Daily Picks

Penn National Picks & Predictions — August 5, 2026

August 5, 20267 racesAll Penn National picks

This card ran on August 5, 2026.

Best bets at Penn National, August 5, 2026

Race 12ScabiosaML 2/15:45 PM EDT

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

A free account opens race 2 too. Premium opens all 7, with AI ratings on every runner and SmartBet, which splits one bet across the horses you like.

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

Join Free See plans · from $9.99

Wednesday at Penn National and the skies aren't cooperating — rain is falling with temps sitting at 79°F, which means the dirt is going to be a factor all day long. A wet, sealed track can completely flip a race on its head, rewarding horses that love the slop and punishing dry-track specialists who've never seen a splash in their lives. Keep that in mind before you fire at any chalk today.

Seven races are on the card, ranging from short maiden sprints to a route that'll sort out the long-striders. Three of those are free for all TrackWiz readers, and the full-card breakdown — including pace projections and exotic plays — is waiting for subscribers. Let's set the table.

Best Bets

Race 1

5:45 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 5 fur · Dirt

A maiden special weight sprint where every horse is winless and most lack speed figure history — this one comes down to TrackWiz ratings separating a very tight field.

win2ScabiosaML 2/1

Scabiosa draws the morning-line favoritism at 2/1 for a reason — her TrackWiz rating of 58.33 tops this maiden field, and trainer Hugo O. Padilla sends her out with enough confidence to be the public's choice. In a race where most runners carry no avg speed figure on record, the edge goes to the horse whose underlying metrics suggest the most upside. Jockey Abner Adorno gets the call, and the combination of a top rating and morning-line respect makes Scabiosa the logical selection to wire this 5-furlong sprint.

place4Backed With HeartML 5/2

Backed With Heart sits third in the TrackWiz ratings at 57.50 and is sent out at 5/2 by trainer Erin C. McClellan with Inoel Beato aboard — a solid journeywoman-jockey pairing at Penn National. With no speed figures in the book for most of this field, the ratings gap between Backed With Heart and the lower-rated runners below her is meaningful enough to project a place finish with regularity.

show3Our Sweet BelleML 3/1

Our Sweet Belle at 3/1 represents the third-best rating in the race (56.67) and has the added stable angle of sharing trainer Brandon L. Kulp with the #1 horse Divine Storm. Kulp clearly has two shots in this race, and Our Sweet Belle draws the higher-profile jockey assignment with Angel R. Rodriguez. At reasonable morning-line odds, she's a sensible show ticket in what is otherwise a very murky maiden opener.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 5 runners

Race 2: Free with an Account

Race 2

6:14 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

The morning-line favorite is an underdog in the ratings — Letspumpthebrakes enters as a massive statistical outlier in a starter optional claiming field that looks wide open on paper.

win5LetspumpthebrakesML 4/1

Letspumpthebrakes is the standout here and it's not particularly close — a TrackWiz rating of 85.62 towers over the rest of this field, and a career win rate of 33% gives him the clearest record of converting. Trainer T. Bernard Houghton sends him out at 4/1 on the morning line, which represents genuine value given how far ahead his metrics are. Jockey David Cora gets the mount, and at 6 furlongs on the Penn National main track, this horse looks like the class of the spot.

place1Chilling HassleML 5/1

Chilling Hassle at 5/1 carries the second-best TrackWiz rating in the field at 65.96 — a full 20 points behind the top pick, but comfortably ahead of the rest. Her 14% career win rate with an avg speed figure of 55 makes her a legitimate threat to finish in the money, and the price on a place ticket at 5/1 morning line is hard to pass up for exotics.

show3Rip My HeartML 5/2

Rip My Heart (5/2) is one of two Flint Stites runners in this race, and the trainer's dual-entry angle is worth noting. With a TrackWiz rating of 58.84 and an avg speed figure of 54, he's a middle-of-the-pack horse on the numbers but gets a live look at show odds that should tighten from his morning line. Jockey Yabriel O. Ramos knows this track and gives the horse a reliable guide in a field where pace could get messy.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 5 runners

The first three races are free for everyone, and they're a genuinely interesting trio to kick off the card. Race 1 is a Maiden Special Weight sprint where Scabiosa draws our eye at the morning line 2/1 — though in maiden racing on a wet track, form can unravel fast, so stay flexible. In Race 2, Letspumpthebrakes is the name you want to write down — an 85.62 TrackWiz rating in a Starter Optional Claiming route gives this one real substance, not just a catchy name. And in Race 3, Smokin Hot Wife lands with an 80.93 rating at a generous 9/2 on the morning line in a maiden claiming sprint — that kind of price on a horse we rate highly is exactly the spot value players look for.

With the track playing wet, watch for early speed horses that tend to get loose on the lead in these conditions — a loose front-runner on a sealed track can be nearly impossible to run down. Pace scenario matters more than usual today.

Free with an account

Open the next race free

A free account opens the first 2 races at every track, and every race at our Track of the Day. No credit card needed.

Create a free account Sign in

Full Card Analysis

Race 3

6:43 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A wide-open maiden claiming sprint with a deep nine-horse field — the TrackWiz ratings reveal two horses well clear of the pack, and the real intrigue is whether the morning line has mispriced them.

win6Smokin Hot WifeML 9/2

Smokin Hot Wife is the top-rated horse in this field at 80.93 — a commanding margin over the competition in a maiden claiming context — and her 9/2 morning line looks like a gift. Trainer Jacinto Solis sends her out with Joezer Rangel in the irons, and while her avg speed figure of 52 is modest, the overall profile scores well above every other runner in the field. In a nine-horse maiden claiming field where most horses have minimal figures on record, you ride the ratings edge.

place1Paddy'sheartofgoldML 8/1

Paddy'sheartofgold is the longshot angle worth backing for second money at 8/1 — a TrackWiz rating of 69.20 makes her the second-best horse in the field by a clear margin, and trainer Flint Stites is a familiar name in the Penn National barn area. Jockey Maicol J. Inirio gets the mount, and at a price that reflects public uncertainty rather than any real form deficit, she's a strong play to hit the board.

show8TechstarML 3/1

Techstar at 3/1 is the morning-line third choice and earns it with a rating of 60.48 and the best avg speed figure in the field at 55. Trainer Orlando Rose sends him out with Leonardo Corujo, and the combination of legitimate speed figures and a manageable price makes him a logical show play and a useful leg in any exacta or trifecta construction.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Race 4

7:12 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Dirt

Going a route at 1 1/16 miles, this maiden claiming field thins out quickly when you look at the ratings — Crown Apple sets up as a clearcut top selection against a group that mostly runs together on the numbers.

win4Crown AppleML 2/1

Crown Apple tops the TrackWiz ratings at 58.33 in a field where the next-best horses cluster tightly in the low-to-mid 50s, giving her a real ratings edge in a race where margins matter. Trainer Bruce M. Kravets sends her out with David Cora, who is one of the more active jockeys on this Penn National card tonight. The 2/1 morning line is honest, and an avg speed figure of 53 suggests she can handle the distance stretch. In a field where no horse has a career win, the separation in the ratings is the best guide we have.

place6Black Jack ShellacML 5/2

Black Jack Shellac at 5/2 sits just a fraction behind Crown Apple with a rating of 57.50, and the Erin C. McClellan/Inoel Beato combination is a recurring one on tonight's card — suggesting the barn is live. An avg speed figure of 53 matches the top pick, and at a morning line that implies competitive ability, a place ticket here represents solid coverage in a race that could easily see these two finish 1-2.

show5Bourbon TimeML 10/1

Bourbon Time at 10/1 is a genuine longshot in the morning line but earns a show mention with a TrackWiz rating of 52.12 — third-best in the field. Trainer George R. Albright sends him out with Yabriel O. Ramos, a jockey who is clearly getting around tonight, and the added distance at 1 1/16 miles might suit a horse whose avg speed figure of 52 hints at stamina over pure speed. The 10/1 price makes him an interesting trifecta piece if the top two hold form.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

Race 5

7:41 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Marlas Dream dominates the TrackWiz ratings to an almost comical degree in this maiden claiming sprint — the question is whether the 2/1 favorite delivers on a number that's well above the field.

win5Marlas DreamML 2/1

Marlas Dream's TrackWiz rating of 88.54 is the highest figure on tonight's entire card through five races — in a maiden claiming field, that kind of separation is as clear a signal as you'll find. Trainer Mark V. Salvaggio sends her out with Jomar Torres, and her avg speed figure of 54 gives her a legitimate form base to go with the raw rating. The 2/1 morning line reflects her obvious superiority, but don't let the short price scare you off in a spot where the ratings suggest she belongs a level higher than this company.

place6My Last DimeML 3/1

My Last Dime at 3/1 is a clear second-best in this field with a rating of 56.67, and trainer Elliott Soto-Martinez has her prepped for a meaningful effort with Bryan L. Torres up. Her avg speed figure of 51 is a touch lower than some rivals, but the ratings edge over the bottom half of the field is real, and a place ticket behind the heavy favorite is the play if you want to stay involved without chasing a short win price.

show1Little Miss LindaML 4/1

Little Miss Linda draws the rail at 4/1 for trainer Flint Stites, who is one of the busiest conditioners on tonight's Penn National card. Her TrackWiz rating of 55.00 is third in the field, and while her avg speed figure of 51 isn't flashy, Stites knows how to get maiden claimers running. An inside post in a 6-furlong sprint can be an asset if she breaks sharply, and at 4/1 she's worth a small show investment or as part of a trifecta key.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

Race 6

8:10 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Bramwell enters as a dominant figure in the ratings against a 7-horse claiming field — but with several horses carrying legitimate career win percentages, the pace scenario could get interesting.

win4BramwellML 3/1

Bramwell's TrackWiz rating of 87.08 is the best figure in this field by a significant margin, and trainer T. Bernard Houghton has him out with David Cora, who has been one of the busier riders on tonight's card. His 8% career win rate is modest, but this is a claiming context where the ratings edge is the real separator. An avg speed figure of 54 in a 6-furlong dirt sprint at Penn National is right in the wheelhouse, and at 3/1 morning line, he's a well-supported top pick.

place2Music ClarifcationML 5/2

Music Clarification at 5/2 is the morning-line second choice and earns her spot with a TrackWiz rating of 69.22 — a legitimate second-best in the field. Trainer Kathleen A. Demasi also saddles Landofhopeandreams in this race, so she has two chances, and Music Clarification is clearly the stable's A-runner with the better rating and odds. An avg speed figure of 54 matches the top pick, and an 8% career win rate in a claiming field suggests she's hit the board before and can do it again.

show5Blast of MischiefML 5/1

Blast of Mischief at 5/1 is a solid show play with a rating of 67.43 and the best career win rate in the field at 14% — a number that matters when assessing who knows how to close out a race. Trainer Brandon L. Kulp sends him out with Angel R. Rodriguez, and the 5/1 price gives you real show value if the top two hold their form. An avg speed figure of 54 keeps him in the conversation, and his win percentage suggests he's a horse that has been here before.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

Race 7

8:39 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

The morning-line favorite doesn't match up in the ratings here — Whisper Roar looks like a massive overlay at 5/1 in a starter optional claiming field where the public may be underestimating his form.

win2Whisper RoarML 5/1

Whisper Roar is the top-rated horse in this field at 84.17 — and at 5/1 on the morning line, he's one of the better value propositions on tonight's card. Trainer Brandon L. Kulp sends him out with Angel R. Rodriguez, a combination that has shown up multiple times tonight suggesting a live barn. A career win rate of 33% is the second-highest in the field and speaks to a horse who knows how to win. His avg speed figure of 55 ties for the top mark in the race, and in a starter optional claiming sprint at 6 furlongs, he checks every box.

place6BejucoML 8/1

Bejuco at 8/1 is the value play for place, with a TrackWiz rating of 58.24 that sits comfortably third in this field despite being well off the pace in the morning line. Trainer Erin Carpio sends him out with Inoel Beato, and while a 2% career win rate is eye-catching in the wrong direction, his avg speed figure of 55 matches the best in the field. The disconnect between his speed and his win rate suggests trip trouble or bad luck in prior starts — a horse with that speed who hasn't won is often sitting on a breakthrough.

show8BallinaclashML 5/1

Ballinaclash at 5/1 brings a 20% career win rate to the gate — one of the stronger hit rates in this field — and trainer Phil Schoenthal sends him out with Joshua J. Radosevich. His TrackWiz rating of 51.84 and avg speed figure of 54 are middle-of-the-pack, but a horse who has won one in five starts in this company is a reliable exotic piece. At 5/1 morning line with a proven ability to find the winner's circle, he's worth including in your trifecta.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 8 runners

Premium Content

Get the Full Card Analysis

Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.

View Plans Sign In

Bottom line: today at Penn National is a card that rewards preparation. The rain reshuffles things, the value is real in the early races, and Races 5 and 6 look like the best win-bet opportunities on the day. Free analysis covers Races 1–3 — for the full-card breakdown, pace projections, and exotic strategies, check out TrackWiz premium. Good luck out there, and watch that rail.

← All Penn National picks & predictions