Daily Picks

Mountaineer Picks & Predictions — July 20, 2026

Monday, July 20, 20268 racesMountaineer

Mountaineer Park rolls out an eight-race card on Monday, July 20th, and conditions are about as good as you're going to get at the West Virginia oval — partly cloudy skies, a comfortable 78°F, and no rain in the picture to muck up the surfaces. That's good news for the three turf races on the afternoon slate, where a firm or near-firm lawn tends to reward horses with tactical speed and clean trips.

The card is a solid mix of claiming and allowance company, with a Starter Allowance thrown in mid-card to give us a slightly classier look at some horses trying to move forward. A few spots stand out as prime betting opportunities, including a turf sprint that has all the makings of a pace scenario worth digging into and a longshot in Race 5 that TrackWiz analysis has flagged as quietly interesting at a double-digit morning line.

Best Bets

Race 1

11:00 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

A claiming mile on the dirt with a clear top two in the TrackWiz ratings — He's a Shooter and Unraptured separate themselves from the field, setting up a probable pace battle at the top.

win7He's a ShooterML 3/1

He's a Shooter tops our ratings at 87.08 and draws the morning-line favoritism at 3/1 for good reason — trainer Julie Mathes has put together a horse that consistently earns elite marks against this level. With a 22% career win rate, he converts at a clip well above the field average, and jockey Michael Y. Pagan gets the call in a spot where pace pressure could soften the field for a powerful late run. At a mile on the dirt, horses with his profile tend to settle nicely off early fractions and pounce down the lane.

place2UnrapturedML 7/2

Unraptured carries a 83.83 TrackWiz rating and a career win percentage of 23% — both figures rank second-best in this field. Trainer Carlos A. Lopez puts him out at 7/2 on the morning line, suggesting connections like their chances, and Norberto Arroyo Jr. is a reliable rider when the race sets up with early pace. If He's a Shooter gets caught up in a speed duel, Unraptured is the most likely beneficiary.

show1AlignML 4/1

Align is the steadiest of the mid-tier horses here at a 71.33 rating, and trainer Jay P. Bernardini also saddles Quistmer in this race — having two runners often means one acts as a setup horse for the other. At 4/1 on the morning line, Align offers fair value for exotic players looking to round out trifecta or superfecta tickets, and a 12% career win rate in claiming company suggests he hits the board with enough regularity to be useful.

Race 2

11:25 PM EDT

Claiming · 7 fur · Turf

Seven furlongs on the turf with a loaded top of the card — four horses rate above 78 in a full field of eleven, meaning the exacta and trifecta could pay handsomely if the pace shuffles the order.

win8Hot WingsML 5/1

Hot Wings checks in as the top-rated runner at 84.17 despite going off at 5/1 on the morning line — that gap between market price and our rating is exactly the kind of edge TrackWiz analysis is designed to surface. Trainer Jay P. Bernardini also saddles Lil Red Beaudette, and having two horses in a turf sprint often allows one to set a pace that suits the other. Brandon Tapara gets the mount, and with a field this deep, a clean break from post 8 on the turf will matter.

place6Lil Red BeaudetteML 3/1

Lil Red Beaudette is the betting public's choice at 3/1 and owns a career win rate of 25% — matching Doc B for the highest in the field. The 82.53 rating and Norberto Arroyo Jr. in the irons makes her a legitimate contender to take this, but with stablemate Hot Wings getting our top nod, she's the ideal place bet for conservative players. She likely gets a good stalking trip and should be around late.

show2Doc BML 4/1

Doc B rates out at 79.05 with a 25% career win rate — the kind of consistent performer you want anchoring the bottom of your exotics. Charle Oliveros aboard for trainer Eric R. Reed, and at 4/1, he represents legitimate show value in a race where the top three rated horses are within six points of each other. If either of the Bernardini horses step on each other, Doc B could sneak into the exacta.

Race 3

11:50 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 7 fur · Turf

Allowance optional claiming turf sprinting at seven furlongs — Replevin stands out as a clear class horse with a dominant rating, but General Mathis's elite win rate and an intriguing speed angle from Hotline Blink make this worth a closer look.

win8ReplevinML 2/1

Replevin carries the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 88.54 and posts the second-best average speed figure on the board at 55 — in an AOC, that combination is tough to dismiss. Trainer Jeff Fletcher has him at 2/1 on the morning line, reflecting legitimate confidence from connections, and jockey Yuri Yaranga gets the assignment. The knock is a 9% career win rate, which is on the lower side, but in allowance company the step up in class from others here could work in Replevin's favor.

place3Button BoxML 5/1

Button Box rates third in the field at 77.96 and owns the top average speed figure in the race at 56 — that raw speed edge on the turf at seven furlongs is a meaningful angle, especially if the pace sets up honestly. Trainer Crystal Richison sends him out at 5/1, making him a value proposition for bettors who want upside in the place spot. Kevin Gonzalez takes the ride, and if Button Box gets an uncontested trip near the front, this could easily be a win.

show9Hotline BlinkML 15/1

Hotline Blink is our show pick and the most interesting speed figure horse in the race — an average speed figure of 57 is tops in this field by a full point. Bailey Weatherly picks up the mount for trainer Christi Lynn Esposito, and at 15/1 on the morning line, there's real overlay potential. A 17% career win rate keeps expectations grounded, but in turf sprints, raw speed often translates more directly than in route races, and Hotline Blink belongs on your trifecta tickets.

The first three races are unlocked for every TrackWiz reader, and they give us a nice cross-section of what today's card is about. On the dirt, He's a Shooter (Race 1, 3/1 ML) is our top-rated opener at 87.08 — a respectable figure for a one-mile claiming route where pace shape could matter as much as raw ability. On the turf, Hot Wings brings some intrigue at 5/1 in Race 2's seven-furlong grass claiming event, and our model likes the price relative to the rating.

The best free look of the day comes in Race 3, where Replevin tops the Allowance Optional Claiming field at 2/1 with an 88.54 TrackWiz rating — the highest mark among the free picks. This is a horse worth anchoring your early multi-race tickets around. With the turf playing fair today, horses that can settle off a contested pace and close efficiently are worth leaning on in all three of these early grass and dirt spots.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

12:15 AM EDT

Claiming · 5 fur · Turf

Five furlongs on the turf is a sharp, speed-favoring distance, and Vroysky owns a commanding rating advantage over a ten-horse field — but there's live value lurking beneath the favorite at double-digit odds.

win2VroyskyML 5/2

Vroysky dominates this field with an 87.81 TrackWiz rating — a full 15 points clear of the next-ranked horse — and backs it up with the top average speed figure in the field at 57. Trainer Eddie Clouston puts Deshawn L. Parker up, and with a 17% career win rate, Vroysky isn't a habitual winner but is clearly the best horse here on form. At 5/2 on the morning line, he's fairly priced for a claiming turf sprint where pace over five furlongs can get very honest, very fast.

place6Lord AnteML 10/1

Lord Ante is our place pick at double-digit morning line odds of 10/1 — that's the TrackWiz value angle for this race. He carries a 72.64 rating with a strong 25% career win rate and posts an average speed figure of 55, which puts him second in the field. Trainer Shane Meyers has him ready with Alexander Chavez up, and if Vroysky gets any traffic at all in a ten-horse turf sprint, Lord Ante is positioned to capitalize.

show9Kool KathmanduML 4/1

Kool Kathmandu makes the show ticket at 4/1 morning line with a solid 66.78 rating and an impressive 27% career win rate — matching Yes I Am Free for the highest among the mid-tier horses. Ricardo Barrios gets the mount for trainer Wilson C. Langley, and his average speed figure of 55 keeps him competitive with the top group. He's the kind of dependable claimer who runs his race every time and gives exotic players reliable depth.

Race 5

12:40 AM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

An eleven-horse claiming field sprinting 5½ furlongs on the dirt — the morning-line favorite Scoot Along draws our second pick, while Hello Sweets offers significant overlay value as our top selection at 10/1.

win11Hello SweetsML 10/1

Hello Sweets checks in as our top pick at 10/1 — the overlay of the card so far. She carries a 76.88 TrackWiz rating, which leads the field, and her 24% career win rate is among the best here. Trainer Eddie Clouston puts Deshawn L. Parker up, the same combination we like in Race 7, suggesting the barn is in form. In a wide-open dirt sprint where the public will gravitate toward the 2/1 shot, getting Hello Sweets at double-digit odds is exactly the kind of value play TrackWiz analysis is built to find.

place6Scoot AlongML 2/1

Scoot Along is the morning-line favorite at 2/1 and rates second in the field at 74.27 — the public isn't wrong to make her the chalk. Luis Alberto Batista gets the mount for Eddie Clouston, who as noted has Hello Sweets in this same race, giving the barn a powerful two-pronged attack. At 15% career win rate, Scoot Along converts at a modest clip, but her recent form has clearly impressed connections enough to send her out as the favorite.

show10Save the FlagML 10/1

Save the Flag is an interesting show option at 10/1 with a 71.02 rating — third-best in the field by our numbers. Trainer Jeff W. Zook sends her out with Francisco Garcia up, and a 12% career win rate in a field this size isn't alarming. The avg speed of 52 puts her right in the cluster of the main contenders, and at the morning-line price, she's a legitimate trifecta player for bettors who want three horses in the top half of the ratings at competitive prices.

Race 6

1:05 AM EDT

Claiming · 5 fur · Dirt

Five furlongs on the dirt with a dominant top-rated horse in Scream Machine — she separates from the field on our ratings, but a trio of closely-matched mid-tier horses make the undercard of this race genuinely competitive.

win6Scream MachineML 7/2

Scream Machine leads the field with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating and carries a remarkable 35% career win rate — tied for the highest in the race. Trainer Eddie Clouston puts Luis Alberto Batista up at 7/2, and in a sprint where pace scenarios favor front-runners and pressers, a horse with her win percentage at this distance is exactly what you want to key your ticket around. She's the clear top selection and the most accomplished horse in this field.

place5Divine MarthaML 3/1

Divine Martha rates third at 72.85 with a 24% career win rate, and trainer Jay P. Bernardini has her at 3/1 on the morning line — a price that implies his confidence. Brandon Tapara gets the mount, and with Scream Machine potentially controlling the pace, a horse like Divine Martha that can stalk and pounce from the two-path should be in a nice spot late. Her rating is separated from Scream Machine by nearly 14 points, but the place payoff could be worthwhile given the implied pace setup.

show4Lil But DeliciousML 5/1

Lil But Delicious slots in third on our ratings at 72.21 and owns an eye-catching 35% career win rate — same as Scream Machine. Trainer Frank Gerich sends her out at 5/1 with Kevin Gonzalez up, and in a sprint this short where traffic is minimal, a horse that wins a third of her races belongs in your trifecta. She's separated from Divine Martha by less than a single rating point, making the show spot a coin flip between those two.

Race 7

1:30 AM EDT

Starter Allowance · 6 fur · Dirt

A Starter Allowance at six furlongs on the dirt features two horses — Out of Cents and Abundant Energy — separated from the rest of the field by a wide rating gap, setting up a probable head-to-head match between the two Eddie Clouston trainees.

win2Out of CentsML 3/1

Out of Cents tops our win selection at 87.08 with a 23% career win rate and goes at 3/1 on the morning line. Trainer Eddie Clouston has an interesting intrafield matchup here with both Out of Cents and Abundant Energy, and Deshawn L. Parker gets the mount on our top pick — a meaningful edge when two stablemates are in the same race. His average speed figure of 53 keeps him competitive on the clock, and in a six-furlong starter allowance, a horse with his profile should fire a big one.

place4Abundant EnergyML 2/1

Abundant Energy is the most statistically impressive horse in this race — a 58% career win rate is extraordinary, and his 86.98 rating is within a fraction of our win pick's 87.08. Trainer Eddie Clouston clearly has this horse live, sending him out at 2/1 as the morning-line favorite with Luis Alberto Batista up. The tight rating gap between the two Clouston horses is the headline of this race — if pace develops honestly, Abundant Energy's conversion rate says he should absolutely be involved.

show6Zealous StormML 4/1

Zealous Storm rounds out the ticket at 82.10 with a 30% career win rate — both figures rank third in a seven-horse field and are well clear of the horses below. Trainer Jami C. Poole sends Elijah Greenidge up at 4/1, and in a race where the top two are so closely matched, Zealous Storm is the logical beneficiary if either of the Clouston horses encounters trouble. The 30% win rate in starter allowance company is genuinely strong and gives exotic players a reliable third wheel.

Race 8

1:55 AM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

The card closer is a massive fourteen-horse field sprinting six furlongs on the dirt — Classic Alphie leads our ratings, but with this many runners, pace scenarios become chaotic and the exacta and trifecta could be extremely lucrative.

win13Classic AlphieML 3/1

Classic Alphie heads our ratings at 87.08 — tied for the highest figure we've issued all night — and trainer Juan Pablo Silva sends him out at 3/1 on the morning line with Luis Negron up. The 5% career win rate is admittedly low, but in a fourteen-horse field where form can be hard to read, our ratings suggest he's running at a level well above his win percentage would indicate. Silva also has Silent Breeze in this race, suggesting the barn expects a strong effort from his primary runner.

place6Whisky ReserveML 7/2

Whisky Reserve rates second in a massive field at 80.43 and draws Deshawn L. Parker in the irons for trainer Juan Carlos Gotera — a capable combination at a price (7/2) that's fair given the field size. With a 5% career win rate, he's clearly a horse that's been running against tough company without much luck, but his rating suggests he's been competitive. In a field this big, the place pool often offers more value than the win, making Whisky Reserve a smart investment.

show11RajiML 8/1

Raji is our show selection at 8/1 on the morning line — a rating of 78.21 is third-best in this fourteen-horse sprint, and Andrew Ramgeet rides for trainer Tina Ramgeet in what looks like a family operation with something to prove. The 8% career win rate is modest, but an average speed figure of 54 keeps him in the competitive cluster at the top of this field. In a fourteen-horse sprint where traffic can eliminate half the field early, a horse with his rating at 8/1 is a legitimate trifecta play.

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Bottom line: today at Mountaineer, Replevin is the free-card standout, He's a Shooter gives us a solid dirt opener, and there's genuine value to hunt across the turf races on a beautiful afternoon. For the full eight-race breakdown — including pace projections, exotic strategies, and every top pick — subscribers can access the complete analysis now. Let's have a good one.

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