Unlock the other 5 races on today's card, plus AI ratings on every runner and SmartBet ticket construction.

The winner is in our top 4 picks 75% of the time, across 17 tracks.

Daily Picks

Woodbine Picks & Predictions — October 23, 2026

October 23, 20268 racesAll Woodbine picks

Friday at Woodbine and the fall meet is hitting its stride. Eight races are on the board today under partly cloudy skies and a crisp 54°F — classic late-October conditions at one of North America's best tracks. The good news: the weather is cooperating, and with no rain in the mix, we're looking at a consistent dirt surface and a turf course that should be holding up nicely for the two grass tests on the card.

The card leans heavily on claiming action — six straight claiming races bookending an optional claimer in Race 6 — which means class movement and horse form will be front and center in our analysis. There's a lot of value to mine here if you know where to look, and our TrackWiz ratings have a few names standing out from the morning-line crowd.

Best Bets

Race 1

5:05 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Dirt

A claiming mile-and-a-sixteenth on dirt that shapes up as a two-horse battle at the top, with the morning line chalk and the TrackWiz top-rated horse running close together in the ratings — pace could be the deciding factor late.

win5Lonny's GambleML 2/1

Lonny's Gamble earns the top TrackWiz rating in this field at 87.82, and trainer Josie Carroll is one of the steadier conditioners at Woodbine. The morning line of 2/1 suggests the market agrees this is the horse to beat, though a career win rate of just 5% is worth noting — this one may need things to go right. At 1 1/16 miles on dirt, horses with strong late energy tend to shine, and our analysis projects Lonny's Gamble fits that profile best against this bunch.

place3Tiz the PowerML 6/1

Tiz the Power sits second in the TrackWiz ratings at 82.71 and comes in at a juicy 6/1 on the morning line — solid overlay territory for a place ticket. A career win rate of 11% shows this horse can find the winner's circle, and Jose Luis Campos picks up the mount, which is a positive. If Lonny's Gamble gets caught up in any early pace pressure, Tiz the Power has the rating to capitalize.

show1ChanchitoML 3/1

Chanchito is the program's morning-line favorite at 3/1 with a TrackWiz rating of 82 and a 12% career win percentage — the best win rate in the field. Christoff Douglas gets the call and has been a reliable pilot around Woodbine's main track. Even if Chanchito can't quite reel in the top two, that win rate and figure suggest a piece of the ticket is a reasonable expectation.

Race 2

5:38 PM EDT

Claiming · 7 fur · Dirt

Seven furlongs on dirt for claimers, and this one has a clear standout at the top — but a middle tier bunched tightly in the ratings could make the exacta and trifecta spots genuinely competitive.

win2Lake Como HeistML 5/2

Lake Como Heist is the class of this field by a wide margin, posting a TrackWiz rating of 87.81 — nearly 27 points clear of the next-best horse. What really stands out is a 20% career win rate, the highest in the field by a significant margin, suggesting this horse consistently turns in top efforts when it matters. Eswan Flores rides, and at 5/2 on the morning line, this is a confident top choice rather than a pure value play — but the numbers justify the price.

place7ApeldoornML 7/2

Apeldoorn sits at 7/2 on the morning line with a TrackWiz rating of 60.75 and a 10% career win rate — enough to suggest a horse who's competitive but needs things to go right. Fraser Aebly has been active around the Woodbine circuit and provides a capable hand. If the pace gets fast up front with Lake Como Heist pressed early, Apeldoorn could be positioned to swoop for second.

show6Monday MorningML 6/1

Monday Morning opens at 6/1 with a rating of 53.61 and makes some sense as a show play in a race where the top two selections look solid. Ryan Munger takes the mount, and while a 3% career win rate is modest, the 6/1 price inflates the value for show-ticket purposes. In a race with a clear top choice, having a mid-rated closer underneath in your exotics is a reasonable construction.

Race 3

6:11 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

A short sprint at 5 1/2 furlongs favors horses who break sharply and control their own destiny — the TrackWiz ratings show a clear top three separated from the rest, setting up a potentially clean exacta and trifecta structure.

win3Noisy CricketML 5/1

Noisy Cricket is the TrackWiz top choice here at 84.17 and carries the most impressive career win rate in the field at 25% — one in every four starts, which is elite at this level. Trainer John Mattine keeps the horse sharp and Fraser Aebly gets the mount, a combination worth noting. At 5/1 on the morning line, this is a legitimate overlay — our analysis suggests this horse is priced longer than its true probability, making it the best bet of the first three races.

place2Your ValentinoML 7/2

Your Valentino has a 75.38 rating and an 18% career win rate — second-best in the field — and Rafael Manuel Hernandez takes the reins. Trainer Sylvain Pion's runner opened at 7/2, which is reasonable given those credentials. The short sprint format suits a horse with a high win percentage, and if Noisy Cricket has any trouble at the break, Your Valentino is well-placed to capitalize for at least a piece.

show1Tutti ContentiML 2/1

Tutti Contenti draws the rail at 2/1 as the morning-line favorite, with a TrackWiz rating of 74.82 and Christoff Douglas up for trainer Robert P. Tiller. The favorite tag and solid rating make this a natural show anchor for exotics — even if it gets outrun by our top two, a horse with a 9% career win rate and a top-five speed figure in the field should be competitive. Underneath-ticket users can lean on Tutti Contenti with confidence.

We're opening three races for every reader today, and there's a solid thread connecting them: early speed. On a firm, fast fall dirt track, pace scenarios tend to favor horses that can settle close to the lead without burning up early. Lonny's Gamble in Race 1 (rated 87.82) tops our free-card picks at 1 1/16 miles — a distance that rewards tactical runners over closers in this kind of weather. Jump over to Race 2 where Lake Como Heist (87.81) matches nearly the same rating at 7 furlongs, suggesting a genuinely competitive morning line at 5/2 that could represent real value at the windows. Race 3 brings us Noisy Cricket at 5/1 morning line in the 5½-furlong sprint — that's our longshot angle of the free card, and at 84.17 in a short-field claiming dash, there's a case to be made for a sneaky win ticket.

Send me tomorrow's free Woodbine card before post time.

Free picks in your inbox each morning. No card required, unsubscribe anytime.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

6:44 PM EDT

Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt

Six furlongs on the Woodbine dirt brings out a deep eight-horse field where two horses separate themselves at the top of the TrackWiz ratings — but the morning-line prices don't perfectly reflect that, creating some genuine betting angles.

win6SpringerML 4/1

Springer tops the TrackWiz ratings at 85.62 and opens at 4/1 on the morning line — that's a meaningful gap versus the second-best horse and a price that represents solid value. Rico W. Walcott gets the call for trainer Devon Gittens, and a 17% career win rate confirms Springer knows how to close out a race. At six furlongs on dirt, a horse with a top speed figure and a strong win percentage is exactly the profile you want.

place7Vamos ViejoML 5/2

Vamos Viejo rates second in the field at 81.64 and actually carries the top average speed figure in the race at 56 — worth flagging for speed-figure handicappers. Jose Luis Campos rides for Debra E. Rombis, and a morning line of 5/2 makes this the second choice despite our analysis ranking Springer higher. The speed edge could matter early on the front end, and Vamos Viejo looks like a prime place-ticket candidate who might even challenge for the top spot.

show2Indian PeakML 2/1

Indian Peak opens at 2/1 — morning-line favoritism — with a 67.37 rating and a 15% career win rate, which ranks among the better figures in the field. Pietro Moran rides for the respected Robert P. Tiller barn, and Tiller has a strong track record of placing horses competitively. Our analysis sees Springer and Vamos Viejo as the top two, but at 2/1, Indian Peak's form warrants a show slot and makes a natural part of any exotic play.

Race 5

7:17 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

Turf racing at 1 1/16 miles adds a layer of complexity — grass form can be elusive, and with three horses packed tightly in the upper 80s of the TrackWiz ratings, this shaping up as a genuinely competitive top tier on a surface that rewards patience.

win4Film AcademyML 2/1

Film Academy heads into this race with an 85.27 TrackWiz rating and draws the 2/1 morning-line favorite tab for trainer Audrey Cheung, with Fraser Aebly in the irons. A career win rate of 11% is workmanlike, but the rating advantage and the consistent speed figure of 54 on turf give this horse a credible edge at a distance — 1 1/16 miles — that favors versatile closers. Our analysis marks this as the top selection, and the price makes it a straightforward choice for win tickets.

place6Silver RaleighML 6/1

Silver Raleigh opens at 6/1 with a TrackWiz rating of 82.71 — nearly identical to Thundermaker — and represents genuine place value at that price. Da-Sean Zavier Gaskin takes the mount for Kevin Whiteley, and a 10% career win rate on a horse that rates this highly suggests consistent competitiveness. If Film Academy gets involved in any pace pressure early on the turf, Silver Raleigh's profile as a potential closer makes it a strong underneath play.

show1ThundermakerML 3/1

Thundermaker is 3/1 on the morning line with an 82.17 rating and an eye-catching 20% career win rate — the joint-highest in this field alongside Delta Force. Pietro Moran rides for Kevin Attard, a trainer who regularly produces sharp efforts at Woodbine. The combination of the highest win rate among the top-rated horses and a respected trainer makes Thundermaker a solid show anchor in exotics, even if our analysis ranks it third in the pecking order.

Race 6

7:49 PM EDT

Optional Claiming · 7 fur · Dirt

Seven furlongs of optional claiming action features a standout on paper — but in optional claimers, the question is always whether the class horse shows up at their best, making the rest of the ticket worth constructing carefully.

win5Daddy's SecretML 2/1

Daddy's Secret earns the highest TrackWiz rating in the race at 88.54 and sits at 2/1 on the morning line — a rare case where the top-rated horse and the public choice align cleanly. Emma-Jayne Wilson, one of Woodbine's most accomplished riders, takes the mount for trainer Richard G. Hayashi, adding a jockey angle that strengthens the case. A 12% career win rate is solid at this level, and the speed figure of 55 is tied for best in the field. This is TrackWiz's most confident selection in the optional claiming division today.

place1XarabellaML 7/2

Xarabella opens at 7/2 with a 73.21 rating and the top average speed figure in the field at 55, matching Daddy's Secret on that metric. David Moran rides for Michael P. De Paulo, and an 8% career win rate in what appears to be a competitive career arc suggests a horse that runs consistently. The 7/2 morning line may drift a bit at post time, giving place bettors an attractive number if they're structuring exotics around Daddy's Secret on top.

show6Hymn to HerML 3/1

Hymn to Her is third in the TrackWiz ratings at 71.55 and opens at 3/1 for trainer Julia Carey with Pietro Moran aboard. The 5% career win rate is on the lower side, but the rating gap between Hymn to Her and the next tier of horses is notable — this is clearly the third-best horse by our analysis. At 3/1, the show price won't be generous, but for trifecta construction with Daddy's Secret and Xarabella above, Hymn to Her rounds out the box cleanly.

Race 7

8:21 PM EDT

Claiming · 7 fur · Turf

Seven furlongs on the Woodbine turf creates an intriguing puzzle — the morning-line favorite is NOT the TrackWiz top-rated horse, which signals a potential overlay worth exploring, and a capable longshot in the show slot adds further exotic interest.

win8Fin Del MundoML 3/1

Fin Del Mundo is the TrackWiz top choice at 87.08 — the widest margin over the field of any race on today's card — and opens at 3/1 despite a 14% career win rate and the top speed figure in the field at 55. Keveh Nicholls gets the mount for Philip Hall, and horses with this kind of rating edge on the turf at seven furlongs tend to be versatile enough to stalk or press the pace. Our analysis strongly favors Fin Del Mundo over the morning-line choice, and the 3/1 price looks like genuine value.

place4Fun FellaML 7/2

Fun Fella sits second in the TrackWiz ratings at 79.62 and draws the 7/2 morning-line favorite tab — interestingly, the market prefers this horse to our top pick, which creates an overlay situation on Fin Del Mundo. Emma-Jayne Wilson takes the mount for Steve Attard, and a speed figure of 54 is competitive on the Woodbine turf. Fun Fella is a legitimate contender and the natural place selection, though our analysis sees Fin Del Mundo as the better play at the prices.

show2Sunset SkippyML 10/1

Sunset Skippy opens at 10/1 with a 69.18 rating — third in the field — and a 12% career win rate that's actually among the better marks in this race. Jeffrey Ian Alderson rides for trainer Tom Steer, and the 10/1 price is notable given that the rating doesn't reflect a longshot. This looks like a horse the public is underestimating, and at 10/1 for show, there's real value in tucking Sunset Skippy into trifecta tickets behind our top two selections.

Race 8

8:53 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Dirt

Nine horses go a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the main track to close out the card, and one horse stands well clear of the field in the TrackWiz ratings — though in a nine-horse claiming field at a route distance, pace and trip can always scramble the order.

win5Can't JumpML 5/2

Can't Jump earns the top TrackWiz rating in Race 8 at 87.81 — the same elite number posted by Lake Como Heist in Race 2 — and Pietro Moran gets the mount for Darwin D. Banach. A 14% career win rate is respectable for a claiming route horse, and the 5/2 morning-line price is fair given the rating advantage. At 1 1/16 miles, this horse's form figures suggest enough stamina to be closing hard when it matters most, making it our confident top selection to end the card.

place9Space LaunchML 4/1

Space Launch has a 60.45 rating — second in the field — and opens at 4/1 for trainer Philip Hall with Keveh Nicholls aboard, a rider who doubles up from Race 7 in a live position. A 10% career win rate and a speed figure of 53 are consistent with a horse who runs his race every time without necessarily winning outright. At 4/1, Space Launch looks like exactly the kind of place-value horse that pays a fair number while being firmly in the mix for second.

show4Clive CrossML 3/1

Clive Cross opens at 3/1 with a 57.19 rating and the ultra-low career win rate of 3% — but Romero Ramsay Maragh is a jockey worth following and trainer Krista Cole is a known presence at Woodbine. The speed figure of 52 is toward the bottom of the top tier but still in range. For trifecta purposes, Clive Cross at 3/1 is a workable show anchor under two horses rated well above it — just be aware the win rate suggests this horse may need a ground-saving trip to hit the board.

Premium Content

Get the Full Card Analysis

Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.

View Plans Sign In

Today's best bets are anchored by Lonny's Gamble and Lake Como Heist in the early going, with Noisy Cricket as a live longshot in Race 3. If you want the full story — pace scenarios, exotic tickets, and our take on Daddy's Secret and the turf card — it's all waiting for subscribers. Check out TrackWiz premium and get the complete edge before first post.

← All Woodbine picks & predictions

You're reading 3 of 8 races free