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Race 1 Claiming 5 Furlongs Dirt Purse 30500
Win: Princess Is Olivia (1) – 100% confidence
Place: Ocean Jet (6) – 100% confidence
Show: Jilly’s West (3) – 75% confidence
Alternative: Shamay (7) – 75% confidence
Race Notes: Analysts are in absolute agreement regarding the top two runners in the opener. Princess Is Olivia (1) stands as the definitive horse to beat with a perfect consensus score. The vertical structure of the race appears very predictable, with Ocean Jet (6) nearly as strong for the place spot.
Race 2 Claiming 6 1/2 Furlongs Dirt Purse 18000
Win: Takeittothehouse (5) – 100% confidence
Place: Well Accustomed (6) – 100% confidence
Show: Won Bright Light (7) – 50% confidence
Alternative: Baby Jane (3) – 100% confidence
Race Notes: Another race where the top tier is locked in across all platforms. Takeittothehouse (5) holds universal appeal among analysts for the win. The bottom of the exotic ticket shows some variance, but the primary exacta looks solid.
Race 3 Maiden Special Weight 1 Mile Dirt Purse 47000
Win: Proton Kitty (4) – 75% confidence
Place: Prytania (5) – 100% confidence
Show: Mo Pumpkin (6) – 50% confidence
Alternative: Simply Grace (3) – 75% confidence
Race Notes: A minor split at the top as one analyst prefers Prytania (5) to win, though all analysts have her in the top two. Proton Kitty (4) is the preferred choice for the majority. This looks like a two-horse race for the win.
Race 4 Claiming 6 1/2 Furlongs Dirt Purse 23500
Win: McLaren Vale (4) – 80% confidence
Place: Marks Promise (3) – 60% confidence
Show: Chief Brady (1) – 40% confidence
Alternative: Life Is A Banquet (2) – 80% confidence
Race Notes: McLaren Vale (4) carries significant weight with four out of five analysts. Butler Cabin (7) provides a dissenting opinion for a single analyst. The depth of this field is evident in the show and alternative slots, suggesting a wide superfecta may be necessary.
Race 5 Allowance Optional Claiming 7 Furlongs Dirt Purse 40500
Win: Miss Metoyer (3) – 80% confidence
Place: Shesabeast (1) – 40% confidence
Show: St. Tammany (4) – 40% confidence
Alternative: Hurricane Kate (5) – 60% confidence
Race Notes: Miss Metoyer (3) is the standout selection here, though the minor awards are highly contested. Analysts are split between Shesabeast (1) and Spun Silk (2) for secondary honors, though Spun Silk (2) only appears on two tickets in high positions.
Race 6 Claiming 1 Mile Dirt Purse 14500
Win: Deftly Done (1) – 100% confidence
Place: Pyromania (12) – 50% confidence
Show: Kee Jee (5) – 50% confidence
Alternative: V Cut (6) – 75% confidence
Race Notes: Total alignment for Deftly Done (1) to handle the mile distance. The secondary slots are much less clear, with Pyromania (12) and Kee Jee (5) fighting for position. V Cut (6) is a recurring name that offers stability to exotic bets.
Race 7 Allowance 7 Furlongs Dirt Purse 50000
Win: Tdzshininluckystar (1) – 80% confidence
Place: Brian’s Iron Mike (3) – 80% confidence
Show: Up N Gone (6) – 60% confidence
Alternative: Tripple D Ruller (5) – 60% confidence
Race Notes: This feature race features a duel between Tdzshininluckystar (1) and Brian’s Iron Mike (3). While Tdzshininluckystar (1) is the majority pick for the win, Brian’s Iron Mike (3) is the clear fallback and should be included in all win-side strategies.
Race 8 Claiming 7 Furlongs Dirt Purse 11500
Win: Wicklow Gal (8) – 100% confidence
Place: Beautiful Janet (1) – 75% confidence
Show: Sara’s Sapphire (7) – 50% confidence
Alternative: Hey Madalyn Claire (9) – 75% confidence
Race Notes: Wicklow Gal (8) is the most heavily favored horse on the back half of the card. Analysts show significant respect for Beautiful Janet (1) in the place spot, making the top of the ticket appear very stable for bettors.
Race 9 Maiden Claiming 5 Furlongs Dirt Purse 20000
Win: Woodall Pass (1) – 50% confidence
Place: Your Ladyship (7) – 25% confidence
Show: Shining Away (5) – 75% confidence
Alternative: Shake Of The Reins (8) – 50% confidence
Race Notes: The finale is the most wide-open race of the day according to analysts. Four different winners are suggested across the four sources. Woodall Pass (1) has the most mentions in the win/place area, but Ayden Sunshine (12) and Tapper (2) are also viable win candidates.
Recommended Exotic Plays by Race
Race 1: Analysts suggest a Straight Exacta 1-6 or a Trifecta Key 1 over 6 and 3.
Race 2: Recommendation is an Exacta Box 5-6 or a Trifecta Part Wheel 5 over 6 over 3, 7.
Race 3: Analysts favor an Exacta Box 4-5. For more coverage, consider a Trifecta 4, 5 with 4, 5 with 3, 6.
Race 4: A Trifecta Key 4 over 1, 2, 3, 7 is suggested. For larger budgets, a Superfecta Part Wheel 4 over 3, 7 over 1, 2, 3, 7 over ALL.
Race 5: Analysts recommend an Exacta Part Wheel 3 over 1, 2, 5. A Trifecta 3 over 1, 5 over 1, 2, 4, 5 is also viable.
Race 6: A Trifecta Key 1 over 5, 6, 12 is the preferred move. Superfecta 1 over 6, 12 over 5, 6, 12 over ALL.
Race 7: Exacta Box 1-3 is highly recommended. A Trifecta Key 1 over 3, 5, 6 provides solid coverage of the favorites.
Race 8: Straight Exacta 8-1 or a Trifecta 8 over 1, 9 over 1, 7, 9.
Race 9: Analysts suggest an Exacta Box 1, 2, 12 to cover the divergent opinions at the top. A Trifecta Box 1, 2, 5, 7, 12 is a defensive play in a volatile race.
Value Play Observations
Race 4 features a strong overlay opportunity with Butler Cabin (7). While most analysts are focused on McLaren Vale (4), the morning line interest in Butler Cabin (7) suggests that a win for the 7 would yield a significant payout relative to the consensus.
Race 5 shows Spun Silk (2) as a potential under-the-radar value. Only one analyst has the horse on top, but the morning line odds are likely to be attractive compared to the heavy favoritism expected for Miss Metoyer (3).
In Race 7, Tripple D Ruller (5) and Sweet Talkin Slick (4) are ignored by the majority for the top spots. If the pace collapses for the favorites, these runners offer the best return on investment for those looking to beat the chalk.
Race 9 is a complete value scramble. Ayden Sunshine (12) is picked by only one source but offers the highest potential for a price in the finale if the 1 and 2 fail to fire.
Overall Wagering Strategy
The February 18 card at Delta Downs presents a landscape of extreme stability in the early sequences followed by significant volatility in the finale. Strongest Consensus Races include the first two events, where analysts are in lockstep. Princess Is Olivia (1) and Takeittothehouse (5) are the clear anchors for early Pick 4 and Pick 5 sequences. In these races, the dominant selections command consensus backing due to superior speed figures and advantageous post positions relative to their competition. These races are ideal for heavy vertical investment in straight exactas and trifectas.
Split-Opinion Races appear later in the card, specifically in the third and ninth races. In the third, the tension between Proton Kitty (4) and Prytania (5) suggests a tactical battle where the early pace will determine the victor. In the ninth, the analyst pool is fractured across four different horses, indicating a high probability of an upset. The analytical tension in the finale suggests a spread approach is necessary, as no single runner has established clear dominance in the maiden claiming ranks.
Multi-Race Sequences are best constructed starting in Race 6. With Deftly Done (1) and Wicklow Gal (8) appearing as strong consensus anchors in their respective races, a Late Pick 4 (Races 6-9) can be constructed with minimal expense by singling those two and spreading in the wide-open seventh and ninth races. This strategy maximizes carryover potential while hedging against the field volatility seen in the concluding maiden race.
Exotic Value Opportunities are most prevalent in the fourth and fifth races. These race types often feature form unpredictability that creates pricing inefficiency. Analysts recommend structural approaches such as trifecta or superfecta wheels using McLaren Vale (4) and Miss Metoyer (3) as keys while boxing 4-5 secondary runners underneath. This captures the upside of a mid-priced runner hitting the board without the risk of a single-horse failure.
Environmental factors at Delta Downs often favor early speed and rail-skimming trips. Bettors should prioritize horses with tactical speed in the shorter sprints. Key takeaways for this card include using the first and second race favorites as definitive keys, aggressively playing the Late Pick 4 with anchors in the sixth and eighth, and preparing for a potential price explosion in the final race of the evening.
