Daily Picks

Albuquerque Picks & Predictions — September 24, 2026

September 24, 202612 racesAll Albuquerque picks

This card ran on September 24, 2026.

Best bets at Albuquerque, September 24, 2026

Race 18Toppa the MoonML 7/22:00 PM EDT

Race 2 is free with an account, and the other 10 races are for members.

A free account opens race 2 too. Premium opens all 12, with AI ratings on every runner and SmartBet, which splits one bet across the horses you like.

Join Free See plans · from $9.99

It's Trial Day at Albuquerque Downs, and the track is serving up a full dozen 400-yard dashes on the dirt — the purest, most electric format in quarter horse racing. Twelve trials, twelve gates slamming open, twelve chances to catch a future finalist before the bigger stage arrives. At 66°F under partly cloudy skies, conditions look close to ideal for fast times today.

All twelve races share the same distance and surface, which actually tells you a lot: on a day like this, it's all about reaction time, draw, and raw speed figures. Small edges matter enormously when the entire race is over in roughly 20 seconds. Our TrackWiz ratings are tight across the card — the gap between the top-rated horse and the field is slim in several races — so finding value at the right price is the name of the game.

Best Bets

Race 1

2:00 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

A wide-open 400-yard trial with a clear top rating separating the field, but several lightly raced horses make this trickier than the morning line suggests.

win8Toppa the MoonML 7/2

Toppa the Moon carries the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 86.35 and draws the 7/2 morning line, making this a case of top-rated value rather than a chalk play. The 40% career win rate is legitimate proof of concept — this horse has been there before and knows how to finish. Trainer David M. Gomez-Barraza puts Oscar Andrade, Jr. in the irons, a pairing worth watching throughout this trial card. In a sprint format where every fraction counts, a proven winner with separation from the field on our ratings is exactly the profile you want on top.

place9Bigg TwistML 5/2

Bigg Twist slots in at the 5/2 morning line with a 69.69 rating and a 28% career win percentage — modest by headline standards, but that win rate in quarter-horse trials is workable. Luis Martinez rides, and this horse profiles as the type that finds a way into the frame even when not at peak. At the second-shortest odds in the field, the place spot makes sense as a safety net in exotics.

show3Dahlias DestinyML 9/2

Dahlias Destiny comes in rated 63.02 under Christian Ramos for trainer Tony E. Sedillo, and at 9/2 on the morning line there's real value here if the top two hit any resistance. No career win percentage to lean on, but the TrackWiz rating puts her comfortably ahead of the rest of this field outside the top two picks. She's the show hedge in a tri or the third leg of a quinella wheel.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Race 2: Free with an Account

Race 2

2:25 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

Big Ted looks like a dominant favorite here, but a trio of horses rated in the 80s creates legitimate exacta and trifecta intrigue behind the morning-line chalk.

win10Big TedML 9/5

Big Ted is the class of this field and it isn't particularly close — an 86.55 TrackWiz rating pairs with a 66% career win percentage, the kind of number that demands respect in any quarter-horse sprint. Trainer Omar Vargas sends out Sergio Becerra, Jr., one of the more active jockeys on this card, and that experienced connection only adds confidence. At 9/5, you're not getting rich, but in trials format, backing the standout is often the right play. When a horse this rated goes to post at odds-on, the question isn't whether to include him — it's how to structure the tickets around him.

place4Thats AmoreeML 6/1

Thats Amoree is sneaky interesting at 6/1 with a rating of 82.71 and a 33% career win rate — those are legitimately competitive numbers that suggest this horse can fire when conditions align. Trainer Wesley T. Giles sends out Noe Garcia, Jr., and the gap between this horse and Big Ted isn't as wide as the morning line implies. If Big Ted stumbles or gets away slowly, Thats Amoree has the rating to capitalize.

show2Sand and SeaML 7/2

Sand and Sea checks in at 80.16 on our ratings for Joseph Belloc, Jr. and trainer Rodolfo G. Valles — a consistent pairing that has runners throughout this card. The 20% career win rate is the one soft spot, but the raw rating keeps this horse in exotics contention. In a race where the top three by rating all cluster in the 80s, Sand and Sea rounds out a logical trifecta underneath.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

We're giving everyone a look at Races 1 through 3 today, and they make for a compelling opening trifecta of action. Baby Daddy Cartel in Race 3 carries the highest TrackWiz rating on the card at 88.83 and is our marquee free pick — a horse whose profile jumps off the page in this trial format. At 9/5 on the morning line, you're not getting rich on a single win ticket, but the confidence level here is high enough to anchor multi-race wagers. Big Ted (Race 2, 86.55 rating) and Toppa the Moon (Race 1, 86.35 rating) round out the early card, and both show the kind of consistent speed figures that hold up well on a fast Albuquerque dirt strip. Keep an eye on how the first couple of races play out — if you see early times trending quick, lean into your speed plays hard the rest of the day.

Free with an account

Open the next race free

A free account opens the first 2 races at every track, and every race at our Track of the Day. No credit card needed.

Create a free account Sign in

Full Card Analysis

Race 3

2:50 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

Baby Daddy Cartel enters as a standout on ratings and win percentage, but the double-digit field creates chaos in the gate that could produce a wide-open trifecta result.

win7Baby Daddy CartelML 9/5

Baby Daddy Cartel is the top-rated horse across the first three races of this card with an 88.83 TrackWiz rating, and the 66% career win percentage is the kind of résumé that earns favorite status at 9/5. Trainer Omar Vargas pairs with Noe Garcia, Jr. — Vargas has multiple high-profile runners today and clearly knows how to place a horse. In a 400-yard trial, raw ability tends to cut through the chaos at the gate, and this horse has the ability.

place8Royal Pour TfML 7/2

Royal Pour Tf rated 67.07 with a 33% career win rate for Joseph Belloc, Jr. and trainer James J. Gonzales II, and the 7/2 morning line reflects a real contender rather than a throw-in. There's a meaningful ratings gap between this horse and the rest of the field outside the top pick, making the place spot a logical landing spot. Belloc has been active throughout this card and knows how to get horses out of the gate cleanly.

show1Sheza Fast FlashML 8/1

Sheza Fast Flash comes in at 59.67 on the TrackWiz scale for Christian Cardenas and trainer Rodolfo G. Valles, and at 8/1 there's genuine value if the top two split or one misses the break. Valles runs a full stable today, suggesting the barn is in good form overall. As the third-rated horse in the field with morning-line overlay potential, Sheza Fast Flash is worth including in trifecta tickets.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 4

3:15 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

Race 4 is the first behind the paywall, and it delivers a legitimate three-horse battle at the top — Acrylic, Billbo Bagins, and Keenan are all rated in the 80s, setting up a compelling trifecta race.

win1AcrylicML 5/2

Acrylic draws the rail in post one with the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 86.97 and a 50% career win percentage — that's a horse that converts. Trainer Renee K. Wilson puts Jacob Enriquez up, and this duo shows up multiple times on the card, suggesting the stable is sharp right now. The 5/2 morning line is fair given the competition, and rail speed in a 400-yard sprint is rarely a disadvantage. This is the top of our ticket in Race 4.

place3Billbo BaginsML 4/1

Billbo Bagins rates just a hair behind the top pick at 85.62 for trainer Rodolfo G. Valles and Christian Cardenas, with the 4/1 morning line offering a touch of overlay value. No career win percentage to point to, but the raw rating tells us this horse belongs in this conversation. If Acrylic misses the break or gets squeezed off the rail, Billbo Bagins has the ability to step up.

show8KeenanML 7/2

Keenan is worth including in exotics at 7/2 with an 82.15 rating and a 33% career win rate for Joseph Belloc, Jr. and trainer Salvador R. Soto. All three top picks in this race cluster in the 82-87 range, which makes the trifecta a genuine puzzle — anyone could slot in anywhere. Keenan's proven win percentage gives him an edge over the rest of the field when picking a show horse.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Race 5

3:40 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

Hestan is the horse to beat by a wide margin on the ratings, but the 5/2 price and the 80-point gap below make this a singles race with live exotics underneath.

win6HestanML 5/2

Hestan is the most dominant horse on this card relative to his field — an 87.81 TrackWiz rating paired with an 80% career win percentage is the kind of profile that makes you feel good about a single. Trainer Omar Vargas continues a strong day with Jose Enrique Ortiz aboard, and the 5/2 morning line barely captures how far ahead of the field this horse rates. When a horse wins 4 out of every 5 starts, you back it and move on.

place3Perrys AlibiML 7/2

Perrys Alibi sits second in the field at 81.73 with a 33% career win rate for Jaime Parga Leos and trainer David M. Gomez-Barraza. The gap between this horse and Hestan is real, but the gap between Perrys Alibi and the rest of the field is also significant — making the place spot a reasonable landing zone. At 7/2, there's some value if Hestan stumbles.

show4HoldmyhailoML 8/1

Holdmyhailo checks in at a modest 48.33 rating but earns the show nod based on the cliff-edge dropoff in the rest of the field below Perrys Alibi. Gabriel Medrano rides for Wesley T. Giles, and at 8/1 this is your exotics hedge if the top two handle business. In a trial where the bottom half of the field rates well below 50, you don't need a great horse to hit the board — just a sound one.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 6

4:05 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

No single dominant figure here — Race 6 features five horses rated between 66 and 81, making this one of the more competitive and unpredictable trials on the card.

win6Jessies in CourtML 7/2

Jessies in Court rates 80.85 with a 33% career win rate and draws Sergio Becerra, Jr. for trainer Joel J. Gonzales — a legitimate top selection in a field where no horse runs away with the top spot. The 7/2 morning line is accurate: this is the best horse in the race by our numbers, but the competition is closer than most races today. Becerra has been one of the busiest jockeys on this card, and that kind of meet form matters in short sprints where the break decides everything.

place1Bogarts DreamgirlML 9/2

Bogarts Dreamgirl is fascinating at 9/2 with a 76.59 rating — second in the field — for Luis Martinez and trainer Manuel Rodolfo Rodriguez. No career win percentage is on the books, which creates uncertainty, but the raw rating suggests talent that hasn't fully converted yet. This is the type of horse that can sneak into the place spot while bettors fixate on the more recognizable win contenders.

show3RestartML 8/1

Restart rates 74.99 under Jose Enrique Ortiz for trainer Omar Vargas — the Vargas barn continues to be well-represented today with live horses in multiple races. The 8/1 morning line on a horse this highly rated is genuine overlay territory, and Restart rounds out a tight trifecta in a race where the top four are clustered closely enough that any order is plausible. Throw this one in your exotic tickets.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 7

4:30 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

Shafer is the clear standout here and looks like a potential single — a 75% career win rate sets this horse apart from a field that falls off sharply after the top two picks.

win7ShaferML 5/2

Shafer is the horse of the race in Race 7 — an 87.81 TrackWiz rating combined with a 75% career win percentage is elite-level production for a quarter-horse trial. Christian Cardenas rides for trainer Rodolfo G. Valles, who has multiple horses on the card and appears to be running a tight operation at this meet. At 5/2, the price reflects the respect, but with a 3-out-of-4 win conversion rate, Shafer is worth making a single in any ticket structure. This is the race of the night where we feel most confident.

place8Jess a Corona DashML 7/2

Jess a Corona Dash rates 69.85 with a 40% career win rate for Sergio Becerra, Jr. and Omar Vargas — a trainer-jockey team that has been sharp all card long. The second-best rating in the field by a comfortable margin makes the place spot a natural fit, and the 7/2 morning line isn't asking you to take a leap of faith. This horse has converted wins at a 40% clip and profiles as a reliable exacta partner.

show2Super PatriotML 9/2

Super Patriot checks in at 66.40 with a 40% career win rate for Jose Enrique Ortiz and trainer Marco A. Flores — the third-highest rating in the field and another horse with a respectable win conversion. The 9/2 price is workable in exotics, and if the top two handle the race as expected, Super Patriot is the most logical third-place finisher by our ratings. A trifecta of 7-8-2 is worth building around in this spot.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 8

4:55 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

Race 8 features a two-horse battle at the top between Imma Dandy and Daddys China, with a significant drop to the rest of the field — structure your exotics accordingly.

win1Imma DandyML 5/2

Imma Dandy posts an 87.81 TrackWiz rating — tied for the top mark among our win picks tonight — and draws Oscar Andrade, Jr. for trainer David M. Gomez-Barraza, who has been running some of the card's most competitive horses all evening. The 33% career win rate is modest compared to the raw rating, which suggests this horse may be poised to break through in a spot where the competition lines up favorably. At 5/2, this is a fair-priced top selection with the talent to dominate.

place7Daddys ChinaML 7/2

Daddys China rates 85.55 — just two points behind the top pick — with Jose Enrique Ortiz up for trainer Omar Vargas, a combination that has been producing throughout the night. The 20% career win rate is the cautionary flag, but the raw ability is undeniable and the place spot is exactly the right role for a horse this rated with an inconsistent conversion profile. In the exacta, 1-7 and 7-1 are both worth playing.

show5Cartel StarsML 9/2

Cartel Stars at 9/2 with a 54.17 rating and Joseph Belloc, Jr. in the irons for trainer Rodolfo G. Valles rounds out the exotics here. There's a significant rating gap between this horse and the top two, but the dropoff to the rest of the field is even more pronounced — making Cartel Stars the logical show hedge in a trifecta. Valles runs a full book today and has demonstrated good form throughout the card.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Race 9

5:20 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

Race 9 is the most evenly distributed field of the night — the top three picks are separated by just 14 points on our ratings, and the morning line reflects genuine uncertainty at the top.

win10RenikoML 9/2

Reniko earns the top spot with an 84.90 TrackWiz rating — the highest in this field — drawing a 9/2 morning line that represents real overlay value given that rating. No career win percentage on the books keeps some mystery here, but Joseph Belloc, Jr. takes the mount for trainer Rodolfo G. Valles, a barn that has shown consistent form throughout this card. In a competitive field with no runaway standout, taking the highest-rated horse at the second-best morning line price is a strong value play.

place3First Flash BeautyML 5/2

First Flash Beauty rates 70.85 with a 20% career win rate for Christian Cardenas and trainer James J. Gonzales II — the second-highest rating in the field and the 5/2 morning-line favorite. There's a reasonable argument First Flash Beauty could win this outright, which makes the place spot feel almost conservative. The 20% win rate suggests inconsistency, but boarding this horse in exotics is a no-brainer given the rating.

show5Kings LandingML 7/2

Kings Landing slots in at 70.43 — virtually identical to First Flash Beauty on the ratings scale — under Luis Martinez for trainer Manuel Rodolfo Rodriguez, at 7/2 on the morning line. The no-win-percentage profile creates uncertainty, but the clustering of three horses in the 70-85 range at the top of this field means all three are legitimate board contenders. Kings Landing is the trifecta anchor for the show slot.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 10

5:45 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

Kj She Is Long Gone tops the ratings but the morning line tells a different story — Bigg Cartel at 5/2 has a 100% win rate and could complicate things in a field with several live contenders.

win7Kj She Is Long GoneML 9/2

Kj She Is Long Gone rates 81.07 — the highest mark in the field — with a 25% career win rate for Gabriel Medrano and trainer Joel Iturralde. The 9/2 morning line offers overlay value for the top-rated horse, which is the kind of spot TrackWiz analysis aims to identify. Medrano is a capable pilot in these short sprints, and a trainer who can get a horse rated this highly to post is clearly doing something right in the mornings.

place5Big AveryML 7/2

Big Avery comes in with a 71.05 rating and no career win percentage, but Jacob Enriquez — one of the busiest and most active jockeys on the card — takes the mount for trainer Renee K. Wilson, a stable that has runners throughout this card. At 7/2, this is a morning-line favorite that rates second in the field, and the place spot is a natural fit for a horse that may be a step short of the win in a trial format. Pair this one in the exacta underneath Kj She Is Long Gone.

show3Je American DreamML 4/1

Je American Dream rates 70.27 for Sergio Becerra, Jr. and trainer Tony P. Lello at 4/1 on the morning line — a competitive price for the third-best-rated horse in the field. No win percentage to reference, but the raw talent score keeps this horse in the conversation for trifecta construction. Becerra has been one of the more reliable jockeys on this card all night and knows how to get out of the gate in a 400-yard trial.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Race 11

6:10 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

Bridger looks like the most clear-cut single of the night — a 75% career win rate and the top rating in the field, but a 33% converter lurking on the outside at 8/1 makes the exacta interesting.

win4BridgerML 5/2

Bridger is the standout of Race 11 — an 87.81 TrackWiz rating combined with a 75% career win percentage puts this horse in the same elite tier as Shafer in Race 7. Jose Enrique Ortiz handles the mount for trainer Omar Vargas, and Vargas has been one of the dominant trainers on this card throughout the night, consistently running horses with the highest ratings in their respective fields. At 5/2, this is a manageable price for what amounts to the most confident win pick on the back half of the card.

place1Big Morning BreezeML 8/1

Big Morning Breeze comes in at 75.35 — second-best in the field — with a 33% career win rate for Oscar Andrade, Jr. and David M. Gomez-Barraza. The Andrade-Gomez-Barraza combination has been active and productive throughout this card, and a horse with a proven win conversion rate at this rating level deserves exacta respect. The 8/1 morning line is the real story here — this is one of the best overlay place plays of the night.

show10Bogarts Brown SugarML 7/2

Bogarts Brown Sugar rounds out the trifecta at 64.13 on our ratings with a 40% career win rate — the second-highest conversion percentage among the non-Bridger horses in this field. Luis Martinez picks up the mount for Manuel Rodolfo Rodriguez, and a 40% win rate in quarter-horse trials is genuinely impressive. At 7/2, there's no overlay in the show pool, but the résumé justifies the inclusion in exotic tickets.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 12

6:35 PM EDT

Trial · 400 yd · Dirt

The finale is the most wide-open race of the night — no horse rates above 88 and the top pick opens at 5/2 while the second pick goes off at 8/1, hinting at a full-card trifecta opportunity.

win9Royal Dynasty MrbML 5/2

Royal Dynasty Mrb closes the card with the top TrackWiz rating at 87.81 and a 60% career win percentage — the best win conversion rate among any of tonight's win picks — for Luis Martinez and trainer Jorge Luis Sanchez, Jr. A horse that wins 3 out of every 5 starts in trial competition has demonstrated the kind of consistent excellence that makes it a legitimate single to close the night. The 5/2 price is right for what this horse brings to the gate, and finishing a card with a strong single is always a solid strategy.

place8Elmer AzulML 8/1

Elmer Azul is the value play of the finale — a 79.32 rating with no career win percentage but an 8/1 morning line that represents genuine overlay for the second-best horse in the field. Oscar Andrade, Jr. takes the mount for David M. Gomez-Barraza, one of the most active trainer-jockey combos on tonight's card. If Royal Dynasty Mrb is anything short of perfect, Elmer Azul has the raw rating to capitalize and return solid exacta value at that price.

show6Miss Desirio 16ML 9/2

Miss Desirio 16 rates 69.43 with a 33% career win rate for Jose Enrique Ortiz and trainer Omar Vargas — rounding out a card where Vargas has had live runners in nearly every race. The 9/2 morning line is fair value for the third-best-rated horse in the field, and a win rate of 33% in trial competition adds credibility to the inclusion. Close out your trifecta tickets with Miss Desirio 16 underneath the top two picks.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Premium Content

Get the Full Card Analysis

Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.

View Plans Sign In

Twelve trials, fast dirt, and near-perfect weather — Albuquerque is set up for a sharp afternoon of quarter horse action. Start with Baby Daddy Cartel in Race 3 as your anchor play, use Big Ted and Toppa the Moon to build your early multi-race tickets, and let the TrackWiz full card analysis do the heavy lifting on Races 4 through 12. It's a trial day — the future finalists are out there. Let's find them.

← All Albuquerque picks & predictions