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 — September 2, 2026

September 2, 20268 racesAll Finger Lakes picks

Results are in — see the official Finger Lakes chart and payouts (our top pick won 0 of 8)→

Happy Labor Day week at the Finger Lakes. Eight races are on tap this Wednesday afternoon under partly cloudy skies and a comfortable 81°F — ideal conditions for a fast, consistent dirt track. No weather excuses today, no slop to navigate. Just horses, form, and decisions.

The card is a solid mix of Starter Optional Claimers, Maiden Special Weights, Allowance company, and Claiming races spread across six furlongs with one route thrown in late. That Route 8 closer — a mile and 70 yards for maiden claimers — is worth keeping an eye on for multi-race sequence players looking to anchor their tickets.

TrackWiz has ratings on all eight races, with three free previews unlocked for every reader and five premium breakdowns for subscribers. Let's walk through what today's card has to offer.

Best Bets

Race 1

4:55 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A Starter Optional Claiming sprint where the morning-line favorite gets outgunned on ratings — Foxy Cara and Moontown separate themselves from the field on TrackWiz numbers, setting up a potential pace duel at the top.

win6Foxy CaraML 3/1

Foxy Cara tops the TrackWiz ratings at 87.08 — the highest score in the field — and draws the outside post at 3/1 on the morning line, which represents solid overlay potential if the market drifts toward Miss Stones. Steven Fret gets the call, and with a speed figure average of 53 that keeps her competitive in this company, the key is whether she can control the pace or sit just off it in a six-furlong dirt sprint. Her 11% career win rate isn't eye-popping, but at this class level and with the top TrackWiz rating, she's the most complete profile in the race.

place5MoontownML 4/1

Moontown sits second in the ratings at 84.11 and comes in at 4/1 — making her a legitimate each-way threat. Joel Cruz in the irons is a positive, and matching Kaz Music's average speed figure of 54 while posting a stronger rating suggests she has upside here. If Foxy Cara draws most of the early heat, Moontown could be lurking to sweep up a piece at a juicy price.

show3Miss StonesML 8/5

Miss Stones is the morning-line favorite at 8/5, and while her 76.99 rating trails the top two, her 50% career win rate is impossible to ignore — no other horse in the field comes close to that number. Oscar Gomez takes the mount for trainer Paul Barrow. She's worth including in exactas and trifectas as a horse who wins more often than the ratings suggest.

Race 2

5:24 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Dirt

A tricky maiden sprint where one horse stands well clear on TrackWiz ratings and the rest of the field is bunched within a narrow band — Beach Life looks like a wire-to-wire type, but maiden races can always spring a surprise.

win1Beach LifeML 5/2

Beach Life is the class of this field by a wide margin, posting a 87.81 TrackWiz rating that's more than 30 points clear of every other entrant. Trained by Jeremiah Englehart — who regularly ships sharpened horses to regional ovals — and drawing post 1 with an average speed figure of 55, she should control the pace in a five-furlong dirt sprint. The 5/2 morning line is fair, not generous, but in a maiden field this top-heavy, you often have to take the short number.

place4Big PoppyML 3/1

Big Poppy is one of three horses in the field without a published speed figure, suggesting he's lightly raced or debuts with limited data — but his 56.67 TrackWiz rating leads the secondary pack, and trainer M. Anthony Ferraro places him at 3/1, which implies stable confidence. In a race where Beach Life could go off at even money, finding a live place horse at 3/1 is the smart exotic play.

show5ReferendumML 7/2

Referendum checks in at 55.83 and is trained by Michael Ferraro, keeping things in the family with a 7/2 price. Without a published speed figure, there's inherent mystery here, but the rating edges out I'm a Happy Man and Roadhouse Warrior. In a wide-open secondary tier, he's a reasonable show-ticket hedge to round out the trifecta.

Race 3

5:53 PM EDT

Allowance · 6 fur · Dirt

An allowance sprint that looks like a three-horse race between Not for Hire, Lord King, and the morning-line favorite Hit the Post — the pace scenario here is key, with multiple horses capable of pressing from the gate.

win2Not for HireML 5/2

Not for Hire tops the TrackWiz ratings at 87.81, outscoring the 2/1 morning-line favorite Lord King by nearly six points. Kevin Navarro picks up the mount for trainer Jonathan Buckley, who also saddles Revivalism in the race — double-barreled trainers often know which horse is the live one, and Not for Hire at 5/2 is clearly the stable's best hope here. A 23% career win rate at the allowance level is solid, and the 5/2 price offers real value against a market that seems to prefer Lord King.

place5Lord KingML 2/1

Lord King brings a 30% career win rate — the highest in the field — and matches Hit the Post's average speed figure of 55. Trainer Luis Gutierrez sends him in with jockey Reylu Gutierrez in the irons, a familiar partnership worth noting. If the pace gets heated early between Hit the Post and any pressers, Lord King's closing style could put him right in the thick of it for a place check.

show3Skyler's StarshipML 7/2

Skyler's Starship rates at 75.18 — the third-best figure in the field — and comes in at 7/2 with Keiber Coa aboard for M. Anthony Ferraro. A 13% career win rate keeps expectations measured, but the rating is legitimate, and if the top two fight each other into submission, she's the most likely beneficiary. She's a smart trifecta inclusion.

The first three races give us a nice cross-section of the card. Race 1 is a Starter Optional Claimer at six furlongs — a condition that tends to attract horses with a defined form profile, which is exactly what our top-rated pick Foxy Cara (morning line 3/1, TrackWiz rating 87.08) brings to the table. In Race 2, the five-furlong Maiden Special Weight opens the door for first-level dirt sprinters, and Beach Life at 5/2 earns our top mark at 87.81 — the highest single rating among the free races. Race 3 steps up to Allowance company, and Not for Hire matches that 87.81 ceiling, making the 5/2 morning line look workable if the pace sets up right.

All three free picks are at or above the 87-point TrackWiz threshold on a consistent dirt surface, which adds to the conviction. The partly cloudy conditions and dry heat suggest track speed should hold steady throughout the afternoon — a plus for horses with early pace in these sprint distances.

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

A claiming sprint where the morning-line chalk doesn't hold the top TrackWiz rating — Anmolo and Winston D post the two highest scores while Stormy's Dreaming looms as a pace factor from the rail, making this a nuanced wagering race.

win3AnmoloML 7/2

Anmolo leads the TrackWiz ratings at 86.35 and goes at 7/2 on the morning line — the kind of slight overlay that sharp bettors look for when the market is focused on Winston D at 2/1. Emanuel De Diego gets the call for trainer Nirka Huertas, and with a speed figure average of 53 on the dirt, he should be comfortable at six furlongs. An 11% career win rate suggests he's capable of breaking through at this class level, especially if he's dropping into a favorable spot.

place4Winston DML 2/1

Winston D rates second in the field at 84.42 with Luis Perez aboard for trainer Rachel Sells, and it's easy to see why the public makes him the favorite — 2/1 is the shortest price in the race. A speed figure average of 54 gives him a slight edge over Anmolo on raw numbers, and a 9% career win rate in claiming company is respectable. If he gets outrun early, he's the most likely horse to grind back for a piece.

show1Stormy's DreamingML 5/2

Stormy's Dreaming sits at 81.06 on the ratings and draws the rail — a significant advantage in a six-furlong dirt sprint at Finger Lakes, where the inside path can be golden. Oscar Gomez handles the mount for Lisa Reed. Despite a 5% career win rate, the 5/2 morning line reflects market respect, and she's live enough to sneak onto the board at a decent price in the show pool.

Race 5

6:51 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

This claiming sprint features a clear TrackWiz standout in Ragtime Prankster, but the pace looks contested enough that closers could benefit — Valiant Warrior and Shellac both have the profiles to run into each other's exacta.

win4Ragtime PranksterML 7/2

Ragtime Prankster checks in with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating — by far the top mark in the field — and goes at 7/2, which is exactly where a horse this well-rated should be in a claiming sprint. John Berrios takes the mount for trainer Donna Bireta, and while the 5% career win rate raises a flag, the rating differential over the field is too big to dismiss. A speed figure average of 53 is in line with the competitive group here, and if he fires his best effort, the class edge should tell.

place2Valiant WarriorML 3/1

Valiant Warrior comes in at 73.58 — second in the ratings — with a 16% career win rate that leads the field, and Oscar Gomez in the saddle for trainer Debra Breed. An average speed of 54 is one of the top marks in the race, and at 3/1, he's a legitimate win threat in his own right, not just a place horse. His consistent career win percentage suggests he knows how to finish, making him a strong exacta partner with Ragtime Prankster.

show7ShellacML 5/2

Shellac rates third in the field at 69.72 and is the morning-line second choice at 5/2, which tells you the market has plenty of respect for Jose Baez and trainer Dana Saul. A speed figure average of 54 matches Valiant Warrior at the top of the field. He's a natural fit in the show spot and makes sense as the third leg of any trifecta you're constructing here.

Race 6

7:20 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A maiden claiming sprint where the morning-line favorite isn't the horse with the top TrackWiz rating — King Solomon at 5/1 leads on ratings while the public leans toward Trinity River at 5/2, setting up a potential value play.

win4King SolomonML 5/1

King Solomon tops the TrackWiz ratings at 84.17 — the highest score in this maiden claiming field — and offers real value at a 5/1 morning line that doesn't reflect his edge on the numbers. Olaf Hernandez picks up the mount for trainer Ralph D'Alessandro, and an average speed figure of 53 is among the better marks in the race. In maiden claiming sprints, value is everything, and a horse this well-rated at this price is hard to pass up.

place5Solo StreetML 4/1

Solo Street rates at 80.24 — second in the field — and trainer Jonathan Buckley sends him out at 4/1 with Kevin Navarro, a reliable pilot at this oval. His average speed of 52 is competitive, and in a race where the top two rated horses are both going at generous prices, the exacta combining King Solomon and Solo Street could pay nicely. He's the logical place horse if King Solomon moves forward as expected.

show1Trinity RiverML 5/2

Trinity River is the market favorite at 5/2, which puts her in an interesting spot — the public loves her more than TrackWiz does at 69.71, a full 14 points behind King Solomon. That said, the betting market sees something, and with Luis Perez riding for trainer Michael Ferraro, she brings a professional setup. Even if she gets outrun for the win, her public support alone should keep her around the board.

Race 7

7:49 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A Starter Optional Claiming sprint loaded with horses that have double-digit career win percentages — this is a competitive group, but Pompous Prince's TrackWiz rating and Bustin Away's raw speed figure create a compelling top two.

win2Pompous PrinceML 3/1

Pompous Prince leads the field with an 87.08 TrackWiz rating and carries a 25% career win rate — a legitimate winner who knows how to finish. Keiber Coa takes the call for trainer M. Anthony Ferraro, who also runs Bustin Away, and at 3/1 this isn't a steal but it's a fair price for the best-rated horse in the race. An average speed figure of 55 ties him with several others, but the overall profile — rating, win rate, rider, trainer — makes him the most complete package in the field.

place3Bustin AwayML 7/2

Bustin Away posts an average speed figure of 56 — the highest in the field — and a 38% career win rate that's extraordinary for any horse at this level. Joel Cruz handles the mount for the same Ferraro barn, and at 7/2, he's actually the value alternative to Pompous Prince. If you had to make a case for flipping the 1-2, Bustin Away's raw speed and career consistency would be your argument — he's a must-use in exactas.

show4CanyouhearmerunninML 5/1

Canyouhearmerunnin comes in at 5/1 with a 26% career win rate — the second-highest mark in the field — and gets Emanuel De Diego up for Dana Saul. His 59.79 rating trails the top two by a meaningful gap, but the career win rate signals a horse who competes. At 5/1, he's worth including in the third spot of the trifecta as a price horse who has proven he can run.

Race 8

8:18 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

A maiden claiming route at a mile and 70 yards where three horses are essentially deadlocked at the top of the TrackWiz ratings — Broken Record, Saint Solomon, and Beck's Dreamer are separated by less than a point, making this one of the tightest races on the card.

win6Broken RecordML 3/1

Broken Record edges the field at 87.08 on TrackWiz ratings and goes at the reasonable price of 3/1 with Oscar Gomez aboard for trainer Paul Barrow. In a maiden route, stamina matters, and an average speed figure of 51 is right in line with the competitive cluster at the top. Barrow is a trainer worth watching at Finger Lakes, and Gomez is one of the more active riders on the circuit — this is a professional setup that deserves respect.

place3Saint SolomonML 7/2

Saint Solomon sits at 86.35 — just two hundredths of a point behind Broken Record — and draws the 7/2 morning line with Keiber Coa in the irons for trainer Tamara Housel. His speed figure average of 51 matches Beck's Dreamer, and in a race this tight at the top, the place pool on Saint Solomon could offer outstanding value. He's a serious win threat and not just a place horse.

show1Beck's DreamerML 5/2

Beck's Dreamer completes the three-way photo at the top with an 86.33 rating and actually holds the shortest morning-line price in the top trio at 5/2. Joel Cruz rides for trainer James Acquilano, and the 5/2 price reflects genuine public confidence. An average speed figure of 51 keeps him right in the pack, and while the difference between the top three on paper is negligible, the race may ultimately come down to trip and position — Beck's Dreamer inside at post 1 could be a real factor going a route of ground.

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

A clean weather day, a consistent dirt surface, and three strong free picks — Foxy Cara in Race 1, Beach Life in Race 2, and Not for Hire in Race 3 — give every reader a solid starting point. The premium card adds five more races with pace projections, exotic structures, and a longshot angle worth exploring. Subscribers have the full picture. Good luck at the windows.

← All Finger Lakes picks & predictions

You're reading 3 of 8 races free