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Finger Lakes Picks & Predictions — September 22, 2026
Fall is creeping into the Finger Lakes region and Tuesday's 8-race card feels every bit like a crisp late-September afternoon at the track — 61°F under partly cloudy skies, the kind of weather that tends to keep the dirt playing honest and speed figures translating cleanly from past performances.
All eight races are on the main track today, a full dirt card with a nice mix of maiden specials, claiming races, and enough pace scenarios to keep things interesting from gate to wire. Whether you're here for a quick daily double or building towards a late Pick 4, there's plenty to work with.
TrackWiz has you covered with free analysis on the first three races and full premium breakdowns on the back half of the card — including a pair of claiming contests that could set up beautifully for multi-race wagers.
Best Bets
Race 1
Maiden Special Weight · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt
A wide-open maiden sprint where three horses are separated by just two rating points at the top — don't expect a clear standout to dominate the wagering.
My Bestie tops the TrackWiz ratings at 58.67 and carries a 9/5 morning line that reflects the market's confidence in this one. The average speed figure of 54 gives her a measurable benchmark in a field where several horses have no recorded workable figures at all. Trainer Melanie Giddings sends her out with Shaun Bridgmohan in the irons — a positive booking for a race like this. In a maiden sprint where inexperience rules the day, having any kind of speed figure on the board is a meaningful edge.
Lisa Loves draws the rail and checks in with a solid 57.5 TrackWiz rating, just a tick behind the top pick. Keiber J. Coa is a capable hand around this oval, and a first-time starter on the inside at 5½ furlongs can benefit from a clean break and a ground-saving trip. No prior speed figure on record means she's an unknown quantity, but the rating suggests strong underlying form — she's live to land a piece.
Mi Amor Morena rounds out the top three in the ratings at 56.67 and also shows an average speed figure of 54, putting her in the same speed tier as the top choice. Trainer Jose Corrales has her ready at 3/1 on the morning line, and Nazario Alvarado gets the call. If the two favorites hook up on the front end, Mi Amor Morena has the profile to sweep up the pieces for exacta and trifecta bettors.
Race 2
Maiden Claiming · 1 mi 70 yd · Dirt
Two horses — Busy Busy Busy and Batant — have virtually identical TrackWiz ratings in the mid-80s and are separated by just 0.03 points, setting up a fascinating duel at the top of this maiden claimer going long.
Busy Busy Busy earns the win nod with a TrackWiz rating of 86.38, the best in the field by a razor-thin margin. The 3/1 morning line is fair value for a horse that separates itself so decisively from the bottom half of this field. Trainer Jonathan B. Buckley sends her out with Kevin Navarro, and the one-mile-and-70-yard distance — a true router's test — sets up well for a horse whose profile projects to appreciate ground. In a maiden claiming field with this much separation at the top, she's the one to beat.
Batant is essentially a coinflip with the top pick at 86.35 in the ratings, and at 7/2 on the morning line, she might be the better play in the exotics. Trainer George R. Albright and jockey Leonardo Corujo team up, and her average speed figure of 52 ties her with several others in the field. The near-identical profile to the win pick means she could just as easily flip the result — she's a strong play to at minimum grab a piece.
Joe G Twentythree is the value arm of the ticket at 10/1 on the morning line with a 64.22 rating — a notable jump above the bottom half of the field. Trainer Victor Dean III fits the pattern of a barn that spots horses where they can fire, and Ben S. Joseph gets the mount. At that price, including him underneath in trifectas is a smart hedge in a race where the top two are so close that a minor pace miscue could shuffle the order.
Race 3
Maiden Special Weight · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt
Another debut-heavy maiden sprint with four runners posting identical average speed figures of 54 — the pace scenario and post position could matter as much as raw ability here.
Redzone Gal tops the field with a 56.67 TrackWiz rating and posts an average speed figure of 54 alongside Autumn Fire and Merry Meredith, but her rating edge gives her the nod. Trainer Debra A. Breed puts Oscar Gomez up, a capable combination for a short sprint. She's listed at 3/1 on the morning line, which matches her status as a mild form favorite in a race that's genuinely competitive at the top. If she breaks clean from post 3, she's in a position to control or track the pace from a comfortable spot.
Merry Meredith checks in at 55.83 — just behind the top two — and teams Keiber J. Coa with trainer M. Anthony Ferraro, a barn with a strong footprint at this meet. The 7/2 morning line is fair, and her average speed figure of 54 keeps her in the mix with the leaders. Ferraro has a knack for placing first-time starters effectively, and Coa's experience around Finger Lakes makes this a sneaky-sharp combo.
Autumn Fire at 4/1 rounds out the TrackWiz top three at a 55.0 rating and also averages 54 in her speed figures. Trainer Ralph D'Alessandro knows this track well — he's got multiple entrants on today's card — and Chris Russell is up for the sprint. In an all-debut field where any of the top four could hit the board, Autumn Fire at a slightly generous morning line is a sensible show play and a useful trifecta piece.
The free portion of today's card opens strong. My Bestie draws our top mark in Race 1 — a 5½-furlong maiden special weight that should play right into her profile at 9/5 on the morning line. In Race 2, Busy Busy Busy earns the highest TrackWiz rating of the free trio at 86.38, a number that stands out in a maiden claiming route where that kind of edge doesn't come around every day. Round out the free card with Redzone Gal in Race 3, another 5½-furlong maiden special weight where the pace scenario looks favorable for a horse showing her rating.
With the track expected to be consistent on a dry, cool afternoon, early speed has a reasonable chance to factor all day — something to keep in mind as you structure your tickets across the free races.
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Tuesday at Finger Lakes shapes up as a workmanlike but genuinely playable card. My Bestie, Busy Busy Busy, and Redzone Gal are your free best bets to start the day, and the premium analysis unlocks everything you need to attack the back end — including two horses rated 87+ that anchor our late exotics approach. Good luck at the windows.