Pick Pony Picks – Consensus Expert Picks for Penn National, March 20, 2026.


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Race 1 – Claiming – 8f 110y Dirt – Purse 10710

Win: Rob The Rich (6) – 55% confidence
Place: Gangly (5) 🥇 – 20% confidence
Show: Here's Waldo (1) – 15% confidence
Alternative: Skimble Shanks (3) 🥉 – 10% confidence

Analysts repeatedly lean on Rob The Rich (6) as the most likely winner, with virtually every public line giving him top billing or a key role in the trifecta, suggesting he will be heavily bet. Gangly (5) and Here's Waldo (1) appear as reliable underneath types, while Skimble Shanks (3) projects more as a price alternative than a true favorite-crusher. Other runners include: Aquitania Arrival (2), Styner (4).

Race 2 – Maiden Special Weight – 8f Dirt – Purse 27100

Win: Image Of Grace (7) 🥉 – 50% confidence
Place: Stone Cold Kelly (5) – 30% confidence
Show: Secret Journey (1) 🥇 – 15% confidence
Alternative: Zeta Jones (2) – 5% confidence

Image Of Grace (7) and Stone Cold Kelly (5) dominate the opinions, with analysts splitting on which one wins but agreeing they are the main exacta pairing. Secret Journey (1) is consistently in the mix for minor awards, while Zeta Jones (2) shows up mainly as an underneath player with modest upside. Other runners include: Majestic Rain (3), Dance Court (4), Stone Cold Kelly (5 already included in consensus), Gotta Be Kiddin (6).

Race 3 – Starter Optional Claiming – 1320y Dirt – Purse 21000 – WIN

Win: Confiscated (4) 🥇 – 60% confidence
Place: Sharon's Prince (1) 🥉 – 20% confidence
Show: Minister (6) – 15% confidence
Alternative: Buzz Adams (3) 🥈 – 5% confidence

Confiscated (4) is a clear focal point, landing top selection status on nearly every sheet, which implies short odds but a strong win probability. Sharon's Prince (1) and Minister (6) repeatedly occupy exacta and trifecta slots, while Buzz Adams (3) is treated as the fringe upset candidate for deeper tickets. Other runners include: Paralegal (2), Gronksflyinseagull (5), Cappetta (7), Bejuco (8), Solar Glare (9).

Race 4 – Claiming – 8f 110y Dirt – Purse 10000

Win: Stonecoldhandsome (6) – 55% confidence
Place: Highly Potent (1) – 20% confidence
Show: Maggie K (5) – 15% confidence
Alternative: Analyst (3) 🥇 – 10% confidence

Stonecoldhandsome (6) has a powerful cluster of top votes and short projected odds, making him the key chalk in this claiming event. Highly Potent (1), Maggie K (5), and Analyst (3) share most of the remaining support, with Maggie K (5) in particular carrying sneaky place/show appeal if the favorite underperforms. Other runners include: Jake's Affection (2), Atomico (4), Annihilate 'em (7).

Race 5 – Starter Optional Claiming – 8f 70y Dirt – Purse 21000

Win: Brighty (6) 🥈 – 55% confidence
Place: Coloma (3) – 20% confidence
Show: Honor Mags (5) 🥉 – 15% confidence
Alternative: Freedom Maker (7) 🥇 – 10% confidence

Brighty (6) is broadly viewed as the most likely winner off strong recent efforts, and many analysts are willing to lean on her as a single in multi-race wagers. Coloma (3) and Honor Mags (5) are the primary alternatives with solid form, while Freedom Maker (7) shows up as a value play that could outrun likely odds. Other runners include: Desperate Proposal (1), Hot Rod Kitty (2), Spherification (4).

Race 6 – Claiming – 1320y Dirt – Purse 19000 – WIN

Win: Doctor's Orders (9) 🥇 – 35% confidence
Place: Scudetto (7) – 25% confidence
Show: A G Diamond (1) – 20% confidence
Alternative: Rock Anna Roll (5) – 20% confidence

Race 6 is more open, with four horses sharing meaningful support and no single runner commanding overwhelming confidence, so prices may be more attractive. Doctor's Orders (9) secures a slight edge on cumulative win mentions, while Scudetto (7), A G Diamond (1), and Rock Anna Roll (5) are all treated as viable winners depending on projected pace and trip. Other runners include: Rolly (2), Stone's Throw (3), Dixieland Chill (4), Stifling Heat (6), Mr Ramirez (8).

Race 7 – Allowance – 1320y Dirt – Purse 27000

Win: Shirl's Delight (2) – 45% confidence
Place: Cardinal War Cry (4) – 25% confidence
Show: Joyous Song (5) – 20% confidence
Alternative: Tempting Lady (8) – 10% confidence

Analysts coalesce most strongly around Shirl's Delight (2) as the likely winner while still giving Cardinal War Cry (4) a meaningful chance to upset in a forwardly placed role. Joyous Song (5) and Tempting Lady (8) have recurring underneath support and should be included on most vertical tickets at least in the show/exotic spots. Other runners include: Tejas Express (1), Sparkling Ruby (3), Humoresque (6), Tudox Dahlia (7).

Race 8 – Claiming – 1320y Dirt – Purse 19000

Win: Capt. Candy (2) – 60% confidence
Place: Tatum (7) – 25% confidence
Show: Keeping It Country (4) – 10% confidence
Alternative: Cantaro (9) – 5% confidence

Capt. Candy (2) is one of the strongest favorites on the card, repeatedly singled out as the horse to beat off an authoritative recent win. Tatum (7) is the clear second choice in the analyst landscape, with Keeping It Country (4) and Cantaro (9) generally slotted as logical underneath pieces rather than primary win candidates. Other runners include: Pardsy (1), Bold Ambition (3), My Detroit City (5), For Some Reason (6), Valore (8).

Recommended Exotic Plays by Race

Race 1 – Recommended Exotics

Analysts would likely structure exotics around Rob The Rich (6) as a key, using him on top of exactas with Gangly (5) and Here's Waldo (1), while including Skimble Shanks (3) as a saver in multi-horse combinations. A common strategy is an exacta key 6 over 1,3,5 and a trifecta 6 with 1,3,5 with 1,3,4,5 to cover plausible underneath outcomes without over-committing capital.

Race 2 – Recommended Exotics

In Race 2, analysts may recommend an Image Of Grace (7) and Stone Cold Kelly (5) two-horse key, playing exactas 7–5 and 5–7 while boxing them in trifectas with Secret Journey (1) and Zeta Jones (2) underneath. Multi-race players could lean on a 5,7 “all A” approach in horizontal wagers, relegating 1 and 2 to backup B or C status to control ticket size.

Race 3 – Recommended Exotics

Race 3 shapes as a classic “single and spread underneath” scenario where Confiscated (4) is used as a strong single in Pick 3 and Pick 4 sequences, while trifecta and superfecta plays might use 4 over 1,3,6 over 1,2,3,6 for coverage. Analysts might also advise a small saver exacta with Sharon's Prince (1) or Minister (6) on top in case of a form reversal at a better price.

Race 4 – Recommended Exotics

With Stonecoldhandsome (6) holding top billing, an efficient structure is exactas 6–1,5 and 6–1,3,5 plus trifectas 6 with 1,3,5 with 1,3,5 to leverage his perceived edge while still acknowledging live alternatives. Multi-race sequences can reasonably single Stonecoldhandsome (6) while using Highly Potent (1) and Maggie K (5) as minor backups on smaller saver tickets.

Race 5 – Recommended Exotics

Analysts view Brighty (6) as a core exotic key, recommending an exacta 6 over 1,3,5,7 and trifectas 6 with 1,3,5,7 with 1,3,5,7, focusing on Coloma (3) and Honor Mags (5) as primary underneath partners. Freedom Maker (7) offers upside in deeper superfecta spreads, especially if the pace collapses late.

Race 6 – Recommended Exotics

Given the parity in Race 6, exotics should be more spread-oriented, using Doctor's Orders (9), Scudetto (7), A G Diamond (1), and Rock Anna Roll (5) in various combinations rather than anchoring everything to one runner. A plausible approach is a trifecta box 1,5,7,9 and a superfecta 1,5,7,9 with 1,5,7,9 with 1,3,4,5,7,9 with 1,3,4,5,7,9 to capture chaos if a mid-priced horse sneaks into the frame.

Race 7 – Recommended Exotics

Race 7 exotics likely revolve around Shirl's Delight (2) and Cardinal War Cry (4) in exactas, with Joyous Song (5) and Tempting Lady (8) used prominently underneath. An aggressive bettor might key 2 and 4 in exactas over 1,3,5,6,8, while a conservative multi-race player could employ 2 as an A, 4 and 5 as B-level backups.

Race 8 – Recommended Exotics

In Race 8, Capt. Candy (2) is a logical single in horizontals, but verticals can be structured as exactas 2–4,7,9 and trifectas 2 with 4,7,9 with 1,3,4,5,7,9 to incorporate plausible closers and pace factors. Analysts might also propose a modest saver exacta with Tatum (7) on top over 2 and 4 in case Capt. Candy (2) regresses off the big last performance.

Value Play Observations

Value appears limited in Race 1 at the top end because Rob The Rich (6) is so universally endorsed that his win odds may be underlaid relative to a realistic probability; Gangly (5) and Here's Waldo (1) could become overlay opportunities if public money over-concentrates on the favorite. In Race 2, the tight pairing of Image Of Grace (7) and Stone Cold Kelly (5) suggests Secret Journey (1) might drift above fair value despite consistent underneath mentions.

Race 3's heavy emphasis on Confiscated (4) likely suppresses his price, making Sharon's Prince (1) and Minister (6) appealing alternatives in win and exacta pools at higher-than-implied odds if the favorite fails to reproduce his last run. In Race 4, Stonecoldhandsome (6) projects as a short chalk and potential underlay, whereas Maggie K (5) and Analyst (3) could offer improved risk-reward in place/show and exotic slots if the market overreacts to the favorite's maiden-breaker.

Brighty (6) in Race 5 is another likely underlay as a strong consensus choice, but Honor Mags (5) and Coloma (3) stand out as probable overlays, particularly if their form lines are slightly obscured in the past performances. Race 6 offers the richest value profile, since Doctor's Orders (9), Scudetto (7), A G Diamond (1), and Rock Anna Roll (5) all share similar credibility; if one of them drifts above 4–1 or 5–1, that runner may represent the best overlay on the card.

In Race 7, Shirl's Delight (2) could be overbet given strong praise, leaving Cardinal War Cry (4) and Joyous Song (5) as compelling alternatives at more forgiving prices. Race 8's Capt. Candy (2) looks like a classic public single and probable underlay, with Tatum (7) and Keeping It Country (4) offering better relative value if the favorite encounters pace or trip adversity.

Overall Wagering Strategy

Strongest consensus races appear to be Race 3, Race 4, Race 5, and Race 8, where Confiscated (4), Stonecoldhandsome (6), Brighty (6), and Capt. Candy (2) respectively command 55–60 percent or more implied analyst confidence. These horses project as logical “A-level” singles in multi-race wagers and anchor points for vertical constructions, but bettors should remain alert for overlay alternatives in each race, especially where the favorite is coming off a peak performance that might regress.

Split-opinion races include Race 2, Race 6, and to a lesser degree Race 7, where competing clusters of support create 40–50 percent confidence spreads for two or more horses. In these spots, analysts would favor spreading more deeply in horizontals and embracing price-driven decisions in the win pool, using tote action and paddock impressions to choose between nearly co-equal contenders rather than forcing a narrow opinion.

Multi-race sequences can be constructed by tying together the strongest consensus legs while managing cost through judicious use of A/B structuring, for example singling Confiscated (4) in Race 3 and Stonecoldhandsome (6) in Race 4, then using partial spreads in Race 2 and Race 6 to absorb uncertainty. A Pick 4 or Pick 5 centered on these high-confidence races allows bettors to leverage track-wide opinion while still capturing upside in the more chaotic events, particularly if a non-favorite wins one of the split-opinion legs.

Exotic value opportunities tend to arise in the more unpredictable claiming and allowance races with diverse form lines, such as Race 6 and Race 7, where superfecta and trifecta wheels including mid-priced runners like A G Diamond (1), Rock Anna Roll (5), Joyous Song (5), and Tempting Lady (8) can offer substantial payouts for relatively modest investments. Analysts would advocate combining strong favorites on top in some tickets while also building alternative structures that key secondary contenders on top to exploit any overbet chalks.

Environmental and track factors from the provided sources suggest standard dirt conditions around 63°F with no explicit bias flagged, so bettors should assume a fair surface but remain ready to adapt if early races reveal a distinct pace or path advantage. Key takeaways are that bettors should lean into the clearest consensus runners as structural anchors, aggressively shop for overlays among well-regarded second and third choices, and use wider coverage in the identified split-opinion races to balance risk and reward across the card.

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