Kentucky Downs Picks & Predictions — September 9, 2026

Merlin Monroan draws the 4/1 morning-line slot and a 55.0 rating for trainer Michael Maker, one of the circuit's sharpest turf conditioners. Flavien Prat picks up the mount, and that's never a throwaway booking at this venue. Without prior speed figures to lean on, Maker's grass pedigree and Prat's turf record carry real weight here.

Making It Rain posts the field's best average speed figure at 56, matching what General Tom put up, but comes from the Steven Asmussen stable at a 9/2 morning line. Erik Asmussen is in the irons — keeping it a family affair — and an avg speed figure of 56 is a genuine standout in this maiden field. He fits nicely as a show ticket piece at accessible odds.

Divisible By is the value angle in this race, posting a 33% career win rate — the highest in the field — and a 79.79 TrackWiz rating that puts him right behind Doctrine. Joel Rosario gets the call at 8/1, and Neil Drysdale-trained horses going long on turf have a rich history of running big at healthy odds. That win percentage screams competence, and if Doctrine gets into any trouble, Divisible By is the horse most likely to take advantage.

Abbi Fede rates third among the TrackWiz scores at 71.43, with a 14% career win rate and an avg speed figure of 55 for trainer Joe Sharp. Jose Ortiz gives the horse a top-five rider, and Sharp has been dialed in at this meet. In a stamina test like 1 5/16 miles on turf, Abbi Fede's combination of figure consistency and barn form makes her a logical show ticket inclusion and a natural trifecta piece.

Hey Miss Olivia is the sneaky play in this race, posting a 82.71 rating with an average speed figure of 57 — the joint-highest posted speed figure in the field. She goes at 6/1 for Eddie Kenneally, a trainer who knows how to bring a first-timer ready, and Francisco Arrieta keeps the booking. In a race this wide, 6/1 on a horse with a genuine top figure is a value you don't ignore.

Sutura rates third overall at 68.98 and opens at 7/2, sitting just off the two leaders in the ratings. Trainer Jack Sisterson has been sharp at this meet, and Martin Garcia gives her a competent ride. An avg speed figure of 55 is honest for this level, and in a 15-horse maiden sprint, having a horse from a sharp barn in the trifecta slot at accessible odds is exactly the kind of structure you want.

Money Man Mike sits second in the ratings at 55.83 and opens at 7/2, posting an avg speed figure of 55 for trainer Aaron West. Emmanuel Esquivel keeps the mount, and in a field this large, a horse with a solid speed figure and a manageable price is exactly what you want backing up the heavy favorite. If Titan Ready runs into any early traffic issues in a 16-horse field, Money Man Mike is positioned to capitalize.

Sailor's Dream opens at 4/1 for Wesley Ward, and Ward's grass horses — even without prior speed figures on record — carry genuine respect in debut situations. The 55.0 rating matches Money Man Mike's mark exactly, and Walter Rodriguez gives the horse a capable partner. Ward's record of landing grass runners first or second out is well-documented, and at 4/1 in an exotic, this is a horse worth including.

Hear the Queen posts a 74.28 rating and leads the field with a remarkable 44% career win rate — the highest win percentage in this race by a comfortable margin. Tyler Gaffalione rides for Brad Cox at 9/2, and Cox doesn't show up at Kentucky Downs without ammunition. Her avg speed figure of 54 is competitive, and a horse winning nearly half her starts deserves to be on every place ticket.

Rashmi is the morning-line favorite at 9/5 for Jonathan Thomas, and her 36% career win rate backs the market's confidence. Luis Saez takes the mount, and her 64.21 TrackWiz rating keeps her squarely in the mix. We have her third in our ratings, but the strong win percentage and top rider make her a logical show anchor — especially if the value is on Shotgun Wedding to win at a much better price.

Chartist is a fascinating place play at 6/1, rated second in the field at 78.49 with an avg speed figure of 54. Tyler Gaffalione climbs aboard for Miguel Clement — a pair that's been clicking at this meet — and a 14% career win rate is respectable for a horse regularly running against allowance-level company. At a price more than four times the favorite, Chartist offers legitimate value as the logical second horse in any exacta or place combination.

Neenah is the eye-catcher here at 15/1 on the morning line, posting a 69.58 TrackWiz rating that is the third-best mark in the field. Abel Cedillo picks up the mount for Donnie Von Hemel, and a 15% career win rate is perfectly acceptable for this class of route runner. At 15/1 she's an intriguing trifecta piece — our ratings say she's got way more ability than her odds reflect, and at this distance on turf, pace can collapse and give a closer like this a big opportunity.

Tawny Port is the morning-line favorite at 6/5 for trainer Miguel Clement and jockey Flavien Prat, and that combination demands respect even if our model has him a tick below Navy Seal. His 79.79 rating is still among the field's best, and Prat on a Clement-trained horse going long on turf is a formidable assignment. The place ticket here is essentially risk management — if you're fading the favorite to win, you probably still want to include him underneath.

Limited Liability sits third in the ratings at 75.64 and opens at 3/1 for the legendary Claude McGaughey III with Luis Saez up. A 16% career win rate is consistent with quality allowance-to-stakes horses, and McGaughey's grass route horses have a distinguished history of running out their prices. At 3/1 in a trifecta, he's a natural inclusion — especially given how competitive the top three are on numbers alone.

Tolstoy is the value angle in this race at 10/1, rating third in the field at 76.88 with an avg speed figure of 55 for the Brendan Walsh barn. Tyler Gaffalione gets the call, and Walsh has been one of the most productive grass trainers at this meet over recent years. A 33% career win rate for a horse going off at double-digit odds is a significant market inefficiency — and in a 13-horse stakes field, this is exactly the kind of price you want for your exacta key underneath.

Bet On Silver rates fourth in the field at 74.06 with a 33% career win rate, and Joel Rosario picks up the mount for Brendan Walsh — the same barn also sending out Tolstoy, suggesting Walsh has real confidence in both horses. An avg speed figure of 55 is competitive, and at 8/1 on the morning line, Bet On Silver is a natural trifecta inclusion who could easily finish in the top three in a race this competitive.

Embrace Time is our value play in this race, posting a 73.96 rating with a 50% career win rate and opening at 12/1 — a price that suggests the market is significantly underestimating her. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. also sends out Dakotah Blue in this race, and Micah Husbands takes the call on Embrace Time. An avg speed figure of 55 at this distance is genuine, and at 12/1, she's one of the most interesting place tickets on the entire card.

Dakotah Blue rounds out the show position at 8/1 with a 50% career win rate and a 69.74 rating for Saffie Joseph Jr. Tyler Gaffalione takes the mount, and having Gaffalione on one of two Joseph entries in the same race is often a telling sign of which one the barn is higher on. An avg speed figure of 55 at 1 5/16 miles is competitive, and at 8/1 she's a logical trifecta piece in what figures to be a wide-open final.

Do Wah Diddy rates fifth overall but steps up as our place selection given the Joe Sharp connection and Flavien Prat in the irons — one of the most dominant rider-trainer combinations at this meet. The 55.0 rating is right in the competitive band for this race, and without a prior speed figure on record, the workout trajectory and Sharp's sharp form give us confidence she'll run a big number fresh. At 4/1, she slots in nicely on the place ticket.

My Pal Al opens at 9/2 with a 54.17 rating and an avg speed figure of 54, sitting just below the top two on the ratings ladder. Martin Garcia takes the mount for Robert Medina, and in a race this deep and unpredictable, a horse with an honest speed figure and a manageable price is exactly what you want in the third slot of a trifecta. At 9/2, the morning line suggests at least some market support.

Little Georgie rates second in the field at 79.34 for Saffie Joseph Jr. at 4/1, with an avg speed figure of 54 that's honest for this level. Micah Husbands rides, and Joseph has been one of the more aggressive trainers when it comes to placing younger horses in maiden turf sprints at this meet. In a 15-horse field, a horse from a hot barn with the second-best rating in the race is a reliable place ticket anchor alongside Paris Twilight.

Lexi V. opens at 5/1 with a 65.21 rating — a significant step up from the rest of the mid-pack — and posts an avg speed figure of 55 for trainer George Arnold II. Cristian Torres takes the mount, and the combination of a solid speed figure, a competitive rating, and a price above 4/1 makes Lexi V. an attractive trifecta piece. In a race this large, the third spot often goes to a horse with a legitimate figure who gets a clean trip, and Lexi V. fits that profile.