Daily Picks

Retama Park Picks & Predictions — July 9, 2026

Thursday, July 9, 20268 racesRetama Park

It's a scorcher at Retama Park today — clear skies, 90°F on the thermometer, and eight races on the dirt to keep things interesting. Texas summer racing is its own beast, and the fast, dry conditions at Retama tend to favor horses that break cleanly and get to the front early. Speed is king out here, especially in the shorter quarter-horse distances that dominate today's card.

We've got a mix of maiden sprints, claiming battles, and a pair of allowance tests to close things out, including the day's marquee 870-yard route in Race 6. TrackWiz has crunched the numbers on all eight races, and there's some real value scattered across this card — not just chalk. Let's get into it.

Best Bets

Race 1

11:45 PM EDT

Maiden · 300 yd · Dirt

A wide-open maiden sprint at 300 yards where every horse is breaking their maiden — TrackWiz ratings separate a clear tier at the top, but nothing here is a lock.

win5Tunnel VisionnML 5/2

Tunnel Visionn (No. 5) sits atop our ratings with a 57.5 TrackWiz score and draws the morning-line favoritism at 5/2, suggesting the market agrees. Trainer Martin Rodriguez sends this one out with Angel A. Fierro up, a solid pairing for a horse that figures to be sharp off the break in this short 300-yard dash. In maiden sprints this short, gate speed is everything, and Tunnel Visionn's edge in our model makes this the most logical win selection on the card.

place1Sheza Savage YgML 4/1

Sheza Savage Yg (No. 1) posts a 55.0 rating — second-best in the field — and draws the rail in a race where breaking cleanly is paramount. At 4/1 on the morning line, there's a touch of value here for a horse that Ruben Delarosa, Jr. will have set up for a powerful start. If Tunnel Visionn falters or gets a rough break, this one is right there to pick up the pieces.

show3AdieuML 9/2

Adieu (No. 3) rounds out the top tier at 54.17 on the TrackWiz scale and offers a 9/2 morning-line price that makes the show slot a reasonable exotic ticket anchor. Trainer Alfred A. Aparicio has Eliazar T. Vera aboard, a workmanlike combination that knows how to get a maiden short-course runner ready. In a race this short, small advantages compound fast — Adieu's solid rating suggests she belongs in the mix.

Race 2

12:15 AM EDT

Claiming · 550 yd · Dirt

Tex Hex Bruja stands out as a clear class and ratings standout in this claiming sprint at 550 yards, but Chickies Kool Corona and Lota More Things ensure there's a real race to be run.

win3Tex Hex BrujaML 3/1

Tex Hex Bruja (No. 3) is the top-rated horse in the field at 87.08 and carries an 11% career win rate — respectable for a claiming-level quarter horse. Trainer Enrique Alvarado sends her out at 3/1, which is a fair price given the separation between this horse and the rest of the field in our model. Oliver E. Martinez takes the reins, and with a horse this far ahead on ratings in a claiming sprint, the move is simple: make her the backbone of your tickets.

place7Chickies Kool CoronaML 5/2

Chickies Kool Corona (No. 7) posts a 78.33 TrackWiz rating and also carries a 6% career win rate — modest, but the rating says this horse is performing well enough to hit the board regularly. At 5/2 on the morning line, she's the market's second choice and the natural place horse in the race. Luis L. Vivanco is a reliable pilot, and trainer Juan Johnny M. Hernandez has this one pointed right.

show8Lota More ThingsML 9/2

Lota More Things (No. 8) brings a 69.21 rating and, notably, a 12% career win rate — the joint-highest in the field alongside the scratched Rock Solid Stones. That winning experience matters at the claiming level, where horses that know how to finish races often find a way to the board. Alejandro Landeros Zuniga gets the call for trainer Isidro Mancillas-Lopez, and at 9/2, this is a logical show ticket in a race where the top two are favored heavily.

Race 3

12:42 AM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 350 yd · Dirt

Jm Rose stands head and shoulders above this maiden claiming field at 350 yards, though Rude Boi and An Dee Special give the race a competitive mid-tier that makes exactas and trifectas worth exploring.

win6Jm RoseML 5/2

Jm Rose (No. 6) is the class of this field at 83.83 on the TrackWiz scale — a full 16 points clear of the second-rated Rude Boi — and comes in at a fair 5/2 morning line. Trainer Joe Chapa has Ruben Delarosa, Jr. on board, and Delarosa is one of the more active jockeys at this meet, keeping his angles sharp. In a maiden claiming sprint over 350 yards, a horse with this kind of rating edge is exactly what you want to bank your win bet on.

place4Rude BoiML 9/2

Rude Boi (No. 4) checks in at 67.64 on our model — a significant gap below the top pick but well clear of the rest of the field. Trainer Abraham Rangel puts Alejandro Medina up at 9/2 morning-line odds, which feels like fair value for a horse that figures to be fighting for second. The 350-yard trip plays into the hands of horses with natural speed, and Rude Boi's rating suggests this one has the raw ability to get a piece.

show5An Dee SpecialML 4/1

An Dee Special (No. 5) sits at 51.72 — third-best in the field — and Diego Contreras picks up the mount for trainer Rodolfo Gutierrez Hernandez. At 4/1 on the morning line, there's mild overlay potential if the top two run to expectation and An Dee Special finds clear space to run. In maiden claiming fields where pedigree and prep quality can vary widely, having the third-rated horse at a reasonable price in your trifecta makes sense.

Our three free races today cover a nice cross-section of the card. In Race 1, Tunnel Visionn draws our top rating at the 300-yard maiden opener — a solid morning-line price of 5/2 that we think is right in the right range. Race 2 is where things get exciting: Tex Hex Bruja earns the highest TrackWiz rating of the free picks at 87.08 in a 550-yard claiming sprint, and at 3/1 on the morning line, there's genuine value there. Round out the free card with Jm Rose in the Race 3 maiden claiming at 350 yards — another 5/2 shot with an 83.83 rating who fits the pace scenario we're projecting on a fast Retama strip.

The common thread across these free picks: all three figure to be on or near the front end from the gate, which on a day like today — hard, dry dirt baked by 90-degree heat — is exactly where you want to be. Early speed has a strong track bias here in summer, and our analysis leans into that angle throughout the card.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

1:09 AM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 250 yd · Dirt

Mr Perry Cuervo dominates the TrackWiz ratings in this maiden claiming sprint at 250 yards, but July Watters and Threat Levl Midnight make the place and show slots genuinely contested.

win6Mr Perry CuervoML 4/1

Mr Perry Cuervo (No. 6) leads the field with an 85.62 TrackWiz rating and goes postward at 4/1 — a slight overlay given the rating dominance. Trainer Manuel Gonzalez IV puts Noe Villatoro aboard, a pairing that knows how to get a maiden sprinter out of the gate clean over a short 250-yard trip. When the top-rated horse in a maiden sprint is also not the morning-line favorite, that's exactly the kind of spot TrackWiz analysis is designed to find.

place2July WattersML 3/1

July Watters (No. 2) is the morning-line favorite at 3/1 with a 73.33 rating, making her the natural framing horse for exacta tickets. Trainer Wendy Alejandra Garcia sends this one out with Rosendo E. Pina Garcia aboard — a barn-rider combination that gets results at this level. Even if Mr Perry Cuervo gets the job done on top, July Watters should have enough class to hold for second in a field where only three horses rate above 70.

show8Threat Levl MidnightML 5/1

Threat Levl Midnight (No. 8) lands at 72.14 in our model — third-best in the field — and draws a 5/1 morning-line price that makes this horse a genuine show-value play in exotics. Angel A. Fierro is one of the busier jockeys on this card, and trainer Alfred A. Aparicio knows how to spot a horse in a race it can handle. The clustering of July Watters and Threat Levl Midnight in the low-70s range suggests the place and show could go in either order, so using both in your tickets is smart.

Race 5

1:36 AM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 330 yd · Dirt

Deal With This Eagle towers over this maiden claiming field at 330 yards with a rating that's in a different stratosphere, while Rr Chrome and Holy Monday fight for the remaining board positions.

win7Deal With This EagleML 5/2

Deal With This Eagle (No. 7) posts an 87.81 TrackWiz rating — the highest in the field by a wide margin — and goes off at a fair 5/2 morning line. J.R. Ramirez, Jr. gets the call for trainer Saul Ramirez, Jr., and the combination of top-flight ratings and competent connections makes this about as clear a win pick as you'll find in a maiden claiming sprint. Over 330 yards, the best-rated horse at a fair price is exactly where your win money belongs.

place3Rr ChromeML 3/1

Rr Chrome (No. 3) checks in at 72.99 on our model and is the morning-line second choice at 3/1, which aligns with TrackWiz's view that this horse is a legitimate board contender. Trainer Martin Rodriguez, who also has a horse in Race 1, sends out Alejandro Medina on what figures to be the natural pace-pressure horse in this sprint. If Deal With This Eagle stumbles or gets a troubled break, Rr Chrome has the rating to capitalize.

show10Holy MondayML 4/1

Holy Monday (No. 10) rates at 70.62 — third in the field — and comes in at 4/1 morning odds with Noe Villatoro taking the mount for trainer Adan Guzman. The price is right for a horse that's in the same general tier as Rr Chrome but hasn't grabbed as much market attention. In trifecta construction for a race with a dominant top pick, having the third-best-rated horse at 4/1 in your show slot is exactly the kind of value move that pays off over a card.

Race 6

2:03 AM EDT

Allowance · 870 yd · Dirt

Mr Canas holds the top rating in this allowance test at 870 yards, but Built for Power's eye-popping 25% career win rate and Hezamonzter's strong figure make this the deepest race on the card.

win1Mr CanasML 5/2

Mr Canas (No. 1) leads the field at 87.81 on the TrackWiz scale and goes off at 5/2 despite a 6% career win rate — the rating says this horse is performing above what that win percentage implies. Trainer J. Ryan Basham sends out Alejandro Landeros Zuniga, and at 870 yards, this is the longest race on today's card, which rewards horses with genuine stamina and tactical ability rather than pure gate speed. Mr Canas's rating edge in an allowance field is meaningful, and the morning-line price reflects a market that respects this horse.

place6Built for PowerML 9/2

Built for Power (No. 6) arrives with a 25% career win rate — by far the best in the field — and a 79.7 TrackWiz rating that slots comfortably in the second tier. J.R. Ramirez, Jr. takes this one for trainer Shae L. Cox, who also has Too Broke to Quit in this same race, suggesting the barn is active and confident. A horse that wins one in four career starts at the allowance level over this kind of distance is not one you want to leave off your tickets.

show7HezamonzterML 3/1

Hezamonzter (No. 7) carries a 73.24 rating and opens at 3/1 on the morning line — arguably the most accessible overlay in the race given where the ratings cluster. Trainer Marc E. Jungers puts Luis L. Vivanco aboard, and Vivanco has been aboard multiple horses across today's card, suggesting he's comfortable with the conditions. At 870 yards in an allowance, pace management matters, and Hezamonzter's profile suggests a horse that can settle and close effectively.

Race 7

2:30 AM EDT

Allowance · 300 yd · Dirt

Docs Magic Card's 50% career win rate grabs headlines, but Omac Donald's superior TrackWiz rating and Bm Candi Royale's 16% win percentage make this an allowance sprint worth sorting out carefully.

win8Omac DonaldML 4/1

Omac Donald (No. 8) is our top-rated horse in the field at 85.62 and draws 4/1 morning-line odds — the kind of overlay that happens when a horse with a gaudy resume like Docs Magic Card (50% career win rate) draws most of the public attention. Trainer Brian Stroud sends out Angel A. Fierro, one of the more active riders on this card, and over 300 yards the horse with the best rating often simply gets there before anyone can react. At 4/1, this is the value play in the race.

place10Bm Candi RoyaleML 9/2

Bm Candi Royale (No. 10) posts an 82.6 rating and a 16% career win rate — a legitimate allowance horse by any measure. Trainer Brittany N. Tellez puts Claudio Ponce Aguilar up at 9/2, and this horse's combination of strong rating and solid winning history suggests consistent competitiveness. If Omac Donald gets the win, Bm Candi Royale has the class to hold the place ahead of the rest of this field.

show6Docs Magic CardML 2/1

Docs Magic Card (No. 6) owns a 50% career win rate — an extraordinary figure that explains the 2/1 morning-line favoritism — but the TrackWiz rating of 58.33 tells a more nuanced story, suggesting the horse may be facing tougher competition today than it has historically beaten. Luis L. Vivanco gets the mount for trainer Leonardo Rivera-Antopia, and there's no doubting this horse's ability to finish in the money. At short odds, though, the show slot is the safest way to include this horse without taking on the risk of it hitting a tougher group than usual.

Race 8

2:57 AM EDT

Maiden · 300 yd · Dirt

Ratings are bunched tightly in this maiden sprint at 300 yards, making it one of the trickier races on the card — Cowboy Cumbia holds a slim edge, but this is exactly the kind of race where the third pick hits at a price.

win5Cowboy CumbiaML 3/1

Cowboy Cumbia (No. 5) leads all runners with a 56.67 TrackWiz rating and goes off at 3/1 — the morning-line favorite in a race where no horse runs away with the numbers. Luis Angel Maldonado gets the call for trainer Jorge Rivas Correa, and in a compact maiden sprint at 300 yards, even a slim rating edge can be decisive when the horses break together. The ratings gap between Cowboy Cumbia and the field is small but consistent — this is a horse that shows up marginally better than its rivals across every metric we track.

place6Gold Heart SixML 4/1

Gold Heart Six (No. 6) checks in at 55.0 — right behind Cowboy Cumbia — and draws a 4/1 morning line that makes this horse the most natural place ticket in the field. Trainer J. W. Plunkett sends Eliazar T. Vera aboard, and Vera has experience navigating short sprints at this level throughout today's card. In a race this tight on ratings, Gold Heart Six sitting one spot below the top pick at a reasonable price is exactly the profile you want in your exacta box.

show2Ee Disco QuickieML 5/1

Ee Disco Quickie (No. 2) rates third in the field at 53.33 and opens at 5/1 — the best-priced horse in the top three on our ratings. Trainer Telma Janet Loya has Nestor Duran up, a combination that keeps things straightforward. The 300-yard distance rewards horses that break clean and run straight, and Ee Disco Quickie's rating places it firmly in the mix for show — making it an attractive trifecta leg at a price that beats the top two on the board.

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Bottom line: this is a speed-favoring, front-end card on a hot Texas afternoon, and our top free plays — Tunnel Visionn, Tex Hex Bruja, and Jm Rose — all fit that profile. For the full eight-race breakdown, pace scenarios, and exotic wager strategies, subscribers can access the complete TrackWiz analysis. Not a subscriber yet? Check out our plans at /pricing and get in before the first race goes off. Good luck at Retama today — stay hydrated.

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