Fairmount Park Picks & Predictions — May 23, 2026
Fairmount Park fires up an 8-race Saturday card under partly cloudy skies with temperatures sitting at a comfortable 74°F. Conditions look close to ideal for fast-track speed figures, which means early pace will be a genuine factor all afternoon — horses that can grab the lead and control fractions are going to be worth watching regardless of the race type.
We've got a nice mix on the menu today: maiden claimers to kick things off, a pair of allowance optional claiming races in the middle of the card, and two starter allowance closers to finish things up. The class ladder climbs steadily as the day goes on, so if you're building multi-race tickets, sequencing matters today.
TrackWiz has graded all 8 races. The first three are free for every reader — our full premium breakdown covers the back half of the card where the serious money lives.
Best Bets
Race 1
Maiden Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt
A wide-open maiden claimer where experience is essentially zero across the board — TrackWiz ratings do the heavy lifting, and the gap between the top and bottom of this field is enormous.
Belleinthetemple draws the #2 hole and carries the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 87.81 — a full 22 points clear of her nearest rival. Trainer Ralph Martinez has her at 5/2 on the morning line, suggesting connections are confident she's ready to fire. With an average speed figure of 52 and the best composite profile in this maiden field, she's the clear top choice at a fair price.
Aideen (1) lands the rail post with a solid 65.01 rating and an average speed of 52, matching Belleinthetemple's figure while going off at 3/1. Jockey Reynier Arrieta gets the call, and a horse with this profile at that price is a natural place contender in a field this thin on proven ability.
Wildwood Overtime drew the 5-hole with the morning line favorite's number at 2/1, despite having no average speed figure on record — meaning this one is likely lightly raced or first-out. The 58.33 rating is third-best in the field, and the public money suggests trainer Scott Becker is sending a live horse. Worth including in the show spot as a hedge against the unknown.
Race 2
Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt
The morning line favorite here is far from the most impressive horse on paper — Awesome Sunday's superior rating and career win percentage set up a potential overlay situation worth exploiting.
Awesome Sunday (#6) is the TrackWiz top-rated horse at 83.97 and boasts the best career win percentage in the field at 24% — meaning roughly one in four starts has ended in the winner's circle. She also shows the field's top average speed figure of 54. At 5/2 on the morning line with Alexander Bendezu aboard, this is a horse whose numbers back up the price.
Bethy (#1) is a sneaky interesting horse at 6/1 on the morning line with an 82.71 TrackWiz rating — nearly matching Awesome Sunday at a significantly better price. The 53 average speed and a 11% career win rate in a claiming field this level suggest she's capable of hitting the board consistently. Javier Tavares sticks with her from the rail, and the place slot looks like a great spot to collect.
Miss Tena Marie (#2) comes in at 65.51 on the TrackWiz scale with a 17% career win percentage — respectable for this level. Trainer Ralph Martinez also saddles the top pick Awesome Sunday today, which means the barn is well-represented and in form. At 5/1, she's a legitimate show bet and fits naturally in multi-horse exotics.
Race 3
Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
Zee Fire is as dominant on paper as any horse you'll see at this level today — but at even-money, the question is whether the price is right or if Mystic Power can steal some of the glory.
Zee Fire (#4) tops the TrackWiz ratings at a perfect 90.0 and goes off as the morning line favorite at even money. With a 53 average speed figure and Alexander Bendezu in the irons for trainer Scott Becker, this is a horse with all the boxes checked. In a mile claiming event, pace endurance matters — and the ratings gap here is substantial enough to trust the top number.
Mystic Power (#1) sits second in the ratings at 80.51 and has Javier Tavares, one of the more experienced riders in this Fairmount colony, in the saddle. A 13% career win percentage is modest but steady for this class level, and a 3/1 morning line suggests the public agrees he's the main threat to Zee Fire. At the mile distance, a closer profile like this can get there.
Wicked Gus (#5) is priced at 7/2 and checks in with a 58.55 TrackWiz rating — solidly in the middle of this pack. A 13% career win rate mirrors his stablemate Solomon Vandy, but Johanis Aranguren's experience gives him a live chance to sneak into the exotics. He's the kind of consistent claimer who can grind out a third at a mile.
Our three free races span the early part of the card and give you a solid foundation before the real fireworks start. Belleinthetemple opens the day in the 5½-furlong maiden claimer — an 87.81 TrackWiz rating makes her the clear top selection at a sensible 5/2 morning line. In Race 2, Awesome Sunday carries a similar price tag in another short sprint, and on a day that figures to favor pace-setters, that 5½-furlong distance is right in the wheelhouse. Then comes Race 3, where Zee Fire stretches out to a mile and comes in as the even-money morning-line choice with a perfect 90.00 rating — that's the ceiling of our model, and it commands respect.
The connecting thread across these three? Dirt sprint and route specialists who profile well on a dry, fast surface. With no rain in the forecast and temperatures in the mid-70s, there's no reason to expect any late-day track changes. Play your free picks with confidence.
Full Card Analysis
Premium Content
Get the Full Card Analysis
Unlock expert picks for every race, detailed speed figures, trainer angles, and our SmartBet recommendations.
Bottom line: Fairmount Park has a clean, competitive card today and the conditions set up for a fun afternoon at the windows. Zee Fire is the marquee free pick with that top-of-the-model 90.00 rating, and the premium card features a 6/1 shot in Skylane that TrackWiz analysis thinks is undervalued. Full card breakdowns, pace projections, and exotic ticket structures are waiting for subscribers — see everything at TrackWiz Premium. Good luck out there today.