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Fairmount Park Picks & Predictions — August 25, 2026

10 racesAll Fairmount Park picks
Results are in — see the official Fairmount Park chart and payouts (our top pick won 1 of 10)

It's a beautiful Tuesday at Fairmount Park — clear skies, 82°F, and a dry, fast-playing dirt surface that should reward speed horses all afternoon. Ten races on the card, ranging from maiden specials to allowances and a marathon 1½-mile test in Race 6. That's a lot of ground to cover, and a lot of angles to work.

The weather has been cooperative heading into post time, and conditions like these tend to tighten up pace scenarios — front-runners get comfortable, and closers need a stronger-than-usual kick to run them down. Keep that in mind as you build your tickets today.

Our TrackWiz ratings span a solid range across the card, with top marks going to Dundie (89.27) in Race 2 and Stagflation (88.54) in Race 9 — both worth circling early. But there's genuine value hiding in the middle of the card too, and we'll get into all of it below.

Best Bets

Race 1

Maiden Special Weight · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

A wide-open maiden special weight over 5½ furlongs where first-timers and lightly-raced hopefuls dominate — the morning line spreads from 9/5 to 30/1, and our ratings create a clear top tier well separated from the field.

win1Dublin DropML 9/5

Dublin Drop enters as the top-rated horse in this field by a significant margin — a TrackWiz rating of 77.32 versus the next-best at 58.33 — and the morning line agrees at 9/5. Jockey Alvin Ortiz gets the call for trainer Tracy Anderson, a pairing worth watching in maiden company. The 5½-furlong distance on dirt should suit this runner's profile, and in a maiden field this thin on proven ability, a horse with this rating edge has every right to be the one to beat.

place3Fiery SongbirdML 2/1

Fiery Songbird opens at 2/1 on the morning line and posts a solid 58.33 TrackWiz rating for trainer Scott Becker, who also saddles Pistolpackinjanet in this race — a sign Becker is confident in both. With no average speed figure on record, this is a horse without a public works line to dissect, which often means connections are sitting on something they like. Alexander Bendezu takes the mount, and if Fiery Songbird shows up ready on debut, she's the most logical challenger to Dublin Drop.

show8PistolpackinjanetML 7/2

Pistolpackinjanet is the third Becker runner in the field and checks in at 55.83 on our ratings — third-best in the race. Like stablemate Fiery Songbird, there's no average speed on file, which keeps the profile opaque but also keeps the odds honest at 7/2. Reynier Arrieta is a capable rider and with Becker having two horses in here, at least one of them figures to fire — Pistolpackinjanet rounds out the exotic tickets as a logical piece.

Race 2

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Dundie sets up as a dominant top selection in this six-furlong claiming sprint, but the intrigue lies in two mid-priced horses — Khozan's Valentine and Dillon Rocks — whose ratings and win percentages suggest the exotics could pay handsomely.

win1DundieML 3/2

Dundie is the class of this field and it's not particularly close — an 89.27 TrackWiz rating leads the field, backed by a 38% career win rate that is simply elite for the claiming ranks. Trainer Scott Becker and jockey Reynier Arrieta are a dangerous combo, and with an average speed figure of 55, Dundie figures to control or press the pace over six furlongs of dirt. At 3/2 on the morning line, there's not much value, but the profile screams 'bet to win and build exotics around.'

place5Khozan's ValentineML 6/1

Khozan's Valentine is the sneaky play here — a 76.76 rating and 25% career win percentage are both well above the field average, yet the morning line opens at 6/1. Trainer Clay Laux keeps this horse competitive at the claiming level, and jockey Javier Tavares is live in these spots. If Dundie hits any trouble or gets a contested pace, Khozan's Valentine has the profile to capitalize and is worth anchoring in exacta combinations.

show4Dillon RocksML 12/1

Dillon Rocks at 12/1 morning line is one of the more intriguing numbers on the board — a 69.87 TrackWiz rating is the third-best in the field, ahead of the 7/5 morning-line second choice Sponge Bath. Trainer Mike Durham and jockey Ademar Santos form a workmanlike combo, and with a 54 average speed figure matching the field pace, Dillon Rocks could sneak into the superfecta picture at a price worth playing.

Race 3

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Warrior of Gold goes postward as a massive overlay in a six-furlong claiming sprint — our ratings have him head and shoulders above a field whose morning-line favorite is less than half the horse our numbers indicate.

win8Warrior of GoldML 5/1

Warrior of Gold sports an 84.17 TrackWiz rating — best in this field by a comfortable margin — while opening at 5/1 on the morning line, making this one of the better overlays on the card. Jockey Johanis Aranguren gets the mount for trainer James M. Watkins, and with a 17% career win rate and a strong 54 average speed figure, this is a horse with real, proven form. The public may be drawn to Red Speedo at 6/5, but our numbers say Warrior of Gold is the play, and 5/1 is a price worth attacking.

place9Govenor HankML 6/1

Govenor Hank rates second in the field at 69.25 and brings a very strong 23% career win percentage to the table — identical to Red Speedo's win rate, but at significantly longer odds of 6/1. Trainer Steve Manley sends him out with Alexander Bendezu, a capable rider in these conditions. Govenor Hank's 53 average speed figure is the lowest among the top contenders, which suggests he may prefer to sit just off the pace — a solid closing trip behind a potential speed duel could land him on the board.

show2El PeligroML 6/1

El Peligro at 6/1 is worth including in exotics as the show selection — a 62.76 rating and 15% career win rate are respectable for this claiming level, and trainer Dennis Higgins has him pointing with Ademar Santos up. His 55 average speed figure is among the highest in the field, which could mean front-running tendencies — if he gets to the lead cheaply in a tactical race, he could hang on for a piece of the purse.

We're opening three races to everyone today, and they set up nicely as a mini-sequence. In Race 1, maiden special weight newcomers hit the Fairmount dirt over 5½ furlongs — a distance that puts a premium on breaking sharp and getting position early. Dublin Drop opens at 9/5 on the morning line and carries a TrackWiz rating of 77.32, which leads this field. In maiden company, that kind of edge matters.

Race 2 shifts into the claiming ranks at six furlongs, and Dundie is our strongest-rated free pick of the day at 89.27 — a number that stands out even against the full card. Laying 3/2 isn't always ideal, but when the rating says go, we listen. Warrior of Gold rounds out the free coverage in Race 3, a 5/1 shot in another six-furlong claimer who represents the kind of value play that can anchor a daily double or exacta at a price. On a fast track with a pace-friendly setup, don't sleep on him.

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Today's Fairmount card has something for everyone — short-priced standouts like Dundie for conservative players, and live longshots like Warrior of Gold and Two Hearted for the value hunters. The fast track ties it all together, rewarding horses that want to get to the front early and daring closers to run them down.

Three races are open to all readers. For pace projections, exotic strategies, and the full 10-race breakdown, TrackWiz subscribers have everything they need. Good luck at the windows.