Unlock the other 6 races on today's card, plus AI ratings on every runner and SmartBet ticket construction.

The winner is in our top 4 picks 75% of the time, across 17 tracks.

Daily Picks

Parx Racing Picks & Predictions — September 9, 2026

September 9, 20269 racesAll Parx Racing picks

It's a warm Wednesday afternoon at Parx Racing — partly cloudy skies, 84°F, and nine races on the dirt. Conditions look favorable for fast times, and with a mix of claimers, maiden events, and starter optional claiming races spread across the card, there's plenty of material to work with whether you're playing one race or firing on exotics all day.

The card leans heavily toward the route distances, with several races going a mile and 70 yards — a distance that rewards pace handicapping and horses who can rate off a contested early pace. Keep that in mind as you build your tickets. Our TrackWiz ratings have identified some standout figures across the card, and a couple of morning-line favorites look vulnerable enough to create real value opportunities.

Best Bets

Race 1

4:40 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

A clear class standout tops this mile claiming opener, but the morning line suggests bettors aren't entirely sold — leaving room for some value underneath.

win4Chelsea WallML 5/2

Chelsea Wall (4) owns the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 87.81 and a career win rate of 30% — comfortably the best strike rate in this race. Trainer Jamie Ness puts her in with Mychel J. Sanchez in the irons, a combination worth noting at Parx. At 5/2 on the morning line, she's not a screaming overlay, but the ratings gap between her and the rest of the field is real and hard to ignore.

place3Ambitiously PlacedML 4/1

Ambitiously Placed (3) posts a solid 80.73 TrackWiz rating and a 25% career win rate — both figures that would make her the top selection in most other races on this card. Francisco Martinez gets the call for trainer Ruperto A. Perez, and at 4/1, there's legitimate place value here if Chelsea Wall does her job up front.

show1UmbralML 9/2

Umbral (1) checks in with a 71.2 rating and a 21% career win rate, giving her a meaningful edge over the bottom half of this field. Dexter Haddock takes the mount for Scott A. Lake, and at 9/2 on the morning line, she's a reasonable exotics anchor — especially if the top two do battle and leave her to clean up in the lane.

Race 2

5:07 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

Tims looms as a dominant class figure in this starter optional claimer going a flat mile and 70 yards, but the pace scenario could get interesting with several mid-range speed ratings bunched together.

win6TimsML 3/1

Tims (6) is the standout here with a TrackWiz rating of 87.08 — nearly 20 points clear of the next-best horse. Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. gets the mount for trainer Hugo O. Padilla, and while the 7% career win rate is modest, the raw ratings number does a lot of the talking. At 3/1 on the morning line, he's the most credentialed horse in the field and should be on everyone's ticket.

place2Na Pali JoeML 4/1

Na Pali Joe (2) carries a 66.59 rating that ranks second in the field, though his 5% career win rate suggests he's been close more often than he's closed. Ruben Silvera gets the call for trainer Esteban Padilla, and at 4/1, there's solid place value if he can find a good spot behind the pace and unleash his best in the stretch.

show3Ad MajoraML 7/2

Ad Majora (3) brings a 14% career win rate — best in the field — and a 55.2 TrackWiz rating that lands him squarely in the mix for a piece of the prize. Trainer Jose M. Santaella-Calderon also saddles the long shot Peach Smoothie, so he has a strong read on today's pace setup. At 7/2, Ad Majora is a sensible show play and exotics connector.

Race 3

5:34 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

This maiden claimer going a mile and 70 yards features a field of winless horses — but Pom Pom's ratings advantage sets her apart from the pack despite a short morning line that says the public already agrees.

win1Pom PomML 9/5

Pom Pom (1) tops this field with an 88.83 TrackWiz rating, the highest mark of any horse in the first three races on today's card. Dexter Haddock rides for trainer Miguel A. Rodriguez, and the 9/5 morning line signals that the public is firmly in her corner — and for good reason. In a race where no one has won before, having the strongest overall rating is often the most reliable edge you can find.

place2My Last DimeML 6/1

My Last Dime (2) is the logical underneath play, posting a 79.94 rating that easily separates her from the rest of the maiden field. Luis M. Ocasio rides for trainer Elliott Soto-Martinez, and at 6/1 on the morning line, there's real value here if Pom Pom faces any traffic trouble or gets caught flat. In a maiden race where upsets happen, backing the second-best rated horse at a generous price is smart exotics strategy.

show4BerlinwinML 6/5

Berlinwin (4) draws the morning line favorite treatment at 6/5, though our ratings have her third in the field at 66.63 — behind both Pom Pom and My Last Dime. Mychel J. Sanchez is an experienced hand, and trainer Robert Mosco may have her primed for a sharp effort. She's a logical show play if you think the market is onto something the ratings aren't fully capturing.

Our three free-access races open the card and give everyone a taste of today's action. Chelsea Wall draws our eye in Race 1 at 5/2 on the morning line — a TrackWiz rating of 87.81 suggests she's legitimately the class of that claiming field going a flat mile. In Race 2, Tims comes in rated 87.08 and goes postward at a very fair 3/1 price in the starter optional claiming ranks. Round out the free-race trio with Pom Pom in Race 3 — that 88.83 TrackWiz rating is the highest of the three free picks, and the 9/5 morning line reflects public respect, but there could still be a way to structure her into a horizontal wager profitably.

One thing tying these early races together: they're all routing on dirt, and a warm, dry afternoon at Parx typically plays toward horses with tactical speed — animals that can settle just off a hot pace and pounce in the stretch. Watch the early splits closely in Race 1; they'll tell you a lot about how the rest of the afternoon is shaping up.

Send me tomorrow's free Parx Racing card before post time.

Free picks in your inbox each morning. No card required, unsubscribe anytime.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

6:01 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 6 fur · Dirt

A wide-open maiden special weight sprint at six furlongs where the top three contenders are separated by just a few rating points — pace and post position could matter more than usual here.

win6King's BackML 9/5

King's Back (6) tops the TrackWiz ratings at 58.67 and shows a 54 average speed figure — second-best in the field — giving her a balanced profile heading into this sprint. Jean Aguilar gets the mount for trainer Dee Curry, and the 9/5 morning line reflects genuine confidence from the market. In a field where everyone is winless, having both the top rating and above-average speed is a meaningful edge.

place5Lido ShuffleML 5/2

Lido Shuffle (5) actually owns the highest average speed figure in the field at 55, which is a real selling point in a six-furlong sprint where early pace can dictate the outcome. Trainer Kathleen A. Demasi sends her out with Eliseo Ruiz, and at 5/2, she profiles as a pace-presser who could easily get first run on the field. If King's Back meets any resistance, Lido Shuffle is right there to pounce.

show2Honour SmartyML 7/2

Honour Smarty (2) carries a 55.83 TrackWiz rating — third in the field — and trainer J. Tyler Servis is a name that commands attention whenever his horses show up ready. Frankie Pennington gets the call, and at 7/2 on the morning line, this is a reasonable show play and exotics inclusion in a race where the top three are tightly bunched.

Race 5

6:28 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

Jackson Road sets up as a dominant top choice in this mile-and-70-yard claimer, but the pace scenario features enough speed to set up closers — making the underneath horses worth a hard look.

win1Jackson RoadML 9/5

Jackson Road (1) carries the highest TrackWiz rating on today's card at 88.83 — a mark that stands out even card-wide — and gets the powerful Jamie Ness and Mychel J. Sanchez combination, which has been one of the most productive pairings at Parx. His 11% career win rate is modest, but it's the ratings dominance that drives the case here. At 9/5, he's not a great overlay, but fading a horse with this kind of edge in a claiming field rarely ends well.

place6Always GamblingML 4/1

Always Gambling (6) posts a 77.03 TrackWiz rating and a 15% career win rate, and at 4/1 on the morning line, trainer Harold Wyner has him positioned as a live underneath threat. Adam Bowman takes the mount, and if Jackson Road softens up the pace up front, Always Gambling profiles as exactly the kind of closer who benefits. The price makes him a strong place play and key exotics piece.

show5Inmortal JML 5/1

Inmortal J (5) checks in at 70.01 on the TrackWiz scale and sports an 18% career win rate — one of the better strike rates in this field. Trainer Julio Rodriguez sends him out with Joezer Rangel, and at 5/1, he's a legitimate show contender who could easily outrun his morning line. Stick him underneath in exactas and trifectas.

Race 6

6:55 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

Little Sneckdraw's ratings number is clearly the class of this maiden claimer, but she'll need to overcome a morning line that undervalues her relative to Spring St. Dreamer — creating a potentially juicy overlay opportunity.

win2Little SneckdrawML 7/2

Little Sneckdraw (2) posts an 86.35 TrackWiz rating that towers over a field where the next-best horse clocks in at 60.48. Joezer Rangel gets the mount for trainer Ramon F. Martin, and at 7/2 on the morning line, there's a case to be made that she's underpriced relative to how dominant her rating is. In a maiden field where no one has broken their maiden, a 26-point ratings cushion is the closest thing to a sure thing you'll find.

place5Spring St. DreamerML 2/1

Spring St. Dreamer (5) is the morning line favorite at 2/1, and while she checks in at 60.48 on TrackWiz — second in the field — the market clearly sees something it likes. Yan Rodriguez rides for trainer Louis C. Linder, Jr., and with a 52 average speed figure and the best post position price in the race, she's a logical place play if Little Sneckdraw goes off favored and the money shifts.

show3ZamirzoML 9/2

Zamirzo (3) sits at 54.17 on the TrackWiz scale and owns the third-best rating in the field, which makes her a sensible show play in a maiden race where the bottom half of the field is well below average. Adam Bowman rides for trainer Harold Wyner, who also saddles Always Gambling in Race 5 — a trainer with multiple horses working today, suggesting a sharp barn. At 9/2, Zamirzo is a reasonable exotics hedge.

Race 7

7:22 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

Walk Away Joe looks like the horse to beat in this claiming mile-plus, but Town's Warrior is lurking at a price that could make the exacta extremely rewarding if the favorite does his job.

win5Walk Away JoeML 6/5

Walk Away Joe (5) leads this field with an 89.71 TrackWiz rating — the highest mark of any horse in today's claiming fields — and heads in at 6/5 on the morning line. Ruben Silvera gets the mount for trainer Ernesto Padilla-Preciado, and with a 15% career win rate and a pace scenario that should suit a horse with his profile, the chalk looks legitimate. Yes, the price is short, but in a claiming field where nothing else is close on ratings, the favorite often wins for a reason.

place6Town's WarriorML 5/1

Town's Warrior (6) is the most compelling underneath play on the card today, posting an 82.5 TrackWiz rating that's second in the field and a 13% career win rate that's respectable in this company. Ricardo Chiappe gets the call for trainer Bruce M. Kravets, and at 5/1, the place payoff on Town's Warrior could be substantial. This is exactly the kind of price play that makes exotics worthwhile — solid form, good trainer, and a morning line that gives you room to breathe.

show4Praetorian GuardML 4/1

Praetorian Guard (4) checks in at 61.74 on TrackWiz and a 9% career win rate, but Bryan L. Torres is a competent rider and trainer Michael V. Pino knows how to spot a spot. At 4/1, he's a reasonable show play and trifecta anchor, particularly if the top two in our ratings run their race and he picks up the pieces in the stretch.

Race 8

7:49 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Magicnthemoonlight leads on ratings in this five-and-a-half-furlong starter optional claimer, but My Man Woody is the morning line choice and comes in with legitimate credentials — setting up a potential speed duel worth watching.

win4MagicnthemoonlightML 5/2

Magicnthemoonlight (4) tops the TrackWiz ratings at 87.81 and boasts the highest average speed figure in the field at 55 — a key stat in a sprint where pure pace matters. Kleiner A. Mejias rides for trainer Ruperto A. Perez, and the 19% career win rate adds credibility to the profile. At 5/2, she's a fair price for a horse that leads both on raw ratings and speed, and our analysis makes her the top play in this race.

place7My Man WoodyML 2/1

My Man Woody (7) is the morning line favorite at 2/1 and carries an 82.98 TrackWiz rating along with a 55 average speed figure that matches the best in the field. Abner Adorno gets the mount for trainer Carlos E. Caban, and the 15% career win rate is solid in this spot. The market loves him at 2/1, and it's not hard to see why — he's a natural fit in the exacta underneath Magicnthemoonlight.

show3Fight FiercelyML 6/1

Fight Fiercely (3) slots in at 70.07 on the TrackWiz scale and shares the 54 average speed figure with Frost Mountain — both good indicators for a five-and-a-half-furlong sprint. Dalila A. Rivera rides for trainer Ilias Tapsas, and at 6/1 on the morning line, the show price here should be generous. In a race with two higher-rated horses taking the bulk of the money, Fight Fiercely is an appealing trifecta finisher at value.

Race 9

8:16 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Peridot Pendant's eye-catching 50% career win rate sets her apart in this six-furlong starter optional claimer — but a deep, competitive field means the value underneath could be just as interesting as the top pick.

win6Peridot PendantML 3/1

Peridot Pendant (6) is simply in a different class when it comes to career win rate — a 50% mark that is more than double any other horse in this field. Her 85.07 TrackWiz rating leads the race, and a 56 average speed figure is the best in the field — critical in a six-furlong dirt sprint where pace is everything. Emilio Flores gets the mount for trainer Erin C. McClellan, and at 3/1, this is not a bad price for a horse this accomplished.

place7The Feisty OneML 7/2

The Feisty One (7) is a strong place play at 7/2, posting a 79.93 TrackWiz rating and a 25% career win rate — both excellent figures in this field. Ricardo Chiappe rides for trainer Bruce M. Kravets, who also has Town's Warrior running earlier in the day, suggesting the barn is in good form. Her 53 average speed figure is competitive, and she profiles as a horse who could sit off the pace and close into the stretch.

show5I Believe in MagicML 8/1

I Believe in Magic (5) is the value play of the race — an 8/1 morning line price on a horse with a 79.79 TrackWiz rating and a 26% career win rate that ties for second-best in the field. Trainer Jorge Diaz also trains Mary's Reward in this same race, so he has a real read on the pace scenario, and Noel Herman gets the call. At 8/1, this is the kind of price that makes the trifecta pay — if you can beat the top two, getting back $20+ on a $2 show ticket makes it well worth the inclusion.

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

Bottom line: Parx is dealing nine races on a cooperative September afternoon, and our TrackWiz ratings have surfaced some legitimate standouts — led by Walk Away Joe and a trio of strong free-race picks headlined by Pom Pom. Play the free races with confidence, and if you want the complete roadmap for the full card, subscriber analysis is ready to go. Good luck out there — and as always, manage your bankroll and enjoy the races.

← All Parx Racing picks & predictions

You're reading 3 of 9 races free