Daily Picks

Finger Lakes Picks & Predictions — May 27, 2026

Wednesday, May 27, 20269 racesFinger Lakes

Happy Wednesday from Finger Lakes, where a gorgeous late-May afternoon sets the stage for a crisp 9-race card. Clear skies and 72°F mean no weather excuses today — whatever happens on that dirt strip is going to come down to pure horse, trainer, and pace.

The card is a nice mix of Allowances, Claimers, and a Maiden Special Weight that could be one of the more intriguing contests of the afternoon. Sprints dominate the program — six of the nine races go at 5½ furlongs or less — so front-runners and pace scenarios are going to be front of mind all day long.

TrackWiz has ratings on every horse in every race, and today we're unlocking the first three races for everyone. Races 4 through 9 are available to subscribers, and trust us — there's some real meat on the bone in the back half of this card.

Best Bets

Race 1

4:55 PM EDT

Allowance · 1 mi · Dirt

The morning line favorite isn't our top pick here — TrackWiz ratings flip the script in this one-mile allowance, with a pair of double-digit morning line prices sitting at the top of the rankings.

win4Sunday's CurrencyML 6/1

Sunday's Currency opens at 6/1 on the morning line but owns the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 82.71 — that's a meaningful gap over the chalk. Posting a 16% career win rate with an average speed figure of 54, this horse profiles as a closer who could benefit from a pace that collapses late over Finger Lakes' one-mile dirt strip. Trainer Arcadio Lopez sends out a horse who's clearly capable of running better than that morning line suggests, and jockey Reylu Gutierrez is a sharp rider to have in the irons when you're looking to steal value.

place5Sweet ToneML 8/1

Sweet Tone is an interesting figure horse — that 78.01 TrackWiz rating is second-best in the field, and an average speed figure of 54 matches up well at this level. The 8/1 morning line is honest given a thin career win percentage of just 3%, but this horse may be coming into form and a place finish is very much in play for trainer Rafael Jose Rohena's runner under Luis E. Perez.

show2Hey PalML 5/2

Hey Pal brings a solid 20% career win rate to the table, which is among the best in the field, and sits at a very reachable 5/2 on the morning line. The TrackWiz rating of 71.87 is third-highest overall, and with trainer M. Anthony Ferraro sending this one out — the same barn that also saddles I'm Solo N in Love — there's clear intent here. A show ticket on Hey Pal is a sensible way to hedge in exotics.

Race 2

5:24 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Lady Banker is a massive ratings standout in this 5.5-furlong dirt claimer, carrying a TrackWiz score nearly 22 points clear of the next-best horse — the question is whether the market will let you have her at 5/2.

win1Lady BankerML 5/2

Lady Banker's TrackWiz rating of 87.81 completely dominates this field — the next closest is Change Order at 65.76. Average speed figures of 54 lead the group, and while her 4% career win rate might raise eyebrows, our analysis suggests she may have been competing at tougher levels or working through troubled trips. Trainer Kathleen Mastin puts her in with jockey Jacqueline A. Davis, and at 5/2 on the morning line, the market isn't sleeping on her either.

place5Change OrderML 5/1

Change Order profiles as the most interesting secondary play in the field. A TrackWiz rating of 65.76 places her clearly ahead of the rest of the supporting cast, and an average speed figure of 53 is respectable for this level. The 5/1 morning line offers genuine value if she can't quite reel in Lady Banker, and trainer Ilmar Loaiza has horses that know how to compete in these shorter dirt sprints.

show3Going for GloryML 4/1

Going for Glory sits at 4/1 on the morning line with a TrackWiz score of 59.03, which is third-highest in the field. Matching Change Order's average speed figure of 53, trainer William H. Bartlett's runner is a logical show contender who keeps exotics affordable. Chris Russell gets the call, and in a race with a clear top choice, the place-show spots could get shuffled — this is a reasonable hedge.

Race 3

5:53 PM EDT

Allowance · 6 fur · Dirt

Rockinmoney and Magic Beach have the two highest TrackWiz ratings in this six-furlong allowance, but Lord King — trained by Luis Gutierrez with a 16% career win rate — looms as a live threat at morning line odds of 2/1.

win1RockinmoneyML 5/2

Rockinmoney tops the TrackWiz rankings at 87.81 in this six-furlong allowance, and trainer M. Anthony Ferraro pairs him with leading rider Keiber J. Coa — a combination that demands respect at this track. Average speed figures of 54 are solid for the distance, and while a 9% career win rate looks modest, the overall profile and rating say this horse is running well right now. The 5/2 morning line seems fair for a horse our model grades this clearly as the top selection.

place5Magic BeachML 7/2

Magic Beach has a TrackWiz rating of 83.92 — only Rockinmoney is rated higher — and also sports a 54 average speed figure, making him a legitimate threat to run second or better. At 7/2 on the morning line, trainer Debra A. Breed's runner offers solid place value without asking you to pay up for the short-priced horses. Joel Cruz has ridden well around here, and this horse fits the profile of a closer who could sweep up late.

show2Lord KingML 2/1

Lord King is the morning line second choice at 2/1, and a 16% career win rate is the best among any horse in contention — that's a horse who knows how to finish. Trainer Luis Gutierrez hands the mount to Reylu Gutierrez, and with an average speed of 55 (co-highest in the field), there's legitimate ability here. Using Lord King underneath in exactas and trifectas makes a lot of sense given the show position and the pace speed he carries.

Our three free best bet races today span a mile Allowance, a 5½-furlong Claimer, and a 6-furlong Allowance — a nice cross-section of the day's themes. Sunday's Currency (Race 1, 6/1 morning line) is our favorite value angle to kick off the card; an 82.71 TrackWiz rating at that price is the kind of overlay that makes a Wednesday at Finger Lakes worth firing on. In the sprints, Lady Banker (Race 2) and Rockinmoney (Race 3) both clock in at 87.81 and are pegged as morning-line co-favorites — sharp ratings that suggest these two should be tough to beat if the pace sets up right.

On a fast, dry Finger Lakes strip like we're expecting today, early speed tends to get rewarded at the shorter distances. Keep that in mind when you're reading the pace scenarios — horses that can get out and control the fractions without burning up in the first quarter are going to be dangerous today.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

6:22 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

A premium claiming sprint that features two horses rated above 86 in the TrackWiz model — So Spirited and Rockstar Casanova — while the rest of the field has some catching up to do.

win2So SpiritedML 2/1

So Spirited owns the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 88.54 and a career win rate of 33% — that's legitimately elite in a claiming context and makes this horse a standout by any measure. Trained by Linda Rice and ridden by Oscar Gomez, the connections alone deserve respect, and an average speed figure of 53 keeps this runner well within the speed range of this 5.5-furlong dirt sprint. The 2/1 morning line may compress further by post time, but TrackWiz analysis says this is the right horse to be on.

place4Rockstar CasanovaML 5/2

Rockstar Casanova matches that 33% career win rate with his own 20% mark — solid for a claimer — and a TrackWiz rating of 86.64 makes him clearly the second-best horse on paper. Keiber J. Coa gets the call for trainer M. Anthony Ferraro, and an average speed figure of 54 gives him a slight edge in raw pace over the win pick. If So Spirited has any trouble or gets shuffled back, this one is positioned to pounce.

show3Connect the BrocksML 6/1

Connect the Brocks is a longshot angle worth stashing in trifecta tickets at 6/1. A TrackWiz rating of 63.58 is third-best in the race — well ahead of the bottom half of the field — and trainer Paul W. Barrow has been active on the Finger Lakes circuit. The 2% career win rate is low, but that could reflect a horse still finding its way, and if the top two hook up early, there's a lane for this one to sneak into the show spot.

Race 5

6:51 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Bustin Away enters as a clear TrackWiz top pick but faces a deep eight-horse field with multiple double-digit win-percentage horses — pace could get honest here, which sets up a nice value situation in the exotics.

win7Bustin AwayML 7/2

Bustin Away's 41% career win rate is the best in the field by a wide margin, and that kind of winning consistency doesn't happen by accident — this is a horse who competes and closes deals. A TrackWiz rating of 86.35 leads the field, paired with the highest average speed figure in the race at 56, and trainer M. Anthony Ferraro has Keiber J. Coa in the irons. The 7/2 morning line actually offers a touch of value given how dominant this profile looks against an allowance optional claiming field.

place3ScocciatoreML 3/1

Scocciatore carries a 25% career win rate — second only to Bustin Away — and is trained by Jonathan B. Buckley, who has an active string at Finger Lakes. A TrackWiz rating of 64.58 and an average speed figure of 55 suggest this horse can hold its own in a sprint, and at 3/1 on the morning line, Kevin Navarro's mount is a logical place play to pair with our top selection.

show4Hay Hay HarryML 8/1

Hay Hay Harry opens at 8/1 with an 18% career win rate that speaks to consistency, and a TrackWiz rating of 57.29 places him squarely in the mix for the show spot. Trainer Timothy P. Murphy runs two horses in this field, which occasionally signals stable confidence in the barn's chances. At morning line odds of 8/1, there's real exacta and trifecta value attaching this horse to the top two picks.

Race 6

7:20 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 1 mi · Dirt

Maiden Special Weight races over a mile are inherently unpredictable — all six horses are winless — but Beach Invasion's TrackWiz rating of 89.12 is nearly 30 points clear of the field and suggests a horse who is ready to graduate.

win6Beach InvasionML 8/5

Beach Invasion holds the top TrackWiz score in this race at 89.12 — the highest single-race rating on today's entire Finger Lakes card — and that's a significant edge in a maiden field where form can be hard to read. Trainer M. Anthony Ferraro's runners are worth following all day, and with Keiber J. Coa taking the mount, the connections clearly believe this is a horse ready to break through at 8/5 on the morning line. While the average speed figure of 50 looks modest, maiden routes are often more about tactical positioning and late pace than raw speed numbers, and our model rates this one head and shoulders above the field.

place4WisecrackerML 7/2

Wisecracker opens at 7/2 and carries the second-best TrackWiz rating in the field at 59.49 — a meaningful step below Beach Invasion, but clearly the top option among the secondary players. An average speed figure of 52 and the services of Joel Cruz make this a horse to include in exactas, and trainer Lisa A. Reed could have this one pointed to run a big number here. If Beach Invasion gets into trouble in the stretch, Wisecracker is best positioned to capitalize.

show5ShakeitforthebirdML 2/1

Shakeitforthebird is an interesting show play at 2/1 on the morning line — that's the second shortest price in the race, suggesting the market sees real ability here. A TrackWiz rating of 57.31 is third-best overall, and trainer M. Anthony Ferraro doubles up in this race, which sometimes indicates a stable that's trying to land the prize from multiple angles. Luis E. Perez takes the mount, and this horse fits as a bridge in trifecta construction.

Race 7

7:49 PM EDT

Allowance · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

The morning line has He's Got It as the 2/1 favorite, but TrackWiz ratings favor the Ferraro barn's Keigs at 5/1 — this is a race where the public money and our model disagree, and that creates real value.

win5KeigsML 5/1

Keigs holds the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 84.17, a career win rate of 40% that is exceptional for any level of claiming or allowance racing, and an average speed figure of 55 that ties for the highest in the race. At 5/1 on the morning line, this is one of the best value propositions on today's card — a horse our model grades first but the morning line has at nearly triple the price of the morning line favorite. Trainer M. Anthony Ferraro runs two horses in this race, and Kevin Navarro picks up the Keigs mount.

place1Skyler's StarshipML 5/2

Skyler's Starship is the stablemate to Keigs in the Ferraro barn and has a TrackWiz rating of 83.08 — just one point behind the top pick. A 15% career win rate with an average speed figure of 54 makes this a legitimate threat to finish in the top two, and Keiber J. Coa aboard adds horsepower to the connection. If the barn fires with both horses, you could be looking at a Ferraro-Ferraro exacta.

show3This Time YesML 7/2

This Time Yes opens at 7/2 and carries a TrackWiz rating of 66.62 — well ahead of the bottom half of the field. Trainer Paul W. Barrow's runner has a 13% career win rate and an average speed of 53, which gives this horse enough pace to stay in contention through the turn. Oscar Gomez is a capable pilot, and at 7/2, there's enough upside here to justify a show bet or inclusion in trifecta tickets beneath the top two.

Race 8

8:18 PM EDT

Allowance · 1 mi · Dirt

Seams Like Destiny looks like the class of this one-mile allowance on both morning line and TrackWiz metrics, but a tightly bunched middle tier — Solo Dancing, Evanderkeen, and Vigano — keeps this from being a complete throw-out race.

win6Seams Like DestinyML 2/1

Seams Like Destiny posts a dominant TrackWiz rating of 88.54 — more than 21 points clear of the next-best horse — and is the 2/1 morning line favorite, suggesting the market agrees with our model here. Trainer Troy Smith pairs this runner with jockey Reylu Gutierrez, one of the sharpest riders on today's card, and a 12% career win rate over a mile tells you this isn't a horse running out of its depth. When ratings, morning line, and trainer-jockey connections all align, the case is pretty hard to argue against.

place3Solo DancingML 4/1

Solo Dancing sits third in the TrackWiz rankings at 67.31 but owns the best career win rate among the contenders at 14% — and in a one-mile allowance, pedigree for the distance matters. Trainer Ralph D'Alessandro deploys Emanuel De Diego here, and an average speed figure of 54 matches the win pick stride for stride on raw pace. The 4/1 morning line feels fair, and Solo Dancing is a legitimate place play if Seams Like Destiny steals an easy lead.

show5EvanderkeenML 7/2

Evanderkeen edges Solo Dancing in TrackWiz ratings by a whisker — 66.84 versus 67.31 — but the 7/2 morning line makes this horse one of the shorter-priced secondary options in the race. Trainer Troy Smith runs two horses here, and his familiarity with the connections could be an advantage on the inside information front. A 12% career win rate and a solid 53 average speed figure suggest Evanderkeen has enough to land in the show spot most days.

Race 9

8:47 PM EDT

Claiming · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Saratoga Banker is an overlay situation — the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 85.62 but posted at 4/1 on the morning line — while Emerald Forest at 3/1 and Almendro at 5/2 figure to make this closer sprint a tactical battle worth watching.

win7Saratoga BankerML 4/1

Saratoga Banker leads the field with a TrackWiz rating of 85.62 and a 21% career win rate — strong numbers for a claiming sprint at Finger Lakes. Trainer M. Anthony Ferraro again calls on Keiber J. Coa, and the barn has been active and effective all day. An average speed figure of 54 is right in the mix, and at 4/1 on the morning line, this horse is priced as a closer who could sneak up late in a 5.5-furlong pace battle.

place3AlmendroML 5/2

Almendro checks in at 5/2 on the morning line with a TrackWiz rating of 74.46 and an impressive 19% career win rate — this is a horse that has won races and knows how to be competitive. Trainer Stephen P. Ubbink puts Jacqueline A. Davis in the irons, and with an average speed figure of 54, Almendro can stalk or press the pace depending on the shape of the race. A solid place play that the market is pricing sensibly.

show1Emerald ForestML 3/1

Emerald Forest at 3/1 brings a 23% career win rate — the best in the field — and a TrackWiz rating of 72.86 that makes this a legitimate top-three contender in a seven-horse field. Trainer Charlton Baker sends out a horse who wins nearly one in four starts, and Andre Shivnarine Worrie has the tactical awareness to place this horse correctly in a sprint. Using Emerald Forest in trifectas is almost mandatory given that win rate and the competitive morning line price.

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A clear day, a fast Finger Lakes strip, and a 9-race card with legitimate upside from top to bottom. Our top plays of the afternoon are Sunday's Currency for value in the opener, Beach Invasion as the card's highest-rated contender in Race 6, and Seams Like Destiny in Race 8 as a strong-figure closer to watch in the closing route. Full pace maps, exotic tickets, and the complete premium breakdown are live now for subscribers — check out TrackWiz pricing and don't miss a race.

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