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Penn National Picks & Predictions — May 28, 2026

May 28, 20267 racesAll Penn National picks

This card ran on May 28, 2026.

Best bets at Penn National, May 28, 2026

Race 14Royal RenegadeML 9/55:45 PM EDT

Race 2 is free with an account, and the other 5 races are for members.

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Last 30 days at Penn National: our top pick won 10 of 33 races (30%) and finished in the money in 20.

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Happy Thursday from Penn National, where a gorgeous late-May afternoon is doing us all a favor. Clear skies and a comfortable 68°F means ideal conditions across the board — the turf course should be running true, and the main track figures to be consistent all day. Seven races on the card, and there's plenty to dig into from the jump.

What stands out about today's card is how turf-heavy the early going is. Three of the first four races are contested on the grass, including a pair of Starter Optional Claiming events that should attract some familiar faces moving around the condition book. Then the card shifts to a stretch of three straight dirt sprints to close things out — if you like a fast pace and a tight finish, Races 4 through 7 are going to be a lot of fun.

TrackWiz has analysis on all seven races. Races 1, 2, and 3 are free for every reader — no subscription required. Races 4 through 7 are part of the premium full-card breakdown, available to TrackWiz subscribers.

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Race 1

5:45 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

A wide-open maiden claimer on the turf with a clear top rating but a muddled mid-pack and a first-time starter sneaking into the mix at 2/1.

win4Royal RenegadeML 9/5

Royal Renegade earns the top TrackWiz rating in this field by a wide margin — an 88.83 against a group where nobody else cracks 59 — and trainer Elizabeth M. Merryman puts her here at a 9/5 morning line that suggests real confidence. Jockey Angel R. Rodriguez gets the call, a positive sign in a maiden field where piloting decisions matter. The mile on turf is a distance that rewards horses with stamina, and Royal Renegade's average speed figure of 53 is competitive with the best in the field. Fade the zero career win percentage — in a maiden race, everyone's looking for that first win.

place8Fly NowML 2/1

Fly Now is the mystery horse here — no average speed figure available, which in a maiden field can mean a first-time starter with unknown ceiling. Trainer Keri Brion sends her out at 2/1 on the morning line, signaling genuine optimism, and that kind of confidence from a sharp barn is worth respect. She draws the 8 post on the turf, which sets up well for a closer in a race where several horses project to battle on the front end. Treat her as a solid place contender while the TrackWiz model sorts out the value.

show5Butter ManML 20/1

Butter Man at 20/1 is your value inclusion for the exotics. He posts a 53.29 TrackWiz rating — surprisingly solid for a horse the morning line dismisses — and trainer Alan Bedard saddles two in this race, which sometimes signals a barn fishing for a spot. At those odds, tossing him into a trifecta or superfecta costs next to nothing while keeping you alive if the top choices flop.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Race 2: Free with an Account

Race 2

6:14 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

A full-field starter optional claimer on the grass that pits a pair of high-rated horses against each other while a sneaky 20/1 with a 33% career win rate lurks in the middle of the pack.

win8Billy White ShoesML 7/2

Billy White Shoes tops the TrackWiz ratings at 86.35 and carries the Brandon L. Kulp trainer tag — Kulp also saddles Brockton in this race, a dual-entry move that underlines stable confidence in this spot. Angel R. Rodriguez picks up the mount, and with a 14% career win rate, this horse has shown he knows how to get to the wire. The 7/2 morning line sits slightly generous given the rating edge, making this a best-bet profile on the mile turf.

place12Miami KazML 4/1

Miami Kaz rates second in the field at 78.95 with a 16% career win rate, and the Paulina Sinnefia barn sends her out at 4/1. She posts the highest average speed figure in the field at 53, tied with a few others but with a rating that separates her from the crowd. Julio A. Hernandez is aboard, and if Billy White Shoes gets into a pace duel near the front, Miami Kaz has the profile to swoop late and grab a piece.

show4BrocktonML 6/1

Brockton is the second Kulp runner and brings a 20% career win rate — the best in this race — along with a 72.22 TrackWiz rating that puts him firmly in the mix. At 6/1, there's some value here, especially with the stable clearly pointed at this spot. He's a strong show contender and worth including in your trifecta key.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 12 runners

The first three races today are all run on the turf at a mile, and our free analysis covers all of them. Royal Renegade opens the card as the morning-line favorite at 9/5 in a Maiden Claiming event, posting the highest TrackWiz rating of the free trio at 88.83 — a number that suggests real separation from the field. Race 2 brings Billy White Shoes into the picture at 7/2, a price that looks workable if the pace scenario sets up the way we project. And in Race 3, Persisten draws our top nod at 3/1 in another Starter Optional Claiming mile on the turf.

With all three free races on the same surface and distance, track bias is worth keeping in mind. On a clear, dry day like today, the Penn turf course tends to reward horses that can settle off the pace and kick late over a mile. That pace dynamic threads through all three of our free top picks — it's not a coincidence. Keep that framing in your back pocket as you're watching the early races unfold.

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Full Card Analysis

Race 3

6:43 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

A contentious 12-horse starter optional claimer on the turf where pace figures to be honest and the top of the TrackWiz ratings is tightly bunched between four credible contenders.

win11PersistenML 3/1

Persisten earns the TrackWiz top rating at 76.31 and goes postward at a fair 3/1 morning line. The Paco Lopez booking is a big deal — Lopez is a proven commodity on turf, and Michael V. Simone's barn does well when pointing horses to the grass at this distance. The average speed figure of 54 is tied for best in the field, and a 10% career win rate in competitive spots suggests he knows how to compete. This is a well-constructed pick at a number that offers mild value.

place9Solar GlareML 10/1

Solar Glare at 10/1 is the value play of the race. She carries a 69.9 TrackWiz rating — third in the field — and matches Persisten with a 54 average speed figure. Trainer Paulina Sinnefia also saddles Miami Kaz earlier in the card, hinting at a productive meet for this barn. At double-digit morning line odds, Solar Glare is tailor-made for trifecta and exacta use if you're looking to inflate your payouts.

show1Clarely TomML 8/1

Clarely Tom sits at 8/1 with a staggering 50% career win rate — by far the highest in this field — and posts the top average speed figure at 55. Trainer Flint W. Stites and Wilfredo Corujo combine on the inside post, which can be tricky in a grass mile but rewards horses that break cleanly. The rating of 69.59 is nearly identical to Solar Glare's, making him a legitimate show contender and an intriguing piece if the pace sets up honest.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 12 runners

Race 4

7:12 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A short-field allowance optional claimer on the dirt where the TrackWiz model identifies a heavy-hitter at 5/2 despite the 2/1 morning-line favorite carrying a gaudy career win percentage.

win6Joyous SongML 5/2

Joyous Song sits atop the TrackWiz ratings with an 87.81 and goes at 5/2 on the morning line — a number that actually offers some value given the rating gap over the rest of the field. Trainer Todd M. Beattie sends her out with Yabriel O. Ramos in the irons, a combination to note in a field of six. Her 18% career win rate is modest, but it's the 55 average speed figure combined with the rating edge that makes her the best bet in this race. In a sprint on the dirt, pace and raw ability tend to sort things out quickly.

place2Three PolksML 4/1

Three Polks earns the second-best TrackWiz rating at 68.96 and posts a 28% career win rate — strong for an allowance optional claimer level. The Brandon L. Kulp–Angel R. Rodriguez combo is one of the more active trainer-jockey pairings on this card, and a 56 average speed figure — the highest of anyone in this race — is a legitimate selling point. If the pace scenario sets up for a presser or stalker, Three Polks has the raw foot to challenge.

show4BraquetML 3/1

Braquet checks in at 62.08 on the TrackWiz scale with a 23% career win rate, giving trainer Bruce M. Kravets a fair shot at a piece of this. At 3/1 on the morning line, he's not a true longshot but offers show value in what shapes up as a potential pace-influenced race. David Cora has the mount, and if the two favorites tangle on the front end, Braquet could be sitting right there at the top of the stretch.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

Race 5

7:41 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A six-furlong dirt sprint at the claiming level with a top-rated horse outgunning a tough group that includes two horses at 30% career win rates — something has to give.

win4Lastchance RomanceML 5/2

Lastchance Romance is a TrackWiz co-leader at 87.81 — the same figure as Joyous Song in Race 4 — and rolls in at 5/2 with a 30% career win rate that backs up the model's confidence. Trainer Erin C. McClellan puts Inoel Beato in the saddle, and the 55 average speed figure matches the best in the field. In a six-furlong claiming sprint where front-runners and pressers often dominate, this profile screams best-bet energy.

place3Peak of ChicML 2/1

Peak of Chic is the morning-line favorite at 2/1 with a 30% career win rate — equal to Lastchance Romance — but the TrackWiz rating of 76.09 falls short of our top pick by nearly 12 points. Andy Hernandez has the mount for Michael M. Moore, and a 54 average speed figure keeps her in the conversation. She's tough to beat for a piece, and an exacta with Lastchance Romance on top is a natural play here.

show5VicountessML 5/1

Vicountess at 5/1 slots in third in our ratings at 70.28 with a 29% career win rate — nearly matching Peak of Chic's career success rate. Trainer Bruce M. Kravets fields two horses in this race, which suggests the barn has a feel for this spot. The 55 average speed figure ties for best in the field, and Ricardo Chiappe in the irons adds a competent rider to the package. She's a natural show inclusion in any vertical exotic.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

Race 6

8:10 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A five-horse claiming sprint on the dirt dominated by a short-priced morning-line favorite, setting up a potential pace duel between two well-backed horses that could open the door for value.

win5Jace Is No JokeML 7/5

Jace Is No Joke earns the top TrackWiz rating of 89.42 in this tight five-horse field and goes off at 7/5 on the morning line — the kind of number that usually means the betting public and the model are aligned. Trainer Bruce M. Kravets is active on this card and sends Ricardo Chiappe to ride, a solid pairing in a six-furlong sprint. The 54 average speed figure is competitive with the field, and a 10% career win rate in what appears to be a tough competitive history doesn't worry us given the model's clear edge here.

place2Rock Anna RollML 8/5

Rock Anna Roll is the second choice at 8/5 with a 76.21 TrackWiz rating and a 54 average speed figure that matches the top of this field. Yabriel O. Ramos — who's been busy all card — takes the mount for trainer Flint W. Stites. If Jace Is No Joke gets pressured early, Rock Anna Roll has the profile to grind her down in the stretch and hit the board, making the exacta between these two a core play.

show3Ollie BoyML 4/1

Ollie Boy at 4/1 gives trainer Charles A. DeMario a live runner with a 69.19 TrackWiz rating that sits well above the two other horses in this race. Emilio Flores picks up the mount from the 3 post, a clean enough draw in a five-horse sprint. With a 10% career win rate and a 54 average speed figure, Ollie Boy is worth adding to your trifecta to avoid leaving money on the table if the top two finish off the board.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 5 runners

Race 7

8:39 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A maiden claiming sprint on the dirt where two heavy hitters sit at the top of the TrackWiz model — and the rest of the field is a significant step down, making this a race about which favorite delivers.

win5Desperate DreamsML 7/5

Desperate Dreams tops the TrackWiz ratings at 89.42 — tied for the highest mark on the entire card today — and goes as the 7/5 morning-line favorite in what looks like a two-horse race at the top. Trainer Mark V. Salvaggio gets Jomar Torres in the irons, and the 54 average speed figure leads this maiden field. In a maiden claimer, a horse with this kind of rating separation typically gets the job done, and TrackWiz has this one as a confident win selection.

place6BramwellML 8/5

Bramwell slots in second on the TrackWiz scale at 76.27 and is the 8/5 morning-line second choice — meaning the public agrees this is a two-horse battle. David Cora rides for T. Bernard Houghton, and the 53 average speed figure is a tick below Desperate Dreams but well clear of the rest. If Desperate Dreams gets into any kind of trouble, Bramwell is right there to capitalize, making the exacta between these two a logical starting point.

show4Shiva ParvatiML 4/1

Shiva Parvati at 4/1 is the clear third choice on the TrackWiz model at 55.0 — a significant drop from the top two but a comfortable cushion over the rest of the field. Trainer Brandon L. Kulp — one of the more active conditioners on this card — sends Angel R. Rodriguez to ride, a confident booking for a maiden claimer. The 53 average speed figure is respectable, and with the race likely to be decided by the top two, Shiva Parvati is the logical show play and trifecta anchor.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

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Today's Penn National card has a clean, logical structure: three turf miles to start, four dirt sprints to close. Royal Renegade, Billy White Shoes, and Persisten are the top free plays on the grass, while Jace Is No Joke headlines what looks like a sharp dirt sprint sequence to end the day. It's a solid Thursday card, and the weather's not giving anyone an excuse. Good luck out there — and if you want the full picture on Races 4 through 7, subscribers can find the complete breakdown waiting for them now.

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