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Evangeline Picks & Predictions — July 3, 2026

July 3, 20269 racesAll Evangeline picks

This card ran on July 3, 2026.

Best bets at Evangeline, July 3, 2026

Race 16More Than CuteML 2/16:30 PM EDT

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Last 30 days at Evangeline: our top pick won 13 of 56 races (23%) and finished in the money in 36.

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Happy Friday eve, racing fans — Evangeline Downs rolls out a nine-race card on July 3rd and the Louisiana heat is in full effect. We're sitting at 90°F under partly cloudy skies, which means the dirt is likely lightning fast and horses that want to lead early will have every advantage. Keep that pace bias in the back of your mind all afternoon.

Today's card is a nice mix of maiden action, claiming races, and a pair of allowance optional claiming routes before we get to the main event — a turf stakes in Race 8 headlined by Highly Wicked, who drew an aggressive morning line of 3/5 for good reason. There's also a subplot worth watching on the turf in Race 6, where Slick and Fast gets a chance to shine in an AOC mile. Nine races, a lot of angles, and a pre-holiday crowd ready to have fun — let's get into it.

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Race 1

6:30 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 6 1/2 fur · Dirt

A wide-open maiden claimer where experience is zero across the board, making TrackWiz ratings the clearest separator — and the gap between the top and bottom of this field is significant.

win6More Than CuteML 2/1

More Than Cute tops the TrackWiz ratings at 88.54, a decisive margin over the rest of this maiden field, and the morning line favorite at 2/1 reflects that edge. Trainer Jerry Eugene Tillis, Jr. also has Road Mischief in the race, suggesting he's loaded up with two live runners and believes in his stock. With an average speed figure of 53 matching several rivals, the rating edge here appears to come from consistency and overall profile — this one looks like the class of the field on paper.

place2Seeking AcesML 7/2

Seeking Aces carries a TrackWiz rating of 75.63, second-best in the field, and jockey Harry Hernandez gets the call for trainer Ronnie Averett who also has Ronnie's Ace in the race. Morning line of 7/2 puts this one right in contention, and at a fair price in an all-maiden field, the place slot looks very reachable.

show11CampanarioML 10/1

Campanario draws interest as a double-digit morning line at 10/1 with a rating of 62.25 — third-highest in this field. Trainer Juan C. Sanchez pairs with Juan P. Vargas, a combination worth noting, and an average speed of 53 matches the upper tier of this field. At the price, Campanario is a legitimate show contender worth tossing into your exotics.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 11 runners

Race 2: Free with an Account

Race 2

6:57 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 1/2 fur · Dirt

Pip Squeek comes in as a short-priced favorite in a claiming sprint, but Miss Rosie offers surprising value at 10/1 with strong underlying numbers — the place and show prices could be generous here.

win8Pip SqueekML 8/5

Pip Squeek owns the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 89.12 and is the morning line favorite at 8/5, backing up what the numbers say. Harry Hernandez rides for trainer Eduardo Ramirez, who also has Bold Exaggeration in here — the barn clearly has the race well-targeted. A career win rate of 18% in a claiming field and an average speed of 54 give this one a concrete edge over most rivals.

place4Miss RosieML 10/1

Miss Rosie is a genuine value angle at 10/1 on the morning line, yet her TrackWiz rating of 71.56 is second in this field — a significant mismatch between price and rating that TrackWiz analysis flags immediately. She carries a 25% career win rate, one of the better marks in the field, and Carlos Perez gets a live mount for trainer Brett A. Brinkman. Don't let the double-digit morning line fool you — this one belongs.

show7Clever RaceML 7/2

Clever Race rates 69.58 and sits at 7/2 on the morning line, making her a logical show option behind the top two. Jose Nava-Marin rides for Pedro Rodriguez-Torres, and a 20% career win percentage suggests this runner knows how to finish in the money. In a pace-honest claiming sprint, she should be competitive at every call.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 8 runners

TrackWiz is opening up three races for every reader today — Races 1, 2, and 3 — and all three land on the front end of the card where the pace picture is clearest. In Race 1, More Than Cute comes in rated 88.54 at a fair 2/1 morning line in a maiden claiming sprint. Race 2 shifts to experienced claimers over the same 6½-furlong layout, where Pip Squeek (rated 89.12) tops our board as the 8/5 morning line choice. In Race 3 we get a short 5-furlong maiden special weight dash, and while Last Two Dollars sits atop our ratings, this is the thinnest of the three free races — a 58.67 rating suggests the field is wide open and the morning line at 9/5 may be generous.

One thread connecting all three: on a hot, fast Evangeline dirt track this afternoon, early speed is king. Horses that break cleanly and get to the front without a fight should have a real edge in these sprint distances. File that away as you watch the early races unfold.

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Full Card Analysis

Race 3

7:24 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Dirt

A sprint MSW for maidens without published speed figures — this one comes down to pedigree, works, and TrackWiz ratings, with a tight cluster at the top making it a genuine puzzle.

win7Last Two DollarsML 9/5

Last Two Dollars tops the TrackWiz ratings at 58.67 in a field where no horse has an average speed figure on record, meaning the morning line of 9/5 is likely driven by workout and pedigree reports. Harry Hernandez, one of the more active riders at Evangeline, gets the call for trainer Henry B. Johnson, Jr. Without published speed figures across the field, the rating edge and the confident morning line make Last Two Dollars the most defensible win play.

place2My Hintof PlatinumML 5/2

My Hintof Platinum is right on the heels of the top pick at a rating of 57.5 and is priced at 5/2 — a short enough price that it's clearly getting respect from the morning line makers. Juan P. Vargas rides for Ronnie P. Ward, a solid combination at this level. In a field of first-time runners with no speed figures, the second-best rating at a fair price is a reliable place play.

show6Romantic RumorML 9/2

Romantic Rumor slots in third on our ratings at 54.17 and is available at 9/2 morning line — a slight overlay for a horse that the numbers suggest belongs in the top half of this field. Colby J. Hernandez rides for trainer Keith G. Bourgeois, and at those odds she gives solid exotic value without taking on too much risk in a hard-to-read first-time field.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

Race 4

7:51 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

Two horses — Bolt's Treasure and No Rematch — stand well above the pack in this mile claimer, setting up a likely match race at the top while the rest battle for the show spot.

win4Bolt's TreasureML 5/2

Bolt's Treasure leads TrackWiz ratings at 87.81 and is the 5/2 morning line choice, with an average speed figure of 53 over a mile on dirt for trainer Isai V. Gonzalez and jockey Elio J. Barrera. The low career win rate of 4% is a mild caution flag, but the raw rating dominance over most of this field is hard to ignore. In a stretch-testing mile, horses with higher speed figures tend to surface late, and Bolt's Treasure has the profile to do exactly that.

place10No RematchML 2/1

No Rematch is the 2/1 morning line second choice with a TrackWiz rating of 80.56 — very close to the top pick. Trainer Juan C. Sanchez puts Juan P. Vargas up, and the zero career win percentage in a claiming field raises a question, though the rating suggests this horse has the raw ability to compete. As a place play, the proximity in ratings to Bolt's Treasure makes this a natural follow-up ticket.

show5Nate's FocusML 6/1

Nate's Focus checks in at 58.1 on TrackWiz ratings and gets out at 6/1 on the morning line, making the show price a solid value in a ten-horse field. A 12% career win rate and an average speed of 51 suggest a horse that's competitive without being dominant — exactly the profile you want in a show slot. Misael Alvarez rides for Lonnie Briley in what looks like a tough but winnable placing effort.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 5

8:18 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Dirt

Zampino enters as the morning line favorite and our top-rated runner in a five-furlong maiden sprint, but Pericles and Flawless Beast are close enough to make exacta and trifecta construction interesting.

win7ZampinoML 9/5

Zampino tops this field with a TrackWiz rating of 69.77 and is the morning line favorite at 9/5, with an average speed of 54 that matches the best in the field. Casey Fusilier rides for trainer Paul Duhon in what looks like a sharp connection at Evangeline. In a short five-furlong sprint where every step counts, the combination of top rating and above-average speed figure makes Zampino the most logical single here.

place6PericlesML 5/2

Pericles carries a TrackWiz rating of 57.5 and is priced at 5/2, making Thomas L. Pompell's mount a significant market play despite showing no published average speed figure. Trainer Lee Thomas is clearly confident here, and the morning line respect at 5/2 suggests workouts or pedigree have caught attention. As a place play behind Zampino, the price is fair and the rating supports the spot.

show4Flawless BeastML 7/2

Flawless Beast rates 55.83 on TrackWiz and is available at 7/2, giving this Joe O. Duhon trainee solid value in the show slot. Isaac Castillo has a live book of mounts at Evangeline and should put this one in a good spot early in a five-furlong sprint. The rating profile puts Flawless Beast squarely in the second tier of this field — right where you want a show horse.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

Race 6

8:46 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

A full field of fourteen on the turf mile creates a complex pace scenario — Slick and Fast is our clear top-rated runner, but the depth of this allowance optional claimer means the exotics could pay well.

win8Slick and FastML 5/2

Slick and Fast owns the top TrackWiz rating in this field at 87.81 and is the 5/2 morning line choice, a comfortable distance ahead of the next cluster of contenders. Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. rides for trainer Sam B. David, Jr., and an average speed figure of 54 on the turf is competitive at the top of this group. An 18% career win rate in a field that includes several horses in the 20-34% range means this isn't a dominant closer, but the overall profile — rating, speed, jockey — points to a win effort.

place13Magnolia WestML 5/1

Magnolia West rates 77.74 — second in the field — and stretches out at 5/1 morning line for trainer Shane Wilson with Harry Hernandez up. A 16% career win rate and an average speed of 54 give this one legitimate credentials on the turf mile, and the 5/1 morning line may understate the threat slightly given the rating gap over most of the field. This is a horse you can use confidently in your exacta.

show14Causeway BennyML 4/1

Causeway Benny rates 73.2 and is available at 4/1 morning line — third on TrackWiz ratings in a very deep field. Isaac Castillo rides for Justin Jeansonne, and a 23% career win rate is one of the stronger marks among the top contenders in this race. In a fourteen-horse turf field where traffic and trips matter, Causeway Benny's profile suggests a horse capable of finding a path and earning a check.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 14 runners

Race 7

9:13 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 7 fur · Dirt

Lambo is the clear top-rated horse and morning line favorite in this seven-furlong allowance optional claimer, but Tickle Me Unclemo's eye-popping 50% career win rate at 6/1 makes this more than a one-horse race.

win4LamboML 8/5

Lambo tops TrackWiz ratings at 89.12 and is the 8/5 morning line chalk, with an average speed figure of 55 that ties for the best in the field. C.J. McMahon takes the mount for trainer Cardel Cormier, who also has Louisiana Luca in the race — the barn is clearly pointing at this spot with their best bullet. A 20% career win rate backs up the raw numbers, and in a seven-furlong test on dirt, the combination of top speed and top rating is hard to fade.

place2Tickle Me UnclemoML 6/1

Tickle Me Unclemo is the value angle in this race — a 50% career win rate is extraordinary for any horse at any level, and at 6/1 on the morning line, Harry Hernandez has a genuinely live mount for trainer Joe O. Duhon. The TrackWiz rating of 68.41 is the second-highest in the field, and an average speed of 54 keeps pace with the top runners. If Lambo gets beat, this is the horse most likely to be there at the wire.

show6Grand AcademicML 7/2

Grand Academic rates 64.49 and is priced at 7/2 morning line, which reflects legitimate market interest in this Elio J. Barrera mount for trainer Juan Munoz Cano. A 19% career win rate and an average speed of 53 are both respectable for the level, and the third-best rating in the field at a fair price makes this a natural show selection for trifecta players.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 8 runners

Race 8

9:40 PM EDT

Stakes · 1 mi · Turf

Highly Wicked comes in as a heavy 3/5 morning line favorite in this turf stakes — when a horse is this short in a six-horse field, the real question is which of the longshots can sneak into the exacta.

win6Highly WickedML 3/5

Highly Wicked has a TrackWiz rating of 90 — the top score on today's card — and is listed at 3/5 on the morning line, a number that screams dominant ability in a small stakes field. A 50% career win rate paired with Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. aboard for trainer Sam B. David, Jr. makes this as close to a lock as horse racing allows. The average speed figure of 54 matches several rivals, but the combination of elite rating and half-a-win career record sets this one apart.

place2She's a JokerML 3/1

She's a Joker is the 3/1 second choice and draws Isaac Castillo for trainer Jonathan Wong in what looks like a solid exacta underneath the heavy favorite. A TrackWiz rating of 46.79 and a 16% career win rate suggest a horse capable of running second without threatening Highly Wicked at 3/5. At 3/1, the place price alone might be worth considering if you think the favorite runs her race.

show3BerlaineML 5/1

Berlaine is available at 5/1 morning line and brings a 36% career win rate — the second-highest in this field — under Devin H. Magnon for trainer Rylee Magnon in what appears to be a family barn. A TrackWiz rating of 46.49 is very close to She's a Joker's, making the show position a tight call between the two. At 5/1, Berlaine's win percentage gives her legitimate upside to sneak into the exacta if the chalk has any trouble.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

Race 9

10:07 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Closing With Honor is our top-rated horse but goes off at 8/1 on the morning line — that's a meaningful overlay worth exploiting in the finale, with Beach Trippin and Zip Around filling out a competitive top three.

win2Closing With HonorML 8/1

Closing With Honor is the TrackWiz top selection at a rating of 79.79 yet is sitting at 8/1 on the morning line — that gap between rating and price is exactly the kind of overlay our analysis is designed to find. Jansen Melancon gets the call for trainer Allen Landry, a solid combination at Evangeline, and a 16% career win rate backs up the talent. An average speed of 54 ties for the top mark in this nine-horse field, making the 8/1 morning line look like genuine value.

place1Beach TrippinML 9/2

Beach Trippin rates 66.87 and is priced at 9/2 morning line — a well-rated closer profile for Devin H. Magnon in the irons for trainer Jonah Fuselier. The 5% career win rate is low, but speed figures of 53 and a top-five TrackWiz rating suggest this horse has been running competitively without breaking through. In a five-and-a-half furlong sprint, Beach Trippin looks like a reliable exacta piece.

show8Zip AroundML 4/1

Zip Around rates 63.31 on TrackWiz at 4/1 morning line — third-best in the field with an average speed of 52 for trainer Joe O. Duhon and jockey Casey Fusilier. A 20% career win rate is among the better marks in this nine-horse field, and the Duhon barn runs horses that know how to compete in claiming sprints. Toss Zip Around in your trifectas as a horse that can hold show.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

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Nine races, a sizzling track, and a turf stakes headliner in Highly Wicked — there's plenty to dig into at Evangeline today. Start with the three free best bets in Races 1–3 and let the pace story develop before the real money races hit. For the full card breakdown, exotic ticket advice, and our best longshot play of the day, subscribers have everything they need waiting for them. Good luck out there, and enjoy the holiday weekend racing.

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