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Thistledown Picks & Predictions — September 7, 2026
Labor Day weekend stretches into Monday at Thistledown, and the track is serving up a clean, crisp 8-race card to close it out. With clear skies and temperatures sitting right at 74°F, the dirt should be playing fast and consistent all afternoon — the kind of conditions where pace scenarios sharpen up and speed figures become a reliable compass.
Today's card leans heavily on claiming company, which is Thistledown's bread and butter, but Race 7 steps things up with an allowance feature at 6 furlongs. That's where the better horses come to play, and it's a race worth circling early. The first three races are open to everyone, so whether you're a TrackWiz subscriber or just dipping a toe in, there's plenty to dig into before the first post.
Best Bets
Race 1
Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
A one-mile dirt claimer with a clear top three on paper, but the morning line spreads from 2/1 to 20/1 — the value question is whether the chalk holds or one of the mid-prices sneaks in.
Kingdom Trails enters as our top-rated horse in the field at 88.54 and draws the morning-line favoritism at 2/1 for good reason. A 27% career win rate is genuinely strong for a claiming runner, and trainer Nestor R. Rivera puts him in a spot where the distance — a full mile on dirt — suits the profile. Jockey David J. Haldar gets the call, and with that rating advantage over the rest of the field, Kingdom Trails is the horse to beat in Race 1.
Wonder World posts the second-highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 86.35 and backs it up with the best career win percentage of anyone in this race at 33%. Trainer Ricardo Bailey and jockey Jason Simpson make for a competent combo, and at 7/2 on the morning line, there's a scenario where Wonder World outperforms that number if the pace sets up honestly over a mile.
Work'n On a Buzz slots in third on our ratings at 84.06 — tight enough to the top two to make him a genuine exotic player. His average speed figure of 53 is a tick above several rivals, and at 4/1 he's a fair price for trifecta coverage. Trainer Robert C. Cline and jockey Mauro Cedillo round out a workmanlike but respectable combination.
Race 2
Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt
Six furlongs on the dirt with a legitimate upset angle hiding in the outside post — Her Own Shadow carries the top TrackWiz rating but goes postward at 9/2, making this a potential value race if the public oversupports the morning-line favorite.
Her Own Shadow is our top-rated horse at 84.90 and ties Spun in Dominus for the best career win percentage in the field at 37% — that combination of raw rating and proven closing ability is hard to ignore. She goes at 9/2 on the morning line despite those credentials, which likely reflects a tough outside post draw more than any fundamental weakness. Trainer Jeffrey A. Radosevich puts her in a manageable six-furlong spot, and if jockey Luis Raul Rivera can find a clean trip from gate seven, the price makes this a standout value play.
Laketown Elly is the morning-line choice at 5/2 and backs up that favoritism with a 33% career win rate — best among the horses the public will likely key on. Her TrackWiz rating of 70.80 is solid, and trainer Craig Sweeting keeps her in familiar claiming territory. If the pace gets hot up front, Laketown Elly's win percentage suggests she knows how to finish.
Queen Kitty is an interesting show option at 6/1 with a TrackWiz rating of 69.24 — third-highest in the race. She's been a tough out for trainer Loren Huepenbecker, and while a 14% career win rate won't win any awards, her speed figures are competitive at 53. In a six-furlong sprint where things can get chaotic early, she's a reasonable trifecta anchor.
Race 3
Maiden Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt
Maiden claimers going six furlongs — nobody in this field has broken their maiden yet, but the ratings spread is wide enough to suggest a clear hierarchy, with a longshot show play worth sprinkling in for exotic ticket builders.
Remix From Phoenix carries the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 88.83 — a meaningful edge in a maiden claiming sprint where separation is everything. The 9/5 morning line suggests the betting public agrees, and trainer Joshua Langley sends him out with jockey Angel I. Diaz, a dependable combination for this level. In a race where no horse has a win to their name, the rating advantage alone makes Remix From Phoenix the most logical win play.
Worthy of It All checks in second on our ratings at 83.07 and actually owns the best average speed figure in the field at 52, matching Skiptheguilttrip but doing it with a significantly higher overall rating. Trainer Michael L. Rone and jockey Erik Barbaran are a sharp pairing, and at 2/1 on the morning line, the horse has legitimate win upside — place coverage looks like a smart hedge if Remix runs to his number.
Skiptheguilttrip is the longshot value play for show at 10/1, and the case is straightforward — a TrackWiz rating of 60.47 puts him third in this field, ahead of the three lowest-rated horses by a comfortable margin. Trainer Paul G. Overholt gives him a reasonable trip at six furlongs, and his average speed figure of 52 ties for the field's best. At double-digit odds, he's a great trifecta wheel option for bettors building exotics.
The free portion of today's card opens with a mile-long claiming race that puts Kingdom Trails (2/1 morning line, TrackWiz rating 88.54) front and center — a strong rating for the claiming ranks, and the extra ground suits horses who project to get a comfortable pace setup. From there we shift to a 6-furlong sprint in Race 2, where Her Own Shadow at 9/2 offers a touch of value if the pace sets up to her liking. Race 3 is maiden claiming territory at 6 furlongs, and Remix From Phoenix comes in as the morning-line favorite at 9/5 with the highest TrackWiz rating of the first three races at 88.83 — a number that suggests she's a legitimate standout in this field.
With the dirt playing true on a clear afternoon, the common thread through all three free races is straightforward: pace matters. Horses that can find position early without burning too much fuel should have a leg up. TrackWiz analysis on these three races is free to all readers — no subscription required.
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A clear, comfortable afternoon at Thistledown with eight races and a legitimate allowance feature to anchor the card — it's a good day to be at the window. Start with Kingdom Trails, Her Own Shadow, and Remix From Phoenix in the free races, then let TrackWiz guide you through the rest. Subscribers have the full pace projections, exotic ticket breakdowns, and every top pick waiting for them — check out our premium plans if you want the complete picture before post time.