Albuquerque Picks & Predictions — September 5, 2026

Zesty American is the most interesting number on this card — a 33% career win rate is eye-catching in any company and leads this field by a wide margin. Alfredo J. Juarez Jr. rides for the reliable Dick Cappellucci barn, and the 72.86 TrackWiz rating puts this horse squarely in contention. The 4/1 morning-line price offers some value if Runaway Rose faces any pace pressure, making Zesty American a natural place wheel underneath.

Bonified Wildcat rates third in our analysis at 70.41 and carries the short price of 2/1 — which makes the horse the likely public favorite despite our ratings favoring others higher. Aldo Arboleda rides for trainer Jose A. Gonzalez, and while the 4% career win rate is modest, the rating and market position suggest Bonified Wildcat is in the mix for the show spot. In a pace scenario where the top two guns draw clear, this horse could fill the third slot and complete a trifecta.

Attila Style checks in at 82.82 in our ratings and is listed at 3/1 — making him the second choice in both our analysis and the morning line. Oscar Andrade Jr. rides for the high-volume Martin Manuel Valdez-Cabral barn, which runs multiple horses today and clearly has the circuit dialed in. The gap between Attila Style and the rest of the field (next closest is Danjerus Cloud at 74.64) suggests this exacta box between the top two is the play.

Danjerus Cloud posts a 74.64 TrackWiz rating and brings a 7/2 morning-line price under jockey Kelsi Purcell for trainer Sherry Armstrong — the same barn as our win pick. Trainer Armstrong having two horses in the top three of our selections is notable and suggests she has this race targeted. As a show play or trifecta fill, Danjerus Cloud offers fair value and connections that know what they're doing on this track.

Hank Hill sits second in our ratings for this race at 56.47 and projects at 5/1 on the morning line, providing some value in the place pool if the favorite dominates up front. Gabriel Medrano rides for trainer Luis C. Rojero, and the 55 average speed keeps this horse competitive in the pace. If Holdwhatyougot clears the field cleanly, Hank Hill's profile as a potential closer or presser makes a place finish a reasonable outcome.

Fear the Cruise rates at 56.06 — virtually identical to Hank Hill — and offers the most interesting win percentage in the race at 12%, suggesting a horse that knows how to compete. Francisco Zamora picks up the mount for the Valdez-Cabral barn, and at 4/1 there's a touch of value relative to the morning-line price on the top two. In trifectas, Fear the Cruise is worth including as a third leg given the competitive rating and experienced connections.

Selective Hearing is the most accomplished horse in this allowance field by career win percentage — an elite 25% lifetime strike rate that speaks to a consistent competitor. Oscar Andrade Jr. rides for Simon J. Buechler, and the 83.57 TrackWiz rating confirms the horse's place among the top contenders. At 5/2 on the morning line, the public is likely aware of this record, but a place finish remains a strong likelihood given the profile.

Eye for an Eye opens our show analysis for Race 6 with an 11% career win rate, a 70.47 TrackWiz rating, and a 5/1 morning-line price that offers real value if you're building a trifecta. Miguel A. Perez takes the mount for trainer Greg Green, and the 56 average speed matches the top speed horses in the field. At that price in an allowance race where the top two may battle each other, Eye for an Eye could fill the third spot at a generous return.

Cause Mimi Said rates second in our analysis at 68.95 and is the morning-line second choice at 7/2 for the Martin Manuel Valdez-Cabral stable, which saddles two horses in this race. Christian Ramos gets the call, and the horse's 11% career win rate in a race going 7 furlongs — where pace setup matters — makes a place finish a solid baseline expectation. If the pace gets honest up front, Cause Mimi Said could be sitting just off the leaders at the right moment.

Blacksod Bay at 8/1 is our show pick and offers genuine value for trifecta construction in what shapes up as a small-field affair where the back end of tickets can pay well. An 11% career win rate and a 59.09 TrackWiz rating make Aldo Arboleda's mount for trainer Jeffrey J. Trujillo a legitimate contender — not just a prayer ticket. The 55 average speed is second-best in the field, and at a mile and three-sixteenths on the sprint clock, that edge could matter late.

Sambas Mark brings a jaw-dropping 26% career win rate to this allowance optional claimer — a figure that demands respect and marks this horse as one of the most accomplished winners on today's card. Oscar Andrade Jr. rides for the Todd W. Fincher barn, and the 85.72 TrackWiz rating means the gap between Sambas Mark and our top pick is razor-thin. The 5/2 morning-line price is fair, and in a two-horse battle for the top spots, this horse is the natural exacta partner.

Flags Finale at 5/1 rounds out our trifecta construction with a 66.38 TrackWiz rating and a 9% career win percentage that keeps the horse in the picture. Alejandro Medellin has the mount for the Hermenegildo G. Aldavaz barn, and the 56 average speed matches the top tier of this field. If Drinkroundthetruth and Sambas Mark match up hard through the lane, Flags Finale could be the fresh horse that picks up third at a price.

Cash Waterfall checks in at 71.12 in our ratings and draws Oscar Andrade Jr. for trainer Todd W. Fincher — a barn that also has Sambas Mark in Race 8, suggesting a sharp outfit actively targeting today's card. The 14% career win rate matches the top pick's, and at 5/2 on the morning line, Cash Waterfall appears to be the public's preferred exacta partner with Exit Strategy. In a race where our top two are this closely matched in win percentage, place coverage is smart.

Got No Bull at 8/1 morning-line odds is one of the more intriguing value plays on the card — a horse with a stunning 33% career win rate that is tied for the highest on today's entire program. Cerapio Figueroa rides for trainer Alberto Amparan, and despite a TrackWiz rating of 61.98 that suggests some form softness, the raw win percentage says this horse knows how to compete. At 8/1, if Got No Bull recaptures even a fraction of that past form, the show payoff on a trifecta ticket could be substantial.

Taco Five rates second among the viable contenders at 57.17 and carries a 9/2 morning-line price that offers fair value in the place pool of a wide-open maiden race. Anthony Medina rides for trainer Hermenegildo G. Aldavaz, and the 54 average speed keeps this horse competitive on the pace. In maiden claimers, horses with mid-range ratings often outperform their odds when the chalk underperforms, making Taco Five a solid second ticket.

Tuning the Spirits sits third in our ratings at 56.12 — essentially even with Taco Five — and is listed at 7/2 morning line, which will likely make this horse a public target. Enrique Portillo Gomez rides for trainer Larry Chavez, and the 55 average speed is among the better marks in this maiden field. In a race this deep with unknowns, spreading show coverage to include Tuning the Spirits alongside the top two picks is sound trifecta strategy.