Daily Picks

Monmouth Park Picks & Predictions — June 26, 2026

Friday, June 26, 20268 racesMonmouth Park

It's a Friday afternoon at Monmouth Park and the Jersey Shore oval has a full 8-race card on tap for June 26. Overcast skies are keeping the temperature at a comfortable 80°F — not a bad day to be at the rail. The turf course figures to be in solid shape, and that matters because nearly half the card is run on the grass.

Three of today's eight races are maiden events, meaning we've got a fair share of unknowns in the mix. That cuts both ways — it opens the door for overlays and longshot value, but it also demands sharp handicapping. TrackWiz analysis has zeroed in on the horses with the clearest edges, and we're sharing three free best bets to get you started.

Best Bets

Race 1

6:00 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 5 fur · Turf

A maiden claiming opener on the turf where TrackWiz ratings create a clear top three, but this is a first-time starter field with plenty of unknowns — the form lines are thin and pace shape is hard to project.

win3April SpunML 2/1

April Spun tops the TrackWiz ratings at 88.54 and carries the 2/1 morning line, which suggests the market agrees she's the one to beat. Pedro L. Cotto, Jr. in the irons is a positive — an experienced rider on a short-priced turf maiden is exactly the kind of spot where a confident pilot can make the difference. Her average speed figure of 55 matches Ausplexity at the top of the field speed-wise, but her overall rating edges everyone else in the field by a meaningful margin. In a wide-open maiden field, you want the horse whose profile gives you the most reasons to like her, and April Spun checks the most boxes.

place4Point to That StarML 4/1

Point to That Star sits second in our ratings at 81.77 and is listed at 4/1 on the morning line, making her a solid place candidate with some win upside if the chalk stumbles. Her average speed of 51 is a tick below the leaders, but in a short 5-furlong turf dash, tactical positioning can offset raw speed numbers. Trainer Jose H. Delgado puts her out at a price that suggests a live runner rather than a throwback, and she deserves respect underneath.

show2AusplexityML 5/2

Ausplexity comes in with the second-highest average speed in the field at 55 and a TrackWiz rating of 70.46, making her a logical exotic inclusion at 5/2. Trainer Teresa M. Pompay and jockey Melissa Iorio team up here, and the combination of competitive speed and a comfortable morning line makes this filly a reasonable show hedge. At 5/2, she won't pay much to show, but for players building trifectas, she's a necessary ticket piece.

Race 2

6:28 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

Trainer Kathleen O'Connell sends out a one-two punch that dominates the ratings, giving this mile dirt claimer a clear class standout — but the wide-open framing numbers make pace scenario worth watching.

win5Southern LadyML 7/2

Southern Lady is the standout in this field, posting a TrackWiz rating of 86.35 — a full 15 points clear of the next-best horse — and she backs it up with a career win rate of 25%, which is excellent for the claiming ranks. Her average speed of 54 ties Better With Vino at the top of the field's speed figures. Trainer Kathleen O'Connell also saddles My Lil Flirt, but Southern Lady's rating and win percentage make it clear she's the barn's main hope. At 7/2 on the morning line, there's real value here for a horse who profiles as the most accomplished filly in the race.

place6Ruby RubyML 7/2

Ruby Ruby comes in at 71.39 on our ratings and 7/2 on the morning line, and her 10% career win rate in the claiming ranks shows she's competitive at this level without ever quite closing the deal. That profile — consistent, not dominant — makes her an ideal place horse. Julio A. Hernandez picks up the mount, and her average speed of 53 keeps her in the mix on the back of a pace that should be honest over a flat mile.

show3My Lil FlirtML 3/1

My Lil Flirt brings the best career win percentage in this entire field at 28%, which tells you this is a horse who knows how to finish races. The 3/1 morning line reflects that, and trainer O'Connell having two horses here means the barn is well-represented. Her 66.11 rating fits as a show horse who can sneak into the exotics, especially if Southern Lady gets the far-end fractions she needs and My Lil Flirt finds cover on the rail.

Race 3

6:56 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A tightly bunched 6-furlong dirt claimer where four horses are separated by fewer than 10 rating points — the pace scenario figures to be crucial, and the morning line is doing some interesting things at the top.

win4Sea MaidenML 6/1

Sea Maiden is our top-rated horse at 82.71 despite going off at 6/1 on the morning line — that's a meaningful gap between our model and the oddsmaker, which is exactly the kind of overlay TrackWiz analysis loves to identify. There's an intriguing detail here: trainer Sergio Rabadan also serves as the jockey, a trainer-rider combination that signals a confident connections team willing to put their own hands on the reins. Her average speed of 54 matches three other horses in this field, so the edge has to come from ratings and value, and she delivers both.

place5WinkiwinkiML 3/1

Winkiwinki carries a 76.43 rating, the second-best in the field, and pairs it with a solid 20% career win rate that shows she's a legitimate threat to hit the board in any field at this level. Trainer Silvino Ramirez puts Kendry Rivera up, and at 3/1 she's clearly the crowd's pick to run behind the favorite. In a 6-furlong sprint, a horse with her speed figure of 53 and proven winning ability fits perfectly as a key place target in exotics.

show3LookingfortreasureML 7/2

Lookingfortreasure rates third in the field at 74.51 and posts the same average speed figure as the top pair — 54 — meaning on pure numbers she's right in this race. Her 14% career win rate is modest but functional for claiming company, and trainer Pompeyo Gomez also runs Miss Neo in this field. Luis R. Rivera, Jr. piloting her at 7/2 makes her a legitimate triactor piece, especially if the top two in our ratings grab the early spots.

Our free picks today span Races 1, 2, and 3 — two dirt routes and a sprint on the grass to kick things off. April Spun draws attention in the Race 1 turf sprint at 2/1 on the morning line, posting a TrackWiz rating of 88.54 that leads the entire card. Over in Race 2, Southern Lady gets the nod at 7/2 going a flat mile on dirt — a solid price for a horse our models genuinely like. Race 3 gives us a bit of a value angle: Sea Maiden opens at 6/1 in a 6-furlong claiming sprint, and that morning line price may underestimate how well she fits today's conditions.

The dirt surface has been playing fair, and the cloudy weather should keep the track from drying out and getting fast and one-dimensional. That could help closers get into the picture in the longer dirt races — something worth factoring into your Race 2 and Race 3 tickets.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

7:25 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 5 fur · Turf

Another turf maiden claimer at 5 furlongs, and this one features a dominant ratings leader going off near even money — but two horses with no recorded speed figures create some uncertainty about how the race will unfold.

win2Darty TimeML 2/1

Darty Time tops our ratings at 88.54 — the highest score in the entire race — and her 2/1 morning line reflects that the morning linemaker sees her the same way we do. An average speed of 54 ties several rivals, but her overall profile under trainer Rudy R. Rodriguez is clearly stronger than the field. Carol Cedeno gets the call in the irons, and Rodriguez is a trainer who knows how to spot his horses — dropping a filly with this profile into a maiden claimer at 5 furlongs on turf looks like a calculated move to get a win on the board.

place4Aria DML 5/2

Aria D rates fourth in our model at 58.37 but is listed at 5/2 on the morning line, suggesting connections are bullish on her chances despite a ratings gap behind the top two. Her average speed of 54 keeps her competitive on raw numbers, and trainer Patrick B. McBurney and Jose Antonio Gomez are an active combination at Monmouth. For players looking to key Darty Time on top in exactas, Aria D at that price is a worthy underneath play.

show6Hard Luck WomanML 6/1

Hard Luck Woman draws interest as a show play at 6/1 despite having no recorded average speed figure — that blank can mean a lightly raced horse whose ceiling we haven't fully measured yet. Her TrackWiz rating of 51.67 places her mid-field, and she shares trainer Kathleen A. Demasi with Intothemystic. At morning line odds of 6/1, she offers legitimate trifecta value, particularly if the race develops a pace duel up front that sets things up for a horse coming from off the pace.

Race 5

7:53 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 6 fur · Dirt

A large 12-horse maiden special weight field going 6 furlongs on dirt, with two clear class standouts sitting atop a very scattered ratings range — this one sets up as a potential pace duel between the top pair.

win12Stormy CityML 7/2

Stormy City leads our ratings at 86.35 in a field where the next-best horse is Garden Gal at 81.17, and her average speed of 55 is the best recorded figure in this race. Trainer Eddie Owens Jr. also enters stablemate Stormy Girl, but Stormy City's profile is clearly the stronger of the two — she gets Jorge A. Vargas Jr.'s partner Jose Antonio Gomez, and at 7/2 on the morning line she's priced in a way that still leaves some value on the table in a big field. When a horse leads on both rating and speed in a maiden special weight, the case is straightforward.

place2Garden GalML 4/1

Garden Gal is our second pick at 81.17 and gets Chantal Sutherland, one of the more accomplished riders on the Monmouth circuit, at 4/1 on the morning line. Her average speed of 52 trails Stormy City, but Sutherland's ability to find a trip in a big field is a real asset in a 12-horse sprint. Trainer Joan Milne also has Mo Vita in the race, and the fact that she puts Sutherland on Garden Gal likely tells you something about which runner the barn prefers.

show3Count My BlessingsML 8/1

Count My Blessings enters as our third-rated horse at 70.14 and is a genuine value show play at 8/1 on the morning line — a number that underestimates her rating position in this field. Jefferson Skerrett gets the mount for trainer Holly L. Harris, and her average speed of 54 matches several horses clustered in the mid-ratings range. In a wide maiden field, show prices can be generous, and at 8/1 she's the kind of longer-odds horse who quietly hits the board while the crowd focuses on the top two.

Race 6

8:21 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 5 fur · Turf

A starter optional claiming sprint on the turf that features two horses with nearly identical TrackWiz ratings at the top — True Spun and Obstreperous are separated by less than a point, making this one of the tightest races on the card.

win1True SpunML 5/2

True Spun edges Obstreperous at the top of our ratings with an 87.81 score and brings a 20% career win rate to a field where that kind of record carries weight. Trainer Kathleen O'Connell puts her most trusted jockey on the job — Pedro L. Cotto Jr. takes the mount — and this is a trainer-rider combination that consistently performs well together at Monmouth. Her average speed of 54 is competitive in this group, and at 5/2 the morning line gives you a fair price on what our model sees as the top horse in the race.

place3ObstreperousML 2/1

Obstreperous is literally a half-point behind our top pick at 87.05, and her average speed of 57 is the best recorded figure in this entire field — meaning on pure raw speed, she's the one to beat. The 2/1 morning line makes her the crowd's favorite, and trainer Michael V. Simone sends her out with Cipriano Gil aboard. She's a completely legitimate win horse, and placing her underneath in exactas gives you insurance on what is genuinely a coin-flip matchup with True Spun.

show2Rogue JusticeML 10/1

Rogue Justice comes in at 75.38 in our ratings and sports a 23% career win rate — the best in this field — while drawing a 10/1 morning line that looks significantly undervalued relative to her profile. Trainer Joann Bertone puts Chantal Sutherland on her, a veteran rider who knows how to manage a 5-furlong turf sprint off a pace. For trifecta players, a 10/1 show horse with the field's best career win percentage is exactly the kind of overlay you want in your ticket.

Race 7

8:50 PM EDT

Starter Allowance · 1 1/16 mi · Dirt

A competitive starter allowance going a route of ground on dirt, with Street Glide standing out at the top of the ratings but facing a tightly bunched group of four horses all within 10 points — pace setup over 1 1/16 miles will be everything here.

win7Street GlideML 5/1

Street Glide tops our ratings at 84.17 and goes off at 5/1 on the morning line, a price that represents real value given he's head and shoulders above the field in our model. Jose Antonio Gomez takes the mount for trainer Juan Carlos Avila, who also runs Denying in this race — the fact that Gomez is on Street Glide rather than Denying tells you something about where Avila's confidence sits. A 17% career win rate over what figures to be a solid career sample puts him in a strong win-horse profile, and a distance of 1 1/16 miles on dirt suits a horse whose speed figures suggest he can sustain a run.

place4Brave BearML 7/2

Brave Bear checks in at 76.81 in our ratings — second-best in the field — and brings an impressive 26% career win rate, the highest of any horse in this race. Chantal Sutherland handles the mount for trainer Joseph Pantaleo, and a 7/2 morning line reflects that this is a legitimate contender. His average speed of 52 keeps him within striking distance, and a horse who wins at that clip is the type who rarely runs a bad race — he's likely to be thereabouts at the wire.

show2DenyingML 3/1

Denying rates third overall at 76.17 with an average speed of 53 that matches Tiger Moon and Prime Motive while outrating both in our model. His 8% career win rate is modest, but this is starter allowance company where consistency matters as much as winning, and trainer Juan Carlos Avila clearly has a read on this horse given he's running two in the same race. At 3/1 on the morning line, Denying is a bridge between the top two picks and the rest of the field — he belongs in every multirace wager.

Race 8

9:20 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

The closing race features a compelling ratings mismatch — Enduring Angel leads the model despite going off at nearly 5/1, while a well-known barn's runner sits as the morning line favorite at a number that may not reflect true form.

win4Enduring AngelML 9/2

Enduring Angel tops our ratings at 84.90 and draws a 9/2 morning line in a field where her closest competition, Magneto, sits at 79.08 — a meaningful gap that suggests she's the class of this 1 1/16-mile turf field. Trainer Rudy R. Rodriguez puts Carol Cedeno aboard, and a 20% career win rate shows Enduring Angel converts when she has the right setup. The distance and surface combination — a route on grass — suits a horse whose speed figure of 52 fits well with the typical tempo of a turf route, and the odds make her the clear value play in the race.

place1MagnetoML 3/1

Magneto brings a 79.08 rating and a 16% career win rate into this spot, and trainer Jorge Delgado sends him out with Luis R. Rivera Jr. in what looks like a forward move. His average speed of 54 leads the field on raw numbers, which in a turf route typically means he'll be involved in the pace — a horse who controls fractions on the Monmouth turf course is a dangerous one. At 3/1, he's a fair price for a horse who profiles as a genuine contender for the runner-up spot and possibly more.

show3T V ManML 12/1

T V Man is our show pick and a genuine overlay at 12/1 on the morning line for a horse with a 59.46 TrackWiz rating — good enough to out-rate five of the eight horses in this field. His 4% career win rate is a concern, but in a 1 1/16-mile turf claimer, a horse who has been around the track enough to rate third in our model can absolutely sneak into the trifecta. Charlie Marquez gets the mount, and for trifecta builders looking for a big-priced third leg, T V Man at double-digit odds is worth a small investment.

Premium Content

Get the Full Card Analysis

Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.

View Plans Sign In

A turf-friendly afternoon at Monmouth with legitimate value scattered across the card — April Spun, Southern Lady, and Sea Maiden headline the free plays, and there's plenty more to dig into for subscribers. Lock in your analysis, build your tickets, and enjoy the races. Good luck out there.

← Back to all picks

Best Bets

Race 1↗

Race 2↗

Race 3↗

Full Card Analysis

Get the Full Card Analysis

Race 1

Race 2

Race 3