Emerald Downs Picks & Predictions — June 27, 2026
Happy Saturday at Emerald Downs. We've got a full eight-race card on the dirt today under partly cloudy skies and a comfortable 65°F — about as good as Pacific Northwest racing weather gets. No rain in the picture means a consistent surface all afternoon, which is great news for speed figures carrying over and pace projections holding up.
The card leans heavily on claiming company across most distances, from the quick 5½-furlong dash in Race 6 all the way out to a pair of one-mile routes in Races 5 and 8. That variety gives bettors plenty of angles to work — sprinters, routers, closers, and front-runners all get a chance to shine today.
Three races are fully unlocked for every TrackWiz reader, and our top-rated pick across the entire card is Mocktails Anyone in Race 3, who carries an 89.12 TrackWiz rating into a Maiden Claiming sprint. Let's dig in.
Best Bets
Race 1
Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt
One horse stands head and shoulders above this field on the ratings, but the pace scenario over six furlongs on dirt could set up nicely for a closer if Bakburner gets too much early pressure.
Bakburner is the easy top pick here — an 87.08 TrackWiz rating that dwarfs the rest of this claiming field is hard to ignore, and trainer Joe Toye sends him out with a 30% career win rate that speaks for itself. Jockey Silvio Ruiz Amador gets the call and he knows how to put a horse in the right spot at Emerald Downs. At 3/1 on the morning line, this isn't a steal, but the class edge is real and the numbers back it up. Hard to make a case against him being the one to beat.
Guide My Steps draws the rail and comes in with a solid 21% career win rate — that's a legitimate horse who finds the winner's circle with some regularity. Kevin Krigger is a capable hand, and at 5/2 on the morning line, the public already respects this one. The 61.43 TrackWiz rating is second-best in the field, making a place finish a reasonable expectation even if Bakburner is too good.
Bob's Vai is the value inclusion for exotics at 8/1 on the morning line. His 59.62 rating is competitive in this company, and trainer Frank Lucarelli with Isaias D. Enriquez in the irons gives this one a professional presentation. If the pace gets hot up front, Bob's Vai could find himself picking up pieces late in a six-furlong dash.
Race 2
Claiming · 6 1/2 fur · Dirt
Goin' South looks like a wire-to-wire type in this six-and-a-half furlong claimer, but the morning line suggests the public is ready to make him a short favorite — so value hunters should keep an eye on the board.
Goin' South posts the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 88.54, which is a significant margin over the next closest rival, and trainer Blaine D. Wright is one of the more respected conditioners shipping through this circuit. Silvio Ruiz Amador is a strong booking and knows how to get a horse to the front on Emerald's dirt. The 2/1 morning line is short, but when the ratings separation is this wide, you play the horse, not the price. Goin' South looks like the one to beat by a clear margin.
Barrister Proof has the second-best rating in the field at 62.03 and the best average speed figure of any horse in the race at 56 — that's a meaningful data point over six and a half furlongs. Allyssa Morales gets the mount for trainer James L. Gilmour, and a 30% career win rate tells you this horse has been competitive. If Goin' South is as good as the numbers say, Barrister Proof looks like the most logical place finisher.
Wood Ceiling at 7/2 with Karlo Lopez riding for the Joe Toye barn is a steady presence in this kind of spot. A 25% career win rate shows this horse can compete, and the 55.89 rating is solidly mid-pack. If the pace scenario sets up for closers, Wood Ceiling has enough ability to be picking up a check at the wire.
Race 3
Maiden Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt
A maiden claiming sprint that's wide open among newcomers chasing that elusive first win — but Mocktails Anyone carries a massive ratings edge that makes this look like a potential runaway.
Mocktails Anyone has an 89.12 TrackWiz rating in a field where no other horse cracks 63 — that's a dominant edge in a maiden claiming field. The 8/5 morning line confirms the public and the morning-line maker are on the same page, and trainer Frank Lucarelli with Isaias D. Enriquez up is a sharp combination. The 56 average speed figure is the best in the race. Yes, all these horses are still looking for their first win, but the talent gap here looks real.
Little Minnie Mo is the most intriguing value play in this race at 10/1 on the morning line. Trainer Cliff Balcom sends her out with Karlo Lopez — one of the busier riders at this meet — and the 62.54 rating is actually second-best in the field, ahead of several shorter-priced rivals. If Mocktails Anyone hits traffic or has any trouble, Little Minnie Mo has the underlying numbers to fill the place spot at a generous price.
Magic Jewel sits at 7/2 with a 55.83 rating and draws post five, which gives her a clean look at the first turn in a six-furlong sprint. Trainer Kay Penney Cooper keeps this one competitive, and Kevin E. Orozco should be able to find a good position early. In a maiden field with no obvious closer threats, a horse with tactical speed and a solid rating is worth including in show tickets.
The three free races today — Races 1, 2, and 3 — all go at sprint distances on the main dirt oval, and our analysis sees a consistent theme: horses with early tactical speed on a surface that figures to play fair. Bakburner opens the card at a solid 3/1 morning line in Race 1, and Goin' South follows in Race 2 as a 2/1 chalk over 6½ furlongs. Neither price screams overlay, but both carry TrackWiz ratings in the upper 87-88 range — meaning our models see genuine form behind the morning-line respect they're already getting.
The standout of the free trio is Mocktails Anyone in Race 3 — our highest-rated pick on the entire card at 89.12. Posted as the 8/5 favorite in a Maiden Claiming sprint, she tops the field with enough margin that even at a short price there's a case to make her the cornerstone of your early exactas and pick-3 tickets. In maiden claiming company, a horse this far clear on our ratings often delivers — though first-time form in maiden fields always carries some variance, so keep your ticket structures flexible.
Full Card Analysis
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A fair, fast Emerald Downs surface, a tight free-race trio anchored by Mocktails Anyone, and a premium back half of the card loaded with routing value and pace intrigue — today's a good day to be at the window. Play the free picks smart, and if you want the full road map through all eight races, subscribers have everything they need waiting at TrackWiz Premium. Good luck out there — may your tickets cash and your pretzels stay warm.