Daily Picks

Penn National Picks & Predictions — May 22, 2026

Friday, May 22, 20267 racesPenn National

Penn National kicks off the Friday card under a cloudy sky with temperatures sitting right around 61°F — cool enough to keep the horses comfortable and, more importantly, cool enough to keep the turf playing honest. With no rain in the picture, expect a firm-to-good surface on the grass, which tends to favor horses that can rate off the pace and kick late.

Seven races are on the board today, and the card has a little of everything: three turf routes to start things off, a pair of dirt sprints in the middle, and a longer dirt route tucked in at Race 6. Our TrackWiz ratings span from the low 80s up to 88.83, meaning there's legitimate competitive separation across most of these fields — always a good sign for bettors looking to cash.

Races 1 through 3 are free for all TrackWiz readers, and they happen to form a nice turf sequence worth playing vertically. Races 4 through 7 are unlocked for subscribers, and that's where some of the card's sharpest angles live.

Best Bets

Race 1

9:45 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

A tale of two standouts atop the TrackWiz ratings with Azami and Kazd'or separating themselves from the field, but the morning-line favorite Dale sits as a potential pace factor that could shake things up on the Penn turf.

win2AzamiML 7/2

Azami is the class of this field and it isn't particularly close — an 85.11 TrackWiz rating leads all entrants, and a career win rate of 50% is frankly elite for this level. Jockey David Cora gets the call and should have this mare sitting in a comfortable spot with a field that doesn't project as blazing-fast early. At 7/2 on the morning line, there's real value here against a chalk (Dale) whose rating trails by double digits.

place6Kazd'orML 5/1

Kazd'or at 5/1 is our place pick and arguably the second-best horse in the race on TrackWiz numbers with an 84.17 rating. Trainer Dimitrios K. Synnefias sends this one out with a 25% career win rate — solid for this circuit — and Julio A. Hernandez is a capable pilot who should keep this horse in striking range. If Azami has any trouble, Kazd'or is right there to pounce.

show3DaleML 9/5

Dale is the morning-line favorite at 9/5 and carries a 75.45 rating — third-best in the field. Trainer Robert Mosco and jockey Francisco Martinez team up with a horse that has won 25% of its career starts, making it a dependable exotics piece even if we think the top two are stronger on pure ratings. A show ticket here is solid insurance in your trifecta.

Race 2

10:14 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

Whiskey Lullaby stands out as a clear class edge atop the ratings in a wide-open turf mile, but Happy This Day and Song to Remember make this a competitive three-way battle for the top spots on your ticket.

win1Whiskey LullabyML 3/1

Whiskey Lullaby owns the top TrackWiz rating in this field at 87.08 — a meaningful gap above Song to Remember at 75.67 — and Lydee Shea is a trainer worth noting on this circuit. Emilio Flores gets the mount from the rail, and with a 15% career win rate that speaks to consistency, this horse knows how to get it done. At 3/1 on the morning line, you're not getting crushed on the price either, making this a comfortable top pick.

place4Song to RememberML 7/2

Song to Remember comes in at 7/2 on the morning line with a strong 22% career win rate and a 75.67 rating that makes it the clear second choice in our analysis. David Cora is a reliable hand in the irons, and trainer Bruce M. Kravets puts horses in spots to succeed. This is a horse that should be factoring late in a one-mile turf test.

show2Happy This DayML 5/2

Happy This Day sits at 5/2 morning line but our rating of 73.75 has it slotting just behind Song to Remember — a horse worth using in the show spot of any trifecta. The 25% career win percentage is the second-best in this field, and Taylor Kingsley has shown the ability to get the most out of this kind of turf miler. A legitimate contender that could easily surprise.

Race 3

10:43 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 1 mi · Turf

This full field maiden special weight on the turf is wide open — all career win percentages are zero, making ratings and projected pace the primary tools, with Rosie Outlook holding a meaningful edge in our numbers over a deep twelve-horse field.

win12Rosie OutlookML 4/1

Rosie Outlook tops the TrackWiz ratings at 82.11 in a maiden field where sorting out form is inherently tricky. Trainer Robert Mosco and jockey Francisco Martinez are a combo that Penn National bettors should respect, and a morning line of 4/1 suggests the market agrees this filly has real credentials. In a maiden race where everyone has a zero in the win column, leaning on the top-rated horse with a trusted connections setup is the logical move.

place1ThisishowwedoitML 8/1

Thisishowwedoit draws the rail and carries a 74.75 rating — second-best in the field — with trainer Mark V. Salvaggio sending out what looks like a well-prepared first-or-second-timer. Jomar Torres gets the mount and the inside post could be a tactical advantage in a large field on the turf mile. At 8/1 on the morning line, this horse offers solid value in your exacta if Rosie Outlook gets the job done up front.

show7Ruby RubyML 8/1

Ruby Ruby at 8/1 morning line slots third in our ratings at 73.76, nearly identical to the place pick, which is what makes this race a genuine puzzle. Trainer John T. Kirby has an eye for placing maidens, and Martin Chuan should be able to give this one a clean trip from post 7 in a wide field. Use Ruby Ruby in your trifectas — the price makes it worth the ticket.

The free portion of today's card is all grass, all routes — three consecutive one-mile turf races to open the afternoon. That's rare enough that it's worth paying attention to as a unit. Azami (R1, morning line 7/2, TrackWiz rating 85.11) gets things started as a mid-priced play with room to outrun her odds if the pace sets up favorably. Race 2 brings our highest-rated free pick in Whiskey Lullaby (3/1, 87.08) — she's the one we feel best about in the opener trio, projecting as a legitimate top choice even at a fair morning-line number. Rosie Outlook (4/1, 82.11) carries the flag in the Maiden Special Weight in Race 3, and while maiden turf races always carry uncertainty, she profiles well for the conditions.

One turf angle worth noting on a cool, cloudy day like this: horses making their first or second turf start often improve dramatically when they're not battling heat or a firm-baked surface. Keep that in mind as you dig into the maiden field in Race 3 — form can look underwhelming on paper and still translate perfectly to the grass.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

11:12 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Tempting Lady stands out as a dominant class edge over a short five-horse dirt sprinting field, but My Honeybunch is a well-backed second choice with solid figures that could make the exacta compelling.

win5Tempting LadyML 2/1

Tempting Lady tops this field with an 88.54 TrackWiz rating — the highest mark of any horse on today's entire Penn National card — and a 20% career win rate against what looks like tougher fields. Trainer Bruce M. Kravets places this horse at 2/1 on the morning line, and Yabriel O. Ramos has the ability to get position early in a six-furlong dirt sprint where pace is everything. This is as close to a slam-dunk top pick as you'll find on the card.

place2My HoneybunchML 8/5

My Honeybunch is the 8/5 morning-line favorite — shorter than our win pick — but the 73.82 TrackWiz rating still puts it clearly ahead of the rest of the field. David Cora climbs aboard for trainer Kevin J. Fields, and despite a 10% career win rate, this horse consistently hits the board in these sprint conditions. The exacta pairing Tempting Lady over My Honeybunch is the natural play.

show1StassiML 6/1

Stassi at 6/1 morning line has the third-highest rating at 48.26 but brings the best career win percentage in the field at 21% — which tells you this horse knows how to finish the job when conditions align. Trainer Philip T. Aristone and jockey Joezer Rangel work the inside post, and in a short five-horse field, everyone can find a path. Stassi is your trifecta anchor at a price.

Race 5

11:41 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Uncle Money is the standout on ratings and win percentage in this dirt sprint field, but trainer Timothy C. Kreiser double-barrels with both Heaven Street and Genghis, making pace scenario and post position key factors to sort out.

win4Uncle MoneyML 5/2

Uncle Money carries an 87.81 TrackWiz rating — top of the field — and a staggering 45% career win rate that dwarfs every other entrant. Trainer Carlos M. Johnson and jockey Yabriel O. Ramos team up with a horse that has been doing this at a high level, and the morning line of 5/2 reflects the market's respect. In a six-furlong dirt sprint, a horse who wins nearly half its starts is not a fade.

place6Heaven StreetML 9/5

Heaven Street checks in at 9/5 morning line and a 74.18 rating — second in the field — with a 25% career win percentage that further validates the talent level. Carlos Eduardo Lopez rides for trainer Timothy C. Kreiser, who also has Genghis in the field, suggesting the barn genuinely likes both horses. Heaven Street's combination of morning-line favoritism and strong ratings makes it a natural place ticket behind Uncle Money.

show2President ZML 2/1

President Z sits at 2/1 on the morning line — a shorter price than our place pick — but the 67.65 TrackWiz rating slots it third in this analysis. The 25% career win rate is identical to Heaven Street, and with Julio A. Hernandez in the irons, this horse has a legitimate pilot to navigate the sprint. If the two favorites get into any kind of early pace battle, President Z could be the one sitting in perfect stalking position to collect the show spot.

Race 6

12:10 AM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

A short but intriguing five-horse maiden field going a mile and seventy yards on the dirt, with Walkers Beach owning a significant ratings edge and the 9/5 chalk tag to match — though the maiden format always keeps the door open for a surprise.

win5Walkers BeachML 9/5

Walkers Beach tops this field with an 88.83 TrackWiz rating — the highest mark in Race 6 — and while all five horses are maidens with no career wins, this horse projects as a clear class edge on our numbers. Trainer T. Bernard Houghton sends out a well-regarded runner with David Cora aboard, a jockey who has been busy today and clearly comfortable on this circuit. At 9/5 morning line, the market agrees — this is the one to beat over a route distance on the Penn dirt.

place2Brother PaulML 3/1

Brother Paul at 3/1 comes in with a 69.93 rating — second in the field — and trainer Erin C. McClellan keeps this one competitive. Jockey Inoel Beato has ridden multiple races tonight and knows this track, and a mile and seventy yards sets up for a horse that can relax early and build late. A natural place play behind the top choice.

show4Bald CypressML 7/2

Bald Cypress is the 7/2 morning-line third choice and posts a 64.27 rating — third in the field — making this a logical show selection in a maiden race where upsets are always lurking. Trainer Leo J. Ambrogi pairs with jockey Matilda Burnham, and while speed figures suggest Bald Cypress has some ground to make up on the top two, the maiden format and longer distance could compress the margins. A sensible trifecta piece at a fair price.

Race 7

12:39 AM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Let'em Hate brings the dominant TrackWiz number into a seven-horse maiden claiming sprint, but the 2/1 chalk tag in a field of first-or-second-timers means anything can happen — and Marlas Dream at 5/1 is worth serious consideration.

win5Let'em HateML 2/1

Let'em Hate owns an 88.54 TrackWiz rating that leads this field by a comfortable margin, and while the entire field has a zero in the career win column, our numbers strongly favor this horse. Trainer Bruce M. Kravets has shown an ability to produce at Penn National, and Yabriel O. Ramos — who has been active on today's card — gives this one experienced piloting from post 5. In a maiden claiming sprint, the horse with the best speed projection tends to go gate-to-wire, and Let'em Hate looks the part.

place3Marlas DreamML 5/1

Marlas Dream comes in as a 5/1 morning-line shot with a 70.51 rating — second-best in the field — and trainer Mark V. Salvaggio puts Jomar Torres in the irons. Running from the three-hole in a six-furlong sprint is a manageable position, and if Let'em Hate sets the pace, Marlas Dream could be sitting in a perfect tracking spot to inherit the place position. At 5/1, this is also where the exacta value lives.

show7Kelly's Into LuckML 5/2

Kelly's Into Luck draws the seven post at 5/2 morning line — the second-shortest price in the race — but our rating of 57.5 slots it third in the field. Angel R. Rodriguez rides for trainer Brandon L. Kulp, and while the outside post in a sprint requires some extra work to find position, the short odds suggest the connections are confident. A show ticket here makes sense, especially in a maiden race where the favorite's inexperience keeps the door open.

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Bottom line: a seven-race Friday card at Penn National with firm turf, a cooperative temperature, and legitimate top selections in nearly every race. Whiskey Lullaby is our standout among the free picks, while Walkers Beach carries our highest TrackWiz rating on the full card. Free best bets for Races 1–3 are live now — subscribers can unlock the complete card, pace scenarios, and exotic strategies for Races 4–7 at /pricing. Good luck, and let's find some winners.

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