Penn National Picks & Predictions — June 18, 2026
Penn National is open for business on a beautiful Thursday afternoon — clear skies, 83°F, and a seven-race card that leans heavily on the turf early before shifting to the main track later in the day. With five of seven races featuring claiming or optional claiming conditions, there's plenty of movement in the ranks today, which means sharp angles and live longshots lurking throughout.
The turf strip gets a real workout — four of the first four races run on the grass — so pay attention to any late-breaking surface reports before you finalize your tickets. On a warm, dry day like this one, the turf should be playing firm and fast, which historically favors horses with early speed on Penn's relatively short turf course.
Three races are fully free for all TrackWiz readers, and our top-rated horse on the entire card is Dixie Preach in Race 7 — an 87.08 rating in a one-mile dirt Claiming that looks like the marquee spot of the afternoon.
Best Bets
Race 1
Maiden Claiming · 1 mi · Turf
A wide-open maiden claimer on the turf mile with zero career winners in the field — TrackWiz ratings split the field wide apart, pointing to a clear top trio but with plenty of chaos underneath.
Adamiscashingin tops the TrackWiz ratings at 82.71 in a race where no other horse cracks 75, and that edge is significant in a maiden field with no proven winners. Jockey Inoel Beato gets the call, and the 6/1 morning line on a horse with the highest rating in the field looks like a genuine value opportunity. The average speed figure of 54 is modest but leads all horses in this spot. In a wide-open maiden race, a clear ratings leader going off at a fair price is exactly the kind of overlay we target.
Endless Glow draws the morning-line favoritism at 2/1, and with a TrackWiz rating of 71.34 she's clearly respected by the book. Angel R. Rodriguez gets the mount for trainer Brandon L. Kulp, a barn that also saddles Rugged Smile in this same race — that dual entry speaks to Kulp's confidence in his string on this card. At the mile on turf, horses with some tactical versatility tend to hold their position, and Endless Glow profiles as a horse to include underneath.
Rugged Smile at 3/1 is the second Kulp/Rodriguez entry and sports a solid 56.67 TrackWiz rating — good for third-best in the field. The stable clearly loaded up this race, which tells you something about how Kulp views his chances here. With a 53 average speed figure matching several others in the field, Rugged Smile gives you a live exotic piece at a fair price without breaking the bank.
Race 2
Starter Optional Claiming · 5 fur · Turf
The Starter Optional Claimer on 5 furlongs of turf features a legitimate pace battle shaping up between several closers and pressers — Quercus stands out on ratings but Azami's elite career win percentage makes this a race worth watching closely.
Quercus sits atop the TrackWiz ratings at 85.62 — the highest number in this field — and goes postward at a juicy 4/1 morning line given that edge. Trainer Timothy C. Kreiser also enters Azami in this spot, showing confidence in his horses against this group. Jockey Angel Cruz gets the mount and a 16% career win rate in the record supports the credentials. When the top-rated horse in the field is available at 4/1, that's where TrackWiz analysis points.
Whiskey Lullaby rates at 78.67 and goes off at 3/1, making her the morning-line second choice — and the numbers back that up. A 15% career win rate is respectable in a field at this level, and jockey Emilio Flores has experience navigating tight 5-furlong turf sprints. She profiles as the most logical horse to follow Quercus across the wire, and at 3/1 there's no shame in including her in exactas.
Here's where it gets interesting — Azami sports a staggering 40% career win rate, the best of any horse on this card today. A 77.44 TrackWiz rating and 5/1 price make her a legitimate show-position hedge, but that win percentage screams live horse at any odds. Trainer Kreiser doubling up with two horses (Azami and Quercus) suggests confidence, and Wilfredo Corujo picks up the mount. Don't leave Azami out of your tickets.
Race 3
Maiden Claiming · 5 fur · Turf
Another maiden turf sprint with zero career winners across the board, but Shiva Parvati's TrackWiz rating towers over the field and creates a clear hierarchy in what could otherwise look like a guessing game.
Shiva Parvati checks in with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating — best in the field by nearly 17 points over the next closest — and goes off at 7/2, which offers a touch of value for a horse this dominant on paper. The Kulp/Rodriguez combo is rolling today across multiple races, and this figures to be one of their stronger chances. A 53 average speed figure matches the top of the field, and in a 5-furlong turf sprint the pace should play right into Shiva Parvati's profile.
Pom Pom is the morning-line favorite at 5/2 with a 69.01 TrackWiz rating — the second-best in the field — and trainer Miguel A. Rodriguez puts Anthony Salgado up. With a 51 average speed figure, she's consistent, and as the public's top choice she'll be tough to ignore for place bets even if Shiva Parvati dominates. Her presence at the top of the market adds structure to the race and makes the exacta a logical target.
Natures Fury at 9/2 slots in third on the TrackWiz ratings at 67.03, which is tight behind Pom Pom and gives you a live show contender at a price. Trainer John C. Servis is a recognizable name for turf routes and puts Abner Adorno in the irons. Matching Pom Pom stride for stride on ratings, Natures Fury rounds out the top three naturally and is a solid show-ticket inclusion.
Our three free previews cover Races 1 through 3, and all of them land on the turf — a nice little thread that ties the early card together. In the opener, Adamiscashingin (6/1 morning line) draws our attention in a one-mile Maiden Claiming on the grass. Race 2 shifts to a five-furlong turf sprint for the Starter Optional Claiming field, where Quercus (4/1) earns an 85.62 TrackWiz rating and looks like a solid foundation for early multi-race wagers. Race 3 is another five-furlong turf Maiden Claiming, and Shiva Parvati posts our highest free-race rating of the day at 86.35 — she's the morning-line co-favorite at 7/2 and the horse we're most excited about in this opening trio.
The turf bias angle is worth keeping in mind across all three: on a firm, fast grass course in warm, dry conditions, pace scenario often tightens up, and horses who can settle just off a contested pace tend to close efficiently. Watch for that pattern as the early races develop.
Full Card Analysis
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It's a compact but action-packed Thursday at Penn National. Our three free best bets — Shiva Parvati, Quercus, and Adamiscashingin — give everyone a strong starting point on the turf-heavy early card. For the full picture, including Dixie Preach's pace scenario breakdown in the day's marquee Race 7 dirt mile, the complete exotic ticket strategy, and every premium analysis, subscribers have everything they need waiting for them. Good luck at the windows today.