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Albuquerque Picks & Predictions — September 20, 2026

September 20, 20269 racesAll Albuquerque picks

Sunday at Albuquerque is shaping up to be one of the better days of the fall meet. Nine races are on the board, clear skies are overhead, and at 77°F the track should be playing fast and true — ideal conditions for speed horses to do their thing on the dirt.

The card has a little of everything: short-burst Quarter Horse sprints down at 350 and 400 yards, a pair of 870-yard routes, a couple of Trials prepping horses for bigger spots, and the marquee event — a Stakes at 7 furlongs that gives the thoroughbreds a chance to steal the spotlight. There's genuine wagering interest top to bottom today.

Three races are open to all TrackWiz readers, with full breakdowns on the remaining six available to subscribers. Whether you're here for a casual Sunday play or you're building exotic tickets through the Trials and the Stakes, there's plenty to work with.

Best Bets

Race 1

7:30 PM EDT

Claiming · 870 yd · Dirt

A wide-open 870-yard dirt claimer where the TrackWiz ratings tell a clear story at the top — but there's enough firepower in the middle of the field to keep the exotics interesting.

win3GetoutofthewaybabyML 3/1

Getoutofthewaybaby draws the 3-hole and comes in with the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 87.08 — a significant margin over anyone else in this claiming field. Trainer Lonnie H. Vaughn sends this one out at the 3/1 morning line, and jockey Gabriel Medrano gives the horse a capable pilot at the 870-yard distance. The career win rate of 7% isn't flashy, but it's the rating gap over the competition that makes this the clear top choice in our analysis.

place5Kama PatriotML 7/2

Kama Patriot posts an 79.35 TrackWiz rating — second-best in this field — and figures to be a major factor at the 7/2 morning line. Trainer Joel J. Gonzales and jockey Christian Ramos form a solid team, and at that price, Kama Patriot represents solid value in the exacta underneath Getoutofthewaybaby. The 4% career win rate is modest, but the overall rating profile suggests this horse is capable of a strong effort.

show4Twist 'n SportML 6/1

Twist 'n Sport is the one horse in the field with a recorded average speed figure (54), giving handicappers at least some quantifiable benchmark in an otherwise speed-figure-thin race. The 14% career win rate ties Theadoro for best in the field and shows consistent competitiveness over time. At 6/1 on the morning line, trainer Joy I. Marlin's runner is worth including in tri tickets as a live show option.

Race 2

7:55 PM EDT

Claiming · 400 yd · Dirt

Eye Am Candy looks like a standout in this 400-yard dirt claimer, but the middle tier is packed tightly enough that the place and show spots are genuinely competitive.

win7Eye Am CandyML 5/2

Eye Am Candy carries the field's top TrackWiz rating of 87.81 — well clear of the rest — and comes in at a workable 5/2 morning line with jockey Joseph Belloc Jr. in the irons for trainer Leovigildo Hernandez Jr. The 11% career win rate is respectable for a claiming sprinter, and the rating dominance here is hard to ignore. In a short 400-yard dash where early positioning is everything, a horse this highly-rated figures to be sitting on a sharp effort.

place6Zee QueenML 8/1

Zee Queen is the value angle in this race — an 8/1 morning line price that doesn't reflect a 63.32 TrackWiz rating, third-best in the field. Trainer Bernadette Barrios sends this filly out with Christian Ramos aboard, and while the 4% career win rate is low, the rating suggests more talent than that number implies. In a four-horse exacta box situation, Zee Queen at 8/1 makes for an attractive place bet on her own.

show8Jumpn RegalML 9/2

Jumpn Regal slots in at 9/2 on the morning line with a 61.84 rating that puts this horse right in the mix with the second and third tier of this field. Trainer Jaime G. Aldavaz Sr. — who also has a runner in Race 3 — is an active presence on this card, and jockey Christian Cardenas gives Jumpn Regal a live chance in the short sprint format. Use this one underneath in exactas and trifectas as a reliable show contender.

Race 3

8:20 PM EDT

Allowance · 400 yd · Dirt

A full 12-horse allowance field over 400 yards creates a chaotic pace scenario — the top of the TrackWiz ratings is clear, but big fields in short sprints can produce chaos that rewards exotic players.

win3Bf Daddys OutrageML 3/1

Bf Daddys Outrage shares the field's top TrackWiz rating of 87.08 and comes in at a fair 3/1 morning line with Noe Garcia Jr. aboard for trainer Gilberto Canales. The 11% career win rate is solid for this level, and in allowance company over 400 yards, a horse with this rating profile figures to break cleanly and get the job done. Garcia Jr. is no stranger to this track, giving Bf Daddys Outrage a confident pilot who knows how to ride short sprints.

place11Eyem Out of HereML 9/2

Eyem Out of Here stands out with a 14% career win rate — one of the better figures in this deep field — and a 68.93 TrackWiz rating that puts this runner solidly in second-tier contention. Trainer Joel J. Gonzales also has the well-rated Kama Patriot in Race 1 today, so the barn is clearly firing. At 9/2, Eyem Out of Here is a logical place bet and a strong exacta partner with the top pick.

show5Brown Eyed DaddyML 6/1

Brown Eyed Daddy brings a 16% career win rate to the table — the best among the contenders outside the top pick — and a 66.38 TrackWiz rating that makes this a legit show threat. Christian Cardenas takes the mount for trainer James J. Gonzales II, and in a 12-horse field, having a horse with that kind of win consistency is valuable in the bottom slot of trifectas. At 6/1 on the morning line, there's genuine exotic value here.

Our three complimentary picks today cover the early Claiming and Allowance action, and there's a clear thread connecting them: speed. On a fast, dry Albuquerque dirt track in perfect weather, early foot is going to be rewarded. Getoutofthewaybaby opens our card at 3/1 over 870 yards, where maintaining pace through a longer Quarter Horse route is the challenge. Eye Am Candy (5/2) gets a straight-ahead 400-yard sprint — exactly the kind of race where our top-rated contenders can run clean and wire the field. Bf Daddys Outrage rounds out the free trio in an Allowance sprint, also at 400 yards, with a 3/1 morning line that looks fair but not generous.

All three of these horses carry TrackWiz ratings in the 87-range, which tells you the model sees legitimate ability here — not chalk picks padded with name recognition. Lean on the speed, watch the gates closely, and use these races to build confidence before the card heats up.

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Full Card Analysis

Race 4

8:45 PM EDT

Allowance · 870 yd · Dirt

This 870-yard allowance features a contested top tier where the TrackWiz ratings are tightly bunched from fourth through eighth — making pace dynamics and jockey decisions critical factors in sorting out the winner.

win7Fireside ChatML 5/2

Fireside Chat tops the TrackWiz ratings in this allowance at 87.81 and comes in at 5/2 on the morning line — a price that reflects confidence from the morning-line maker. Jose Enrique Ortiz picks up the mount for trainer Marco A. Flores, and with a 20% career win rate, this horse has the pedigree to close the deal. At the 870-yard distance, where early pace and stamina blend, Fireside Chat's rating advantage becomes even more meaningful in a field where separation is hard to find.

place6Rz RichyML 9/2

Rz Richy posts a 77.65 TrackWiz rating and represents a slight step down in class from the top pick while offering value at 9/2 on the morning line. Trainer Karina Aldavaz hands the reins to Christian Cardenas, a reliable presence on this card, and the 11% career win rate suggests this runner is no stranger to hitting the board. In an exacta keying Fireside Chat, Rz Richy is the most natural second choice.

show8Hawkeyes CartelML 7/2

Hawkeyes Cartel brings the best career win rate among the top contenders at 23%, and a 73.94 TrackWiz rating that keeps this runner very much in the conversation. Trainer David M. Gomez-Barraza — who also has Conflict in Race 5 — is a sharp presence on this card, and Francisco Zamora is a capable pilot at this track. At 7/2, Hawkeyes Cartel might actually be the most value-efficient ticket in this race as a show bet.

Race 5

9:10 PM EDT

Allowance · 350 yd · Dirt

A massive 12-horse allowance field at 350 yards is a handicapper's puzzle — but Rr Famous Tacha's extraordinary career win percentage makes this race anything but a coin flip at the top.

win3Bf FlyrageousML 3/1

Bf Flyrageous takes the top TrackWiz rating in this field at 87.08 and is correctly installed as the 3/1 morning-line favorite with Noe Garcia Jr. back in the irons — the same jockey piloting Bf Daddys Outrage in Race 3. Trainer Wesley T. Giles sends out a horse with a 12% career win rate, which is workmanlike in a 12-horse sprint field. The rating gap from Bf Flyrageous down to the next tier is significant enough to give this runner a clear advantage in our analysis.

place7Rr Famous TachaML 6/1

Rr Famous Tacha is simply eye-catching — a 50% career win rate that stands alone in this field and a 73.97 TrackWiz rating that puts this runner firmly in the top tier. Trainer Humberto Tena Jr. saddles a horse that clearly knows how to win, and Daniel Antonio Torres gets the call. At 6/1 on the morning line, there's real value here for a horse that wins half the time it runs — this is the kind of number that jumps off the page.

show8Valiant PoliticianML 9/2

Valiant Politician rates out at 62.42 on the TrackWiz scale and sports a solid 15% career win rate — middle-of-the-pack numbers that nonetheless separate this runner from the bottom half of a crowded field. Brian Cobos Barraza takes the mount for trainer Emilio Cadena Jr., and at 9/2, this is a reasonable show anchor in trifecta tickets. In a 12-horse field at 350 yards, having a consistent, mid-range horse in the show spot is exactly the kind of hedge that pays dividends.

Race 6

9:35 PM EDT

Trial · 6 fur · Dirt

A six-furlong trial brings a mix of debut types and lightly raced horses — making speed figures and career records the most reliable guides in what is otherwise a handicapping challenge.

win3Just JaneML 5/2

Just Jane is the most distinctive horse in this trial field — a 50% career win rate in what appears to be a small sample for a lightly raced runner, combined with an average speed figure of 54 that matches the better-clocked horses here. Trainer Dick Cappellucci puts up Alfredo J. Juarez Jr., a top-flight jockey booking, which signals stable confidence. The 5/2 morning line makes Just Jane the public choice, and the TrackWiz rating of 57.5 tops this trial field — the full picture supports that favoritism.

place10B D OneML 7/2

B D One draws the outside post at 10 and comes in with a 55.83 TrackWiz rating — second-best in this trial — for trainer Todd W. Fincher, who is throwing three horses at this race (B D One, Equal Opportunity, and Louie's Mark), a barn pattern worth noting. Oscar Andrade Jr. takes the mount, one of the more active jockeys on this card, and at 7/2, B D One is a logical place play underneath Just Jane. When a trainer enters multiple horses in the same race, the one with the best jockey and rating often shows the barn's true intent.

show9Never SurrenderML 9/2

Never Surrender posts a 54.17 TrackWiz rating and an average speed figure of 54, matching Just Jane's speed benchmark in a field where several runners have no recorded figure at all. Trainer Renee K. Wilson also saddles Letsdothetwist in Race 7, showing continued activity on the card, and Christian Ramos is a strong jockey pick-up. At 9/2, Never Surrender rounds out a logical top-three grouping and is worth including in trifecta tickets as the show leg.

Race 7

10:00 PM EDT

Trial · 6 fur · Dirt

The second six-furlong trial of the night features a pair of perfect career records — Haywire and Crimson Crusader — colliding with a TrackWiz ratings outlier in Jennys Tamale, setting up a genuinely intriguing showdown.

win4Jennys TamaleML 8/1

Jennys Tamale is the TrackWiz ratings standout in this trial at 73.92 — a massive gap over any other horse in the field — and that alone makes this the top selection despite an 8/1 morning-line price. Trainer Sherry Armstrong sends this runner out with Christian Ramos in the irons, a jockey who's had multiple live mounts on tonight's card. The average speed figure of 54 is in line with the better horses in the trial, and when a horse's rating is this far clear of the field, the value at 8/1 is hard to pass up.

place7HaywireML 5/2

Haywire comes in with a perfect 100% career win rate and an average speed figure of 55 — the best recorded speed in this trial field. Trainer Todd W. Fincher has runners all over this card and clearly knows how to prepare horses for these conditions, and Oscar Andrade Jr. is a dependable jockey at 5/2. The combination of an unbeaten record and the best speed figure is a compelling résumé, and Haywire is a natural place partner with the top pick.

show6Crimson CrusaderML 7/2

Crimson Crusader matches Haywire's 100% career win rate and posts an average speed figure of 54, giving trainer Jose A. Gonzalez two strong credentials to work with at 7/2. Jockey Jose Miguel Vazquez gets the call, and while the 55.83 TrackWiz rating trails both Jennys Tamale and Haywire, the perfect record in a trial format keeps this horse very much in the trifecta conversation. Use Crimson Crusader as the show leg to build out the bottom of your tickets.

Race 8

10:25 PM EDT

Stakes · 7 fur · Dirt

Tonight's stakes race at seven furlongs features a razor-thin top tier — Pepper Mill, Chandon, and Tiz the Spirit are separated by less than a point in the TrackWiz ratings — making this the most competitive race on the card.

win6Pepper MillML 5/2

Pepper Mill edges out the field with an 80.68 TrackWiz rating, the narrowest margin of any top pick on this card, and comes in at 5/2 on the morning line for trainer Edward J. Kereluk. Luis A. Valenzuela gets the mount — a jockey who has also piloted Equal Opportunity in Race 6 and Dance Man in Race 9, showing broad familiarity with the conditions. The 26% career win rate is strong for stakes company, and the 56 average speed figure ties Chandon for the best in this field. In a race this close at the top, any edge matters, and Pepper Mill's edge is real.

place5ChandonML 7/2

Chandon sits at an 80.32 TrackWiz rating — virtually identical to Pepper Mill — and presents legitimate win upside that makes the 7/2 morning line a touch generous. Trainer Tristan Ashford sends out this runner with Ramon A. Vazquez aboard, and the 21% career win rate combined with the field-best-tying 56 average speed figure makes Chandon a dangerous exacta threat. If the pace sets up differently than expected, this is the horse most likely to flip the script on the top pick.

show4Tiz the SpiritML 6/1

Tiz the Spirit brings the best career win rate among the top three contenders at 33% — a number that speaks to a horse that knows how to close out races. Trainer Todd W. Fincher — who has runners in multiple races tonight — saddles this 6/1 morning-liner with Alfredo J. Juarez Jr. in the irons, and the 79.42 TrackWiz rating keeps Tiz the Spirit very much alive in the trifecta. At 6/1 in a stakes field this competitive, this is a show play with real value baked in.

Race 9

10:50 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 fur · Dirt

The nightcap is a five-furlong dirt claiming race that shapes up as a genuine battle between Shudder and Halo Rando — two horses with strong TrackWiz ratings who could turn this into a head-to-head duel all the way to the wire.

win6ShudderML 9/2

Shudder tops tonight's final race with an 84.9 TrackWiz rating and gets the 9/2 morning-line price — excellent value for the top-rated horse in any field. Trainer Rafael S. Barraza puts up Aldo Arboleda, and the 56 average speed figure is among the best recorded in this field. The 8% career win rate is the one number that gives pause, but the rating profile and speed figure suggest a horse that has been running in tougher company — in a claiming race at this level, that kind of back-class can be a real advantage.

place7Halo RandoML 5/2

Halo Rando is installed as the 5/2 morning-line favorite despite a slightly lower 82.22 TrackWiz rating than Shudder — a reflection of the 23% career win rate that is among the best on the board tonight. Trainer Dick Cappellucci, who also saddled Just Jane in Race 6, puts up Alfredo J. Juarez Jr., one of the most active jockeys on this card. At five furlongs, a horse with that kind of win percentage and a solid 55 average speed figure is exactly the type you want underneath in exactas.

show2Nine Lives ElmerML 8/1

Nine Lives Elmer sneaks into the show spot with a 74.2 TrackWiz rating — third-best in the field — and an average speed figure of 56 that matches the top horses here. Trainer Natalie Douglas sends this runner out at 8/1 with Jose Miguel Vazquez aboard, and the 12% career win rate is modest but respectable in claiming company. At 8/1, Nine Lives Elmer is the best-priced ticket in the trifecta equation and gives your exotic bets a high-upside bottom leg to round out the nightcap.

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Clear day, fast track, nine races with genuine competitive depth — Albuquerque is worth your full attention today. Start with Getoutofthewaybaby, Eye Am Candy, and Bf Daddys Outrage in the free plays, then let our premium breakdown guide you through the Trials, the Stakes, and everything in between. The best bet on the card might just be Jennys Tamale at a big price — but you'll need the full analysis to see why. Upgrade your TrackWiz access and don't go in blind.

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