Penn National Picks & Predictions — June 4, 2026
Penn National fires up a 7-race Thursday card under partly cloudy skies with temperatures sitting at a comfortable 84°F. Conditions look favorable across the board, and with three turf races packed into the first half of the card, there's plenty to dig into before the dirt takes over.
What makes today interesting is the surface split — we go grass-grass-grass to start, then flip entirely to dirt for Races 4 through 7. That kind of card rewards players who can read pace scenarios on both surfaces, and TrackWiz analysis finds strong angles in all seven races. Our top-rated horse on the entire card, Whiskey Alley (89.71 rating), draws in Race 7 at a morning line of 6/5 — short, yes, but the number justifies the price.
Three races are open to all readers today. The remaining four are available to TrackWiz subscribers with full breakdowns, pace projections, and exotic plays. Here's how we see the card shaping up.
Best Bets
Race 1
Claiming · 5 fur · Turf
The morning line favorite gets upended by our top-rated horse in this 5-furlong turf sprint — The Furmanator's TrackWiz rating towers over the field despite going off at a generous 9/2.
The Furmanator is the standout on ratings in this field, posting an 84.9 TrackWiz score that clears the second-best horse by nearly 10 points. Jockey Inoel Beato gets the call for trainer Richard Vega, and at 9/2 on the morning line, there's real overlay potential here against a short-priced favorite. The horse's average speed figure of 56 ties Bess' Candy for second-best in the field, but no other horse combines that raw speed with a comparable overall rating. In a 5-furlong turf dash where pace can be unforgiving, a horse with this kind of figure edge should be right in the thick of it from wire to wire.
Pageant Princess draws the rail and carries the lowest morning line in the field at 7/5, suggesting the public agrees she belongs — but our analysis pegs her as a place play rather than the top selection. Her 74.92 rating and 23% career win rate are both legitimate, and Jomar Torres is a capable pilot, but The Furmanator's rating edge is hard to dismiss. She's a solid exotics anchor and a worthy saver in win bets if you're playing it safe.
Afterneath at 4/1 is the sneaky third piece of this puzzle, carrying the field's best average speed figure at 57 under trainer Michael E. Gorham. Her 72.45 rating is right in the mix behind the top two, and Madeline Rowland picks up what looks like a live mount at a fair price. Include her underneath in exactas and trifectas — the speed figure edge at a non-chalk price makes her a value-forward show selection.
Race 2
Starter Optional Claiming · 1 mi · Turf
A full twelve-horse field on the turf mile makes for a complicated pace scenario, but one horse's ratings and career win percentage separate them cleanly from a crowded pack of low-percentage performers.
Opera de Ravel tops this field with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating, and a 25% career win rate is among the best in this gate — matching Quiet City for the field lead but with significantly stronger overall figures. Jomar Torres rode him in what appears to be a familiar connection with trainer Richard J. Hendriks, and the 7/2 morning line represents genuine value given the rating gap. On a turf mile, pace scenario matters, and with several horses in this field posting below-average speed figures, Opera de Ravel's 54 average speed should be competitive enough to sit a comfortable trip and pounce late.
Blame the Banker opens at 2/1 as the morning line favorite, and while our rating (68.25) puts him second in the field, that 7% career win percentage is a flag worth noting — he's hit the board plenty but doesn't seal the deal often. Trainer Brandon L. Kulp and jockey Angel R. Rodriguez form a familiar Penn National barn-and-saddle combination. He's a solid place candidate in a race where he may get outgunned at the wire by the higher-rated Opera de Ravel.
Here's the value angle in the exotics: Quiet City (No. 12) goes postward at 15/1 despite a 25% career win percentage that leads the field. That's a significant disconnect between public perception and historical production. Trainer Elisha Perez sends her out with Angel R. Quinones, and her 66.63 rating is third-best overall. At those odds, she's an absolute must-use underneath in trifectas and superfectas.
Race 3
Allowance · 1 mi 70 yd · Turf
A twelve-horse allowance field going a mile and 70 yards on the turf looks wide open on paper, but two horses with strong ratings and solid back figures pull away from the pack on TrackWiz analysis.
Souper Amusing draws the 10-post but don't let the outside gate fool you on the turf — trainer Michael J. Trombetta is a sharp conditioner and Daniel Centeno gets the mount. At 84.9, this mare's TrackWiz rating leads the field, and a 21% career win rate speaks to a horse that knows how to finish. Her average speed figure of 55 is tied for best in the race, and at 9/2, she's our best bet on the card for this race — a well-credentialed horse going a route of ground on a surface that suits her profile.
Maximo Madness (No. 2) shows an 81.17 rating and a 16% career win percentage for trainer Brandon L. Kulp, who also has Omikami in this field — showing confidence in his barn's presence here. Angel R. Rodriguez rides, keeping the familiar Kulp-Rodriguez partnership intact. At 5/1, the price is fair for a horse whose figures suggest she should be right there at the top of the stretch.
My Lady Jbella at 10/1 is a juicy show play with a 72.38 rating that ranks third in this field, behind only the top two picks. Trainer Elisha Perez saddles her with Jomar Torres aboard — Torres has been busy on this card and clearly trusts the horse. An 11% career win rate is modest, but the speed figure (54 average) and rating suggest she's capable of sneaking into the trifecta at a generous price.
The free portion of today's card covers the first three races — all run on the turf — and there's a real thread connecting them. With warm, dry conditions and the grass likely playing firm to good, early speed figures from recent turf form deserve extra weight. Our top free pick in Race 1, The Furmanator (9/2 ML, 84.9 rating), stands out in what projects as a pace-dependent sprint. Race 2 brings Opera de Ravel (7/2 ML, 86.35 rating) into a Starter Optional Claiming mile, where class and stamina on the grass become the dominant factors. And Race 3's Allowance at a mile and 70 yards gives Souper Amusing (9/2 ML, 84.9 rating) room to stretch out — the added distance on turf is exactly the kind of condition our models love for this type.
All three free picks are available in full detail — no subscription needed. Dig in, compare the morning lines, and look for value where the odds don't match our ratings.
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It's a clean, well-structured 7-race card at Penn National today, with a turf-heavy opening act and four straight dirt sprints to close. The Furmanator, Opera de Ravel, and Souper Amusing headline the free picks, while Whiskey Alley stands as our top-rated horse on the card. Ready to go deeper? The full breakdown — pace, exotics, and all four premium races — is waiting for subscribers. Check out TrackWiz Premium and make the most of today's card.