Finger Lakes Picks & Predictions — July 20, 2026
It's a pleasant Monday at Finger Lakes — partly cloudy skies, 75 degrees, and a dry dirt surface that should play honest all afternoon. Eight races are on the card, all on the dirt, ranging from a quick 5½-furlong sprint in Race 1 all the way out to a mile and 70 yards in Race 3. That variety alone gives handicappers plenty of angles to work.
Today's card leans heavily on claiming company, with a couple of Maiden Special Weight sprints and an Allowance finale to close things out. The good news: the conditions are about as benign as you'll find in a Finger Lakes summer, so speed figures from recent races should translate cleanly. No weather excuses today — these horses have to run their race.
Best Bets
Race 1
Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt
A wide-open claiming sprint with no runaway favorite — three horses are separated by morning-line odds of just three ticks, making this a genuine pace puzzle at 5½ furlongs.
John's in Charge tops our TrackWiz ratings by a clear margin, clocking in at 84.17 — more than 15 points clear of the next challenger. Trainer Chris J. Englehart has a knack for getting horses ready to fire in claiming sprints, and a 23% career win rate for this horse signals a winner who knows how to close the deal. At 5/1 on the morning line, there's genuine value here for a horse our model grades as the class of this field.
Lookin' Super rates second-best in the field at 69.09 and is listed at a fair 4/1 on the morning line. Trainer Timothy P. Murphy keeps this one competitive and the 18% career win rate mirrors a reliable, professional type who rarely runs a bad race.
Mayheminthepalace posts the field's top average speed figure at 55 — a tick faster than most rivals — and carries a 20% career win rate into this spot. The 5/2 morning line makes this the public's likely favorite, so if you're using it in exotics, expect a short price; focus on multi-race tickets where the value compounds.
Race 2
Maiden Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt
A maiden claiming sprint where every horse is still looking for that first career win — but the talent gap between the top and bottom of this field is significant, and the morning-line favorite looks hard to beat.
Anmolo sits atop the TrackWiz ratings at 89.12 — easily the top-rated horse in this maiden field — and trainer Nirka Huertas sends this one out as the 8/5 morning-line choice, signaling confidence. Emanuel De Diego gets the call, and the combination of a sharp rating, a capable jockey, and a compact field makes this a relatively clearcut win pick. At less than 2/1 the value is modest, but the profile here is as solid as maiden claimers get.
Runaway Roscoe is trained by Chris J. Englehart, who has already saddled John's in Charge to a top rating in Race 1 today — the barn is clearly sending live horses to the post. Rated 79.72 by TrackWiz and posting an average speed of 53, Runaway Roscoe is the most logical alternative if Anmolo stumbles, and 4/1 on the morning line offers solid place value.
Not My Type lands third in our ratings at 73.27, backed by Oscar Gomez in the saddle and an average speed figure of 53 that's in line with the top contenders. At 5/2 morning line, this horse is well-supported by the morning oddsmaker, and the close ratings cluster between positions two through four means Not My Type is live for a piece in the exacta or trifecta.
Race 3
Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt
A route claiming test around two turns where M. Anthony Ferraro sends out two horses — Fast Amendment and Percy — and both rate among the top three in the field, setting up a potential barn quinella.
Fast Amendment draws the top TrackWiz rating in this race at 87.81, a clear step above most rivals, and Keiber J. Coa is a sharp pick-up for the mount. Trainer M. Anthony Ferraro clearly has this one tightened up, and at 5/2 on the morning line the public agrees. The route distance at 1 mile 70 yards should suit a horse with a 6% career win rate at this class level — unspectacular on paper, but the rating suggests a form cycle that's trending upward.
Stablemate Percy rates 76.67 — second best in the field — and offers a different tactical option for Ferraro in this race, which could set up a pace-and-pace scenario within the barn. At 5/1 morning line, Percy is a legitimate value play for the place, and Luis E. Perez keeps this one in the conversation deep into the stretch.
Tap It Easy sits third in our ratings at 74.39 and posts a career win rate of 8% — modest, but the best among the win-percentage leaders in this field. Trainer Richard Shaffer places this horse at 3/1, and Jeremias Flores aboard gives it a capable pilot. If the Ferraro pair burn each other up early, Tap It Easy is positioned to pick up the pieces.
TrackWiz is opening up the first three races for everyone today, and there's a genuinely interesting thread connecting them. All three free races are on the dirt at short-to-middle distances, and our analysis points to horses who can control or sit just off a pace that figures to be honest — not suicidal, not slow. John's in Charge (Race 1, 5/1 morning line) is our top free play and a legit value if the pace sets up right. Anmolo in Race 2 comes in as the morning-line favorite at 8/5 and carries our highest TrackWiz rating of the free races at 89.12 — that number doesn't lie. And Fast Amendment stretches out to a mile and 70 yards in Race 3, where our analysis suggests the added ground is a plus.
With a dry, consistent track today, horses with back class and clean recent form have a real edge. Keep an eye on post position in the sprints — Finger Lakes' tight turns can punish wide trips, especially early.
Full Card Analysis
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Bottom line: a clean summer afternoon at Finger Lakes with eight races on a fast dirt surface. Our top free plays — John's in Charge, Anmolo, and Fast Amendment — give casual bettors three strong starting points. Serious players will want the full-card analysis, pace scenarios, and exotic structures waiting for subscribers. Good luck at the windows today.