Unlock the other 6 races on today's card, plus AI ratings on every runner and SmartBet ticket construction.

The winner is in our top 4 picks 75% of the time, across 17 tracks.

Daily Picks

Finger Lakes Picks & Predictions — August 25, 2026

August 25, 20269 racesAll Finger Lakes picks

Results are in — see the official Finger Lakes chart and payouts (our top pick won 2 of 9)→

Finger Lakes is rolling out a nine-race dirt card on Tuesday, August 25, and the weather is about as cooperative as you can ask for — partly cloudy skies and a comfortable 70°F mean the track should be consistent all afternoon. No rain headaches, no speed-favoring slop. Just clean dirt and horses who need to earn it.

The card mixes conditions nicely, with a pair of allowance sprints bookending the afternoon, three maiden events giving us our first look at some lightly raced horses, and a trio of claiming races where class angles and recent form will do the heavy lifting. There's genuine interest from top to bottom today, and TrackWiz analysis has identified strong plays throughout.

Three races are available free to all readers — Races 1, 2, and 3 — covering the opening allowance sprint, the first maiden special weight, and an early claiming route. The remaining six races are part of the full premium breakdown for subscribers.

Best Bets

Race 1

4:55 PM EDT

Allowance · 6 fur · Dirt

A clear TrackWiz rating gap makes this Allowance sprint less of a puzzle than it looks — one horse towers over the field, but the price on the favorite isn't bad at 5/2.

win3Asleep At EightML 5/2

Asleep At Eight owns the top TrackWiz rating in this field at 87.81 — that's a meaningful edge over the 76.22 second-best. Trainer Charlton Baker sends her out with jockey Andre Shivnarine Worrie, and a morning line of 5/2 represents fair value for a horse this dominant on paper. Her average speed figure of 54 ties the field leader and her 11% career win rate in an Allowance context suggests she's competitive at this level.

place4MitwajidML 5/1

Mitwajid checks in with a 76.22 TrackWiz rating and a career win percentage of 22% — the best strike rate in this entire field. That kind of consistency is hard to ignore, and trainer M. Anthony Ferraro puts him with the reliable Keiber J. Coa. At 5/1 on the morning line, there's real place value here.

show2Vino's ValentineML 5/1

Vino's Valentine sits third in the TrackWiz ratings at 57.23 and brings a respectable 11% career win rate. Oscar Gomez gets the mount, and at 5/1 she offers solid exotic upside as a horse that should be competitive for a piece of the purse in a six-furlong Allowance sprint.

Race 2

5:24 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Dirt

Maiden Special Weight first-timers and lightly raced types clash over a short five furlongs — several horses are debut or near-debut runners, making pace projection tricky but the TrackWiz numbers point toward a narrow top tier.

win4BlessednotbotheredML 9/5

Blessednotbothered tops the TrackWiz ratings at 58.67 and draws in as the morning-line favorite at 9/5 — not surprising given the M. Anthony Ferraro barn's consistent record at this meet. Keiber J. Coa gets the call, one of the sharper jockey-trainer combos in today's card. She's shown an average speed of 53, which is solid for a maiden sprinter, and the short five-furlong trip suits a first-up horse that should be close to the pace.

place3Cozzy TrickstressML 3/1

Cozzy Trickstress rates second in the field at 56.67 and is trained by Paul W. Barrow, who fields two in this race — always a sign of stable confidence in a runner. No prior speed figure is listed, suggesting a debut or limited record, which adds some mystery but also some upside if she's been working well. At 3/1 on the morning line with Andre Shivnarine Worrie in the irons, she's a natural place target.

show6Redzone GalML 7/2

Redzone Gal slots in third on the TrackWiz scale at 55.83 and comes in at a juicy 7/2 morning line with no prior speed figure, hinting at a fresh or lightly raced runner. Oscar Gomez pilots her for trainer Debra A. Breed, and in a short field of six, she has the rating to stay within striking range. Worth including in exacta and trifecta exotics.

Race 3

5:53 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Dirt

Eight horses go a route of ground in this Claiming event and the TrackWiz ratings tell a tale of two tiers — one standout well clear of a competitive mid-pack, and a couple of longshots that likely need a pace meltdown to threaten.

win4Fast AmendmentML 4/1

Fast Amendment comes in with a 85.62 TrackWiz rating — nearly 21 points clear of the second-best horse in the field — which is the kind of gap that's hard to overcome at any level. Trainer M. Anthony Ferraro has been active all card, and pairing with Keiber J. Coa gives this horse one of the stronger jockey-trainer combos at Finger Lakes. Yes, the 5% career win rate is modest, but context matters — this rating is built on how the horse compares within the field, and the gap is substantial.

place1Fiscal DragML 7/2

Fiscal Drag rates second at 64.92 and averages a 53 speed figure, making him a legitimate threat to earn a piece. Trainer Ralph D'Alessandro puts Luis E. Perez up, and at 7/2 on the morning line, the place price should be workable. His 7% career win rate is low but consistent with a claimer that tends to hang around the board.

show2American HaliteML 5/1

American Halite checks in third on the TrackWiz scale at 57.5 and Ilmar Loaiza sends him out with Steven Fret aboard. He's a 5/1 shot with a 6% career win rate, which isn't flashy, but in a crowded eight-horse field going a mile and a sixteenth, there's enough pace to mix things up and leave room for a show check.

The free portion of today's card kicks off with one of our highest-rated horses of the afternoon: Asleep At Eight in Race 1, a 6-furlong allowance sprint who checks in with an 87.81 TrackWiz rating — the top mark across the entire card. Allowance company at Finger Lakes on a clean, dry track is exactly the scenario you want for a horse with that kind of number, and the 5/2 morning line suggests the market respects it too.

Race 2 brings us to maiden special weight territory over 5 furlongs, where Blessednotbothered comes in as the 9/5 morning-line choice. MSW sprints with a short field can be tricky, but our model likes the pace setup here. Then in Race 3 — a route going 1 1/16 miles in claiming company — Fast Amendment catches our eye at 4/1 on the morning line with an 85.62 rating. Horses who can handle two turns and show up at value prices are always worth a close look at this level.

Send me tomorrow's free Finger Lakes card before post time.

Free picks in your inbox each morning. No card required, unsubscribe anytime.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

6:22 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

This Claiming sprint at five and a half furlongs features a packed top tier — four horses rated between 73 and 87 on the TrackWiz scale, setting up a genuine pace battle with real exacta and trifecta potential.

win2Rachel's RockML 3/1

Rachel's Rock leads the field with an 87.08 TrackWiz rating and backs it up with a 24% career win rate — the best strike rate among the top contenders. Trainer Rachel Sells puts Emanuel De Diego up, and the morning line of 3/1 reflects the market's respect. With an average speed figure of 54, she should be right in the mix early in a five-and-a-half-furlong sprint.

place4T D MageeML 4/1

T D Magee rates a strong 79.83 and brings a 21% career win rate to the table — this horse has proven it can hit the board with regularity. Keiber J. Coa rides for trainer Ralph D'Alessandro, a solid pairing, and the 4/1 morning line represents good place value in a field this competitive. The 54 average speed figure matches Rachel's Rock, so expect him to be right there at the top of the stretch.

show7Glory Bound ClaraML 8/1

Glory Bound Clara at 8/1 is the show value of the race, rated 78.9 — third-best in the field. Trainer William H. Bartlett sends Jacqueline A. Davis out, and while the 12% career win rate is the lowest among the top four, her speed numbers are strong. In a pace-heavy sprint where the leaders could soften each other up, she's a legitimate closer candidate at a price that makes her exotic inclusion very appealing.

Race 5

6:51 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

A full field of nine maiden runners stretch out to a mile and 70 yards — a distance that separates pace horses from true route types, and with all horses winless, the TrackWiz ratings are doing heavy lifting here.

win4Hip Hop DancerML 3/1

Hip Hop Dancer tops the TrackWiz ratings at 80.37 and is the 3/1 morning-line choice, suggesting the market agrees. Trainer Rafael Jose Rohena puts J. M. Rohena up — a family connection that often signals stable confidence in a runner's readiness. The 52 average speed figure is workable for a maiden route, and the extra distance of a mile and 70 yards could be exactly what this horse needs to find the wire first.

place1Kozy BeeML 8/1

Kozy Bee is the value angle in this race — rated 78.46, just a hair behind the top pick, yet going off at 8/1 on the morning line. Trainer Katlynn Gutterson has Steven Fret up, and the 54 average speed figure is actually the best among our top three picks. If the pace gets fast early, Kozy Bee could be the one stalking and pouncing late at a very generous price.

show7TaparooML 8/1

Taparoo comes in at 67.62 on the TrackWiz scale and is also priced at 8/1, which means there's legitimate overlay potential if the top two clash on the front end. Trainer Michael S. Ferraro sends out Luis E. Perez, and the 53 average speed figure is right in the mix. As a show play or trifecta piece at a route distance in a maiden field, Taparoo offers solid upside.

Race 6

7:20 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A wide-open six-furlong Claiming race with a genuine top contender, a rising stablemate from a sharp trainer, and a big-priced closer that could steal a piece — this one sets up beautifully for exotics.

win2ItwillbefunML 3/1

Itwillbefun carries the top TrackWiz rating at 87.08 and a 54 average speed figure that matches the field's best. Trainer Dana Saul puts Jose Baez up at 3/1, and while the 12% career win rate is modest, this horse's composite rating suggests a form cycle that's trending up. In a six-furlong dirt sprint, a horse with this kind of figure advantage and a solid jockey should be difficult to beat.

place4Princess CairoML 7/2

Princess Cairo rates second at 80.73 and brings a 19% career win rate — a horse that has shown it knows how to find the wire. Trainer Chris J. Englehart fields two in this race, and J. M. Rohena gets the mount on this one at 7/2. Her 54 average speed figure matches the top horses in the field, so she should be competitive deep into the stretch.

show1Bayou MelodyML 12/1

Bayou Melody is the show bomb of the card — a 12/1 morning line on a horse rated 69.74, and she owns a 26% career win rate that is among the best in the field. Trainer Arcadio Lopez sends out Emanuel De Diego, and the disconnect between that win percentage and the big price suggests the market may be underestimating her. At 12/1, even a small show wager carries real upside.

Race 7

7:49 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 1 mi · Dirt

A mile Maiden Special Weight full of debut and lightly raced horses — the TrackWiz number on the top pick is a full 22 points clear of the field, which is rare and worth paying attention to.

win7Tony HooksML 3/1

Tony Hooks carries an 87.08 TrackWiz rating — a massive gap over the 64.80 second-best — and is the 3/1 morning-line choice for trainer James S. Acquilano with Emanuel De Diego in the irons. In a maiden field where most horses are still finding their way, a figure gap this large is significant. The 53 average speed figure is solid for a route, and this barn has been active today, suggesting sharp readiness.

place4Big EgoML 6/1

Big Ego checks in at 64.80 on the TrackWiz scale — the clear second-best in the field — and trainer Paul W. Barrow sends Jeremias Flores up at 6/1. In a maiden route that could get strung out early, a horse with strong ratings and a double-digit morning line offers legitimate place value. Barrow has multiple runners on the card today, which typically signals a barn firing on all cylinders.

show8Baby MeanieML 7/2

Baby Meanie is the 7/2 third choice and rates 58.84 on the TrackWiz scale, putting him in a competitive spot in the second tier of this field. Trainer James W. Ferraro gives Christopher Elliott the mount, and the 52 average speed figure means he's not completely outgunned on raw ability. As a show anchor in trifectas, he's a reasonable hedge against Tony Hooks running away with it.

Race 8

8:18 PM EDT

Allowance · 6 fur · Dirt

A six-furlong Allowance with a dominant top pick and a competitive mid-pack that includes a fascinating horse with a remarkable career win rate — this race has exacta intrigue beyond just the top choice.

win2White Sport CoatML 3/1

White Sport Coat tops this Allowance field at 87.08 on the TrackWiz scale and is sent out by trainer M. Anthony Ferraro — who has been the busiest trainer on today's card — with Keiber J. Coa aboard. The 3/1 morning line is fair for a horse this dominant in the ratings, and a 16% career win rate in Allowance company is respectable. At six furlongs on the dirt with a 53 average speed figure, expect this horse to be prominent early and hard to reel in.

place4GuiltyML 5/2

Guilty rates 59.04 and is trained by Paul W. Barrow, who has a strong multi-runner presence today. Jeremias Flores gets the call at 5/2, which is actually the second-shortest price in the field — a market signal worth respecting. The 55 average speed figure is tied for the highest in this race, suggesting raw ability that could carry her to the board even if the top pick proves too good.

show6By Mink StandardsML 7/2

By Mink Standards rates 58.47 and goes off at 7/2, giving trainer Patrick Baratta and jockey Joel Cruz a fair shot at a piece of the purse. The 54 average speed figure is solid, and a 16% career win rate shows some ability to close out races. In a seven-horse Allowance where the top pick is strong but the mid-pack is bunched, this horse is a smart show play or trifecta inclusion.

Race 9

8:47 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Ten runners in a Maiden Claiming sprint at five and a half furlongs — one horse stands well clear on the TrackWiz scale, but there's a secondary value play rated 77 that offers real place and show upside at a generous price.

win8Wildcat AnnieML 3/1

Wildcat Annie owns an 87.08 TrackWiz rating in a field where the second-best horse is rated 77.41 — that's a 10-point edge, which is meaningful in any field. Trainer Tamara Housel teams with J. M. Rohena, and the 3/1 morning line reflects justified market confidence. Notably, Wildcat Annie carries a 20% career win rate — the only horse in this field with a win on her record — which is a significant class indicator in a Maiden Claiming race.

place5CrystalML 6/1

Crystal is the value play of this race — a 77.41 TrackWiz rating at 6/1 on the morning line, which looks like a potential overlay given how far ahead she is of the third-ranked horse. Trainer Luis Gutierrez puts Nazario Alvarado up, and a 53 average speed figure puts her in the conversation for a strong runner-up finish. If Wildcat Annie is the standout, Crystal looks like the horse most likely to benefit from that setup.

show3Peruvian PrincessML 4/1

Peruvian Princess rates 64.45 and checks in as the third-ranked horse in the field at 4/1 morning line — a price that reflects some market respect. Trainer Paul W. Barrow sends Jeremias Flores out, and the 53 average speed figure is competitive for a five-and-a-half-furlong maiden sprint. With a full field of ten, there's enough chaos for a third-place showing, and this horse has the numbers to earn it.

Premium Content

Get the Full Card Analysis

Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.

View Plans Sign In

It's a clean, manageable nine-race card at Finger Lakes today, and TrackWiz analysis is confident in the plays we've surfaced. Asleep At Eight headlines the free card with the top rating of the afternoon, and Fast Amendment offers a compelling value angle in the Route 3 claiming event. For subscribers, the full breakdown — pace projections, exotic tickets, and six additional race analyses — is live and ready. Good luck out there, and as always, manage your bankroll and enjoy the action.

← All Finger Lakes picks & predictions

You're reading 3 of 9 races free