Horseshoe Indianapolis Picks & Predictions — July 16, 2026

Decatur Street rates second on our sheet at 75.74 and also posts a 56 average speed figure, matching the top horses for pure pace. The 6/1 morning line from trainer Jose Cazares with Joseph D. Ramos up looks like a genuine value opportunity for a horse ranked this highly. A 14% career win rate is solid for the claiming ranks, and the price suggests the market may be sleeping on this one.

Funtastic Vow brings an eye-catching 29% career win rate — second highest in the field — and a TrackWiz rating of 68.48. Trained by Aaron M. West with Fernando De La Cruz taking the mount, this horse clearly knows how to hit the board. The 4/1 morning line is fair, and in a contentious nine-horse field, a horse with nearly a 30% win rate is exactly the type you want underneath in your trifecta.

Lucky Lollipop is the only horse in the field with a meaningful average speed figure on the board — a 53 — which gives her a concrete benchmark that most rivals simply can't match. Trained by Kelsey Danner with Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. in the irons, she rates 55.83 on the TrackWiz scale and opens at 7/2. When experience is scarce and speed data is even scarcer, having any proven baseline is a real edge in maiden company.

Echo Paradise opens at 5/1 under trainer Genaro Garcia with Amir Mendoza aboard, checking in at 53.33 on our ratings. While she doesn't carry speed figure data into this spot, the rating and fair morning line make her worth including in exactas and trifectas as a hedge. In a field this inexperienced, the show spot in exotics is worth protecting with a horse at a comfortable price.

Comes a Time ties with Little Jake for the second-highest TrackWiz rating at 79.79, but the 18% career win rate gives him the edge over his co-rated rival in terms of converting on those numbers. Trainer Genaro Garcia saddles him from the rail at 8/1 on the morning line — that's a genuine overlay for a horse this well-rated. A 54 average speed figure also profiles well in a turf mile where getting to the first turn cleanly from the inside can be tricky.

Little Jake co-ranks at 79.79 with the place pick but draws a more favorable middle-of-the-field post at program number 12. Fernando De La Cruz is an experienced turf pilot and gets this one at 8/1 — the same overlay price as Comes a Time. A 13% career win rate is workmanlike, and in a twelve-horse turf field, a horse with this rating profile at 8/1 is a must-use in trifecta and superfecta tickets.

Buccheros Song opens at 4/1 from the Daniel Simpson barn and rates 55.0 on the TrackWiz scale — second in the field. Joseph D. Ramos takes the mount, and the inside post could work nicely in a five-furlong sprint where getting position early is critical. This is a horse that makes sense underneath Cash Per Trip in the exacta, and the price offers a little more upside than the win pick.

Channelurambition is the only horse in this maiden field who brings an average speed figure — a 54 — giving her a concrete data point that all but two or three rivals can't match. Trained by Joseph D. Davis with Alexander Crispin up at 5/1, she rates 53.33 and represents the kind of 'known quantity' that stands out when the rest of the field is a mystery. In maiden sprints with this much uncertainty, including a horse with measurable speed in your exotic tickets is just good handicapping.

Sweet Heat opens as the 7/2 morning-line co-favorite alongside the top-rated horses and carries a strong 18% career win rate into this spot. Trained by Kara Lin McGuire with William Antongeorgi III taking the mount, she posts a 77.62 rating and a 54 average speed figure — tied for best in the field on that metric. The market is clearly high on this filly, and the combination of strong speed figures and a proven win rate makes her a logical each-way play.

Funs Lil Sis rates 68.73 — third in the field — and brings a 16% career win rate that speaks to consistent competitiveness at this level. Trainer Aaron M. West puts Fernando De La Cruz in the irons at 6/1, and a 52 average speed figure is in the mix for a turf mile that will set up for closers. In an eleven-horse allowance field with this much talent bunched at the top, she's a necessary inclusion in any trifecta ticket at a fair price.

Emoji rates 80.05 — second in the field — and stands out with the highest average speed figure in Race 8 at 56. Trained by Lori Hendrickson with James Graham in the irons, this one opens at 9/2 and represents solid each-way value. In a maiden turf sprint, where raw speed can be decisive in the early stages, having the top figure in the race is meaningful, and the price is fair for a horse this well-equipped.

Paradiseperfection rates 65.77 — third in the field and well clear of the next group — and opens at 8/1 from the Ed Moger, Jr. barn. With Evin A. Roman taking the mount, this filly carries a 52 average speed figure and represents genuine overlay value for a horse rated this highly in a maiden field. In turf sprints, pace and positioning matter enormously, and at 8/1, she's worth a ticket in the exotics as a value hedge against the top two picks.

Jf Requestingaflyby rates 67.72 — second in the field — and opens at 6/1 from trainer Mallory Norton with Rolando Del Rio Pina in the irons. A 14% career win rate is right in the mix for this level, and the price suggests some overlay potential for the second-best number in the race. In a quarter-horse sprint, you're often playing for the place and show as much as the win, and this horse fits comfortably as an exacta partner with Dare to Fly.

Kiss of Corona rates 59.99 — third in the field — and brings a 11% career win rate under trainer Felix Barraza with Martin Munoz taking the call. Interestingly, Munoz is also aboard stablemate Jess Knew, which is worth noting as a connections angle. The 6/1 morning line is the same as the place pick, making Kiss of Corona a legitimate trifecta and exacta wheel candidate at a fair price. In a thirteen-horse 300-yard sprint, getting three horses in the right order is where the real money is made.