Monmouth Park Picks & Predictions — July 24, 2026
It's a beautiful Friday at the Jersey Shore — clear skies, 78°F, and Monmouth Park putting up a crisp 6-race card to kick off the weekend. Conditions don't get much better than this for an afternoon at the track, and the turf course figures to be playing fast with no moisture in the forecast.
Today's card is a nice mix of surface and distance challenges: three turf sprints, a pair of dirt routes, and a six-furlong allowance optional claimer that looks like the most competitive race of the afternoon. Whether you're here for a few casual plays or trying to build something in the exotics, there's plenty to work with.
TrackWiz has full analysis on all six races. The first three are on us — free to every reader. Races 4 through 6 are reserved for subscribers, and trust us, that's where the card gets really interesting.
Best Bets
Race 1
Maiden Claiming · 5 fur · Turf
A wide-open maiden claimer on the turf sees two horses separate themselves from the pack on ratings, but there's enough question marks in a field full of non-winners to keep things interesting.
April Spun tops our TrackWiz ratings at 88.83 — a significant edge over the rest of this maiden field — and draws the morning line favor at 9/5, suggesting the market agrees. Trainer Kathleen O'Connell puts her in a logical spot, and jockey Pedro L. Cotto, Jr. is a capable hand around Monmouth. With an average speed figure of 55, she's among the class of this field and should factor early on this 5-furlong turf sprint.
Ausplexity checks in with an 79.46 TrackWiz rating — second-best in the field — and also averages a 55 speed figure, matching the top-end horses on raw ability. Trainer Teresa M. Pompay puts her out at 5/2, and with Melissa Iorio aboard, she's a live contender to land in the exacta even if April Spun runs her down.
Natures Fury rates third in the field at 67.43 and is trained by John C. Servis, a trainer with a solid Monmouth pedigree. She's morning-lined at 2/1, so the market respects her, but the 67.43 rating puts her a tier below the top two — good enough to hit the board in a wide-open maiden event and worth using in trifecta tickets.
Race 2
Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Dirt
Bonsai Warrior looks like a heavy player in this dirt claiming route, but Captain Oats' eye-catching 50% career win rate throws a wrinkle into what could have been a straightforward handicap.
Bonsai Warrior leads all horses in this field with an 88.83 TrackWiz rating and a 22% career win rate — that's a strong combo in a field this deep. Julio A. Hernandez gets the call for trainer Panagiotis A. Synnefias, and with an average speed figure of 55 over 1 1/16 miles of dirt, the foundation is there for a complete effort. At 9/5 on the morning line, there's not a ton of value, but this looks like the most complete horse in the race.
Fratellone is dangerous here with an 81.9 rating and a 20% career win rate — numbers that suggest a horse who knows how to find the wire. Trainer Juan Carlos Avila has runners all over this card, which speaks to a barn in good form, and Jose E. Morelos takes the mount. He's the logical pace threat to Bonsai Warrior and the safest place bet on the board.
Captain Oats' 50% career win rate is legitimately eye-catching — that's a horse who has been spot-on when pointed to the right race. The 56.67 rating and 55 average speed figure suggest some ability, and trainer Jorge Delgado has two horses in this race, giving him options. At 3/1, Captain Oats is worth a shot on the board for exotic players looking for a lively show ticket.
Race 3
Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
Street Glide looks like the standout in this dirt-mile claimer, but Crypto Man lurking at 4/1 with a higher rating than most gives this race a legitimate exacta scenario worth exploring.
Street Glide dominates this field with an 88.83 TrackWiz rating — the same top score he shares with the best horses on the card today — and carries a 17% career win rate that's perfectly respectable for a claimer. Trainer Juan Carlos Avila has had a busy and productive card, and Edwin Gonzalez takes the reins for what looks like a well-placed runner going a flat mile on dirt. At 9/5, the price is short but the edge over the field is real.
Crypto Man is the most interesting horse in this race from a value standpoint — a 71.26 rating that sits comfortably above the mid-pack competition, going at 4/1. Carlos Eduardo Rojas rides for trainer Alexis Delgado, and with an average speed figure of 52 matching the field, the pace scenario should set up well for a presser profile. If Street Glide gets pressured early, Crypto Man is the horse most likely to pounce.
Knox is a logical show play at 5/2 for trainer Juan Carlos Avila, who doubles up in this race with Street Glide — when a trainer has the top pick and a second entry, both horses tend to be ready. The 62.92 rating and 10% career win rate keep him honest, but Charlie Marquez in the irons and a 5/2 price give him enough going on to warrant board inclusion in trifectas.
Our free coverage kicks off with a pair of turf and dirt openers before pivoting to a mile claimer on dirt. April Spun draws our attention right away in Race 1 — a 5-furlong turf sprint for maiden claimers where pace shape and early position are everything on a short course like this. In Race 2, Bonsai Warrior gets the nod going 1 1/16 miles on dirt, a distance where TrackWiz ratings tend to separate contenders cleanly. Street Glide closes out the free picks in Race 3 at a flat mile on dirt — a surface and distance combo that rewards horses who can settle early and finish with authority.
All three of these picks carry an 88.83 TrackWiz rating and open at 9/5 on the morning line, which tells you the market agrees with us — but that also means you'll need to shop for value or look to pair them in exactas and doubles to get the most out of them. With the turf playing fast today, any horse with strong grass figures or a proven turf pedigree gets a tick up in our model.
Full Card Analysis
Premium Content
Get the Full Card Analysis
Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.
Bottom line: April Spun, Bonsai Warrior, and Street Glide are your free best bets to start the day, all backed by strong TrackWiz ratings in favorable conditions. For the full picture — including La Resolana's pace edge in Race 5 and our exotic ticket breakdowns — subscribers have everything they need. Good luck at the windows, and enjoy the sunshine at Monmouth.