Retama Park Picks & Predictions — August 14, 2026

Sheza Savage Yg (#10) comes in second on our ratings at 74.74, more than 12 points behind the top pick but a full 21 points ahead of the third-rated horse in the field. Manuel Lara takes the mount for trainer Edgar V. Mendoza, and at 7/2 on the morning line there's legitimate place value here. The double-digit program number means she'll be loading from the far outside — something worth monitoring at the gate in short sprints.

Pulgarcita Mia (#7) rates 53.33 and lands squarely in the middle tier of this competitive maiden bunch. Trainer Saul Ramirez, Jr. sends out Eleazar Rivera Hernandez, and at 5/1 on the morning line the show price could be generous if she fires her best shot. In maiden races with a lot of unknowns, having a show position hedge at 5/1 makes solid exotic sense.

Rcv Blue Fire (#9) is the 2/1 morning-line chalk and rates 58.33 — solid, but slightly behind our top pick. Trainer Adan Guzman saddles Noe Villatoro, and the public money will likely make this horse even shorter come post time. As a place bet, she's reliable; as a win bet, our model suggests you're leaving value on the table by not siding with C Shes Lucky Lady on top.

Be the Answer (#1) rates 58.25, just a whisker behind Rcv Blue Fire, and draws the rail which in quarter horse racing can be either a blessing or a curse depending on the break. Trainer Carlos Cruz Lopez turns to Eliazar T. Vera, a rider we've seen throughout today's card. At 4/1, show tickets are fair, and she's a logical trifecta wheel underneath the top two.

Kinetik (#6) rates second in the field at 65.45 with H. Javier Hernandez in the saddle for trainer Ignacio Bustamante. There's a 23-point gap between Kinetik and Indian Cartel on our model, but the rest of the field is bunched enough that second place could be hotly contested. At 3/1, the place price is workable and he's the most logical bridesmaid in this race.

An Dee Special (#9) comes in third on our ratings at 59.19 and gets Victor Manuel Urieta, Jr. — who is also active throughout today's card — for trainer Rodolfo Gutierrez Hernandez. At 4/1 on the morning line, the show position offers value, and in a 10-horse field at 550 yards, the longer trip creates opportunities for pace scenarios to play out in favor of closers or stalkers. Include in your trifecta underneath.

Skooby (#5) is the TrackWiz value play of this race, rating 66.94 with a standout 23% career win rate — the second-highest win percentage in the field. J.R. Ramirez, Jr. rides for trainer Joseph D. Manucy, and the 10/1 morning line screams potential overlay given that win rate. If you're building exactas or quinellas, Skooby underneath Mr Dashing Yess is a place bet with real pop.

Tempting for Cash (#10) brings a 15% career win rate and a 63.38 rating — solid third-best in the field — for trainer Joe Chapa and jockey Ruben Delarosa, Jr. At 3/1 on the morning line, the show price won't be huge, but the consistency suggested by a 15% win rate makes her a reliable underneath play in trifectas. Chapa also trains Train Hoppin in this same race, so he clearly has the barn well-represented.

Tlc Dream (#6) rates 56.51 — second in the field — and goes postward at 10/1, another potential overlay in a race where the morning line appears tilted toward pedigree perception rather than form. Trainer Francisco Campos, Jr. and jockey Claudio Ponce Aguilar combine on a horse that our model respects even if the tote board doesn't yet. The place price at 10/1 could be exceptional — use aggressively in exactas.

That a Pool Deal (#9) rates 55.83 and is the 7/2 morning-line second choice, making it the 'public horse' in a race where our top two picks are double-digit prices. J.R. Ramirez, Jr. climbs aboard for trainer Isidro Hinojosa, and while we prefer the longshot angles above on top, That a Pool Deal is a safe show anchor in trifecta combinations. If the race sets up for a pace-presser, this one could outrun the morning line.

Mary Anns Corona (#4) rates 58.01 for trainer Winston Lewis and jockey Alejandro Medina — a meaningful step below the top pick but comfortably ahead of the show contender. At 5/1 on the morning line, the place price represents fair value and she's the logical exacta partner underneath La Caponera. In maiden races, the second-best on ratings often runs a clean second.

Special Eagle (#9) rates an even 55.00 for trainer Aracely Mejia and jockey Rigoberto Camarillo Ortega — just below Mary Anns Corona and well-positioned as the third-best in a field where three horses clearly separate from the pack. At 4/1 on the morning line, the show position is reasonable, and this horse rounds out the natural trifecta sequence. Include in all three-horse combinations.

Razzledazzleme (#2) rates just 0.49 points behind the top pick at 86.59 — statistically a coin flip on ratings — but goes postward at 5/2 as the morning-line favorite. Victor Manuel Urieta, Jr. rides for trainer John Boegner, and while the public may have this one on top, we're comfortable using it as our place selection given the razor-thin ratings gap. The exacta pairing of these two horses in either direction is the play of the race.

Besame Bye (#5) brings the most impressive career win rate in the entire allowance field at 33% — one in three starts resulting in a victory is genuinely elite at this level. Beny Bautista Cortes rides for trainer M. Brent Kennedy, and the 5/1 morning line on a horse with that win rate suggests potential overlay value. At 76.39 on our ratings, she's firmly in the conversation for the top spot on a good day — and a legitimate show anchor in trifectas.

Karakter (#10) rates 55.83 for trainer Sergio Luis Lira and jockey J.R. Ramirez, Jr. — well behind the top pick but firmly ahead of the next tier in the field. Loading from the outside gate in a 250-yard sprint is a challenge, but the ratings say this horse belongs in the exacta. At 7/2 on the morning line, the place ticket offers fair return, and Ramirez is one of the day's most reliable riders.

Absolutes Cartel (#4) rates an even 55.00 — essentially tied with Karakter for the second-best position in the field — and gets Gilberto Linares for trainer Mario J. Loza, who has been active throughout the entire card today. At 4/1 on the morning line, this is a sound show play and a natural trifecta finisher. Loza's barn having multiple horses on the card is worth noting as a sign of a stable firing on all cylinders.