Meadowlands Picks & Predictions — October 2, 2026

Parametric (4) holds the highest rating in the field at 78.47 and is the morning-line favorite at 4/1 for a reason. With a 20% career win rate and an avg speed of 56 matching the field's best, trainer Cathal A. Lynch — who also runs Smuggler's Gold in Race 5 — clearly has horses fit and ready. Christopher Elliott gets the call, and this horse is the anchor of any exotic ticket.

I'mwishingonastar (5) is a live show play at 7/2 with a rating of 63.85 for the sharp Dini-Martinez combo — one of the more productive trainer-jockey pairings in this circuit. An 11% career win rate and avg speed of 55 put her squarely in the mix for a piece, and with Dini also sending out Just Comply in Race 3, it's clear his barn is in good form today. At 7/2, the price won't knock you off your chair, but she deserves to be included in all exotics.

Smuggler's Gold (10) is our place selection at 3/1 morning line — the shortest price of any pick in this race and for good reason. A rating of 76.67 and 13% career win rate make Cathal A. Lynch's runner one of the most accomplished horses in the field. Christopher Elliott, who also rides Parametric in Race 4 for Lynch, is a sharp pilot who conserves energy at route distances and finds the board at a high clip.

T V Man (12) is the value show play in the field at 10/1 with a rating of 64.75 and trainer James A. Frangella, Jr. interestingly saddling both this horse and Ohana Empire (2) in the same race. When a trainer doubles up, the horse with the stronger rating is generally the stable's main hope — T V Man has the higher number by more than 12 points. Noel Herman is a capable journeyman who gets the most out of route runners, and at a double-digit morning line, the price is right for show exotics.

Crescent (1) is an intriguing place play at 7/2 with a rating of 55.83 for trainer Michael Stidham, who also enters Winterscape in this race. Stidham is a patient horseman who tends to have his young turf horses ready to fire first or second out, and Reylu Gutierrez is one of the top riders at getting maiden turf horses to relax early and unleash late. No avg speed figure on file likely means this is a debut runner — which adds uncertainty but also adds upside if she's been working well.

Winterscape (7) rounds out the trifecta at 4/1 morning line with a rating of 55.00 — and like stablemate Crescent, comes from the Stidham barn. The avg speed figure of 56 is tied for best in the field, suggesting she has the raw ability to compete at this level from the jump. Jose A. Batista handles the riding duties, and in a maiden route where form is uncertain across the board, backing a horse with a 56 speed figure and a solid trainer is a sensible hedge.