Unlock the other 5 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 31, 2026

August 31, 20268 racesAll Finger Lakes picks

Results are in — see the official Finger Lakes chart and payouts (our top pick won 1 of 8)→

Rain is falling at Finger Lakes this Monday, August 31st, and that changes everything. With temperatures sitting at 71°F and wet conditions on a dirt-only card, we're watching closely for how the track plays — whether it favors speed or sets up for closers is going to be the story of the afternoon.

Eight races are on the book today, spanning claiming ranks and allowance company across sprint and route distances. It's a workmanlike card that rewards sharp handicapping over gut plays, and our TrackWiz ratings have surfaced some genuine standouts — plus at least one longer-priced horse worth a serious look.

Three races are fully open for all readers today. The other five are part of our premium full-card breakdown — more on that below.

Best Bets

Race 1

4:55 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

A six-horse claiming sprint at 5 1/2 furlongs where the TrackWiz ratings tell a clear story — one horse grades out significantly above the field, but two others cluster just closely enough to keep the exotics interesting.

win5Thin LegsML 5/2

Thin Legs is the standout of this field by a wide margin, posting a TrackWiz rating of 87.81 — a full 17 points clear of the next closest competitor. A 24% career win rate is legitimately strong at this level, and an average speed figure of 54 matches the top of the field. At 5/2 on the morning line, trainer James S. Acquilano has a horse that simply grades out better than the competition, and Michael A. Davila, Jr. gets a live mount in the opener.

place1Practical RachelML 4/1

Practical Rachel draws the rail and owns a solid TrackWiz rating of 70.62 — second best in the race. The 4/1 morning line represents fair value for a horse that belongs on your ticket underneath, and Oscar Gomez is a capable handler in the irons for trainer Ilmar Loaiza.

show4Only in My DreamsML 5/1

Only in My Dreams sits right on the heels of Practical Rachel with a 70.17 rating, making this a genuinely tight battle for the minor spots. At 5/1, Andre Shivnarine Worrie gives the horse a competent pilot, and the rating separation from the rest of the field gives this one a credible path to hitting the board.

Race 2

5:24 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

A maiden claiming mile on the dirt where every horse is still looking for that first career win — unpredictability is baked in, but the TrackWiz ratings reveal a legitimate standout who the market is underestimating at 7/2.

win1Spicey TiceyML 7/2

Spicey Ticey tops the field with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating — more than 17 points better than the next best horse — and that separation in a maiden field is meaningful. Trainer Tamara Housel sends this one out with Keiber J. Coa in the saddle, a solid booking. The 7/2 morning line is genuinely appealing given the rating edge; in a race where nobody has won before, having the best underlying numbers matters a lot.

place4Only La DussML 5/1

Only La Duss rates second in the field at 69.17 and comes in at 5/1 on the morning line, giving her solid place value in a wide-open maiden field. Trainer Thalia Areche puts Kevin Navarro up, and this one projects as a horse who can be competitive without necessarily needing to outrun the top selection.

show3My Devine OneML 5/2

My Devine One checks in at 62.67 on the TrackWiz scale and is actually the morning-line favorite at 5/2 — meaning the public is higher on her than our ratings suggest. Jose Baez gets the mount for trainer Dana Saul, and even if she doesn't win outright, the market support makes her a reasonable show-ticket inclusion in this unpredictable maiden event.

Race 3

5:53 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

A claiming route going a mile and 70 yards where the top of the market is stacked tightly — three horses rate between 80 and 88, setting up a potential pace duel that could benefit a stalker with the best closing kick.

win5PercyML 5/2

Percy tops the TrackWiz ratings at 87.81 and draws the outside post where Luis E. Perez can find a comfortable position in the early going. A 10% career win rate at this level looks modest on paper, but the overall rating dwarfs much of this field, and trainer M. Anthony Ferraro keeps Percy competitive in the route format. This is a horse who figures to be in the thick of it late.

place4Real EleveML 3/1

Real Eleve is close behind at 86.15 and carries the 3/1 morning-line tag that reflects strong public confidence. Trainer Katlynn Gutterson doubles up in this race with two entrants, and Joel Cruz is a solid choice for the mount — this one has the raw numbers to beat our top pick on the right pace scenario.

show3RedoubtableripkenML 4/1

Redoubtableripken posts an 80.0 TrackWiz rating and slots in at 4/1, making this the third-best rated horse in a field where the top three are legitimately clustered. Oscar Gomez picks up the ride for trainer Matthew Clarke, and at a slightly longer price than the top two, Redoubtableripken is a worthwhile exotic inclusion for trifecta players.

Our three free best bets today are spread across the early races: Thin Legs in Race 1 (5 1/2 furlongs, 5/2 morning line, TrackWiz rating 87.81), Spicey Ticey in Race 2 (1 mile, 7/2 ML, rating 86.35), and Percy in Race 3 (1 mile 70 yards, 5/2 ML, rating 87.81). What's interesting is how rain factors into each of these — route horses like Percy and Spicey Ticey will need to handle a potentially sloppy or muddy surface around two turns, and that's where past wet-track form becomes a real separator in our model.

Thin Legs at 5/2 opens the card in a sprint that could be all about pace — wet dirt at Finger Lakes tends to pack down into a speed-favoring surface in the early going, so watch how the first race or two run before locking in your bets later in the day. All three free picks carry ratings in the high 80s, which signals genuine confidence from our analysis.

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 · 6 fur · Dirt

The morning-line favorite is not the horse our ratings like most in this six-furlong claiming sprint — Jessica's Ride grades out on top at 4/1 while the crowd leans toward a shorter-priced runner, creating a potential overlay situation.

win6Jessica's RideML 4/1

Jessica's Ride posts the field's top TrackWiz rating at 85.62 and brings a 25% career win rate — that's a legitimate closer profile that suggests she knows how to seal the deal. Kevin Navarro is a strong jockey booking for trainer Jonathan B. Buckley, and at 4/1 on the morning line, this is a horse our analysis views as the best value in the race given she grades out clearly ahead of the pack.

place4ClarividenteML 3/1

Clarividente rates at 76.28 and holds the 3/1 morning line, making her the second-choice on both the morning line and in our ratings. Trainer Luis Gutierrez sends her out with Nazario Alvarado, and an average speed figure of 54 ties the field's best mark — she has the raw speed to stay involved and hit the board.

show2Big AdvantageML 7/2

Big Advantage brings a 28% career win rate — the best in this field — and a TrackWiz rating of 62.5 that slots nicely into the third position. Trainer Paul W. Barrow puts Jeremias Flores up, and at 7/2, this is a horse who has demonstrated the ability to win before and shouldn't be dismissed in the exotics even if she trails the top two in our ratings.

Race 5

6:51 PM EDT

Allowance · 1 mi · Dirt

The allowance mile features a morning-line favorite who doesn't match the top of our ratings — Sugartown Sweetie grades out best at 6/1, making this a race where following the public money blindly could cost you real value.

win5Sugartown SweetieML 6/1

Sugartown Sweetie leads our TrackWiz ratings at 82.71 while carrying a 6/1 morning line that looks like a genuine overlay. A 28% career win rate is outstanding at the allowance level, and trainer Paul W. Barrow puts Jeremias Flores in the irons — a sharp combination. This is a horse who wins nearly three times out of ten and rates best in the field; that combination of value and performance makes her our top selection.

place6Lipan LawML 7/2

Lipan Law is right there at 79.99 on the TrackWiz scale and gets Keiber J. Coa aboard for trainer M. Anthony Ferraro — a strong connections package. The 7/2 morning line is fair, and while her 11% career win rate is modest, the raw rating suggests she's capable of hitting the board in an allowance field this competitive.

show4Early OnML 6/5

Early On is the 6/5 morning-line favorite despite rating third in our analysis at 78.67, which is a subtle but important flag — the public price is already squeezed on a horse we don't view as the top option. Trainer Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. is a respected name, and Christopher Elliott is a solid jockey, so don't throw her off your tickets — she'll likely hit the board — but the value is elsewhere in this race.

Race 6

7:20 PM EDT

Allowance · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Galileans Girl sets up as a legitimate favorite with the field's top rating AND an elite career win percentage — but Timely Reward lurks at 5/1 with our second-best mark, making this a race where the win is likely, but the exacta could pay well.

win2Galileans GirlML 2/1

Galileans Girl is simply the class of this field — a 88.54 TrackWiz rating combined with a 42% career win rate is a profile that commands respect in any company. Trainer Linda K. Dixon sends her out with Nazario Alvarado, and the 2/1 morning line is probably close to fair given those numbers. She also posts the field's top average speed figure at 55, suggesting she can control or match fractions in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint.

place5Timely RewardML 5/1

Timely Reward rates second at 84.17 and offers the value play in this race at 5/1 — a nearly three-point rating edge over the third-best horse in the field. Luis E. Perez takes the mount for trainer Ilmar Loaiza, and the 55 average speed figure matches Galileans Girl's top mark. If the favorite hits any traffic or gets a wide trip, Timely Reward is sitting in the right spot to capitalize.

show6Princess WadadliML 5/2

Princess Wadadli's 60% career win rate jumps off the page — that is an extraordinary number — and trainer Robert N. Falcone, Jr. puts Christopher Elliott up at 5/2. The TrackWiz rating of 76.37 puts her third in this field, and while the average speed figure of 53 trails the top two, that win percentage tells you this is a horse who has consistently competed at a high level. She's a solid show-ticket inclusion and a real threat to scramble the exacta.

Race 7

7:49 PM EDT

Allowance · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

An eight-horse allowance sprint at 5 1/2 furlongs with a fair bit of parity in the middle of the field — Stars N Stones separates cleanly at the top of the ratings, but the place and show spots look genuinely competitive with four or five horses capable of hitting the board.

win2Stars N StonesML 7/2

Stars N Stones grades out as the clear top choice with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating — a 10-point gap over the third-best horse in the field is significant in a race this crowded. The 7/2 morning line is reasonable, and trainer M. Anthony Ferraro puts Keiber J. Coa in the irons, which is a strong jockey-trainer combination at this level. An average speed figure of 55 also ties for the field's best, suggesting Stars N Stones has the pure speed to be a factor from the outset.

place6Prince of DanceML 4/1

Prince of Dance rates at 76.84 and holds the 4/1 morning line for trainer Chris J. Englehart, with Andre Shivnarine Worrie picking up the mount. A 21% career win rate is respectable in an allowance field, and the 55 average speed figure matches the top horses — this one has the profile of a horse that runs a strong second in a competitive sprint.

show7Apollo CodeML 5/2

Apollo Code sits at 66.96 on the TrackWiz scale and draws the 5/2 morning line, which suggests the market sees more here than our ratings do — always worth noting. Christopher Elliott rides for Raymond Handal, and at a distance where pace scenario can reshuffle the deck, Apollo Code at a fair price makes sense as a trifecta anchor for conservative players.

Race 8

8:18 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

The nightcap is a nine-horse claiming sprint — the deepest field of the day — and Sutton Breeze stands out as a price horse worth backing, grading out on top at 5/1 in a race where the morning-line chalk is not the top-rated runner.

win3Sutton BreezeML 5/1

Sutton Breeze tops our TrackWiz ratings at 84.17 and brings a 30% career win rate — the best in this nine-horse field by a meaningful margin. Trainer Dana Saul sends this one out with Jose Baez, and the 5/1 morning line looks like legitimate overlay territory given those credentials. An average speed figure of 55 ties the field's best, and in a deep claiming sprint, having both the top rating AND the top win percentage is a compelling combination.

place5Doc AdvantageML 9/2

Doc Advantage rates at 79.74 and draws the 9/2 morning line, with Jeremias Flores in the saddle for trainer Paul W. Barrow. The 17% career win rate is workmanlike but the overall rating puts him clearly in the second tier of this field, and Barrow has two horses in this race — the kind of stable presence that often signals confidence in a runner's fitness.

show6The InstituteML 7/2

The Institute checks in at 74.64 on the TrackWiz scale and carries the 7/2 morning line, suggesting the market views this one as a prime contender despite rating third in our analysis. Luis E. Perez takes over for trainer Michael S. Ferraro, and an 18% career win rate in a nine-horse field gives The Institute a credible path to the board — solid exotic inclusion, especially underneath our top two.

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

Rain, eight races, and a card that rewards doing your homework — that's Finger Lakes on August 31st. Start with our free picks on Thin Legs, Spicey Ticey, and Percy in Races 1–3, then let Galileans Girl headline your premium races if you're playing the full card. Conditions can shift fast on a wet track, so stay flexible and check back for any surface updates before post time. Good luck out there.

← All Finger Lakes picks & predictions

You're reading 3 of 8 races free