Daily Picks

Retama Park Picks & Predictions — August 7, 2026

Friday, August 7, 202611 racesRetama Park

It's a hot Friday at Retama Park — clear skies and 91°F on the thermometer — and the quarter horses are ready to run. Today's 11-race card is loaded with speed, featuring a massive block of 350-yard trials that will sort out some serious talent on the San Antonio oval.

Trials cards are always fun to attack because the connections are showing their hand. These aren't horses running blind — trainers are pointing toward bigger spots, which means you'll see genuine effort and some useful form lines get established today. With eight trial races on the slate, there's plenty of ammunition for multi-race horizontal wagers if you know where to look.

The surface is dry and fast under that Texas summer sun, which should favor early speed — and in short-field quarter horse sprints, that's almost always the name of the game. Let's break it down.

Best Bets

Race 1

11:45 PM EDT

Claiming · 440 yd · Dirt

A wide-open 440-yard claimer with a clear TrackWiz rating standout at the top, but several mid-tier horses bunched closely enough to create legitimate exacta and trifecta chaos.

win8Fast Eagle CelebrityML 3/1

Fast Eagle Celebrity (No. 8) is the class of this field by a significant margin — a TrackWiz rating of 87.08 towers over every other entrant and the morning line of 3/1 reflects that dominance without being prohibitively short. Trainer M. Brent Kennedy sends this one out with jockey Beny Bautista Cortes in the irons, a pairing worth noting. With a 20% career win rate backing up the raw rating, Fast Eagle Celebrity looks like the horse to beat in a race where no one else comes close on paper.

place4Ivory in the WindML 4/1

Ivory in the Wind (No. 4) carries the second-highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 56.77 and opens at a fair 4/1 on the morning line. Trainer Isidro Mancillas-Lopez has this one positioned in the right spot, and a 16% career win rate at what appears to be a manageable level of competition gives Diego Contreras a live mount for the exotics. The gap between Ivory in the Wind and the rest of the mid-pack is noticeable enough to make this a solid safety net underneath the top pick.

show9Special Corona RedML 8/1

Special Corona Red (No. 9) is an intriguing inclusion in the trifecta at 8/1 on the morning line, sharing trainer Fernando Chavez with longshot Bv Baby I Lied. The 56.26 TrackWiz rating closely mirrors Ivory in the Wind's number, meaning there's a real case for these two to fight it out for the minor awards. At 8/1, there's enough overlay potential here to make Special Corona Red worth tossing into exotic wagers as a show-price hedge.

Race 2

12:15 AM EDT

Maiden · 350 yd · Dirt

A maiden sprint at 350 yards that separates into a clear top tier and a field of first-timers or debut unknowns — the top three in TrackWiz ratings are bunched together and should sort themselves out over the final few jumps.

win4Jess So FlyML 5/2

Jess So Fly (No. 4) leads all TrackWiz ratings in this maiden field at 87.81 and is the morning-line favorite at 5/2, making this a case where the numbers and the oddsmakers are aligned. Trainer Adan Guzman saddles this one for jockey Noe Villatoro, and while all horses in this maiden race show 0% career win rate — as expected for a field of debut runners — the rating gap here is substantial enough to command respect. At 5/2, Jess So Fly isn't a bargain, but in a wide-open maiden sprint, you want the horse with the most upside at the top of your tickets.

place5Mr Bordertown BuzzML 4/1

Mr Bordertown Buzz (No. 5) checks in second on the TrackWiz board at 78.10 and draws the experienced hand of Ruben Delarosa, Jr. from trainer Antwain Ernest Franklin. The 4/1 morning line makes this a perfectly digestible price for a place wager, and the rating profile suggests consistent ability just a notch below the top selection. In a maiden race, finishing second is often a very achievable outcome for a horse with this kind of raw talent.

show8Dulce Gone WildML 3/1

Dulce Gone Wild (No. 8) is the third horse in what figures to be a closely contested top tier, posting a 77.12 TrackWiz rating that nearly matches Mr Bordertown Buzz. Trainer Mario J. Loza, who also saddles Midnight Mustang, clearly has some live horses in this race, and jockey Ali Rivera gets the call on Dulce Gone Wild at 3/1. The morning-line price is slightly compressed relative to the place pick, so playing this one in the show spot or in exacta boxes with the top two makes the most sense.

Race 3

12:42 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

This 350-yard trial features a top-rated morning-line favorite and a pair of overlooked runners with gaudy win percentages — the value may be hiding in plain sight below the chalk.

win1Let It B CowgirlML 5/2

Let It B Cowgirl (No. 1) tops the TrackWiz ratings at 83.44 and draws the rail post in a 350-yard dash, which at this ultra-short distance is about as good a starting position as you can ask for. Trainer Katie Carlos sends this one out with Claudio Ponce Aguilar aboard at the 5/2 morning-line price, and a 25% career win rate adds credibility to the raw rating. The combination of top number, ideal post, and a modest price for a trial makes this the straightforward top selection.

place3American HoniML 8/1

American Honi (No. 3) is a sneaky-good spot here — a 79.79 TrackWiz rating paired with a 33% career win rate makes this horse statistically one of the most accomplished in the field, and yet the morning line reads 8/1. Trainer Alfred A. Aparicio and jockey H. Javier Hernandez team up on what looks like a significant overlay. That win percentage in particular stands out in a trial field where several horses are making their debuts at this level.

show4Mj WattersML 10/1

Mj Watters (No. 4) opens at 10/1 but carries a 64.64 TrackWiz rating that puts this horse solidly in the middle tier — ahead of the clear longshots but competitive with the mid-pack. Trainer Francisco Perez, Jr. and jockey Oliver E. Martinez give this one a capable connections angle, and with 0% career win rate, the upside is genuinely unknown. At double-digit odds in a trial, Mj Watters is exactly the kind of price horse you want in your exotics to juice up a trifecta payout.

TrackWiz is giving every reader a look at the first three races on today's card, and there's some genuine value baked in. Fast Eagle Celebrity tops our ratings in Race 1 — a 440-yard claiming sprint that opens the card — with an 87.08 TrackWiz rating at a workable 3/1 morning line. From there we move into maiden and trial territory: Jess So Fly leads our analysis in the Race 2 maiden at 5/2, and Let It B Cowgirl draws our top rating in the Race 3 trial at the same price.

All three of these free picks align with a consistent theme: horses that profile as front-runners on a fast, dry Retama strip. In 350-yard and 440-yard sprints, gate speed is everything, and our ratings reflect that edge. If you're building a pick 3 ticket to start the card, these three names are your foundation.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

1:09 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

A 10-horse trial at 350 yards where the TrackWiz model breaks sharply toward a handful of horses, and the morning line has underestimated at least one runner with a quietly strong win percentage.

win8Mw B Cause Im MovinML 5/1

Mw B Cause Im Movin (No. 8) tops the TrackWiz ratings in this field at 76.02 and brings a 33% career win rate that speaks to consistent ability at this level. Trainer Kash Reed and jockey Jose R. Herbert combine on a horse that the morning line opens at 5/1 — a price that looks generous given the rating advantage. In a trial where several horses have no career wins to their name, that win percentage is a meaningful edge.

place9Moonlight On AcesML 15/1

Moonlight On Aces (No. 9) is our value play in this race, opening at 15/1 despite carrying a 69.58 TrackWiz rating and an impressive 33% career win rate. Trainer Richard D. Sedillo sends this one out with jockey Alejandro Medina, and at 15/1, this horse looks significantly underpriced relative to its performance metrics. Tossing Moonlight On Aces into exactas and trifectas at that morning-line price could pay handsomely if the TrackWiz model is right.

show6An Eagles GameML 9/2

An Eagles Game (No. 6) slots in as the third pick with a 68.61 rating and the 9/2 morning-line tag that makes it one of the shorter prices in the top tier. Trainer John A. Stinebaugh and jockey Ali Rivera are a pairing that appears multiple times on tonight's card, suggesting Stinebaugh has a strong book of horses ready. While no career wins are on the ledger for An Eagles Game, the rating keeps this horse relevant in all exotics.

Race 5

1:36 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

One of the most competitive trials on the card — three horses are bunched between 82 and 88 on the TrackWiz scale, and all three carry meaningful win percentages, setting up what could be a thrilling photo finish at the wire.

win5Mister SinatraML 5/2

Mister Sinatra (No. 5) leads the TrackWiz ratings at 87.81 — a score it shares with Jess So Fly from Race 2 — and brings a 50% career win rate that is impossible to ignore in a trial field. Trainer Zackary Stinebaugh and jockey Ali Rivera team up here, and Rivera has been among the busiest jockeys on tonight's card, which speaks to connections' confidence. At 5/2 on the morning line, Mister Sinatra is the most balanced combination of raw talent and proven production in this race.

place1Coronas First CowboyML 3/1

Coronas First Cowboy (No. 1) is right there in the mix with an 85.01 rating and a staggering 66% career win rate — the highest win percentage of any horse in tonight's top picks. Trainer Marc E. Jungers sends this one from the rail with Luis L. Vivanco aboard at 3/1, and while the morning line makes it the second choice, that win rate suggests it could just as easily go off as the favorite. If Mister Sinatra stumbles, Coronas First Cowboy is absolutely the horse to collect on.

show6DenhawkenML 5/1

Denhawken (No. 6) rounds out a formidable top three with an 82.44 TrackWiz rating and a 25% career win rate that, while modest compared to its stablemates in this analysis, still represents a legitimate contender. Victor Manuel Urieta, Jr. gets the mount for trainer Ramiro Barajas Villarreal at a 5/1 morning-line price that offers decent value. In a race where the top three are separated by only about five rating points, Denhawken is a live show horse and a necessary part of any exotic combination.

Race 6

2:03 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

Two horses dominate the TrackWiz ratings at near-identical levels with strong win percentages, setting up a potential match race at the top — the question is whether any mid-tier contender can crash the party.

win1Mallboro RojoML 3/1

Mallboro Rojo (No. 1) opens at 3/1 with an 87.08 TrackWiz rating and a 25% career win rate, drawing the rail post for trainer Rene Talamantes and jockey Rosendo E. Pina Garcia. The rating is tied for the highest on tonight's card across all races, and the connections look sharp — Pina Garcia has multiple mounts this evening suggesting a busy, confident book. At 3/1, this is a fair price for the top-rated horse in the field, and the rail in a 350-yard burst is a distinct advantage.

place8Jeg Fascination BML 5/2

Jeg Fascination B (No. 8) is the morning-line favorite at 5/2 with an 85.58 rating and a 50% career win rate that is eye-catching — this horse has won half its career starts, and Ali Rivera is aboard for trainer Jose U. Lopez. The fact that it opened as the slight favorite over our top pick suggests the market may have a different opinion than our model, so key this one in every exotic combination. A horse with that win percentage doesn't stumble often.

show10Karlees Kool WagonML 9/2

Karlees Kool Wagon (No. 10) gives trainer Janessa Lee Muniz and jockey Ruben Delarosa, Jr. a live longshot angle at 9/2 on the morning line. The 75.60 TrackWiz rating and 20% career win rate make this horse clearly the best of the rest behind the top two, and the price is attractive enough to warrant inclusion in trifecta tickets. If the race gets messy early in the gate break, Karlees Kool Wagon is the most likely beneficiary of any bobble from Mallboro Rojo or Jeg Fascination B.

Race 7

2:30 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

A 10-horse trial where two horses sit well above the field on ratings while the morning line throws a short number on a horse with only middling metrics — that disconnect creates a potential overlay situation worth exploiting.

win2Cowgirls 123ML 3/1

Cowgirls 123 (No. 2) tops the TrackWiz board at 86.12 and opens at a reasonable 3/1 morning line, with trainer Zackary Stinebaugh and jockey Ali Rivera teaming up once again on what looks like one of the stable's better entries tonight. A 20% career win rate may seem modest, but this horse's raw rating separates it meaningfully from the majority of the field. Rivera has been all over the card this evening for the Stinebaugh barn, and this looks like one of their best chances.

place1Dk Marney 123ML 9/2

Dk Marney 123 (No. 1) checks in second on the TrackWiz scale at 80.49 and draws the rail for trainer Miguel Pizana with Victor Manuel Urieta, Jr. riding. The 9/2 morning line offers solid value for what is clearly the second-best horse on paper, and in a 350-yard trial where fractions of a second separate finishing positions, a zero career win rate doesn't diminish the rating. Dk Marney 123 and Cowgirls 123 figure to be fighting it out at the finish.

show9Marvelous MarvML 7/2

Marvelous Marv (No. 9) brings a 70.39 TrackWiz rating and a strong 33% career win rate to the table at 7/2 on the morning line — a price that makes this the third choice despite a sizable rating gap between it and the top two. Trainer Jose Luis Sanchez III saddles this one for jockey Luis L. Vivanco, a combination that appears multiple times on the card. The win percentage relative to price makes Marvelous Marv worth using in trifecta keys under the top two.

Race 8

2:57 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

A 10-horse trial where one horse stands clearly above the field on TrackWiz ratings, and two secondary contenders are tightly grouped just below — a potential exacta setup with the top selection at a workable price.

win6Our Eagle Has LandedML 5/2

Our Eagle Has Landed (No. 6) leads this trial with an 87.81 TrackWiz rating — the same top-tier number posted by Jess So Fly and Mister Sinatra — and backs it up with a 33% career win rate. Trainer Jose Ivan Martinez and jockey Oliver E. Martinez saddle this one at 5/2 on the morning line, and the combination of top rating plus a meaningful win percentage makes this the clearest top selection of any trial on tonight's card. At 5/2, the price is acceptable for what looks like a dominant horse.

place4Hock AjetML 7/2

Hock Ajet (No. 4) is an interesting play in the place spot — a 70.65 TrackWiz rating and the 7/2 morning-line price from trainer Rene Talamantes with Rosendo E. Pina Garcia aboard. This horse has no career wins on record, but the rating clearly sets it apart from most of this field, and Pina Garcia is getting mounts from multiple trainers this evening. Underneath Our Eagle Has Landed, Hock Ajet is the most logical beneficiary if the favorite does what's expected.

show9Sharp CaliberML 5/1

Sharp Caliber (No. 9) rounds out the top three at 5/1 on the morning line with a 67.61 TrackWiz rating. Trainer John A. Stinebaugh — who has multiple horses in trials tonight — sends this one out with Ali Rivera aboard, and the Stinebaugh-Rivera combination has been active and dangerous across the card. While Sharp Caliber has no career wins to cite, the 67-plus rating puts real separation between this horse and the bottom half of the field.

Race 9

3:24 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

This trial features a clear top pick by rating but has a secondary group tight enough to make the exacta genuinely competitive — and one of the secondary horses opens at a price that seems very generous given its credentials.

win4Mister CarterML 7/2

Mister Carter (No. 4) tops the race at an 86.35 TrackWiz rating and opens at 7/2 on the morning line, with trainer Rene Talamantes and jockey Rosendo E. Pina Garcia getting the call. Pina Garcia has been sharp throughout the card, and Talamantes also saddles Hock Ajet in Race 8, showing a stable with multiple live horses on the evening. The 25% career win rate gives Mister Carter a proven track record that few others in this field can match.

place9Lil Bolt of FireML 5/1

Lil Bolt of Fire (No. 9) is a legitimate value angle at 5/1 morning line with an 80.42 TrackWiz rating and a 33% career win rate — better win percentage than our top pick and a solid rating to boot. Trainer Adan Guzman and jockey H. Javier Hernandez team up, and this pairing warrants respect. At 5/1, Lil Bolt of Fire could very easily outrun its odds and should be used widely in exactas with Mister Carter.

show6Queen StoneML 8/1

Queen Stone (No. 6) draws the John A. Stinebaugh-Ali Rivera connection once again — a combo that has been prominent all card long — at 8/1 on the morning line. The 70.04 TrackWiz rating and 33% career win rate make Queen Stone a genuinely live show contender at a double-digit price. In a trial where the top two could easily run away from the field, Queen Stone's win percentage makes it the most credible threat from the secondary tier.

Race 10

3:51 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

A final-round trial where two horses are tied at the top of the TrackWiz ratings and the morning line splits them by only half a point of odds — this one is a genuine coin flip at the top and a wide-open trifecta underneath.

win3BetrueagleML 7/2

Betrueagle (No. 3) is our top selection on the strength of an 86.35 TrackWiz rating — tied for the highest mark in this field — combined with a 25% career win rate that shows this horse has converted talent into wins. Trainer Brittany N. Tellez and jockey Froylan Tellez Ramirez bring a family connection to the irons that often signals extra motivation and attention to preparation. At 7/2 on the morning line, Betrueagle represents solid value relative to its rating strength.

place1Dot Dot Dot XoML 3/1

Dot Dot Dot Xo (No. 1) is trained by Zackary Stinebaugh — who has had live horses throughout the card — and ridden by Ali Rivera, a combination that has appeared in multiple TrackWiz top picks tonight. The 66.35 rating and 33% career win rate make this the most accomplished horse in the secondary tier, and at 3/1 the morning line price reflects real market confidence. If anything, this horse could attract late betting support and go off shorter than its morning line.

show2County TimeML 10/1

County Time (No. 2) is a sneaky inclusion at 10/1 morning line with a 63.22 TrackWiz rating — one of the better numbers among horses at double-digit odds on tonight's card. Trainer Jose Ivan Martinez and jockey Oliver E. Martinez team up once more, a barn that has had multiple competitive runners throughout the evening. The 0% career win rate is a flag, but the rating and connections suggest County Time could be further along than its record shows, making it a value play in trifecta tickets.

Race 11

4:17 AM EDT

Claiming · 300 yd · Dirt

The closing Claiming race at 300 yards features a clear TrackWiz standout at the top, but three horses are closely grouped below it — making the exacta and trifecta more interesting than the win bet.

win1One Fine WineML 3/1

One Fine Wine (No. 1) posts an 87.08 TrackWiz rating — one of the highest marks of the entire evening — and draws the rail at 300 yards, the shortest distance on tonight's card where gate breaks are everything. Trainer Martin Rodriguez and jockey Alejandro Medina team up on a horse with an 11% career win rate, which may seem low at first glance but likely reflects a demanding schedule at competitive levels. At 3/1 on the morning line, One Fine Wine is a solid win bet backed by the numbers.

place10Di the Peytons KissML 4/1

Di the Peytons Kiss (No. 10) comes in at a strong 78.30 TrackWiz rating and a 25% career win rate — one of the better win percentages in the field — for trainer Jose Ivan Martinez and jockey Oliver E. Martinez. At 4/1 on the morning line, this horse is a legitimate second choice and looks like a must-use in exactas underneath One Fine Wine. The Martinez trainer-jockey combo has shown up consistently on tonight's card with horses that run up to their numbers.

show4Otts MooreML 7/2

Otts Moore (No. 4) brings a 75.89 TrackWiz rating and a 25% career win rate to the table at 7/2 morning line — a short price for a show selection but justified by the strong metrics. Trainer Jose Luis Sanchez III has been active all card long, and jockey Luis L. Vivanco gets the call on what could be the most underlaid horse in the trifecta. Three horses above 75 on the TrackWiz scale and a clean top tier makes the 1-10-4 trifecta combination a strong ticket to close out the night.

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Today at Retama is a speed player's paradise — a fast track, short distances, and a trials-heavy card that rewards horses who can break clean and get gone. Fast Eagle Celebrity, Jess So Fly, and Let It B Cowgirl headline the free selections, while Mister Sinatra and Our Eagle Has Landed lead a deep premium card worth exploring. Full analysis, pace scenarios, and exotic tickets are available to TrackWiz subscribers — check out our plans and make every race count today.

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