Penn National Picks & Predictions — August 14, 2026

Spellcast brings something eye-catching to the table: a 47% career win rate is the kind of number that tells you this horse competes hard and doesn't just run for a check. Rocco Bowen aboard for trainer Timothy E. Hamm, with a TrackWiz rating of 67.0 that puts him third in the field — Spellcast is the most logical place threat to Bartlett's dominance.

Crisper is an 8/1 shot worth weaving into your exotics, rated 63.55 by TrackWiz and trained by Tim Woolley with Julio A. Hernandez up. A 20% career win rate on paper doesn't scream confidence, but his average speed figure of 55 ties him with two other entrants for the best in the field — if the pace sets up right, Crisper can close into a piece of this at a price.

Showmance is a compelling place play at 5/1 — the 80.74 TrackWiz rating is second-best in the field and trainer Trevor Gallimore sends out Kleiner A. Mejias. The 11% career win rate suggests this is a horse who finds the board more than he wins, which actually makes him ideal for a place wager. Don't overthink it — second-best figure often lands second.

Tims is the 2/1 morning line choice which puts him at a shorter price than our analysis suggests he deserves, but a 78.26 TrackWiz rating still ranks third in the field. Trainer Hugo O. Padilla has Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. up, and the 8% career win rate is a mild concern — this looks more like a horse who hits the board than one who wins outright, making show a natural fit for the ticket.

Highway Patrol is the morning line choice at 5/2 with the second-highest rating in the field at 78.60, and an average speed of 55 is the best among all horses with recorded figures. Trainer Robert Mosco hands the reins to Jorge A. Vargas, Jr., one of the more reliable riders in this colony — he should have Highway Patrol positioned perfectly off the pace to close into a share.

Associated checks in at 63.51 on the TrackWiz scale with a 7/2 morning line for Scott A. Lake and Angel R. Rodriguez — that's a legitimate rider-trainer combination in a maiden field. An average speed of 53 is respectable, and at a short enough price to suggest connections are live with this one, Associated rounds out the show position in exotics nicely.

Desperate Dreams is an intriguing place play at 5/1 — the 84.17 TrackWiz rating is second in the field by a slim margin, and trainer Mark V. Salvaggio has Jomar Torres in the saddle. A 8% career win rate is low, but that's often a horse who's competitive without always getting the job done — exactly the profile you want for a place ticket. If Tap and a Hug gets beat, this is where the money lands.

Bramwell rates third in the field at 78.76 for trainer T. Bernard Houghton and David Cora, a pairing that's appeared multiple times on today's card. The 7% career win rate keeps expectations measured, but at 4/1 on the morning line, Bramwell's speed and class profile makes him a natural trifecta piece in a race where the top three figures are well ahead of the bottom of the field.

Five Dreams is our place selection at 4/1 for trainer Bruce M. Kravets with Ricardo Chiappe, a rider who tends to generate results when given quality mounts. At 76.02 on the TrackWiz scale, Five Dreams ranks third in the field by rating, and a 19% career win rate in starter allowance company means this horse has been around the track enough to run a professional race. The 4/1 price makes him a strong place wager and a live exacta partner with the top pick.

Band Camp is the other 5/2 morning line entry for trainer Daniel G. Eubanks with Julio A. Hernandez up, and a 35% career win rate is legitimately the best strike rate in this field. The TrackWiz rating of 74.67 slots him third, but that win percentage suggests he's a horse who fires when he's right — include him underneath in trifectas as he's too consistent to leave off the ticket.

Qualified Hire opens at 5/1 and TrackWiz rates her at 64.78 — second-best in the field by a notable margin. Trainer Cody Beattie sends out Wilfredo Corujo, and a 25% career win rate mirrors the top pick's consistency. This is a spot where the place price on a legitimate second horse in the hierarchy is where the real value lives tonight.

Eclair Blanc is the 5/2 second choice on the morning line but our ratings put her third at 61.50 — suggesting the public may be slightly overrating her. That said, trainer Michael M. Moore and Eliseo Ruiz form a competent connection, and a 12% career win rate in this type of race still means she hits the board often enough. She's a reasonable show piece in trifectas, especially if the chalk dominates up top.

Endless Glow sits just below our top pick at 80.11 and trainer Brandon L. Kulp — who's had a busy and productive night — gives Angel R. Rodriguez the mount at 4/1. That jockey-trainer combination has been live all card, and in a maiden race where class and preparation matter most, having Kulp and Rodriguez in your corner is a meaningful edge. She's the logical place partner and a strong exacta inclusion underneath the win pick.

She's Bankable is a legitimate longshot angle at 10/1 with a 64.02 TrackWiz rating — third-best in this field by a comfortable margin. Trainer Kathleen A. Demasi puts Eliseo Ruiz in the irons, and while these maidens are hard to read, the rating separation from the bottom of the field is real. At 10/1, this is the kind of trifecta closer that can turn a modest win ticket into a meaningful score — worth including in your deep exotics.