Daily Picks

Penn National Picks & Predictions — July 23, 2026

Thursday, July 23, 20267 racesPenn National

It's a beautiful Thursday at Penn National — clear skies, 78 degrees, and a firm, fast surface that should have the speed horses loving life all afternoon. Seven races are on the card today, mixing claiming company and allowance runners across both dirt and turf, giving us plenty of angles to dig into.

The turf course gets action in Races 2 and 3, and with dry conditions holding all week, the grass should be riding quick and true — a setup that tends to favor horses with tactical speed who can press the pace without burning up early. Keep that in mind as you build your tickets.

Our TrackWiz ratings have identified strong top picks in every race, including a couple of standouts posting ratings above 88 that deserve serious attention. Let's get into it.

Best Bets

Race 1

9:45 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

A short field of five in this 5½-furlong dirt claimer, but the talent is concentrated at the top — one horse stands well above the rest on our ratings while the second and third picks offer solid underneath coverage.

win2The Beast MasterML 9/5

The Beast Master is the standout in this spot, posting a TrackWiz rating of 88.83 — a full 21 points clear of the next closest rival. That kind of separation in a five-horse field is significant. His 33% career win rate is elite by Penn National standards, and an average speed figure of 54 gives him a measurable edge in the sprinting game. At 9/5 morning line he's the chalk, but the numbers justify the favoritism — trainer Bruce Kravets is sending out two horses today and his best weapon is clearly the #2.

place1MenckeML 5/2

Mencke draws the rail for trainer Kravets, giving the barn a dual-threat presence in the race. With a TrackWiz rating of 67.29 and a career win percentage of 12%, he's not going to beat his stablemate on numbers, but the inside post in a sprint can be a big advantage if he breaks cleanly. He's a reasonable underneath play to fill out exactas and quinellas behind the top pick.

show4War SaluteML 9/2

War Salute at 9/2 on the morning line offers some show-ticket value in what could become a pace-contested sprint. His rating of 60.78 puts him in the middle of this pack, and an average speed of 54 matches the top horses on raw figures. If the two barn mates battle up front and set a hot pace, War Salute could be the one who closes into the money.

Race 2

10:14 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

Nine go to post on the turf mile in this wide-open claimer, and the morning line is all over the map — making this a race where our ratings create real separation from the public odds.

win5Sounds Like FunML 5/2

Sounds Like Fun is our top selection despite a morning line of just 5/2, because a TrackWiz rating of 87.81 stands well above this field — more than 11 points clear of the second-rated horse. Trainer Brandon Kulp has the #1 and #5 entries in consecutive races today, suggesting barn confidence, and jockey Angel R. Rodriguez gets the call. The average speed of 53 is in line with the field, so the edge is coming from overall profile and form cycle rather than raw figures alone.

place7Lewis the RobberML 6/1

Lewis the Robber at 6/1 is the most intriguing horse underneath, and that 40% career win rate is genuinely eye-catching — it's the best in this field by a wide margin. Trainer Erin C. McClellan and jockey Gavin Ashton form a combination worth watching. His TrackWiz rating of 76.21 makes him a legitimate threat to hit the board, and at 6/1 morning line there's real value if he fires.

show9Music Box DancerML 6/1

Music Box Dancer rounds out our tickets and brings the field's best average speed figure at 54, which matters on a one-mile turf route where late kick can be decisive. Angel R. Quinones is a capable rider who can put him in position from the outside post. At 6/1, he's not a throw-away show inclusion — he's a live horse who could easily outrun his morning line.

Race 3

10:43 PM EDT

Allowance · 5 fur · Turf

An 11-horse allowance sprint on the turf with a wide spread of talent — the favorite looks legitimate on numbers but there's enough quality in the middle of the pack to make exacta and trifecta construction interesting.

win9Winning PlayML 3/1

Winning Play gets our top call in the #9 post, carrying a TrackWiz rating of 87.08 — the highest in this field — along with an average speed figure of 57, which is the co-best in the race alongside The Furmanator. Trainer Kathleen A. Demasi puts jockey David Cora on the assignment, a book of business worth respecting. At 3/1 on the morning line, this is an honest price for the most talented horse in the field.

place1Pageant PrincessML 9/2

Pageant Princess draws the rail and enters with a 26% career win rate — among the best in this field — and a solid TrackWiz rating of 75.97. Trainer Brandon Kulp is active on the card today, and the inside post in a 5-furlong turf sprint can be golden if she breaks alertly. She makes sense as a place/show anchor in exactas underneath Winning Play.

show3Whiskey LullabyML 6/1

Whiskey Lullaby at 6/1 is right on the heels of Pageant Princess with a nearly identical rating of 75.92, making her arguably the best value in the show spot. A 21% career win rate suggests she knows how to hit the board, and at 6/1 she offers meaningful overlay potential if Winning Play fires and the place and show dividends are generous.

We're giving everyone a free look at the first three races today, and there's genuine value in the early going. The Beast Master opens the card at 9/5 morning line in a 5½-furlong dirt sprint — a pace-friendly distance on a surface that looks lightning fast today — and our 88.83 rating makes him our strongest free play of the day. In Race 2, Sounds Like Fun switches to turf for a one-mile claiming test, and our analysis likes this runner at 5/2 on a course that should be playing right to her style. Round out the free card with Winning Play in the Race 3 allowance on the turf, a 3/1 morning-line shot posting an 87.08 TrackWiz rating in a short 5-furlong grass sprint where a quick break out of the gate can be worth its weight in gold.

All three free picks are available right now in their individual race previews — no subscription needed. Dig in, spot your plays, and let's start the day right.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

11:12 PM EDT

Starter Allowance · 6 fur · Dirt

A tight five-horse starter allowance at six furlongs on the dirt — there's an interesting ratings twist here where our top pick sits above the morning-line favorite, setting up a potential upset scenario worth examining.

win1Blo by the FieldML 2/1

Blo by the Field opens at 2/1 and carries a TrackWiz rating of 88.54 — the highest in this field — which supports the market's faith in her. Her 33% career win rate is excellent, and trainer Mark V. Salvaggio puts Jomar Torres in the irons. The average speed figure of 55 is competitive but not the top of the group, so she'll need to convert her overall profile edge into a decisive effort on the front end of this six-furlong test.

place3Joyous SongML 7/2

Joyous Song at 7/2 is the one who could make life difficult for the top pick. Her average speed figure of 56 is among the best in the field, and trainer Todd M. Beattie is a name that pops up multiple times on this card — a productive barn day usually signals confidence. A rating of 76.71 gives Joyous Song the second-best score in the race, making her a logical place contender.

show5Peridot PendantML 8/5

Peridot Pendant is the morning-line favorite at 8/5 but slots in as our show pick — an unusual but honest situation where the market and the ratings diverge. She does carry a remarkable 50% career win rate and an average speed of 56, so she's clearly talented. If the pace sets up for a closer, she could very well reverse the order on our picks, which is why we're keeping her in the exotics.

Race 5

11:41 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Six horses line up in this starter optional claimer at six furlongs on the dirt, and there's a clear standout on the ratings — but the second pick has the profile to keep things honest and complicate exacta keys.

win2Uncle MoneyML 8/5

Uncle Money is the horse to beat, plain and simple. His TrackWiz rating of 89.12 leads all comers, and that 50% career win rate for trainer Timothy C. Kreiser tells you this horse gets the job done when conditions are right. Jockey Edwin Gonzalez takes the mount and has solid live options today. At 8/5 on the morning line, he's a short price but a fully justified one — this is the kind of horse you build a ticket around.

place5No No JoeML 3/1

No No Joe at 3/1 is the most logical threat to Uncle Money and brings a 25% career win rate that compares favorably in this field. His TrackWiz rating of 77.41 is second-best, and an average speed of 56 matches Uncle Money at the top of the class. Leonardo Corujo, who also rides in Race 1 today, takes the mount and gives this a professional look. He's the clear second choice and a strong underneath play.

show3For Some ReasonML 5/1

For Some Reason at 5/1 provides a bit of value in the show spot, rated at 67.76 and carrying an 18% career win rate that puts him in the functional tier of this field. Trainer Bruce Kravets is well-represented on the card today, and Yabriel O. Ramos is aboard for what could be a productive afternoon. His average speed of 55 is competitive, and at 5/1 he offers some padding in trifecta wheels.

Race 6

12:10 AM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Seven go in this six-furlong dirt claimer and the ratings hierarchy is clean — the top pick is a significant class standout — but there's an intriguing value play lurking in the middle of the field that the public may overlook.

win2BruderML 2/1

Bruder opens at 2/1 and backs it up with a TrackWiz rating of 88.54 — comfortably the best in this seven-horse field. Trainer Todd M. Beattie is having an active card today and his horses have been reliable performers, and Yabriel O. Ramos gets the mount for the second time today. An average speed figure of 56 is the top mark in the field, so Bruder isn't just better on overall profile — he's faster. This is a confident top selection.

place5Rob the RichML 3/1

Rob the Rich at 3/1 is the morning line's second choice and comes in with a 23% career win rate — the best among horses who aren't Bruder in this spot. A rating of 58.28 puts him a tier below the top selection but ahead of the remaining five. Trainer Bruce Kravets saddles him alongside Pentatonic in this race, and David Cora rides — a combination that's been active all day. He makes sense as the place horse in an exacta with the favorite.

show3Legal AttackML 9/2

Legal Attack at 9/2 checks in with a 18% career win rate and a rating of 50.34 that puts him in a cluster of horses fighting for the show position. What's interesting is that trainer Kieron Magee doesn't overload the card the way some barns do, so when he shows up, it's worth noting. If the pace collapses on the front end, Legal Attack's average speed of 55 should be good enough to hold a piece.

Race 7

12:39 AM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

Eight horses tackle the one-mile dirt route to close out the card, and this is the most competitive race of the night — three horses are bunched tightly at the top of the ratings while a popular morning-line second choice sits well back on our numbers.

win2Tactical HumorML 5/1

Tactical Humor goes at 5/1 on the morning line — a price that underestimates his profile based on our analysis. He carries a TrackWiz rating of 84.17, the best in the field, and a 12% career win rate that's respectable at Penn National's claiming level. Trainer Allan Shuchman sends him out with Jomar Torres in the saddle, and the one-mile distance gives pace scenarios more time to develop in his favor. At 5/1, this is the clearest value on the card in terms of top pick versus odds.

place1Town's WarriorML 4/1

Town's Warrior at 4/1 is the second-rated horse in the race at 76.48 and provides solid underneath coverage. Trainer Bruce Kravets has been prolific on this card, and Ricardo Chiappe — who's also aboard in Race 6 — brings experience in routing races. An average speed of 52 ties him with most of the field, so the edge comes from overall form, and the rating supports a place finish here.

show6Uninvited GuestML 5/1

Uninvited Guest at 5/1 is the third leg of our ticket and offers genuine value — his TrackWiz rating of 72.92 makes him the third-best horse on our numbers, yet trainer Timothy C. Kreiser's horse is going off at the same price as our top pick. Edwin Gonzalez gets the ride and has been on the board multiple times today. In a wide-open mile where pace can scramble the order, Uninvited Guest is a smart show inclusion and a worthwhile trifecta piece.

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Seven races, clear weather, and a fast Penn National surface — the ingredients are in place for a profitable Thursday. Our top free plays are The Beast Master, Sounds Like Fun, and Winning Play. For the full-card breakdown including Uncle Money and our exotic ticket recommendations, subscribers have everything they need waiting for them. Good luck out there — let's cash some tickets.

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