Emerald Downs Picks & Predictions — May 17, 2026
Here's our expert breakdown of today's 8-race card at Emerald Downs. We've identified 3 standout races with strong plays — see our analysis below. Full card picks for all 8 races are available to TrackWiz subscribers.
Best Bets
Race 1
2026-05-17T20:50:00Claiming · 6 fur · Dirt
Clear separation at the top of the rating board — Hatagasal looks standout with daylight to the rest.
Tops the TrackWiz rating board at 87.1 for Race 1. Ridden by Karlo Lopez, trained by Ramiro Meraz Martinez. Ranked 1st for recent race speed at 11.90 sec/furlong. 2 wins and placed in 11 of 20 races on Dirt tracks. Has placed in the last 4 races. Has placed in 4 of the last 6 races. Horse won last time it raced. 04/25/2026. Horse won last time raced at today's surface/distance.
Rating board at 71.6 • 28% career wins. Ridden by Kevin Krigger. Ranked 2nd for recent race speed at 11.99 sec/furlong. For past year, Jockey has a 24% win rate and finished in the money in 57% of races.
Rating board at 68.2. Ridden by Isaias D. Enriquez. For past year, Jockey has a 22% win rate and finished in the money in 56% of races. For past year, Jockey & Trainer Combo has a 24% win rate and finished in the money in 59% of races.
Race 2
2026-05-17T21:21:00Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt
Clear separation at the top of the rating board — Social Status looks standout with daylight to the rest.
Tops the TrackWiz rating board at 88.5 for Race 2. Ridden by Kevin Krigger, trained by Ramiro Meraz Martinez. Ranked 1st for recent race speed at 12.39 sec/furlong. For past year, Jockey has a 24% win rate and finished in the money in 57% of races. 1 wins and placed in 8 of 13 races on Dirt tracks. Has placed in 4 of the last 6 races. Has placed in 2 of 3 races at 5 1/2 fur. Ranked 1st in workouts over last month at 11.85 sec/furlong. Horse appears in today's Top 50 Horses List.
Rating board at 78.9 • 33% career wins. Ridden by Adrian Castellanos. For past year, Jockey has a 22% win rate and finished in the money in 52% of races. 1 wins and placed in 2 of 4 races on Dirt tracks.
Rating board at 58.3. Ridden by Silvio Ruiz Amador. Ranked 3rd for recent race speed at 12.73 sec/furlong. 1 wins and placed in 5 of 10 races on Dirt tracks.
Race 3
2026-05-17T22:05:00Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt
Clear separation at the top of the rating board — Jullian in Paris looks standout with daylight to the rest.
Tops the TrackWiz rating board at 87.8 for Race 3. Ridden by Kevin Krigger, trained by Charles Essex. Ranked 3rd for recent race speed at 12.19 sec/furlong. For past year, Jockey has a 24% win rate and finished in the money in 57% of races. Has placed in the last 2 races. Horse appears in today's Top 50 Horses List.
Rating board at 31.9. Ridden by Alex M. Cruz.
Our top picks for today focus on races with clear edges in speed figures, trainer form, and track bias. These are the spots where we see the most value on the board.
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Good luck at Emerald Downs today! Remember to check back for live odds updates and follow us for real-time picks throughout the card. Subscribe to TrackWiz for full access to every race at every track.