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Free Louisiana Downs Picks & Predictions — September 2, 2026
It's a wet one at Louisiana Downs today. Rain is falling on a 90°F afternoon in Bossier City, and that combination means one thing above all else: keep a close eye on turf course management. Three of today's seven races are carded for the lawn, and any late scratch or surface switch to the main track could completely reshape the pace scenarios and contender lists before post time.
Seven races are on the board, mixing Maiden Claiming, straight Claiming, and Maiden Special Weight company across both dirt and turf. The card leans sprint-heavy — only a pair of routes in the book — which tends to put a premium on early speed and gate efficiency. With a soft or yielding turf surface in play, closers who can handle off-going become a legitimate angle all afternoon.
TrackWiz has full analysis locked in for all seven races. Three of them are available free to every reader — a nice sampler of what today's card has to offer — and the remaining four are waiting for subscribers behind the premium wall.
3 Free Races at Louisiana Downs
Race 1
Maiden Claiming · 7 1/2 fur · Turf
A heavy favorite towers over a maiden turf field, but two price horses flash enough TrackWiz rating to make the exotics interesting at the right odds.
Mojane Metal is the standout in this maiden claiming turf sprint at 7½ furlongs, drawing a top TrackWiz rating of 90 — well clear of the rest of the field. Posted at 1/2 on the morning line, trainer Justin Jeansonne and jockey Harry Hernandez are clearly confident in this runner's readiness. The avg speed figure of 52 is middle-of-the-pack for this group, but the overall profile separates Mojane Metal from the competition by a wide margin. Bet accordingly, but keep the win payoff expectations in check at chalk pricing.
La Chica de Oro (No. 7) quietly owns the best avg speed figure in the race at 53 and carries a TrackWiz rating of 62.14 — second-best in the field behind only the heavy favorite. At 10/1 on the morning line, trainer Rafael Gomez and jockey Carlos Lozada represent solid connections, and this filly looks like the most logical threat to land a piece of the purse. She's the play to back in the exacta underneath Mojane Metal.
Oldfashlovesong (No. 6) sits third in TrackWiz ratings at 55.83 and is backed at 5/2 on the morning line — suggesting the market also sees her as a legitimate contender. Trainer Shane Wilson sends her out with Alexander Castillo aboard, and at 5 furlongs on turf she's competitive on avg speed with much of the field. She's a logical show anchor for tri plays in what figures to be a chalk-dominated exotics sequence.
Race 2
Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt
Two short-priced contenders figure to duel for supremacy in this 6-furlong dirt claimer, but a sneaky value play at 8/1 could crash the party with the best recent speed numbers in the field.
New York New York (No. 7) tops the TrackWiz ratings at 89.12 and leads all runners with an avg speed figure of 55 — a clear edge in a six-furlong dirt sprint. Trainer Robertino Diodoro is a name that demands respect in this circuit, and jockey Emanuel Nieves gets the call at 8/5 on the morning line. With a 16% career win rate, this horse has a proven record of delivering, and the numbers suggest another forward effort is very much on the cards.
Heroic Act (No. 8) is the obvious place threat, rated 74.5 by TrackWiz and posted at 9/5 — nearly dead-even with the top pick. Jockey Harry Hernandez teams up with trainer Jonas Gibson, and a 14% career win rate shows this horse knows how to hit the board. In a two-horse key race, Heroic Act looks like the safest place bet on the card.
Obvious Conclusion (No. 3) is the value angle here — the TrackWiz rating of 63.6 is third-best, but more importantly the avg speed figure of 54 ties for second in the field. Trainer Alan Love, Sr. has this one ready at 8/1 morning line, and jockey Elio J. Barrera gives him a capable pilot. For trifecta construction, slotting Obvious Conclusion underneath the top two is a smart and affordable play.
Race 3
Claiming · 5 fur · Turf
This 5-furlong turf claimer is headlined by a dominant favorite going postward at even money, but the second and third choices both have credentials that could make the finish tighter than the line suggests.
Demotion (No. 3) is as close to a lock as you'll find on this card — a TrackWiz-best 90 rating paired with an avg speed figure of 56, which is the highest in the field by two full points. Trainer Jesse Davila has this one dialed in, and Emanuel Nieves is a capable pilot at even money. The pace scenario on a short 5-furlong turf sprint often favors horses with raw speed superiority, and Demotion checks that box emphatically.
Our Bodie (No. 6) is the strongest challenger, rated 84.58 by TrackWiz and posted at 5/2 — a fair price for a runner with an avg speed figure of 55. Trainer Dwayne Jackson and jockey Javier Antonio Hernandez form a tandem that shouldn't be overlooked, and if Demotion hits any traffic or gets shuffled early on the turf, Our Bodie has the profile to steal the show. A solid place bet and a key piece in any multi-race wager.
Quikonthetrigger (No. 2) rates at 63.34 — third in the field — and shows a 53 avg speed figure that keeps him in the conversation. Trainer Donald Melancon also saddles Code of Parapluie in this race, and the split-barn entry factor is worth noting: Melancon clearly likes his chances here. At 9/2 morning line with Alexander Castillo up, Quikonthetrigger is a reasonable show play and a useful trifecta component.
The first three races on the card are on the house, and they cover a nice range of conditions to get you warmed up. Mojane Metal opens the day in a 7½-furlong turf Maiden Claimer at a very short morning line of 1/2 — that's a heavy favorite — and our TrackWiz rating of 90 backs up the chalk price. Race 2 flips to the main track for a 6-furlong Claimer where New York New York drew an 8/5 morning line and an 89 rating, making it one of the stronger overall confidence plays on the card. Round out the free trio with Race 3, a quick 5-furlong turf Claimer where Demotion opens at even money and matches Mojane Metal's 90 rating — two co-top-rated horses in the first three races is not something you see every day.
One thread tying these free picks together: the rain. Both turf picks (Races 1 and 3) could see a softer-than-usual surface, which may compress speed figures and favor horses that have shown they handle off turf. And on the dirt in Race 2, a rain-affected strip at Louisiana Downs historically plays fair but can favor horses that get a clean trip near the front. Keep that pace angle in mind as the card unfolds.
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Bottom line for today at Louisiana Downs: the rain is the storyline, the free trio of Mojane Metal, New York New York, and Demotion gives every reader a strong starting point, and the premium card holds some real value — especially in the MSW and the longshot turf plays. Check the TrackWiz app for any late surface changes before you finalize your tickets, and if you want the full picture on all seven races, head to our subscription page and let's make some money together.