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Meadowlands Picks & Predictions — September 18, 2026

September 18, 20266 racesAll Meadowlands picks

Best bets at Meadowlands, September 18, 2026

Race 15Magical MarriageML 2/17:00 PM EDT

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It's a Friday afternoon at the Meadowlands and conditions are about as close to ideal as you'll get in mid-September. Partly cloudy skies and a comfortable 77°F mean the turf course should be playing firm and true — exactly the kind of surface where speed figures hold up and pace scenarios unfold the way you'd expect.

Today's six-race card is an all-turf affair, ranging from sprint maiden specials at five furlongs to a pair of 1 1/16-mile claiming routes. That consistency across the surface makes it a great day to look for cross-race angles — horses who've shown they want this ground, at this kind of distance, against comparable company.

Three races are fully unlocked for everyone, and our TrackWiz ratings are flagging some legitimate value in the early going. Let's break it down.

Best Bets

Race 1

7:00 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

The morning-line favorite doesn't hold the top TrackWiz rating here — Magical Marriage leads our numbers at 84.85 but opens at 2/1, while Rerally at 6/1 lurks as a sneaky threat in a claiming mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf.

win5Magical MarriageML 2/1

Magical Marriage draws our top rating in this field at 84.85 and posts a 15% career win rate, which is solid for a claimer. Under Charlie Marquez, who knows this Meadowlands turf course well, this horse matches speed figures of 53 — right in the heart of this field. Trainer Patrick B. McBurney puts horses in position to run at this level, and at 2/1 on the morning line, the market agrees this is the one to beat. The distance at 1 1/16 miles on turf should suit a horse with this kind of sustained pace profile.

place2RerallyML 6/1

Rerally is the value angle here — an 82.71 TrackWiz rating (second-best in the field) going off at 6/1 on the morning line is a number mismatch worth exploiting. A 22% career win rate is legitimately strong for this level, and trainer Wayne Potts has a second runner in the field, suggesting confidence in the barn's turf horses today. If Magical Marriage gets shuffled back or faces traffic, Rerally is the horse most likely to pick up the pieces.

show1Bean MachineML 9/2

Bean Machine at 9/2 is an interesting exotic inclusion with a 71.25 rating that sits comfortably in the top half of this field. Trainer Panagiotis A. Synnefias also has I'm A Gambler in the race, but Bean Machine draws the rail — post position 1 on turf at Meadowlands can be a gift at this distance if the horse breaks cleanly and gets to track the pace. Pedro L. Cotto, Jr. in the irons keeps this one worth threading into trifecta tickets.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

Race 2: Free with an Account

Race 2

7:28 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Turf

Wide-open maiden special weight sprint on the turf — every runner is winless, no horse has proven a clear edge, and the TrackWiz ratings span a 42-point range, leaving plenty of room for surprises.

win4Creative ThinkerML 4/1

Creative Thinker tops our field with a 78.25 TrackWiz rating and the best average speed figure in the race at 55 — that edge in pure pace numbers matters in a 5-furlong turf sprint where early zip counts. Charlie Marquez gets the call for trainer Chelsea Sims Rabadan, and the 4/1 morning line offers fair value on a horse whose figures say it should be closer to favoritism. In a maiden sprint, raw speed often determines the outcome, and Creative Thinker has that edge over this group.

place2Better Every DayML 7/2

Better Every Day sits second in our ratings at 72.34 and matches the field's average speed at 54, giving trainer Phil Schoenthal a legitimate contender at 7/2. Ruben Silvera takes the mount, and the horse's figures suggest it should be running at or near the front end of this sprint. Even if Creative Thinker is too good on the day, Better Every Day figures to be in the thick of it late.

show7Bar Room QueenML 3/1

Bar Room Queen checks in at a 56.67 rating and holds a 3/1 morning line — intriguing value for a horse sitting mid-pack in our numbers in a race where the top two picks aren't far ahead of the field. Trainer Jose Lozano Sanchez sends Luis Raul Rivera, Jr. up, and in a wide-open maiden field, a horse with an average speed of 54 can easily outrun its odds. Keep Bar Room Queen alive in your exactas and trifectas as a closer who could find clear ground late.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 8 runners

The first three races are on the house, and there's plenty to like. Magical Marriage opens the card in a 1 1/16-mile turf claimer carrying a TrackWiz rating of 84.85 and a morning line of 2/1 — the favorite tag feels justified here, but the price is workable if she fires her A-game on this firm turf. In Race 2, Creative Thinker draws our attention in a five-furlong maiden sprint at 4/1 on the morning line, bringing a solid 78.25 rating into a wide-open field. Then Race 3 gives us arguably the strongest free-play of the afternoon: Luciana posts our highest rating of the three free races at 85.62, also at 4/1 morning line — that combination of a top number and a fair price is exactly the kind of spot TrackWiz is built to find.

With the turf playing consistently all day, keep an eye on horses that can settle off the pace in these sprint distances — five furlongs on a firm course can still reward a well-timed closer, and the pace shape in Races 2 and 3 looks like it could set up that way nicely.

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Full Card Analysis

Race 3

7:56 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Turf

Luciana dominates the TrackWiz ratings by a significant margin in this maiden turf sprint, but a 4/1 morning line suggests the market hasn't fully caught on — making this one of the more intriguing overlays on the card.

win3LucianaML 4/1

Luciana is our clear top selection here with an 85.62 TrackWiz rating — a full 13 points clear of the next-best horse in the field. That kind of gap in a maiden sprint is significant. Trainer Patrick B. McBurney, who also connects with Magical Marriage in Race 1, knows how to have horses ready to run, and Jose Antonio Gomez is a capable pilot on this turf. An average speed of 54 ties with the top figures in the field, and at 4/1 on the morning line, there's genuine overlay potential here.

place5Gypsy StyleML 5/1

Gypsy Style posts a 71.86 rating — second in the field — and goes off at 5/1 on the morning line, which represents solid place value if Luciana does what the numbers say she should. Trainer Cesareo Marquez keeps this one lightly regarded, but an average speed of 53 is competitive in this group, and Kendry Rivera can be dangerous when given a live runner. She's the logical second horse for exacta and quinella coverage.

show1Garden GalML 2/1

Garden Gal is the morning-line favorite at 2/1 and posts a 71.05 rating — almost identical to Gypsy Style — so it's more a matter of framing than ability that puts her here. Trainer Joan Milne has the top two horses from this barn in the field, giving some confidence in the setup, and Luis Raul Rivera, Jr. typically gets these turf maidens to run their race. If the pace scenario gets messy up front, Garden Gal's style might allow her to sneak onto the board.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

Race 4

8:24 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

Roscommon is a clear TrackWiz top-rated horse going off at a juicy 6/1 morning line, while Bliss Street at 20/1 in the place slot sets up an exotic-friendly race where our numbers diverge sharply from the public's opinion.

win4RoscommonML 6/1

Roscommon leads this field with a 72.71 TrackWiz rating and an 11% career win rate — respectable numbers for a claiming turf race at 1 1/16 miles. The interesting story is the morning line of 6/1, which suggests the public is sleeping on this horse. Chantal Sutherland brings genuine turf experience to the seat for trainer Derek S. Ryan, and an average speed of 52 keeps Roscommon right in the mix pace-wise. When our ratings say one thing and the odds board says another, that's a conversation worth having.

place6Bliss StreetML 20/1

Bliss Street at 20/1 is our value play of the race — a 62.29 rating that actually sits third in this field behind only Roscommon and Desperate Proposal, yet is priced like a longshot. Trainer Russell J. Cash has this horse positioned at a distance and surface where an average speed of 51 might mask a horse that runs bigger on the front end of a pace scenario. Ramon F. Moya rides, and if the pace collapses, Bliss Street could be running past tired horses late at a massive overlay.

show5Desperate ProposalML 3/1

Desperate Proposal posts a 61.37 TrackWiz rating and a 6% career win rate, but Kendry Rivera and trainer Panagiotis A. Synnefias make a pairing worth noting — Synnefias also runs horses in Race 1, suggesting the barn is active and engaged. The 3/1 morning line is fair, and at 1 1/16 miles on turf, a horse with a 52 average speed and tactical flexibility can find a way to the board. Use Desperate Proposal as your safe show anchor while Bliss Street covers the upside.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

Race 5

8:52 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

Ten-horse field on the turf creates a pace puzzle, but Clean Winner jumps out of the TrackWiz ratings as a potential overlay at 8/1 — a horse whose numbers say she belongs much closer to favoritism than the morning line implies.

win2Clean WinnerML 8/1

Clean Winner holds our top rating in this field at 79.79, and the 8/1 morning line is where this race starts to get really interesting. A 16% career win rate is above average for this level, and an average speed of 54 puts her among the fastest horses in a large field. Christian Maragh is a polished turf rider, and trainer Silvino Ramirez has her positioned favorably. When a horse leads our ratings by nearly 10 points and is going off at 8/1, that's value you don't pass up.

place8Sliver of SunshineML 6/1

Sliver of Sunshine checks in second in our ratings at 70.57 with a 13% career win rate and a 54 average speed — she matches Clean Winner's figure and could easily outrun her 6/1 odds. Trainer Kathleen A. Demasi sends Andrew Wolfsont up, and in a 10-horse field at 1 1/16 miles on turf, a horse with consistent speed figures is a natural place candidate. If the pace gets hot and Clean Winner gets a dream trip, Sliver of Sunshine should be close enough to grab second.

show7Princess SummerML 5/2

Princess Summer is the public's choice here at 5/2 on the morning line with an 18% career win rate — the highest in the field — and an average speed of 54. Trainer Michael J. Maker is a name that inspires confidence at any level, and Luis Raul Rivera, Jr. gives this horse a sharp pilot. Even if Princess Summer doesn't have quite enough to beat Clean Winner at peak form, her career win percentage and Maker's conditioning make her a logical show ticket in a wide field.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 6

9:20 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

It's the Stones leads a maiden claiming field with the highest TrackWiz rating by a wide margin — but at 5/2, it's not a throwaway favorite, and the race sets up as a one-horse show unless the pace unravels.

win2It's the StonesML 5/2

It's the Stones is our top-rated horse by a dominant margin — 87.81 in a field where the next horse checks in at 78.72. That kind of separation in a maiden claimer over 1 1/16 miles on turf is meaningful. Trainer Kelly J. Breen is a well-regarded conditioner at this level, and Luis Raul Rivera, Jr. knows how to get turf maidens to relax and find their stride. The 5/2 morning line is modest but this horse's profile says it should be the most reliable ticket on the card.

place5Hurricane JerryML 4/1

Hurricane Jerry comes in second in our ratings at 78.72 and opens at 4/1 for trainer Kevin J. Fields and jockey Ramon F. Moya. In a maiden claimer where most runners are breaking their maiden for the first time, a horse this close in our ratings to the top pick is a natural place play. An average speed of 52 keeps Hurricane Jerry competitive in the pace scenario, and at 4/1, there's enough value here to make the place ticket worthwhile even with a strong favorite in the field.

show1BermanML 9/5

Berman opens as the 9/5 morning-line favorite yet sits third in our TrackWiz ratings at 72.49 — suggesting the public may be overrating this one relative to what the numbers show. Trainer Timothy A. Hills sends Rajiv Maragh to the gate, a capable combination, and an average speed of 53 keeps Berman in the conversation pace-wise. Even if the market has this one slightly inflated, finishing third behind two horses our ratings prefer is a realistic outcome worth covering in your trifecta.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

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Bottom line: the Meadowlands is dealing a clean, consistent turf card on a gorgeous September afternoon. Luciana is our marquee free play, and It's the Stones looks like a potential standout in the premium half of the card. Nail down your tickets on the free races, then let TrackWiz subscribers handle the late card heavy lifting. Full analysis — pace projections, exotic breakdowns, and all six races — is waiting for you at /pricing. Good luck out there.

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