Albuquerque Picks & Predictions — May 24, 2026

Merkaba rates at 73.65 on our scale and shows a 14% career win rate, but the key here is the 9/2 price relative to the field. Trainer Clinton Crawford and jockey Jacob Enriquez team up on a horse that carries the third-highest rating in Race 4 — only Political Twist is clearly superior. In a field with several unknowns, Merkaba projects as the most likely place beneficiary if the top pick wins going away.

Lt Say When is the sneaky play in this race — a 69.58 TrackWiz rating that ranks fourth in the field, and a 25% career win rate that shows this one has tasted success. What makes this interesting is the 15/1 morning line, which feels like a significant overlay for a horse that rates this close to Merkaba. Trainer Wesley T. Giles doubles up in this race, and Noe Garcia, Jr. gets the call — include Lt Say When in your tri tickets for value.

Apolitical Valor rates at 78.53 and brings a strong 40% career win rate that ranks among the best in the entire day's card. Trainer Clinton Crawford and jockey Jacob Enriquez are back together here, and at 5/2, the morning line puts this one as the morning favorite — rightfully so given the win percentage. The profile here is a horse that fires consistently, making it a reliable place ticket even if Faust gets the edge at the wire.

Gf Shes Sinful posts a 75% career win rate — the eye-popping number of this race — and a 73.82 TrackWiz rating that slots in third. Trainer Wesley T. Giles and jockey Noe Garcia, Jr. team up on a horse the morning line has at 9/2, which is reasonable. The win percentage demands respect, and while the rating ranks below Faust and Apolitical Valor, history suggests this one knows how to compete when conditions are right.

Apollitical Olympian is a fascinating play here — an 82.71 TrackWiz rating that nearly matches the top pick, but a career win rate of only 16% leaves room for skepticism. Trainer Eric Valenzuela and Jordy Soto Muniz get the call at 6/1, which represents real value for a horse this highly rated. The lower win percentage might just mean this one has run hard in tougher spots — a different angle worth considering for place and exacta coverage.

Envestor brings the most jaw-dropping career win rate in Race 6 at 80% — an extraordinary number — alongside a 78.2 TrackWiz rating. Trainer Zackary Stinebaugh and jockey Gilberto Linares team up at 5/2 on the morning line, making this a legitimate contender many bettors will anchor their tickets around. The show slot here is almost formality; at 80% career wins, Envestor consistently puts itself in the frame.

Whos the V rates at 71.74 and posts a 50% career win rate that demands attention — when a horse wins half its races, it's tough to leave off any ticket. Trainer Raymond G. Valerio and Francisco Calderon are a reliable combo, and the 7/2 morning line is fair for what projects as the second-best horse in the field. Place coverage here is strong value.

Mr High Five rates at 71.22 — nearly identical to Whos the V — and brings a 28% career win rate from trainer Eric Valenzuela. Jose Enrique Ortiz gets the mount at 9/2, and the morning line suggests the market views this as a solid contender just outside the top pair. For show bettors and tri constructors, Mr High Five is your third wheel in Race 7.

Ole Slew Foot is the morning-line favorite at 5/2 and rates just a hair below our top pick at 85.57 — this is essentially a coin flip between the two on the numbers alone. Trainer Monse Melendez-Chavez and jockey Joseph Belloc, Jr. combine on a horse that clearly belongs here, and a 9% career win rate mirrors the field's pattern. Use Ole Slew Foot as your place anchor and let the race sort out the win.

Cocopatas Eagle checks in at 68.35 on the TrackWiz scale — a meaningful step below the top two but well clear of the rest — and goes off at 6/1 on the morning line with James A. Flores up for trainer Victor H. Rodriguez-Flores. A 9% career win rate fits the field's overall profile, and the rating gap between third and fourth in this race is significant enough to make Cocopatas Eagle a confident show play. Worth including in any multi-leg exotic.

Vyper rates at 80.88 and pairs that number with a 14% career win rate — better than the top pick — while going off at 6/1, which is legitimate value. Trainer Justino Tarin Saenz and jockey Jesse Lee Levario have a horse that shapes up as the most likely place threat, sitting nearly 17 points clear of the rest of the field below Political Fling. The 6/1 price on the second-best rated horse in an allowance field is exactly the kind of line you circle.

Ab Leaving You is the longshot angle worth playing in Race 9 — a 71.22 TrackWiz rating that's third in the field, but a 33% career win rate that blows everyone else out of the water. Trainer Tony E. Sedillo and jockey James A. Flores team up at 12/1, which is a genuinely surprising number for a horse with that winning percentage. In show position on a tri or the bottom of a superfecta, Ab Leaving You is a must-use at that price.

Encompass rates at 78.0 on our scale — second in the field — and trainer Victor H. Rodriguez-Flores has James A. Flores in the irons at 5/2, making this the morning-line favorite. The market is splitting the difference between Encompass and Apollitical Duchess, but our ratings give the edge to the latter. Still, at 5/2, Encompass is a solid place play in what projects as a two-horse finish at the top.

Siennas First Corona slots in third on our ratings at 73.83 and goes off at 6/1 on the morning line with Jose Luis Enriquez up for trainer Jaime Dominguez. In a maiden field where ratings carry extra weight, being third-highest is meaningful — and the 6/1 price makes this a low-risk show investment and a strong piece for tri construction. When the top two are this clearly defined, a dependable third is exactly what you need.