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Woodbine Picks & Predictions — August 21, 2026

August 21, 20267 racesAll Woodbine picks

This card ran on August 21, 2026.

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Best bets at Woodbine, August 21, 2026

Race 13Private LabelML 6/11:00 PM EDT

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Last 30 days at Woodbine: our top pick won 7 of 24 races (29%) and finished in the money in 10.

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Clear skies and a comfortable 75°F greet us at Woodbine on Friday, August 21 — just about the ideal conditions for a 7-race card that splits evenly between the turf and the Tapeta dirt. When the weather cooperates like this, the turf course tends to play true and fast, which is good news for closers and off-the-pace types who have been running into trouble on softer going in recent weeks.

Today's card leans heavily toward the claiming and optional claiming ranks, meaning class drops and class climbers will be front and center in our analysis. It's the kind of card where sharp handicappers can find real edges — horses moving into friendlier company, pace scenarios that set up perfectly for one running style, and morning lines that don't always tell the whole story. We've got three free races to get you started and four premium races that dig deeper into the full card.

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Race 1

1:00 PM EDT

Optional Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

A wide-open optional claimer on the turf at 1 1/16 miles where the morning line underestimates a standout on the TrackWiz ratings board — value hunters should pay close attention.

win3Private LabelML 6/1

Private Label (6/1) is the clear TrackWiz top-rated horse in this field with an 82.71 rating, nearly five points clear of the second-best figure here. Trainer Dale A. Desruisseaux sends this one out with an 18% career win rate — the highest of any connections in the race — which is a meaningful edge in a field this evenly matched. At 6/1 on the morning line, there's real overlay potential if the public money gravitates toward the shorter-priced favorites. Ryan Munger gets the call, and for a turf route, this profile checks a lot of boxes.

place7Southern StyleML 5/2

Southern Style (5/2) checks in with a 78.42 TrackWiz rating, second-best in the field, and figures to be in the mix at every call around this 1 1/16-mile turf oval. The 14% career win rate from trainer Gail Cox suggests a consistent barn that knows how to place horses, and Pietro Moran is an experienced hand on the Woodbine turf. The 5/2 morning line makes this a solid saver in exacta and trifecta combinations.

show1Sprung LooseML 2/1

Sprung Loose opens as the morning line favorite at 2/1 despite carrying only a 60.37 TrackWiz rating — third in this field. The public is clearly high on this one, and while a 6% career win rate is modest, the connections with Jeffrey Ian Alderson up give it enough tactical speed over 1 1/16 miles to loom as a place-show threat. Worth including in your exotics as the likely pace-setter that the market is backing.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

Race 2: Free with an Account

Race 2

1:32 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Dirt

A dirt claimer at 1 1/16 miles with a clear class standout at the top of the ratings, but a compact mid-tier cluster makes the exotics interesting if the favorite stumbles.

win7Buttonwood TreeML 9/5

Buttonwood Tree is the most compelling horse on the Woodbine card through the early going — an 88.83 TrackWiz rating tops this field by more than three points, and an 18% career win rate signals a horse that knows how to finish the job. Trainer Edgar Mendoza sends out Ryan Munger, and this pair comes in with solid form profiles for a 1 1/16-mile dirt test. At 9/5 on the morning line, the price isn't generous, but the numbers back the favoritism.

place3Fast and ReadyML 4/1

Fast and Ready (4/1) is the second-highest rated horse in this field at 85.62, posting the field's top average speed figure of 54. Trainer Daniel Wills and jockey Pietro Moran form a capable combination, and 10% career win rate in claiming company suggests this runner consistently shows up. At 4/1, there's decent place value here if you're looking to pair it underneath Buttonwood Tree in an exacta.

show4Three Sonny SideupML 6/1

Three Sonny Sideup (6/1) is a legitimate show contender with a 75.07 TrackWiz rating — clearly third-best in the field — and Emma-Jayne Wilson, one of Woodbine's most reliable riders, climbs aboard for trainer Richard L. Morden. The 6/1 morning line gives this one exotic appeal, especially in trifectas where the bottom two spots could pay handsomely if the top two hold. A 8% career win rate in claiming isn't flashy, but this is a horse built to run into the exacta picture.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

Our free selections cover the first three races, and there's a clear thread running through them. On the dirt side, Buttonwood Tree (Race 2, 9/5 ML) and Wild Red (Race 3, 2/1 ML) both carry TrackWiz ratings in the upper 80s — strong marks for this level of claiming company — and our pace models like how both races should set up for their preferred running styles. Don't sleep on Private Label opening the card on the turf at 6/1 morning line, either. That price looks generous given the rating of 82.71 our model spit out, and the clear, fast turf conditions today should play right into this horse's wheelhouse.

With the turf playing quick and the dirt surface showing no obvious bias in early reports, all three free picks have conditions working in their favor. These aren't just "go-along-to-get-along" favorites — they're horses our analysis has identified as having a real edge over their fields today.

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Full Card Analysis

Race 3

2:06 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

At 5½ furlongs on the dirt, early speed is everything — and one horse in this field has both the top rating and the pace profile to wire this field from gate to wire.

win3Wild RedML 2/1

Wild Red is the standout here, posting an 88.54 TrackWiz rating — more than 26 points ahead of the next-best contender — with an 18% career win rate and a top average speed figure of 55. Pietro Moran picks up the mount for trainer Darwin D. Banach, and in a sprint where early position matters enormously, this horse has the profile to control or track the pace and kick home. At 2/1 on the morning line, the market has already identified the danger, but the ratings gap is significant enough to trust the number.

place4UnheardML 9/2

Unheard (9/2) is the second-highest rated horse in this field at 61.69, matching the top speed figure of 55 alongside Wild Red. Trainer Julia Carey sends this one out with Keveh Nicholls aboard, and a 10% career win rate in this class level suggests a horse that's competitive without necessarily being a closer. At 9/2, there's solid place value here — a reasonable exacta partner underneath Wild Red.

show1Cayenne KissML 6/1

Cayenne Kiss (6/1) brings a notably high 25% career win rate into this spot — the highest in the field — which suggests a horse that knows how to hit the board when it fires. Trainer Joe S. Russo ships this one with an average speed figure of 55, matching the top horses in the race. Fraser Aebly takes the mount, and at 6/1, this is a worthwhile show play and trifecta inclusion given that win percentage is one of the best predictive stats in short sprint fields.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

Race 4

2:39 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Turf

A nine-horse turf sprint at 6 furlongs where the morning line favorite doesn't match up with the TrackWiz ratings — there's potential for a significant overlay to cash at a price.

win8Red WeaverML 3/1

Red Weaver (3/1) leads all TrackWiz ratings in this nine-horse field at 87.08 — nearly 15 points clear of the next-best horse — and carries a 23% career win rate that stands among the best of any horse on the Woodbine card today. Trainer Robert P. Tiller is a seasoned Woodbine conditioner who puts Daisuke Fukumoto in the irons. The 3/1 morning line is actually fair given the ratings edge, making this one of the more confident top selections on the card.

place2Napa SpiritML 10/1

Napa Spirit (10/1) is a live longshot play for place honors, carrying the second-highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 72.03 along with a standout 32% career win rate — the second-best in the field. Also trained by Robert P. Tiller, this barn clearly knows how to get horses ready at Woodbine, and having two runners in the same race gives Tiller coverage in the exacta. At 10/1 on the morning line, Napa Spirit offers genuine value for win-and-place tickets and exotic wagers.

show6Arabian PrinceML 6/1

Arabian Prince (6/1) slots in as a sneaky show play here with a 67.48 TrackWiz rating, sitting in a tight cluster of mid-tier horses between 67 and 68. Trainer Audrey Cheung sends this one out with Romero Ramsay Maragh — a jockey who knows this Woodbine turf course — and while a 4% career win rate is low, the rating says this horse is capable of hitting the board. In a nine-horse field with speed likely to set up for closers, Arabian Prince warrants a spot in your trifecta tickets.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Race 5

3:12 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 1/2 fur · Dirt

Three horses are bunched between 78 and 88 on the TrackWiz ratings in this 6½-furlong dirt claimer, setting up a three-way battle for the top spots with some separation from the rest of the field.

win2Serious GreenML 5/2

Serious Green (5/2) leads this eight-horse field with an 87.81 TrackWiz rating and posts an average speed figure of 54 — one of the top marks in the race. Trainer L. Rodney Barrow puts Austin Adams up, and while a 5% career win rate looks low on paper, the rating says this horse is performing at a level that should translate into a win when pace and trip cooperate. The 5/2 morning line reflects market confidence, and the data backs it.

place3SunnyvilleML 6/1

Sunnyville (6/1) runs second in the TrackWiz ratings at 82.24, putting up a figure only slightly below the top pick, which at 6/1 represents legitimate value. Trainer Andrew Smith sends this runner out with Fraser Aebly, one of the busier and more reliable riders in the Woodbine colony. A 6% career win rate is modest, but the speed and rating combination here is strong enough to suggest this horse hits the board more often than that figure implies — making it a prime exacta partner.

show8Crumlin FashionML 2/1

Crumlin Fashion (2/1) is the morning line second choice and third in TrackWiz ratings at 78.23, with a 12% career win rate that is the highest among the top three contenders. Trainer Donald C. MacRae saddles Edgar Zenteno, and this pair comes in with an average speed figure of 54 — matching Serious Green at the top. As a show play, Crumlin Fashion is the hedge you want in the trifecta given the market will likely make this horse one of the top two choices by post time.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 8 runners

Race 6

3:45 PM EDT

Optional Claiming · 7 fur · Turf

An eleven-horse optional claimer on the Woodbine turf at 7 furlongs — deep field, wide spread of morning line prices, but the ratings clearly point to a standout that the public may be undervaluing.

win1My CovenantML 7/2

My Covenant (7/2) tops this deep eleven-horse field with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating and brings a 14% career win rate into a race where most rivals are well below that mark. Pietro Moran gets the mount for trainer Audrey Cheung, and the 7-furlong turf trip looks tailor-made for a horse posting average speed figures of 55 — tied for the best in this field. In a wide-open optional claimer, the combination of top rating and respected connections makes this the clear best bet of the race.

place7Golden TruthML 4/1

Golden Truth (4/1) rates second in this field at 78.50 and also clocks average speed figures of 55, matching the top horses in the race. Trainer Basil Leon gives Christoff Douglas the call, and while an 8% career win rate is on the lower side, the rating suggests this horse is competitive at the top of this group. At 4/1, there's solid place value here, and Golden Truth figures to be running hard late in a race that could get hot up front.

show4Fine StyleML 6/1

Fine Style (6/1) checks in with a 68.67 TrackWiz rating and stands out with a 16% career win rate — one of the better win percentages in this field. Trainer Angus Buntain puts Jeffrey Ian Alderson up, and notably, Fine Style posts the highest average speed figure in the entire field at 56. That top-end speed number, combined with a 6/1 morning line price, makes this a worthwhile trifecta inclusion and a horse to watch if the pace gets fast early.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 11 runners

Race 7

4:18 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Maiden claimers are always unpredictable — zero career wins across all thirteen entrants — but the TrackWiz ratings reveal a wide talent gap that gives bettors a strong angle at the top.

win1Glorious RevengeML 7/2

Glorious Revenge (7/2) headlines this thirteen-horse maiden claimer with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating — the highest in the field by more than 23 points — which is a substantial edge in a race full of unproven horses. Trainer Noel A. Williams sends this one out with Romero Ramsay Maragh, a jockey with plenty of Woodbine experience, and while every horse in this field is still looking for win number one, the ratings gap here is bigger than you'll often see in open maiden races. At 7/2, the morning line already reflects market respect for this runner, but the edge is real enough to warrant a confident play.

place2Noisy CricketML 5/2

Noisy Cricket (5/2) opens as the morning line second choice and rates second in the field at 63.15 — a solid figure in this company, posting average speed figures of 53. Fraser Aebly gets the mount for John Mattine's barn, which also has Royal Fonz in the race — but Noisy Cricket is clearly the stable's primary entry based on the ratings and rider. In maiden claiming sprints, horses with consistent speed figures and established connections tend to outperform expectations when the favorite hits trouble.

show8BrockwellML 10/1

Brockwell (10/1) offers compelling show value at double digits — a 54.68 TrackWiz rating puts this horse third in the field, and posting average speed figures of 53 keeps it competitive with the top contenders in a race where many entrants are in the 28-44 range. Trainer John A. Ross gives Luis Contreras the call, and in a thirteen-horse maiden field with a lot of unknowns, having the third-best rating at 10/1 is exactly the kind of overlay that makes trifecta tickets interesting. A worthwhile addition to the bottom of your exotic wagers.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 13 runners

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A clean, 75-degree Friday at Woodbine with a card full of claiming intrigue — there's plenty to play with today. Private Label is our early value flag, while Buttonwood Tree and Wild Red give us two high-confidence plays to build around in the free races. For the full-card breakdown, pace angles, and exotic ticket strategy through Race 7, TrackWiz subscribers have everything they need. Good luck at the windows — let's have a day.

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