Daily Picks

Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Picks & Predictions — May 23, 2026

Saturday, May 23, 20268 racesLos Alamitos Quarter Horse

It's a beautiful Saturday at Los Alamitos — clear skies, 70 degrees, and a fast dirt surface that should have these short-format Quarter Horses flying out of the gates all afternoon. Eight races are on the card today, ranging from quick 220-yard maiden sprints to the longer 1,000-yard allowance test in Race 2, and the variety makes for a fun handicapping challenge no matter your style.

The mix of maiden, claiming, and allowance conditions across today's card means the class picture shifts from race to race — and that's exactly where sharp bettors can find edges. TrackWiz analysis has flagged multiple horses showing strong ratings in the high 80s, suggesting a competitive but readable card.

Best Bets

Race 1

1:10 AM EDT

Claiming · 4 1/2 fur · Dirt

A clear TrackWiz rating hierarchy sets up Race 1 nicely — Uncle Leon sits well clear of the field on paper, but the morning line suggests the public may not be fully on board yet.

win2Uncle LeonML 2/1

Uncle Leon is the standout of this claiming field at 4.5 furlongs, carrying the top TrackWiz rating of 88.54 and a career win rate of 23% — the best in this field. Trainer Angela Maria Aquino puts him in with jockey Henry Reynoso Lopez, a solid pairing to capitalize on what looks like a favorable pace setup. At 2/1 on the morning line, he's not a screaming overlay, but the rating gap between him and the rest of the field is significant enough to make him a confident top pick.

place1Running TigerML 7/2

Running Tiger draws the rail in post 1 with Francisco Monroy up, and his TrackWiz rating of 76.71 makes him the second-best number in the race. He also matches Uncle Leon's 19% career win rate, and at 7/2 he offers a bit more value in exacta and place wagering than the favorite. He profiles as the most likely horse to stay close and pick up a piece.

show4Ring GeneralML 9/2

Ring General at 9/2 is interesting for show tickets and exotic play — his 74.61 rating slots him right behind the top two, and trainer Brian T. Cunningham has him ready to compete even if that 9% career win rate doesn't inspire huge confidence. In a race where the top three are separated by a manageable rating gap, Ring General is the logical third wheel in tri combinations.

Race 2

1:36 AM EDT

Allowance · 1000 yd · Dirt

The 1000-yard route in Race 2 is headlined by a small but intriguing class question — Sir Nano's top rating clashes with It's Time's stronger career win percentage, setting up a legitimate battle between the numbers horse and the experienced winner.

win2Sir NanoML 5/2

Sir Nano owns the top TrackWiz rating in this allowance field at 87.81 and draws post 2 with Edgar Payeras in the irons. His 7% career win rate is modest, but in quarter horse racing at this distance, raw ability and rating often tell the bigger story — and Sir Nano's number is a full 11 points clear of the next horse. Trainer Jesus Nunez has him competing at the allowance level, suggesting confidence in the horse's current form.

place4Smokem MasterML 3/1

Smokem Master rates second at 76.70 with a 14% career win rate and draws post 4 with Pedro Flores aboard. He's a solid place play at 3/1 on the morning line — the rating supports a board finish, and Flores is a capable pilot who knows this oval well. In a race where the top three are tightly grouped behind Sir Nano, Smokem Master has the profile to secure a piece.

show6It's TimeML 2/1

It's Time draws post 6 with Ricardo Ramirez, and while her 75.27 rating slots her just behind Smokem Master, her 20% career win rate is notably stronger than most in this field. She's the morning line favorite at 2/1, which suggests the public sees her as a contender — and at that price she's a reasonable show ticket anchor in trifectas. Keep her in your exotic combinations as a horse that knows how to get there.

Race 3

2:02 AM EDT

Claiming · 4 1/2 fur · Dirt

Speed of the Nile looms as a dominant figure in this claiming sprint, but Smiling Jojo has the rating and the profile to keep things honest if the top selection misses a beat.

win6Speed of the NileML 9/5

Speed of the Nile tops the TrackWiz ratings in Race 3 at an 88.83 — the highest number in the field by a wide margin — and comes in as the 9/5 morning line choice. Trainer Sally P. Rivera also enters Not Gonna Last in the same race, which tells you she's sending her best bullet here. Jockey Cesar Ortega gets the call, and over 4.5 furlongs on dirt, a horse with this kind of rating separation rarely gets beaten without a significant trouble line.

place4Smiling JojoML 2/1

Smiling Jojo rates second at 78.65 with Armando Aguilar up from post 4, and at 2/1 on the morning line he's priced like a real contender. His 11% career win rate is modest, but trainer Rolando Quinonez has him competitive enough to land on the board behind the top selection. He's the most logical place pick in an otherwise thin field.

show5Hot PursuitML 7/2

Hot Pursuit at 7/2 is worth including on your show tickets and in the trifecta — his 51.24 rating is the third-best in the field despite an 8% career win rate, and Ernesto Velazquez gives him a fighting chance to hit the board. In a six-horse field at this distance, you don't need much to get a piece, and trainer Jesus Nunez is familiar with this level.

Our three free previews today — Races 1, 2, and 3 — give you a solid foundation to build your day around. Uncle Leon opens the card as a 2/1 morning-line choice in the 4½-furlong claiming sprint, posting a TrackWiz rating of 88.54 that stands out against this field. In Race 2, Sir Nano steps into allowance company at 1,000 yards, the longest test on the card, and our rating of 87.81 suggests he has the stamina edge. Then comes Race 3, where Speed of the Nile is the one to beat — an 88.83 rating and a morning line of 9/5 in another 4½-furlong claiming affair. On a fast, dry track like today's, early speed gets rewarded and all three of these picks have the profile to exploit it.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

2:28 AM EDT

Maiden · 220 yd · Dirt

Wide-open maiden sprint at 220 yards — all nine runners are first-time winners with no career victories, so this one comes down entirely to breeding, work tabs, and rating projections.

win7Look At Her CowboyML 5/2

Look At Her Cowboy draws post 7 with Eduardo Nicasio up and carries the top TrackWiz rating of 57.50 in this maiden field, edging out Great Minds by less than a full point. In a race where nobody has ever won, that slim edge at the top of the ratings sheet matters. At 5/2 on the morning line, trainer Jaime H. Gomez has her priced like the favorite, and our analysis supports that positioning.

place4Great MindsML 3/1

Great Minds sits right behind the top pick at a 56.67 rating from post 4, trained by Michael V. Casselman and ridden by Armando Viramontes. Casselman also saddles Like to Shine in this race, giving him a dual shot at the top, which suggests he's confident in his horses. Great Minds at 3/1 is a strong place play in a race where the top four are separated by just a few rating points.

show3IratelyML 7/2

Irately draws post 3 at 7/2 on the morning line with Oscar Peinado taking the mount for trainer James W. Glenn Jr., and his 55.83 TrackWiz rating makes him the third-best number in the field. In a maiden sprint this short, post position and a clean break are critical — post 3 is a manageable draw, and at 7/2, he's solid value in your exotics as a show ticket or trifecta wheel component.

Race 5

2:54 AM EDT

Allowance · 350 yd · Dirt

Go North arrives in Race 5 with a rating that towers over this allowance 350 field — the real question isn't whether he's the best, it's who runs second.

win6Go NorthML 9/5

Go North is the standout of this 350-yard allowance with a TrackWiz rating of 88.83 — a number that laps this field by over 30 points. Gabriel Angel Gomez Lara gets the mount for trainer Scott Willoughby, and Go North's 16% career win rate, combined with that dominant rating, makes him the clear top selection. At 9/5 on the morning line, he's not generous odds, but the rating gap here is too big to fade.

place2Special BatchML 5/1

Special Batch is the value angle in this race at 5/1 with Martin Arriaga up for trainer Valentin Zamudio. His 57.54 TrackWiz rating is the second-best in the field, and while the gap to Go North is substantial, he has a clean shot at the place slot against a field that doesn't have a clear second contender. The 5/1 morning line price makes him worth using in exactas.

show4Cm Cowgirls Are CoolML 2/1

Cm Cowgirls Are Cool draws post 4 with Henry Reynoso Lopez and carries a 48.02 rating — third-best in this field — for trainer Luke Lindsey. At 2/1, she's priced as a secondary contender by the oddsmakers, but the TrackWiz rating suggests her price may be inflated by public money. She's playable as a show ticket and a trifecta inclusion behind the top two.

Race 6

3:20 AM EDT

Allowance · 300 yd · Dirt

Cheater owns the top rating AND the best career win percentage among the contenders in this 300-yard allowance, making Race 6 look like a match race between a dominant favorite and a legitimate threat in Mayor Humdinger.

win4CheaterML 8/5

Cheater comes in as the top-rated horse in Race 6 at 89.12 and backs it up with a strong 25% career win rate — and trainer Scott Willoughby also saddles Listen Now, showing confidence in the barn's entries. Gabriel Angel Gomez Lara has been active on this card, giving him a rhythm going into the ride. At 8/5, Cheater is fairly priced as the morning line choice, and the combination of rating and win percentage makes him our top selection.

place2Mayor HumdingerML 5/2

Mayor Humdinger is the most compelling supporting play in this race — a 79.11 TrackWiz rating is solid, but what jumps off the page is his 66% career win rate, by far the best number in the field. Trainer Michael V. Casselman sends him out from post 2 with Martin Arriaga, and at 5/2, he's not cheap, but that win percentage demands respect. He profiles as the main threat to Cheater and a strong place bet.

show6Listen NowML 7/2

Listen Now draws post 6 at 7/2 with Ricardo Ramirez for trainer Scott Willoughby — same barn as Cheater, which sometimes means a tactical play. His 65.33 rating is the third-best in the field, and an 11% career win rate at this level is workmanlike. He makes sense as a show ticket anchor and a trifecta component, especially given the Willoughby stable's familiarity with the distance.

Race 7

3:48 AM EDT

Maiden · 300 yd · Dirt

Mission Possible comes into this maiden 300-yarder with a rating that stands well above the crowd, but a competitive morning line and a tricky field of firsters make this one worth watching closely.

win3Mission PossibleML 4/1

Mission Possible tops the TrackWiz ratings in this maiden field at 85.62 — a significant advantage over the second-best number — and draws post 3 with Justine Klaiber in the irons for trainer Michael V. Casselman. Casselman has been active all night and has a knack for placing horses correctly, and the 4/1 morning line actually represents mild overlay territory given how far ahead Mission Possible rates. In a sprint this short, that kind of rating edge often translates directly to a clean win.

place5HardtoxplainML 7/2

Hardtoxplain rates second at 67.99 with Martin Arriaga up for trainer Juan G. Aleman and goes to post at 7/2 on the morning line. The gap between him and Mission Possible is notable, but in maiden sprints at 300 yards, chaos can happen — and Hardtoxplain has the second-best rating to clean up if the top pick stumbles. He's worth using on the place side of your exotics.

show1Hassan PpML 3/1

Hassan Pp opens at 3/1 with Armando Viramontes — the same Viramontes connection to trainer Rodolfo Viramontes — and his 66.88 TrackWiz rating slots him just a hair behind Hardtoxplain. The family barn connection can be a positive in quarter horse racing where communication and preparation matter. At 3/1, he's priced tight but has the rating to justify a show ticket and trifecta inclusion.

Race 8

4:16 AM EDT

Allowance · 350 yd · Dirt

More of It enters Race 8 as a clear TrackWiz favorite in a wide allowance field, but with eight runners over 350 yards, there's enough chaos to make the second and third spots genuinely competitive.

win5More of ItML 2/1

More of It carries an 88.54 TrackWiz rating into this allowance — the best number in the field by 20-plus points — and comes in at 2/1 on the morning line with Gabriel Angel Gomez Lara up for trainer Scott Willoughby. His 25% career win rate is solid for the level, and Willoughby has been a consistent presence on this card with multiple competitive entries. The rating gap here is similar to what we saw with Go North in Race 5, and that horse deserved the confidence — so does this one.

place7LaughlinML 3/1

Laughlin draws post 7 with Martin Arriaga for trainer Michael V. Casselman and brings a striking 40% career win rate to the table — the best among horses in the field behind More of It. His 68.33 TrackWiz rating rates second among active runners, and at 3/1 he's the logical choice to fill the place slot. Arriaga has been busy on this card all night, which is typically a good sign for sharpness.

show8Epic WindML 6/1

Epic Wind goes from post 8 with Eduardo Nicasio for trainer Paul C. Jones at 6/1 on the morning line. His 66.88 rating and 22% career win rate make him a legitimate third option in a competitive bottom half of the field. The outside post in a 350-yard sprint can be a slight disadvantage, but Nicasio is experienced enough to navigate it, and Epic Wind's number puts him squarely in the exotic mix.

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Bottom line: the free plays give you Uncle Leon, Sir Nano, and Speed of the Nile as your anchors on a clear, fast day at Los Alamitos. The full-card story — especially Cheater in Race 6 and the late double in Races 7 and 8 — is where subscribers will find the real depth. Check out TrackWiz premium at /pricing to unlock every race before post time.

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