5/2 on the morning line. Trainer Braulio Hernandez sends Servando Ramirez to post, a competent combination for this level at 400 yards. The longer distance compared to the 250-yard sprints earlier on the card means gate breaks matter slightly less and horse quality shows through more clearly — which works in favor of the top-rated runner. This is our most confident top selection on the back half of the card.

place2Pk Silver StreakML 8/1

Pk Silver Streak checks in at 74.68 on the TrackWiz scale and draws a fair 8/1 morning line — a price that suggests the market may be undervaluing this runner relative to what our analysis shows. Trainer Francisco Campos Sr. has Eddi Emanuel Martinez in the irons, a jockey who's been active all night. At nearly 15 points behind El Piloto Ps on the ratings, this is clearly a horse for the place slot, but at 8/1 the exacta value is very real.

show7Ivorys RunawayML 7/2

Ivorys Runaway comes in at 55.83 — third-best in the field — and opens at 7/2, which is a tighter price but still workable as a trifecta anchor. Trainer Preston Jourdan gets Ubaldo Luna up, the same combination we liked in Race 6 with Never Bleu, and consistency from this barn is a positive sign. In a 400-yard maiden race where pace and stamina separate the contenders from the pretenders, Ivorys Runaway's profile holds up well enough to round out the ticket.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

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Today's Delta Downs card is a clean, fast-track sprint program with a standout anchor in Race 6. For free-play readers, Choose Happy, Kj Ferarri, and High Plains Eagle are your three best bets to start the afternoon. Subscribers get the full story on Never Bleu, the exotic ticket structures, and every angle we've found across all eight races. Good luck at the windows — let's make this one count.

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