Presque Isle Downs Picks & Predictions — August 26, 2026

Isadora Duncan draws plenty of attention as the morning-line favorite at 9/5 under the William I. Mott barn — one of the more respected outfits in the game — and Taylor Kingsley gets the call. Her TrackWiz rating of 57.94 trails Call Me Babe by a notable margin, but the pedigree of the operation means she could be sitting on a big effort. She's the type who could go gate-to-wire if the pace sets up right and is worth keying beneath our top pick.

Deceiving Diva checks in at 56.67 on our ratings and is one of two horses in the field without a recorded average speed figure, leaving her upside genuinely open. Trainer Kinnon LaRose sends her out at 3/1 with Antonio A. Gallardo, a jockey who can rate horses over route distances. She's a sneaky inclusion in trifecta tickets if the top two are fighting it out and she comes through late.

Trophy Husband is right on Snowstorm's heels at 85.23 on the TrackWiz scale and goes as the morning-line favorite at 2/1, which makes sense given his profile. Israel O. Rodriguez rides for trainer Juan Arriagada, and with matching average speed figures of 53, there's a legitimate case this horse hits the board or wins outright. In a race this tight, the 2/1 chalk might have the goods even if we're giving Snowstorm the edge on ratings.

Mr. Impatient rates third in our rankings at 80.99 — only a few ticks behind the top two — and goes at 4/1 morning line odds, which represents fair value for a horse this close to the pace scenario leaders. Trainer Kevin Rice has him in reasonable company with Walber Alencar up, and in a field where the top three are separated by fewer than seven points, he's a logical third in your exacta boxes. Don't leave him out of the trifecta.

Border Control stands out with the highest career win percentage in this field at 33% — a number that genuinely jumps off the page — and also posts the best average speed figure at 56, which is a tick above the rest of this group. Gaddiel A. Martinez handles the mount for trainer Kevin Rice, and at 4/1 morning line he offers real value behind our top pick. If he gets a clean setup over this route distance, he's more than capable of closing into a place spot.

Make the Boys Wink goes as the morning-line favorite at 8/5 under Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr. for trainer Timothy E. Hamm, which demands respect even if our ratings place him third in the field. His 54 average speed figure is consistent with the leaders, and at the route distance he may have tactical advantages in terms of positioning. As the public's top choice, he's likely to be overbet to win — but he's a legitimate show contender worth including in your exotics.

Gus's Gal is the sneaky value in this race at 6/1 on the morning line despite holding an 81.46 TrackWiz rating — second best in the field and only a handful of points behind our top pick. Trainer Michael C. Pappada gives her to Martina Rojas, and her 10% career win rate is respectable for claiming company. If She's Lit gets tested on the front end, Gus's Gal could be poised to grab the place spot at a generous price.

Jayana hits the board as our show pick despite a career win rate of just 3% — what separates her is the 7/2 morning line odds that suggest the connections believe she's live in this spot. Trainer John Fennessy has a solid track record of placing claimers, and Mike Allen knows the Presque Isle strip well. Her 54 average speed figure keeps her in range of the top two, and in a field where the pace could be contentious, a closer profile can find daylight late.

Hard Mission comes in at 82.71 on our ratings and brings a 16% career win rate for trainer Juan Arriagada — the same barn that has Trophy Husband in Race 4, giving them a productive day if both hit. Antonio A. Gallardo picks up the mount at a generous 6/1 morning line price, making Hard Mission a strong value play beneath our top pick. He's the horse we want in exactas and trifectas, especially if the top-rated runner gets any trouble in traffic.

Burnin Turf is the longshot angle on this ticket at 10/1 morning line odds, but his 26% career win rate is the highest in the entire field — a striking number that suggests he can find the winner's circle when conditions align. Scott Spieth gets the mount for trainer Keith C. Dickey, and his 54 average speed figure keeps him competitive on raw ability. With a win percentage that outclasses his odds, he's a prime trifecta inclusion and a small win bet if you're playing the board.

Twist 'n Twirl rates second in our rankings at 76.88 and goes off at 7/2 on the morning line — suggesting the public agrees he's in the mix. The wrinkle is a 3% career win rate, which is low, but for a place bet in a nine-horse field at this price, his TrackWiz score makes him defensible underneath Speaker's Lobby. Trainer Tim Girten puts Antonio A. Gallardo on board, a jockey who's been busy across today's card with productive results.

Youreawizard Harry slots in third on our TrackWiz ratings at 58.22 and brings a 8% career win rate with Carlos Barbosa up for trainer Kevin Rice — a stable that's active throughout this card. His 52 average speed figure is a tick below the top two, but in a nine-horse field with varied pace profiles, he's a logical closer if the front end collapses. At 4/1, he's reasonable in the show position for exacta and trifecta players looking to round out their tickets.