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

Horseshoe Indianapolis Picks & Predictions — September 23, 2026

September 23, 20269 racesAll Horseshoe Indianapolis picks

We're heading to Horseshoe Indianapolis on a cool, cloudy Wednesday — 66°F with overcast skies keeping conditions comfortable for both horses and fans. That kind of mild, stable weather tends to keep the track playing true, so don't expect surface excuses to mask the real form horses today.

Nine races are on the board, mixing claiming and allowance dirt sprints with a handful of turf routes that could get interesting as the card deepens. We've got maiden specials, a pair of handicaps, and some legitimate pace questions that make exotic wagering compelling across the back half of the card.

TrackWiz analysis has flagged several horses worth watching at value prices, including a 6/1 shot on the turf that we think is significantly underestimated by the morning line. More on that in the premium breakdown.

Best Bets

Race 1

6:10 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

A claiming sprint that has a clear class standout at the top, but a pair of overlooked threats lurking at generous prices makes this race more interesting than the morning line suggests.

win3LatigoML 2/1

Latigo towers over this field on our TrackWiz rating at 84.45 — a full 15 points clear of the next-closest rival — and a career win rate of 34% speaks to a horse that actually closes when the gate opens. The 2/1 morning line makes him the public's choice, but that rating gap suggests he's worth backing even at short odds. Trainer Randy L. Klopp puts him in a 5.5-furlong dirt sprint that suits a horse with his profile, and Alexander Crispin gets a straightforward setup with speed to chase.

place5RigobertoML 8/1

Rigoberto is our value play in the place spot at 8/1 on the morning line, and that price looks generous for a horse sitting on a 79.79 TrackWiz rating — second-best in the field. A 20% career win rate is respectable in this claiming company, and with Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. in the irons, he has a rider who knows this track well. If Latigo falters or gets caught in traffic, Rigoberto is ideally positioned to collect.

show6Healing WatersML 4/1

Healing Waters is easy to overlook at 4/1 off a 12% career win rate, but her 65.68 rating puts her comfortably ahead of the bottom half of this field. Trainer John Haran also has Commander Storm in this race, which signals confidence in the barn's horses today. As a show hedge in exotics, she provides a solid third-leg option if the pace gets hot up front.

Race 2

6:41 PM EDT

Allowance · 6 fur · Dirt

The Randy Klopp barn sends out three runners in this six-furlong allowance, creating a fascinating intra-stable dynamic, but it's the morning-line favorite from outside the barn who commands the most attention.

win4Cloudy StarML 8/5

Cloudy Star carries the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 89.12 and is tabbed as the 8/5 morning-line favorite for good reason. A 28% career win rate is strong in allowance company, and trainer Tomas Medina has a live runner here with Mitchell Murrill up — a jockey who can place horses in good spots on a front-end pace. When the top rating and the public agree, it's usually worth trusting the data.

place3Sakra's QuestML 5/2

Sakra's Quest sits just below Cloudy Star at an 85.89 rating and offers a slightly better return at 5/2 on the morning line. The 26% career win rate is solid, and being trained by Randy Klopp — who also runs Stanka and Sweet Saint — means this horse is likely the barn's top selection. Fernando De La Cruz gets the mount, and this horse's numbers suggest she belongs right in the thick of it.

show2StankaML 4/1

Stanka is the interesting Klopp stablemate to watch for show purposes, boasting a standout 33% career win rate that ranks second in the field. Her 75.62 rating is well above mid-pack, and at 4/1 she offers some return for exotics players looking to build around the top two. Alberto Burgos pilots her, giving the barn plenty of representation across all three pick spots.

Race 3

7:12 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Wide-open maiden special weight over 5.5 furlongs with a ten-horse field full of first-timers and limited PPs — pace shape is uncertain, and small rating edges could loom large at the wire.

win5Grandfather SirML 3/1

Grandfather Sir leads our TrackWiz ratings at 56.67 in a race where separating horses is genuinely tough, and an average speed figure of 54 gives him some real-world benchmarking over rivals who have no published figures at all. The 3/1 morning line reflects the public's interest, but Amir Mendoza is a capable pilot who can get the best out of an unexposed maiden. Trainer Genaro Garcia also runs Chief of Change in the same race, suggesting the barn has options — but the ratings say Grandfather Sir is the primary target.

place4Victory On IceML 7/2

Victory On Ice has a 55.83 rating — barely a point behind our top pick — and goes at 7/2 on the morning line with Alex Achard in the saddle. Without published speed figures for either horse, the ratings and trainer angles carry extra weight here, and trainer Anthony J. Granitz has a good feel for spotting maidens in the right spot. In a field this uncertain, a horse with a near-top rating at a slightly generous price is exactly who you want underneath.

show7Trick Shot TommyML 4/1

Trick Shot Tommy rounds out our show position at 4/1 with a 55.00 rating and an average speed of 53 — among the more seasoned-looking numbers in an otherwise blank field. Trainer William E. Morey sends him out with Fernando De La Cruz, a jockey who rides aggressively and can steal a piece in wide-open maiden races. At 4/1, he makes sense as the third leg in exacta and trifecta combinations.

The first three races on the card are fully unlocked for every TrackWiz reader. We open with Latigo in the Race 1 claiming sprint — a 5½-furlong dirt dash where our model rates the top pick at 84.45, a strong number for this level. In Race 2, Cloudy Star carries our highest free-race rating of the day (89.12) in a 6-furlong allowance and is our single best bet on the afternoon. Don't let the 8/5 morning line scare you off — that rating suggests this horse belongs near the top of the toteboard and then some.

Race 3 is a maiden special weight sprint on dirt, where Grandfather Sir opens at 3/1. MSW races are inherently unpredictable — these are horses still looking for their first win — so manage expectations and lean on the TrackWiz rating (56.67) as a tiebreaker rather than a lock. The cloudy, cool conditions today should keep the dirt surface consistent, and there's no rain in the picture to create bias concerns for these early dirt sprints.

Send me tomorrow's free Horseshoe Indianapolis card before post time.

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

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

7:43 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 1 mi · Turf

A turf maiden at a mile with two morning-line co-favorites muddying the waters, while a legitimate price horse sitting on a rating that laps the field gives bettors a real overlay opportunity.

win9Princess HuxleyML 6/1

Princess Huxley is the standout on our TrackWiz numbers with a 77.88 rating — roughly 18 points clear of the next rival — yet she's posted at 6/1 on the morning line, which is a significant disconnect from her ratings profile. Her average speed of 56 is the highest in the field, giving her a tangible edge on raw figures in a turf route where stamina and pace control matter. Amir Mendoza is a competent pilot, and trainer Anthony J. Granitz clearly has this filly ready if the numbers are to be believed. This is a genuine overlay if the public chases the co-favorites.

place7High Street PizzazML 4/1

High Street Pizzaz posts a 59.82 rating — second-best in the field — and goes at 4/1 with Adam Beschizza aboard. Trainer Joe Sharp is a known turf specialist, and when a Sharp-trained turf maiden shows up at a realistic price, that's an angle worth respecting. She's a logical place horse who could easily outrun her tab if the pace develops favorably.

show1BourbianaML 2/1

Bourbiana is one of two co-favorites at 2/1 and carries a 58.33 rating, which is solid but not dominant in this field. Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. gets the mount for William Walden, and the public support is clearly real. As a show option in exotics, she's a dependable anchor in the bottom of the ticket even if the top two on our board run her down.

Race 5

8:14 PM EDT

Handicap · 6 fur · Dirt

A loaded six-furlong handicap where the morning-line favorite sits third in our ratings — that kind of disconnect between public money and analytical rankings often points to real betting value elsewhere in the field.

win2HawkeyeML 7/2

Hawkeye leads our TrackWiz ratings at 85.89 — just a hair above stablemate Cupid's Runaway — and owns a 33% career win rate that's among the best in the race. Going at 7/2 means the public is on him but not running him down to a bad price, and Jose Ramos Gutierrez provides a capable hand from post two. Trainer John Haran is no stranger to the winner's circle at this meet, and Hawkeye's combination of elite rating and strong career winning percentage makes him a confident top selection.

place5Cupid's RunawayML 9/2

Cupid's Runaway is the horse you cannot dismiss here — a 71% career win rate is extraordinary, and at a 9/2 morning line, the public isn't fully accounting for that strike rate. The 84.90 TrackWiz rating is essentially a coin flip with our win pick, and trainer Randy Klopp runs four horses in this race, signaling serious barn involvement. Alberto Burgos gets a live mount, and a horse that wins nearly three out of four starts on paper demands a place spot at minimum.

show7Molly's TownML 8/5

Molly's Town draws all the morning-line attention at 8/5 but ranks third in our ratings at 78.45 — still a strong figure, but the public may be slightly overestimating her edge. A 23% career win rate is respectable without being exceptional, and Amir Mendoza will have to navigate potential pace pressure from the Klopp horses. She's a legitimate show piece and fits the board, but the better value is to use her underneath rather than on top.

Race 6

8:45 PM EDT

Allowance · 1 mi · Turf

One horse stands well clear of the pack in a nine-runner turf allowance at a mile, but two mid-priced fillies with contrasting styles set up an interesting exotics underneath the top pick.

win8Koger LaneML 7/2

Koger Lane is the clear top selection with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating — more than 25 points above the second-ranked horse in the field — and goes at 7/2 on the morning line with Mitchell Murrill in the irons. A 20% career win rate is steady, and trainer Aaron M. West gets him on the turf at a mile, where this horse's rating gap should translate into a decisive edge. When the analytical margin is this wide, fading the top pick is a tough sell regardless of the price.

place5Pink PictureML 8/1

Pink Picture is our place pick at 8/1, which qualifies as legitimate value given her 60.45 rating puts her second in the field. A 6% career win rate is modest, but in allowance turf routes, hidden form and pace scenarios can elevate horses who quietly post solid figures. Trainer Rogelio Labra slots her into a setup where she could easily be the main threat to the top pick, and at 8/1, the overlay case is real.

show3I Forgot ItML 3/1

I Forgot It brings a striking 42% career win rate to this spot — the highest in the field — and a 59.33 rating makes her a legitimate contender for a piece of the purse. Trainer Ricky J. Short saddles her at 3/1 with Samuel E. Bermudez, who is well-acquainted with this circuit. In exotic tickets, a horse with that kind of winning percentage is always worth including as a show anchor.

Race 7

9:16 PM EDT

Handicap · 6 fur · Dirt

The morning-line favorite isn't our top-rated horse in this six-furlong dirt handicap, and there's a genuine value play hiding at a double-digit price with the highest career win rate in the field.

win6Relentless ChickML 6/1

Relentless Chick goes at 6/1 on the morning line but posts an 82.71 TrackWiz rating — second-best in the race and well ahead of the 2/1 morning-line chalk. The headline number is her 66% career win rate, which is the highest in this field by a wide margin and suggests she has a strong habit of finishing the job. Trainer Genaro Garcia and jockey Amir Mendoza are a familiar combination at this track, and over six furlongs of dirt, this mare looks primed for a big effort.

place2Hot MiddlesML 5/2

Hot Middles is our place pick at 5/2 and backs it up with a 79.87 rating — the top mark in the field — paired with a 36% career win rate and an average speed of 56. Trainer Tianna Richardville puts Hannah Leahey up, and while the morning line makes her the co-second choice, the public may not fully appreciate how closely she matches our win pick on the numbers. She's a logical place horse who could easily flop the pick order if pace shapes up right.

show7Werk It WendyML 7/2

Werk It Wendy rounds out the board at 7/2 with a 55.12 rating and a 33% career win rate — consistent numbers from a horse who keeps finding the winner's circle. Trainer Robert E. Dobbs, Jr. runs two horses here, which can sometimes mean split attention, but Evin A. Roman gets the call and is a capable finisher-type jockey. At 7/2, she's a reasonable show anchor in trifectas given the winning percentage she brings to the table.

Race 8

9:47 PM EDT

Allowance · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

An eleven-horse turf allowance at 1 1/16 miles where a big-field pace scenario could scramble results, but two horses separate themselves clearly on our ratings while the morning-line favorite sits third on our board.

win8Si O SiML 3/1

Si O Si is our top pick with an 87.08 TrackWiz rating — the highest in the field — and a 22% career win rate that's steady in a competitive allowance turf field. Trainer Randy Matthews sends him out at 3/1 with Joseph C. Bealmear, and in a race this large, having the best rating is a meaningful edge. The 1 1/16-mile turf distance rewards horses with genuine class, and Si O Si's numbers say he belongs at the top of this ticket.

place4Sweet JannaeliseML 7/2

Sweet Jannaelise posts an 82.19 rating — second in the field — and goes at 7/2 on the morning line with Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. aboard. An 11% career win rate is modest, but trainer Anthony J. Granitz is live on the turf circuit, and the rating gap between her and third-ranked Inclusive Justice suggests she's a legitimate contender rather than a deep-closer hope. In a race where the pace is uncertain in a big field, a horse of this caliber at 7/2 is a solid place-bet anchor.

show1Inclusive JusticeML 9/2

Inclusive Justice carries a 73.97 rating and a 20% career win rate — a respectable floor for a show selection at 9/2. Trainer Anthony J. Granitz has multiple horses entered today and clearly is confident in the stable, and Alexander Crispin provides a capable hand from the rail. In a sprawling eleven-horse turf field, a proven win-percentage horse with a top-five rating at a fair price earns a spot at the bottom of the exotic ticket.

Race 9

10:15 PM EDT

Maiden · 350 yd · Dirt

A short-track quarter-horse-style maiden at 350 yards where two horses dominate the ratings and morning line, setting up a battle between a legitimate 9/5 shot and a 7/5 rival with a slight ratings edge.

win1Jess Off the WagonML 9/5

Jess Off the Wagon leads our TrackWiz ratings at 88.83 — the top mark in this eight-horse maiden — and goes as the 9/5 second choice on the morning line. Over 350 yards, explosiveness out of the gate and raw speed are everything, and this horse's rating profile suggests he has the raw talent to outpace this field. Trainer Tim Eggleston also runs Paint Me Ok in the same race, pointing to a barn that's well-prepared for this distance, and Luis Eduardo Luna Diaz gets a live mount at a price that still offers value.

place8Rubys First KissML 7/5

Rubys First Kiss is the 7/5 morning-line choice but slots second in our ratings at 81.90 — still an elite figure in this field. Trainer Anthony F. Cunningham has two horses entered, which speaks to the barn's comfort at this sprint distance, and Luz Daniel Martinez provides a capable hand in the irons. She's a natural fit in the place spot given her rating and morning-line support, and an exacta combining her and our win pick could return solid value at these odds.

show2Mp Motoring a WinML 8/1

Mp Motoring a Win is a significant step down in ratings at 48.33 but earns the show spot in a maiden field where the bottom half of the draw offers very little. At 8/1, there's some overlay value if the top two stumble out of the gate — in a race this short, one bad break reshuffles everything. Trainer German Rodriguez and jockey Antonio Rodriguez present an experienced partnership, and at that price, tossing a show ticket on him in trifectas is an affordable hedge.

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

Today's card at Horseshoe Indianapolis has real teeth. Cloudy Star in Race 2 is the marquee free best bet, and the turf routes in the back half give subscribers plenty to work with in the exotics. Whether you're playing the free picks or digging into the full premium breakdown, there's value to be found on this nine-race Wednesday card. Good luck, and as always — bet smart.

← All Horseshoe Indianapolis picks & predictions

You're reading 3 of 9 races free