You're reading 3 of 8 races free
Unlock the other 5 races on today's card, plus AI ratings on every runner and SmartBet ticket construction.
Presque Isle Downs Picks & Predictions — August 24, 2026
Rain is falling at Presque Isle Downs this Monday, August 24th, and that changes everything. With temperatures sitting at 63°F and a wet surface in play, pace dynamics shift, closers can get a boost, and horses with proven wet-track form move up the board fast. Eight races are on the slate today — a full workday for anyone who takes their handicapping seriously.
The card leans heavily on dirt sprints and middle-distance routes, with a mix of claiming races, an allowance, a maiden special weight, and a starter optional claimer to keep things interesting. That variety means different types of horses are in their element at different points of the afternoon — which is exactly where sharp bettors find their edges.
TrackWiz has combed through the full card. Three races are unlocked for everyone, and if the free picks are any indication of the quality of analysis today, the premium side is well worth your attention.
Best Bets
Race 1
Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt
The top TrackWiz ratings are clustered at the head of the market, but the morning line favorite isn't the horse our model likes best — Queen Anna T and Sugar Treat separate themselves from the field on pure numbers.
Queen Anna T tops the field with an 83.7 TrackWiz rating — the highest in the race — and backs it up with a 30% career win rate that gives this 9/2 morning line real value. Trainer Michael C. Pappada sends her out with Victor Severino aboard, a connection worth tracking at Presque Isle. Over 6 furlongs on the dirt, she profiles as a horse who can sit just off the pace and pounce in the stretch. Don't let the odds fool you — this is the class of the field on our numbers.
Sugar Treat at 6/1 is a sneaky-good play for the exotics. She carries an 82.71 rating — just a tick below Queen Anna T — and her 21% career win rate is respectable in this claiming company. Trainer Randall R. Russell and jockey David Delgado could be a live combo at a price, and her average speed figure of 56 ties for best in the race.
Garnet and Gold is the morning line favorite at 3/1, and while our rating (73.29) has her third-best in the field, Adam Rice's 35% career win rate for this horse is the highest in the race. She's a logical hedge for tickets — if the top two run into trouble, Garnet and Gold has the class and consistency to clean up.
Race 2
Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
A fascinating pace puzzle over a mile of Presque Isle dirt — the horse with the highest rating is NOT the shortest-priced horse in the field, setting up a potential overlay situation worth exploring.
Yoheda Money Maker leads all comers with an 87.08 TrackWiz rating and gets the nod despite only an 11% career win rate — that number suggests she's been competitive at tougher levels, which could make this a soft spot. Trainer Julie Pierson puts Carlos Barbosa in the irons, and at 3/1 on the morning line, there's genuine value here relative to her model score. At a mile on the dirt, horses who have been tested at distance are at a premium, and Yoheda Money Maker fits that profile.
Duck Hunter (84.9 rating, 9/2) is right on the heels of the top pick numerically and brings a 20% career win rate to the table. Trainer Adam Rice won with this horse before, and Huber Villa-Gomez is a capable pilot. If the pace sets up with early pressure, Duck Hunter looks like the kind of closer who eats up ground in the lane — a strong place bet at a fair price.
Underappreciated is the morning line co-favorite at 2/1, and while her 69.03 rating lags behind the top two, she posts a 22% career win rate and her connections clearly believe she's ready to fire. She makes plenty of sense as a show play or to anchor the bottom of exactas — she's unlikely to go overlooked at the windows, but she's a safer ticket builder than a win bet.
Race 3
Allowance · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt
A standout allowance contender rises well above the rest of the field on our ratings — this shapes up as a race with a clear top selection, though the pace scenario over 1 mile 70 yards will determine how wide the gaps really are.
Nuts and Bolts is a force in this allowance field with an elite 87.81 TrackWiz rating and a jaw-dropping 50% career win rate — best in the field by a wide margin. Trainer Darien Rodriguez sends out Antonio A. Gallardo, and at 5/2 on the morning line, this is about as close to a confident play as you'll find on a Monday card. The extra distance (1 mile 70 yards) actually helps horses with a sustained cruising speed, and her figures say she has plenty.
Little Martha checks in at a solid 71.53 rating and a 23% career win rate — both respectable figures in allowance company. Trainer Murray L. Rojas and jockey Martina Rojas make for an intriguing family connection, and at 7/2 on the morning line, she offers fair value as a place bet. She figures to be involved in the stretch run even if Nuts and Bolts is too good.
La Panda at 2/1 has a 32% career win rate that stands out, and a 62.07 rating puts her squarely in the mix for a piece. Trainer Adam Rice is a name to respect at Presque Isle, and Gaddiel A. Martinez is a dependable pilot. Though her average speed figure of 52 is the lowest among the picks, the win percentage hints at a horse who tends to show up when pointed at a race — worth including in show position on exotic tickets.
We're kicking the day off with three free best bets to get you oriented. Queen Anna T opens the card in Race 1 — a 6-furlong dirt sprint where the rain-affected surface could play right into her hands at a morning line of 9/2. That's the kind of underlay that builds tickets. In Race 2, Yoheda Money Maker steps into the mile going as the 3/1 morning line choice, backed by a TrackWiz rating of 87.08 — one of the stronger figures you'll see on the free portion of any card. Then Race 3 brings us Nuts and Bolts in an allowance going a mile and 70 yards, rated 87.81 and posted at 5/2. Allowance horses with that kind of rating at a price deserve respect.
The wet track is the thread connecting these picks. Surface questions tend to thin the competitive field by shaking out horses whose connections quietly prefer firm ground — and that creates value for the ones who can handle the slop. Keep an eye on how the first couple of races play out; early running patterns on a rainy day at Presque Isle will tell you a lot about what the surface is doing before you commit to later-race tickets.
Send me tomorrow's free Presque Isle Downs card before post time.
Free picks in your inbox each morning. No card required, unsubscribe anytime.
Full Card Analysis
Premium Content
Get the Full Card Analysis
Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.
Eight races, a rain-soaked surface, and a handful of horses that look tailor-made for the conditions — that's Presque Isle Downs on August 24th. Start with Queen Anna T, Yoheda Money Maker, and Nuts and Bolts in the free races, and let the surface tell its story early. If you want the full picture — pace scenarios, exotic tickets, and every pick through Race 8 — the complete analysis is available to TrackWiz subscribers. Check out our plans and get set before first post.