Daily Picks

Monmouth Park Picks & Predictions — June 20, 2026

Saturday, June 20, 20268 racesMonmouth Park

It's a gorgeous Saturday at the Jersey Shore — 77°F, not a cloud in the sky, and the turf course at Monmouth Park figures to be playing lightning fast. That's great news for bettors who love grass racing, because this eight-race card leans heavily on the green stuff with multiple turf events sprinkled throughout the afternoon.

The card mixes claiming races and allowance company across both surfaces, giving us a full range of pace scenarios and class angles to work with. Whether you're looking to grind a Pick 4 or just fire at a couple of win bets between beers, there's plenty to dig into today.

TrackWiz has full analysis on all eight races. The first three are on us — free to every reader. Races 4 through 8 are reserved for subscribers, and trust us, that's where some of the most interesting plays on the card are hiding.

Best Bets

Race 1

4:50 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

The morning line favorite looks vulnerable at 7/5, creating a wide-open turf mile where value runs deep in the middle of the pack.

win2El Ma'anyML 7/2

El Ma'any tops our TrackWiz ratings by a wide margin at 86.35 — nearly 15 points clear of the next serious contender — and that gap is hard to ignore in a claiming field. Sonny Leon picks up the mount, a rider who knows how to rate a horse over Monmouth's turf course. A 12% career win rate sounds modest, but in claiming company at this level it reflects consistent placing ability. At 7/2 on the morning line, this is a horse outrating its odds.

place4More Vino RosaML 4/1

More Vino Rosa brings a 71.52 TrackWiz rating and a 12% career win rate into this spot, and the Kelly Breen barn has a knack for hitting the board in turf routes. Paco Lopez — one of the sharpest turf pilots at Monmouth — is in the irons, which adds real place security here. At 4/1, the price is fair for a horse that projects to settle into a comfortable stalking trip.

show6Princess SummerML 7/5

Princess Summer is the morning line favorite at 7/5 for a reason — a 68.06 rating and the highest average speed figure in the field at 54 — but our analysis has her third best overall, making show the right framing. Michael Maker is a name that carries weight at any level, and his horses rarely get caught completely flat. She belongs on the ticket but don't let the public price fool you into overweighting her for the win.

Race 2

5:24 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Mambrino looms as a dominant presence on paper in this six-furlong dirt claimer, but the question is whether More Power can push the pace and set things up for a late-race duel.

win5MambrinoML EVN

Mambrino is the class of this field and it isn't particularly close — a 90.0 TrackWiz rating, a 25% career win rate, and the top average speed figure in the race at 55. The even-money morning line reflects the widespread respect for this horse, and Paco Lopez riding only reinforces the confidence. Jose Lozano Sanchez conditions this one, and his horses tend to be fit when they show up at this level. If the pace scenario plays out anywhere close to honest, Mambrino should be rolling down the lane.

place3More PowerML 3/1

More Power at 3/1 is legitimately dangerous here — a 70.16 rating and a 22% career win rate make him one of the most accomplished horses in the field on a percentage basis. Chantal Sutherland takes the mount for Devon Dougherty, and the speed figure of 54 gives him every chance to press the pace and hang tough for a piece. The place price could be generous if the public loads up on the favorite.

show6Real BluesML 6/1

Real Blues opens at 6/1 and carries a 62.91 rating for the Kelly Breen barn, a conditioner who sends horses to the post ready to compete at Monmouth. The average speed figure of 53 is modest but not disqualifying in a show role, and Luis Rivera Jr. knows this strip as well as anyone. In a race where pace pressure could take something out of the two top choices, Real Blues has the profile to pick up the pieces for show.

Race 3

5:54 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Turf

Two horses are separated from the field by a wide ratings gap in this allowance optional claiming sprint on the turf, setting up a potentially sharp exacta at a fair price.

win3Smithwick's SpiceML 5/2

Smithwick's Spice sits atop our TrackWiz ratings at 87.81 and brings the single best average speed figure in the race at 57 — a meaningful edge in a sprint where early fractions matter. The 25% career win rate is legitimate, and Jorge Luis Gonzalez gets the mount under trainer Douglas Nunn. At 5/2 on the morning line, this isn't a price play, but it's a horse whose numbers justify top billing. The combination of raw speed and consistency makes this our top selection.

place10SuperfractorML 5/2

Superfractor is nearly identical to our top pick in the ratings at 87.59, which tells you this is a genuine two-horse race at the top of the form. The 66% career win rate is an eye-popping number — that kind of strike rate screams a horse who finds the winner's circle regularly, though smaller sample sizes can inflate that figure. Jomar Torres aboard for Benjamin Perkins Jr. is a barn that handles turf horses well. At 5/2, the place price won't be generous, but the security is real.

show7Really QuickML 5/1

Really Quick opens at 5/1 and brings a strong 33% career win rate to the table — the second-best strike rate in the field — giving Paco Lopez a live runner to work with for trainer Joan Milne. The 64.95 rating sits well behind the top two, but in a 10-horse turf sprint where traffic and pace scenarios can scramble the order, a horse with this kind of winning habit has show equity. Include this one in your exactas and trifectas beneath the two co-favorites.

Our three free races give you a strong foundation to build on. We're kicking things off on the turf with El Ma'any in Race 1 — a 1 1/16-mile grass test where today's firm conditions should suit front-runners and pace-pressers alike. In Race 2, Mambrino goes off as the even-money morning-line favorite on dirt at six furlongs, and our rating backs up why the crowd is leaning that way. Then Race 3 brings us back to the turf for a 5½-furlong sprint where Smithwick's Spice at 5/2 looks like a solid play with a TrackWiz rating of 87.81.

One thread connecting these early picks: with the turf running true on a clear day, horses that can sit just off a contested pace and pounce in the stretch are in a prime position. Keep that in mind as you build your ticket structures for the afternoon.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

6:24 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A pair of short-priced contenders dominate the ratings in this six-furlong dirt claimer, but there's a legitimate show threat hiding at 6/1 that could complicate the exacta.

win5Crypto ManML 9/5

Crypto Man heads into this spot with an 88.83 TrackWiz rating — the top mark in the field — and Paco Lopez up for trainer Alexis Delgado. The 9/5 morning line makes him the betting favorite, and the numbers back it up fully. His average speed figure of 52 is actually modest for a horse rated this highly, which suggests he finds ways to win beyond raw speed — positioning, pace judgment, and class. This is a confident top selection in a race his numbers say he should dominate.

place3Chuck WillisML 2/1

Chuck Willis is the most accomplished horse in the field on paper with a 28% career win rate and a 72.99 TrackWiz rating, and Christian Maragh is a polished rider who handles dirt sprints with authority. Trainer Silvino Ramirez sends this one out at 2/1, and the average speed figure of 55 is the best in the race — meaning he's capable of putting in a raw performance that challenges the favorite. The place price won't be generous, but the profile screams exacta inclusion.

show2SyntacticML 6/1

Syntactic opens at 6/1 and brings a solid 59.93 rating for trainer Jose H. Delgado — a meaningful number for a horse whose morning line suggests overlooked status. The 10% career win rate is respectable in a field where several runners are well below double digits. Jose Antonio Gomez rides, and in a race where both top choices have to beat each other, a horse with this kind of consistency can sneak into the money at a profitable show price.

Race 5

6:54 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Turf

A wide-open turf sprint with a massive field of 14 — several horses are bunched tightly in the ratings, making this a prime exotics race where price and pace scenario matter more than picking a single winner.

win4Last Flag FlyingML 8/1

Last Flag Flying opens at a tempting 8/1 on the morning line despite a 79.79 TrackWiz rating that ranks among the top three in this massive field. Trained by Chuck Spina — who also saddles Slick Merlin — and ridden by Jomar Torres, this horse brings a 20% career win rate and an average speed figure of 53 to a turf sprint that figures to be hotly contested early. In a 14-horse field, a horse with legitimate ratings and an overlooked price is exactly the kind of play we look for. This is a genuine value angle.

place9Air MasqueML 9/2

Air Masque carries a 79.64 rating — essentially dead even with our top pick — and Benjamin Perkins Jr. knows how to prepare a turf horse at Monmouth. The average speed figure of 55 is among the best in the field, giving Jose Antonio Gomez a horse with tactical speed to sit a good spot in a big field. At 9/2, the place price is fair for a horse whose raw numbers say he belongs right in the thick of this.

show5La ResolanaML 3/1

La Resolana is trained by Jose Lozano Sanchez and ridden by Paco Lopez — a combination that demands respect in any turf race at this level. The 79.14 rating is nearly identical to our top two picks, and a 50% career win rate is extraordinary by any measure, though context matters in evaluating that figure. The 3/1 morning line makes her the public's choice, and the show position reflects the crowded market at the top of this field rather than any weakness in her credentials.

Race 6

7:26 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Just Relax looks like the class of this starter optional claiming field on paper, but President Z at 3/1 has the figures to make this a real race down the stretch.

win6Just RelaxML 8/5

Just Relax owns the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 89.12 and a 30% career win rate that speaks to sustained excellence at this level. Paco Lopez in the irons for Michael Simone is about as strong a rider-trainer combination as you'll see in a race like this at Monmouth. The average speed figure of 55 matches the best in the field, and at 8/5 on the morning line, the public is right to make this the favorite. The rating edge here is not subtle — this is a horse well above the median in this field.

place3President ZML 3/1

President Z brings an 81.46 rating and a 27% career win rate for trainer Wayne Potts — numbers that would make him the top pick in most races on this card. Sonny Leon takes the mount, and with an average speed figure of 55 matching the favorite, the pace scenario could easily develop into a two-horse battle. At 3/1, the place price has genuine value if you believe the two top-rated horses separate from the rest of the field.

show2Beware of PrideML 8/1

Beware of Pride opens at 8/1 with a 79.79 TrackWiz rating and a 25% career win rate — legitimate numbers for a horse at this price in a starter optional claiming field. The average speed figure of 55 matches the two favorites, meaning this horse is not outclassed on raw ability. Joezer Rangel picks up the mount for the Joann Bertone barn, and in a race with a strong favorite, show tickets on a horse with these credentials at 8/1 are exactly the kind of value play that pays off in exotic wagers.

Race 7

7:56 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

Every horse in this maiden claiming turf route is still searching for that first victory, making raw ability and trainer skill the primary separators in an inherently unpredictable field.

win8All the LuckML 4/1

All the Luck posts the highest TrackWiz rating in the field by a comfortable margin at 85.62, and the average speed figure of 54 is tied for the best in the race. Patrick McBurney trains this one, and Sonny Leon — one of the more underrated riders at Monmouth — gets the call. In a maiden field where no horse has broken their duck yet, the biggest rating edge usually belongs in the top spot. The 4/1 morning line is a solid price for a horse this clearly ahead on the numbers.

place9Jet OffML 5/2

Jet Off opens at 5/2 with a 67.23 rating and an average speed figure of 54 that matches our top pick — making him the most dangerous second choice in this race. George Weaver is one of the sharper trainers on the East Coast, and Samuel Marin gets the mount in what should be a competitive stretch run. In a maiden field, a horse conditioned by a skilled horseman who figures prominently in the speed figures is the ideal place candidate.

show6One BidML 9/2

One Bid at 9/2 carries a 66.82 rating — virtually identical to our place pick — and trainer Timothy Hills puts Charlie Marquez up in a spot that suits a closer profile. The average speed figure of 51 is slightly below the top two, but in a maiden turf route of 1 1/16 miles, fractions slow late and horses with stamina can outrun their speed numbers. Show tickets on a horse with this rating at 9/2 are solid exotics value.

Race 8

8:28 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Unsolved Mystery looms as a heavy favorite in a compact six-furlong dirt field, but the supporting cast has enough experience and career strike rate to make the exacta worth building.

win4Unsolved MysteryML 6/5

Unsolved Mystery tops the TrackWiz ratings at 89.71 — the highest mark of any horse on the entire card today — and a 34% career win rate underscores that this isn't just a paper rating. Jorge Vargas Jr. rides for Luis Rivera Jr., a trainer who knows exactly what he has here and spots his horses deliberately. The 6/5 morning line is short, but when a horse is this far ahead of the field in both rating and average speed figures, the price is what it is. This is the race-of-the-day best bet.

place3Charlie's BeautyML 3/2

Charlie's Beauty brings a 33% career win rate — outstanding consistency at this class level — and gets the services of Paco Lopez for trainer Juan Carlos Avila, who also saddles La Vecchia Signora. The 3/2 morning line reflects legitimate second-choice status, and the average speed figure of 54 gives her every chance to track the favorite and hold for a piece. In a short six-furlong trip, horses with proven winning habits rarely get beaten too far.

show2La Vecchia SignoraML 7/2

La Vecchia Signora carries the best career win rate in the field at 36% and is trained by Juan Carlos Avila — same barn as the place pick — which tells you this conditioner sends horses ready to run. Kendry Rivera gets the call at 7/2, and while the 47.03 TrackWiz rating falls well short of the top two, a horse who wins more than a third of the time knows how to find the board. The show price could be profitable in a race where the public is likely to stack tickets on the top two choices.

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Bottom line: Monmouth is giving us ideal conditions today, and the card rewards careful handicapping. Start with El Ma'any, Mambrino, and Smithwick's Spice as your free best bets, and let those anchor your early sequences. For the full-card analysis — pace scenarios, exotic tickets, and our full take on Unsolved Mystery and the rest of the premium races — subscribers have everything they need. Not a member yet? Head to /pricing and get on board before post time.

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