Prairie Meadows Picks & Predictions — August 21, 2026

Montee Love checks in at a 55.0 rating and the 4/1 morning line, making her the most logical place contender in a field where the ratings fall off sharply after the top choice. Trainer Fernando Ivan Manriquez saddles her alongside stablemate Cowgirls Ride Better, which can sometimes complicate pace dynamics — but Cristian R. Esqueda on Montee Love suggests connections believe in this one over the barn's second entry. She's a logical place play at a price.

Th Bullet rates at 51.67 and draws a 6/1 morning line, giving him solid value for show-ticket purposes in a race where most of the field rates well below 50. Trainer Manuel Mojica Campos runs a deep stable tonight across multiple races, and Giovany Estrada's mount here could benefit from any chaos at the break in a nine-horse maiden sprint. Include him in trifecta coverage underneath the top two.

Bayou Eagle Power is the logical second choice here, rating at 83.84 and going off at 5/2 on the morning line. Trainer Fernando Ivan Manriquez also runs Red White N Lucky in this same race, but Cristian R. Esqueda's mount on Bayou Eagle Power suggests the barn's primary intention runs through this one. A 5/2 horse rated 83+ is not a throwaway — she should be in every exacta and trifecta combination.

Ts Thats Famous rates at 49.35 — far below the top two — but earns the show nod at 8/1 on the morning line, which is solid value in a field where most runners rate in the 20s. Trainer Tony Dean Jones sends her out with Mauro Jesus Rodriguez up, and in a ten-horse maiden at 220 yards where chaos at the break is always possible, a 49-rated horse at that price has genuine upside for show and third-leg exotic plays.

Severe Clear rates at 76.6 with a 23% career win percentage and an average speed figure of 54 — just a tick below Mathurine on the speed side but a credible closer profile at 7/2. Trainer Kelli Martinez puts Walter De La Cruz up, and this one looks like a live place threat if the favorite gets caught in any pace pressure up front. The morning line is generous enough that she pays to include in exactas.

Dreaminonthenile carries the best career win percentage in the field at 25% and rates 67.4 with an average speed of 54 — virtually identical to the second choice on the speed side. Trainer Jon G. Arnett sends her out with Alfredo Triana, Jr., who is having a busy night across the card. In a five-horse field, show tickets are less compelling, but Dreaminonthenile has the credentials to mix it up for third if the pace scenario sets up in her favor.

Big Furn rates 66.24 with a 10% career win percentage and goes off at 5/1 — giving him the most attractive morning-line price among the upper tier of this field. Walter De La Cruz handles the mount for trainer Brandi Jo Fett, and with an average speed figure of 54 matching the top contenders, this one is a live place threat who could pay nicely in the exacta slot. The price is right for a horse this solidly rated.

Meeker rates at 63.68 and draws a 9/2 morning line for trainer David D. McShane with Ken S. Tohill up. His 8% career win percentage is modest, but his rating puts him firmly in the second tier of this field, and in an eight-horse field at a claiming level, that's enough to merit a show ticket. He's also a smart inclusion in trifecta construction behind the top two.

Newly is the morning-line favorite at 7/5 and carries a 100% career win percentage with an average speed of 56 — the highest speed figure in the field. Trainer Tyrone Gleason has Ken S. Tohill up, and the undefeated record commands respect. However, the question with a horse that hasn't lost is always whether they've been tested against this class — our rating of 59.33 suggests there's room for the right challenger to take them down.

Potential Sam also carries a 100% career win percentage with a 56 average speed and goes off at 3/1 for trainer Kevin Eikleberry with Glenn W. Corbett up. The Eikleberry barn also runs Sofia's Love and Astro Nine in this same race, giving the trainer three bites at the apple — but Potential Sam is the barn's fastest horse on paper and the most logical show inclusion. In a race where the favorite and our win pick could both fire, this one is a solid underneath play.

Skipped a Beat rates 75.36 — second-best in the field — and checks in at 3/1 on the morning line with Alfredo Triana, Jr. aboard for trainer Travis Swan Murphy. Crucially, this one posts a 55 average speed figure, the best of any horse in this race, suggesting an ability to put up a number when the conditions are right. A 10% career win percentage understates the talent level here — he's a must-use in exactas.

Madethedean'slist rates 66.02 with a 5/1 morning line and draws trainer Lynn Chleborad with Israel Hernandez up. The 2% career win percentage is a red flag, but the TrackWiz rating places this horse solidly in the third tier of a field where the bottom falls off sharply — and in claiming races, low win percentages sometimes reflect bad luck more than bad horses. Worth using underneath in trifectas at a fair price.

Queen's Standard rates at 55.0 and draws a 4/1 morning line for trainer Kelly R. Von Hemel — making this a same-barn double-entry situation where connections are clearly feeling confident about their chances tonight. Walter De La Cruz gets the call, and with no posted average speed figure, there's some uncertainty about her preparation — but the rating and the barn's presence in the race are compelling reasons to use her underneath.

Just Good Cents rates 53.33 with a 5/1 morning line and gets Jarred Journet for trainer Henry Guillory, Jr. — a fresh-faced combination without a dominant record to lean on, but the rating places this horse squarely in the third tier of a tightly bunched field. At 5/1 in a ten-horse maiden, the show price should be fair, and she's worth including in trifecta coverage if the top two finishers stay close.

Raaq Tansani sits in a tight cluster with the show pick but edges ahead at a 69.1 rating and draws a 6/1 morning line for trainer Kelli Martinez with Alberto Pusac up — notably the same barn as Golden Hurricane. When a trainer runs two horses in the same race, they often have a clear preference, but Raaq Tansani's rating makes her a legitimate secondary threat. At 6/1, she's a strong exacta play underneath the top choice.

None But the Brave rates 68.98 — virtually identical to Raaq Tansani — but draws a tighter 5/2 morning line for trainer Kelly R. Von Hemel with Glenn W. Corbett up. The speed figure of 53 trails the top two contenders, but in a maiden where pace development and trip luck play a role, this one could easily finish third. The morning line may underlay her slightly, but she's a necessary trifecta inclusion.

Redneckerthanyou rates 74.32 and draws a 6/1 morning line — that's excellent value for the second-best horse in our ratings. Trainer Kelli Martinez sends Walter De La Cruz out on a horse with a 30% career win percentage and a 55 average speed, and in a starter allowance where experience matters, those credentials are real. The price suggests the market may be sleeping on this one — a strong place and exacta play.

Run for Gold rates 60.35 with a 5/2 morning line for trainer Lynn Chleborad with Israel Hernandez up. The 18% career win percentage is the lowest among the main contenders in this field, but a 56 average speed figure — matching the field's best — tells a different story about raw ability. She may be better than her win record suggests, and at 5/2, she's a logical show ticket and trifecta inclusion.

Stella Bella rates 69.9 with a 9/2 morning line and draws Ronnie Huckaby for trainer Tanner Tracy — a fresh combination without a career win percentage to cite, but with an average speed of 54 that matches most of the competitive tier in this field. When a horse with no win percentage listed appears in a claiming race, it sometimes signals a first-time starter or a lightly raced animal — and those can be live in the right situation. She's worth using in exactas at that price.

Sugah Down rates 54.85 and draws a 7/2 morning line for trainer Tanner Tracy with Elvin Gonzalez up — notably the same barn as Stella Bella, giving Tanner Tracy two live shots in the finale. A 12% career win percentage and a 54 average speed make Sugah Down a legitimate contender for third in this field, and the morning-line price is fair. She's the logical third leg of your trifecta ticket to close out the card.