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Pick Pony takes pride in providing the most accurate expert picks available today. Pick Pony Expert Picks are carefully selected by our team of analysts based on analytics from our advanced Past Performance Sheets and Racing Forms. For potential longshot selections, check out Pick Pony’s AI Picks.
Race 1 – Starter Allowance, 6 Furlongs, Dirt, 11:15am – Purse: $22,300 BOXED EXACTA
Win: #1 Corner Office – 71%🥈
Place: #3 Coastland – 71%🥇
Show: #4 Into Gold – 43%
Alternative: #5 Hidden Ransom – 29%🥉
Multiple analysts highlight strong early speed scenario with several horses capable of forcing the tempo from the start. Corner Office brings exceptional consistency and recent form, having won last start over the same course and distance. Coastland has demonstrated steady efforts and track familiarity, making this runner well-suited to the conditions. Hidden Ransom draws attention but may need improvement to compete at this level against the top contenders. Into Gold represents value potential with tactical positioning ability through the six-furlong configuration.
Race 2 – Claiming, 6 Furlongs, Dirt, 11:43am – Purse: $21,500
Win: #2 C V Jersey Bee – 86%
Place: #1 Stormed Out – 57%🥉
Show: #3 Paint The Town – 57%🥈
Alternative: #5 Midnight Voyage – 29%
C V Jersey Bee emerges as the standout selection with strong recent performances and consistent form. Stormed Out brings excellent recent results and figures to be competitive from the opening stages. Paint The Town adds depth to the top tier with solid credentials at this claiming level. The sharp six-furlong sprint should produce lively early fractions with multiple speed types engaged. Ironclad Alibi maintains each-way appeal with honest efforts in recent outings.
Race 3 – Claiming, 6 Furlongs, Dirt, 12:11pm – Purse: $18,400
Win: #2 Matthew’s Patriot – 71%
Place: #6 Mo Dont No – 43%🥇
Show: #3 Condemnation – 43%🥉
Alternative: #5 Serendipitous – 29%
This competitive claiming race features a closely-matched field where form suggests minimal separation between top selections. Mo Dont No enters with strong form credentials after a close third-place finish in recent action. Matthew’s Patriot benefits from the class drop and has shown ability at this level previously. Serendipitous heads a trio that analysts find difficult to separate, suggesting a competitive finish. Condemnation has been finishing strongly in recent starts and warrants respect in the outcome. The pace scenario appears honest with multiple runners showing tactical speed capabilities.
Race 4 – Claiming, 6 Furlongs, Dirt, 12:39pm – Purse: $11,100 WIN + EXACTA
Win: #5 Fatih – 71%🥇
Place: #8 Grey Streak – 57%🥈
Show: #2 Mr. Thunderstruck – 43%
Alternative: #4 Florida Gator – 57%
Fatih stands out as the selection to beat after a sharp winning performance last start at this course and distance. Florida Gator shapes as the primary challenger with recent placed efforts demonstrating competitiveness, though has been scratched from the race. Several contestants bring early speed, setting up potential for strong late closers if the pace proves demanding. Grey Streak merits consideration after a narrow defeat last time, showing improvement trajectory. Class levels suggest the winner will emerge from the top selections with limited upset potential.
Race 5 – Maiden Special Weight, 6 Furlongs, Dirt, 1:07pm – Purse: $31,800
Win: #4 Jac’s Cocoabella – 86%🥉
Place: #1 Stacy Ellen – 57%🥈
Show: #2 Bold Sally – 43%
Alternative: #8 Team Chiquita – 43%
This maiden special weight contest presents challenges with limited prior form data available for evaluation. Jac’s Cocoabella receives widespread support from analysts despite the uncertainty in the race. Bold Sally and Team Chiquita offer alternative selections, though both face similar questions regarding form. Stacy Ellen provides each-way interest with respectable morning line odds and tactical positioning. The abbreviated distance favors runners with early tactical speed rather than pure late closers. Analysts characterize this as one of the more difficult races to handicap on the card.
Race 6 – Claiming, 6 Furlongs, Dirt, 1:35pm – Purse: $21,500
Win: #2 Silent Drill – 86%
Place: #3 National Story – 71%
Show: #5 Mamas Home Cooking – 43%
Alternative: #1 Drill’s Boy – 14%
Silent Drill drops in class after a disappointing effort and appears well-positioned for a rebound performance. Multiple selections demonstrate remarkable consistency at this claiming level with proven credentials. Mamas Home Cooking and National Story both bring solid recent form into the competitive sprint. The six-furlong configuration favors horses that can secure favorable position through the single turn. Several longshots could factor into exotic payouts if leading contenders fail to meet expectations.
Race 7 – Allowance Optional Claiming, 1 Mile, Dirt, 2:03pm – Purse: $39,300 BOXED TRIFECTA
Win: #3 Mission Control – 86%🥉
Place: #6 Big Truck – 57%🥇
Show: #2 Hidden Access – 57%🥈
Alternative: #4 Swing State – 14%🥉
Mission Control dominates the consensus with the strongest form profile and clear consistency advantage. Big Truck and Hidden Access offer legitimate threats with reliable recent records at the mile distance. The one-mile race distance rewards horses with sustained tactical speed rather than pure early pace. Blue Nomore has been scratched from the original entries, altering the competitive landscape. This allowance optional claiming event should provide an engaging contest between proven contenders. Longshot possibilities exist for exotic wagers if the pace scenario unfolds favorably.
Race 8 – Allowance, 1 Mile, Dirt, 2:31pm – Purse: $35,100 WIN
Win: #1 Ovid – 86%🥇
Place: #7 Heza Pistol – 57%🥉
Show: #6 Bigpiclittlepic – 43%🥈
Alternative: #3 Runaway Power – 43%
Ovid receives overwhelming support from analysts with consistent performances in this allowance class. Bigpiclittlepic impressed winning last start and appears capable of following up with another strong effort. Heza Pistol won convincingly in recent action and brings reliable staying power to the mile distance. Runaway Power offers tactical versatility and could benefit from a contested early pace scenario. Analysts project a competitive finish with the top quartet holding significant advantages over the remaining field. The one-mile configuration at Mahoning Valley typically favors horses with balanced speed and stamina.
Recommended Exotic Bets and Value Plays
Race 1 – Exacta Box Strategy
Horses: #1 Corner Office / #3 Coastland
Both selections demonstrate exceptional analyst consensus at 71% confidence with strong recent form credentials. The exacta box provides coverage on two proven contenders with nearly identical support levels from Pick Pony analysts.
Race 2 – Win Bet Focus
Horse: #2 C V Jersey Bee
Overwhelming 86% confidence rating suggests strong single-ticket potential with proven form advantage. This claiming sprinter represents the strongest consensus selection across the early races.
Race 3 – Trifecta Box Opportunity
Horses: #6 Mo Dont No / #2 Matthew’s Patriot / #3 Condemnation
Closely-matched field with analysts noting difficulty separating top contenders creates trifecta value. The competitive nature of this claiming race suggests exotic wagers offer superior value to straight betting.
Race 4 – Exacta Key
Strategy: #5 Fatih over #8 Grey Streak, #2 Mr. Thunderstruck
Strong 71% confidence for Fatih with competitive second-tier selections offers solid exacta structure. Key the consensus top selection over the place and show horses for coverage.
Race 5 – Exacta Wheel
Strategy: All horses with #4 Jac’s Cocoabella
Dominant 86% consensus in uncertain maiden race suggests keying top selection with coverage underneath. The limited form data available makes this wheeling strategy appropriate for value protection.
Race 6 – Win Bet Focus
Horse: #2 Silent Drill
Class drop with 86% analyst confidence presents strong win bet value potential. This claiming sprint features a clear standout returning to a competitive level.
Race 7 – Exacta Key
Strategy: #3 Mission Control over #6 Big Truck, #2 Hidden Access
Dominant 86% confidence with clear form advantage suggests keying top selection over competitive second tier. The allowance optional claiming conditions favor the consensus top choice with coverage underneath.
Race 8 – Trifecta Box
Horses: #1 Ovid / #7 Heza Pistol / #6 Bigpiclittlepic
Three proven contenders with balanced analyst support create competitive trifecta opportunity. The mile distance and allowance conditions suggest these three will dominate the finish.
Multi-Race Sequences
Pick 3 (Races 6-7-8)
Horses: Race 6: #2 Silent Drill / Race 7: #3 Mission Control / Race 8: #1 Ovid
Three dominant consensus selections with 86% confidence ratings present excellent multi-race sequence value. This Pick 3 combination leverages the strongest analyst agreements across the late racing card.
Pick 4 (Races 5-6-7-8)
Horses: Race 5: #4 Jac’s Cocoabella / Race 6: #2 Silent Drill / Race 7: #3 Mission Control / Race 8: #1 Ovid
Four strong consensus selections create attractive Pick 4 opportunity with modest backup coverage on race 5. Pick Pony analysts recommend single-ticket approach given the dominant confidence ratings, with optional secondary coverage on the maiden race uncertainty.
