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Penn National Picks & Predictions — October 30, 2026

October 30, 20267 racesAll Penn National picks

Best bets at Penn National, October 30, 2026

Race 12Uncaptured StarML 5/25:45 PM EDT

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

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Happy Halloween Eve at Penn National. Seven races under clear skies and a brisk 57°F make for ideal racing conditions on the Penn dirt today — no weather excuses, no slop to account for, just horses running on a fast surface where speed figures translate cleanly.

The card is a solid mix of claiming and starter optional claiming races across the board, with a pair of maiden claiming routes stretching the field out to a mile and 70 yards. That longer distance in Races 6 and 7 adds a different dimension to the ticket-building opportunities today, especially for multi-race players hunting value in the back half of the card.

TrackWiz has full analysis locked in across all seven races. The first three go out free to every reader — after that, a premium subscription unlocks the complete breakdown.

Best Bets

Race 1

5:45 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A tight five-horse claiming sprint where the TrackWiz ratings separate two clear contenders from the pack — expect Uncaptured Star and Yorkville to set the terms of this race.

win2Uncaptured StarML 5/2

Uncaptured Star earns the top TrackWiz rating in this field at 87.81, a meaningful gap over the competition that's hard to ignore in a five-horse claiming sprint. At 5/2 on the morning line, there's reasonable value for the top-rated horse. The 13% career win rate is modest, but in a race where no rival cracks 81, this is the class of the field. Jockey Wilfredo Corujo picks up a horse with clear positional advantages and the numbers to back it up.

place4YorkvilleML 3/1

Yorkville (80.52 rating) is the logical bridesmaid here, posting a competitive TrackWiz score and a 55 average speed figure — tied with several rivals but packing more upside than the morning line implies. The 3/1 opening price is fair, and trainer Mark V. Salvaggio's horse figures to be running at the wire even if Uncaptured Star proves best.

show5Bells RunML 9/2

Bells Run at 9/2 brings an 18% career win rate, one of the best strike rates in this field, and a 68.96 TrackWiz rating that puts this horse solidly in the exotic conversation. Trainer Frank Cifarelli has a horse that competes consistently, and at nearly 5-1 odds, there's real value in slotting Bells Run into trifecta tickets.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 5 runners

Race 2: Free with an Account

Race 2

6:14 PM EDT

Ratings Handicap · 6 fur · Dirt

The morning line favors Savor It, but our ratings tell a very different story — Capricorn Belle stands out as a clear overlay with the best TrackWiz score in the field and a jaw-dropping career win rate.

win5Capricorn BelleML 6/1

Capricorn Belle is the defining value play of the early card — a 40% career win rate (best in the field by a wide margin) combined with an 82.71 TrackWiz rating, all at 6/1 on the morning line. That's the kind of disconnect between public price and underlying form that sharp bettors circle. Trainer Cathal A. Lynch sends out a horse that wins nearly half its starts when conditions line up, and this ratings handicap setup looks tailor-made. If you're looking for one spot to attack the public's opinion, this is it.

place2Didn't It RainML 5/2

Didn't It Rain at 5/2 brings a 22% career win rate — second only to Capricorn Belle in this race — and a 76.56 TrackWiz score that makes the morning line chalk look more justified than Savor It at 2/1. This horse figures to be competitive to the wire, and a place ticket here is a solid anchor for vertical exotics.

show4Miss Ida BML 7/2

Miss Ida B has the second-best career win rate in the field at 33%, which demands respect in any form analysis. A 67.60 rating is middle-of-the-pack, but the raw win percentage suggests a horse who knows how to compete. At 7/2, the value isn't extraordinary, but Miss Ida B is worth including underneath in trifectas.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

The free portion of today's card kicks off with three straight six-furlong dirt sprints, and there's a clear theme running through them: speed will be at a premium. On a fast Penn National main track, pace scenarios tighten up in sprints, and horses that can get a comfortable trip near the front tend to hold on. Uncaptured Star (Race 1, 5/2 morning line) leads the way with our top TrackWiz rating of 87.81 — the strongest number on the free portion of the card and a horse we think is fairly priced at that chalk number.

The real intrigue in the free races is Race 2, where Capricorn Belle goes in a Ratings Handicap at 6/1 on the morning line. That's a price worth circling — our rating of 82.71 suggests she belongs in this field, and if the pace sets up right in a sprint, she's a legitimate best-bet candidate at a number that offers genuine value. Race 3's Starter Optional Claiming matches that same rating for Rar (also 6/1), giving sharp bettors a potential exacta connection worth exploring between the two races.

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Full Card Analysis

Race 3

6:43 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

A starter optional claiming field where the morning line points one way and the TrackWiz ratings point another — Rar carries the top score at 6/1, making this an intriguing overlay situation.

win3RarML 6/1

Rar tops this field with an 82.71 TrackWiz rating while sitting at 6/1 on the morning line — a legitimate overlay in a race that could be vulnerable to chalk over-reliance on Miami Kaz. The 14% career win rate isn't flashy, but the rating advantage over the field is clear, and trainer Elisha Perez sends this horse out at a price that deserves attention. In a starter optional claiming race at six furlongs, Rar's speed profile (55 average) is right there with the best in the field.

place2Bernie Says SoML 3/1

Bernie Says So is the most eye-catching win percentage in this race at a remarkable 50% career strike rate — that's not a number you see often at this level. The 75.45 TrackWiz rating backs it up as a legitimate contender, and Wilfredo Corujo in the irons is a strong booking. At 3/1, this horse figures to be forwardly placed and dangerous.

show4Penn FranklinML 4/1

Penn Franklin (68.94 rating, 4/1 morning line) is a sensible show selection in a competitive field where the top three are closely clustered in ability. The 10% career win rate is low, but the average speed figure of 54 is in line with the top contenders. Ricardo Chiappe gets the call for trainer Bruce M. Kravets, and this horse rounds out trifecta tickets nicely at a workable price.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

Race 4

7:12 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Maiden claimers are inherently unpredictable — nobody in this six-horse field has ever broken their maiden — but speed figures and TrackWiz ratings do tilt the edge toward the morning line favorite.

win3New Jersey FeverML 2/1

New Jersey Fever leads all TrackWiz ratings in this maiden field at 58.33 and carries a 55 average speed figure — the best in the race. As the 2/1 morning line favorite, the public agrees, and trainer Paulina Sinnefia teams up with jockey Dexter Haddock in what looks like a well-placed effort. In maiden claimers, raw speed and consistency in the clockings are often the best guides, and New Jersey Fever checks both boxes.

place2MesopotamiaML 7/2

Mesopotamia is the natural secondary play at 7/2, posting a 55.83 TrackWiz rating and a 54 average speed figure — both second-best in the race. Trainer Gregory D. Sacco has a strong track record at Penn National, and Emanuel Rosario is one of the sharper riders on this circuit. This horse figures to be in the thick of things late.

show1Zoey's HonorML 6/1

Zoey's Honor at 6/1 is a legitimate exotics piece with a 51.67 TrackWiz rating and a 53 average speed figure that keeps her in the pace picture. In a maiden field where anything can happen, having a horse at bigger odds who has posted respectable speed is a smart hedge. Trainer Christopher R. Reck and jockey Jordano Tunon are a familiar partnership at this meet.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

Race 5

7:41 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

The morning line makes Techstar the 8/5 favorite, but our analysis flips the script — Cheese N Crackers owns the top TrackWiz rating at 84.17 and offers real value at 5/1.

win1Cheese N CrackersML 5/1

Cheese N Crackers is the standout value play in Race 5, carrying an 84.17 TrackWiz rating — over 12 points clear of Techstar — while sitting at 5/1 on the morning line. A 20% career win rate pairs with a 54 average speed figure, and trainer Kelly Lynn Deiter sends out a horse that the public is dramatically underestimating. At this price, Cheese N Crackers is the kind of horse you load up on — the numbers say this is the best horse in the field by a meaningful margin.

place5Half a DeckML 5/2

Half a Deck (71.67 rating, 5/2 morning line) matches Cheese N Crackers' 20% career win rate and posts a 54 average speed figure, making this horse a genuine contender in a race where the favorite is likely overbet. Trainer James L. Lawrence II has a live runner here, and the 5/2 opening price is very reasonable for a horse with solid underlying metrics.

show2TechstarML 8/5

Techstar is the morning line chalk at 8/5 but our third-ranked horse in this field at 71.52 — barely edged by Half a Deck. The 18% career win rate and 55 average speed figure (best in the race) keep this horse in the exotic picture, and jockey Leonardo Corujo gives Techstar a strong pilot. If you're building vertical tickets, Techstar is a responsible show inclusion even if the win price won't excite you.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 5 runners

Race 6

8:10 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

Stepping up to a route at one mile and 70 yards, this claiming field gets an interesting pace test — and Flee stands well clear of the field in the TrackWiz ratings as a deserving favorite.

win3FleeML 2/1

Flee dominates this field with an 88.54 TrackWiz rating — the highest win-pick score on the entire card — and gets Paco Lopez aboard, one of the most accomplished jockeys you'll see at this level. The 7% career win rate is modest, but trainer Michael V. Simone has positioned this horse to succeed, and the 2/1 morning line reflects a field that doesn't have a credible challenger at the top. At the extended route trip of one mile and 70 yards, Flee's rating edge only grows more significant as pace scenarios develop.

place4KazillionML 4/1

Kazillion at 4/1 earns a 67.55 TrackWiz rating and posts a 52 average speed figure — identical to Flee, which suggests this horse can track the pace and be there in the stretch. Trainer Clyde W. Martin, Jr. and jockey Jose R. Betancourt team up on a horse that profiles nicely as a place play at a price that offers some return.

show5WonderfulvenezuelaML 5/1

Wonderfulvenezuela (60.71 rating, 5/1 morning line) gives the field a third contender worth slotting into trifecta tickets. The 51 average speed figure is a touch below the top contenders, but in route races, trips and pace scenarios can equalize things quickly. Trainer Konstantinos Harigeorgiou has shown an ability to place horses competitively, and at 5/1, there's value in the show spot.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

Race 7

8:39 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt

Another maiden field stretching out to a mile and 70 yards — nobody here has broken through yet, but the TrackWiz ratings give Manon a clear edge and Eddie's Promise offers a compelling longshot angle.

win6ManonML 2/1

Manon leads all comers with a 74.12 TrackWiz rating in a maiden field where the next-best score (False Witness at 64.18) is nearly 10 points back — that's a significant gap when nobody has a win to their name. The 2/1 morning line makes Manon a deserving favorite, and trainer David W. Geist sends this horse to the post with Emilio Flores, who knows this circuit well. At the route trip, a horse with the best underlying numbers often asserts late, and Manon fits that profile.

place2False WitnessML 3/1

False Witness earns the second-best TrackWiz score in the field at 64.18 and opens at 3/1 — a sensible price for a horse that should be competitive at the wire. Trainer Kelly Lynn Deiter, who also saddles Race 5's Cheese N Crackers, is active on this card and clearly knows the conditions. Edgar Villasmil gets the mount and gives False Witness a capable pilot for the route trip.

show5Eddie's PromiseML 8/1

Eddie's Promise at 8/1 is the most intriguing longshot on the card — a 60.23 TrackWiz rating that actually ranks third in this field, yet the public is looking right past this horse. Trainer Konstantinos Harigeorgiou runs Eddie's Promise back at the same route distance, and a 53 average speed figure is respectable in context. At morning line odds of 8/1, this horse offers the kind of trifecta value that can turn a solid card into a profitable one — worth including in all multi-horse combos.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

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Bottom line for today: Uncaptured Star is the top-rated free play, Capricorn Belle is the value angle to watch early, and Flee is the marquee premium pick with the highest TrackWiz rating on the entire card. Clear skies, fast dirt, seven races — it's a clean Friday card with some genuine opportunities if you know where to look. Full analysis for Races 4–7 is waiting for subscribers. Get in on it at /pricing.

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