Ellis Park Picks & Predictions — August 8, 2026

Nabokov grades out third on our sheet at 64.0 with a 20% career win rate, and Francisco Arrieta is a capable pilot in these spots. Trainer David Jacobson has a knack for placing horses at the right level, and Nabokov's 55 average speed figure keeps him competitive in the pace scenario. The 6/1 morning line makes him a strong place-ticket anchor if Tagliatelle wins as expected.

Eli's Promise is worth a look at 4/1, rated 62.01 with the top average speed figure in the field at 56. The 13% career win percentage is modest, but speed figures suggest the talent is there — it may just be a matter of the right setup. Jaime Torres gets the mount for the James DiVito barn, and in a six-furlong sprint where early pace can get hot, a closer with raw speed numbers could run into a nice placing.

Sun Gate comes in at 5/1 with trainer Brendan Walsh on the condition book — Walsh is an elite turf conditioner whose maidens often run well fresh on grass. Ben Curtis, one of the better turf jockeys in this part of the world, gets the call. No prior speed figure to lean on, but the connections alone make this a strong place-ticket inclusion.

Fortunistic rates third on our sheet at 51.67 with a 54 average speed figure — one of the few horses in this field with a trackable speed line. Trainer Eric Foster puts Summer Pauly up, and at 6/1, this represents a decent value play for the show spot in a race where the top two are close to even on ratings. Exotics bettors building trifectas should strongly consider Fortunistic in the bottom slot.

Caribbean Life comes in second on our ratings at 54.17 with Jaime Torres up for the William Walden barn. At 9/2, she offers value as the place horse if the Walsh runner breaks on top, and in a seven-furlong maiden, pace can get complicated enough to let a stalker slide into second. This is the kind of filly you want on your place ticket as the logical bridesmaid.

Goldvein checks in at 51.67 — tied with Radnor Lake but with Florent Geroux up for the powerful Steven Asmussen barn, which is reason enough to include this one in exotics. The Asmussen-Geroux combo at Ellis Park is a reliable angle, and at 6/1, Goldvein offers real show value in a race where the top half of the field is bunched within a few rating points.

French Friction is the most eye-catching angle on the card — a 50% career win rate is extraordinary at any level, and her 78.69 TrackWiz rating backs it up. Trainer Mark Casse puts Cristian Torres up, a pairing that knows how to get turf sprinters home. At 7/2 on the morning line, French Friction is the natural place bet if La Puma fires as expected.

Kingsolver rates third on our sheet at 76.29 with a 25% career win rate, and trainer Rodolphe Brisset is one of the better turf conditioners you'll find at a mid-summer Ellis card. Ben Curtis gets the call — a jockey who rides grass routes and sprints with equal confidence. At 4/1, this is a quality show horse and a legitimate third leg for exacta and trifecta tickets.

Awesome Ruta is the horse who makes the exacta interesting, rated 83.57 with a 29% career win rate for the Joe Sharp barn. Axel Concepcion takes the reins, and Sharp knows how to position horses in allowance spots. The four-point gap between First Resort and Awesome Ruta is the closest matchup on the card today — at 9/2, Awesome Ruta in the place hole is a very comfortable wager.

Extensive rounds out our selections at 70.94 with a 28% career win rate — solid numbers that place him clearly third among the logical contenders. Trainer Michael McCarthy is elite, and Ben Curtis is a jockey who rarely ends up in bad spots. At 3/1 on the morning line, Extensive may actually come in shorter than his show position suggests — he's worth including in all exotic combinations.

No Other Like You is the morning-line second choice at 9/2 for good reason — an 80.73 rating and a 55 average speed figure are the kind of numbers that hold up in turf miles. Trainer David Fawkes sends out Ben Curtis, a reliable grass pilot, and a 17% career win rate is workable. If the pace gets hot early, this one should be closing into a spot on the board.

Neenah rates just a tick below at 79.79 with trainer Donnie Von Hemel putting Abel Cedillo up, and at 8/1 on the morning line, she's the most attractive value in our top three. A 16% career win rate and a 53 average speed figure suggest she's competitive without being lights-out — exactly the profile of a horse that consistently hits the show spot without always winning. Use her widely in trifectas.

Provider is our clear second choice at 71.32, carrying a 54 average speed figure and getting Rafael Bejarano — one of the most experienced turf hands available — for trainer Peter Eurton, who ships horses in ready to run. The 32-point gap between Provider and Comprehensive is wide, but his distance over the next cluster of horses makes him a safe place bet. At 6/1, this is genuine overlay territory for the place position.

Grand Premiere checks in at 54.17 for the Brendan Walsh barn, and as noted in Race 4, Walsh's grass maidens routinely outrun their odds. Ben Curtis rides again, and the 9/2 morning line suggests the market already has respect for this runner. In a turf maiden at this distance, Walsh-trained horses who break alertly often find their way onto the board — Grand Premiere fits perfectly as the show anchor in trifectas.