Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Picks & Predictions — July 5, 2026
Happy post-holiday Sunday at Los Alamitos. The track is fast, the skies are clear, and temperatures are sitting at a comfortable 76°F — ideal conditions for the short, explosive sprints that define quarter horse racing. Ten races are on the board today, and this card has some real teeth to it.
Seven of those ten races are trials — qualifying heats that carry serious implications for horses trying to punch their ticket to bigger futurity and derby finals down the road. When the money matters beyond just today's purse, connections tend to show up with their best efforts. Expect genuine competition and honest times throughout the afternoon.
The headliner is Race 10, a 300-yard Handicap Stakes that closes out the card on a high note. Our analysis has surfaced a 6/1 morning-line shot, Cheater, as the top play — and in a field where the favorite doesn't always fire over the short distance, that kind of price deserves serious attention.
Best Bets
Race 1
Maiden · 300 yd · Dirt
A wide-open maiden sprint at 300 yards where TrackWiz ratings separate the contenders from the longshots — the top three rated horses are clustered tightly enough to make the exacta and trifecta the real plays here.
Sheza Candy Wagon opens as the even-money morning-line favorite and carries the highest TrackWiz rating in the field at 60 — a meaningful edge in a maiden field where raw ability often tells the whole story. Irving Lara gets the call, and having a trusted pilot in a short-field maiden sprint matters when it comes to breaking alertly out of the gate. At 300 yards, there's no room for a slow start, and this filly looks like the class of what is otherwise a very green group.
Behind the Bar (4) sits second in TrackWiz ratings at 55 and draws a fair 4/1 morning line for trainer Michael V. Casselman. In maiden sprints like this, it's all about gate speed and natural ability, and this one's rating suggests enough raw talent to earn a check even if Sheza Candy Wagon is simply better on the day.
Czech Berry Delight (7) rounds out the top three in our ratings at 54.1 and offers solid value at 6/1 on the morning line. Henry Reynoso Lopez takes the reins, and trainer Felix L. Gonzalez puts out a horse that profiles as a legitimate trifecta contender — the kind of third option that can quietly earn a spot when the top two are dueling it out.
Race 2
Trial · 400 yd · Dirt
A nine-horse trial at 400 yards with a clear class standout at the top, but two strong mid-tier horses capable of making this competitive if the favorite breaks poorly.
Brother Ray (1) is the standout in this field with a TrackWiz rating of 88.54 — more than 10 points clear of the second-best horse — and backs it up with a 33% career win rate, which is genuinely strong for quarter horse competition. The 2/1 morning line reflects his status, but honestly this looks like fair odds for a horse with this kind of separation from the field. Irving Lara, who pilots the Flores barn's top guns, gets the mount and that's a reassuring sign going 400 yards.
More of It (6) rates second in the field at 78.94 and punches in at a 25% career win rate — solid credentials for a 3/1 shot. The Scott Willoughby barn puts up Gabriel Angel Gomez Lara, and while Brother Ray looks tough to beat, More of It has the rating profile to grab the runner-up spot with confidence.
Shiny New (3) is the value piece in this trifecta at 6/1 on the morning line, and that 50% career win rate is the kind of number that gets your attention — even in a small sample. Trainer Valentin A. Zamudio saddles this one for Ruben Lozano, and the TrackWiz rating of 53.99 places it squarely in the mix for third money.
Race 3
Trial · 400 yd · Dirt
This 400-yard trial features a heavy favorite with elite-level ratings and a credible second choice, but a pair of interesting underneath horses give the trifecta some teeth.
Doodah Cartel (1) comes in as the 7/5 morning-line favorite and earns it — a 89.42 TrackWiz rating leads this field by a wide margin, and a 46% career win rate adds real-world validation to those numbers. Henry Reynoso Lopez has the call for trainer Paul C. Jones, a barn that knows how to put horses into trials ready to fire. At 400 yards, early speed combined with natural talent is the formula, and this one checks every box.
Mayor Humdinger (7) is the most intriguing number in the race from a win-rate perspective — a 75% career win mark is exceptional and suggests this horse converts when he's right. The 5/2 morning line is fair given that figure, and trainer Michael V. Casselman with Martin Arriaga aboard gives this one a sharp connections edge. The rating of 71.3 places him clearly second in the field.
Slatedtoshine (8) at 6/1 offers legitimate value for underneath tickets, sporting a 36% career win rate and a TrackWiz rating of 57.91. Trainer Roman Figueroa sends Edwin G. Escobedo out for a horse that rates third in the field — the kind of solid, consistent profile you want in your trifecta base.
The first three races are unlocked for every TrackWiz reader, and they give us a nice early read on how the track is playing today. Race 1 is a 300-yard maiden sprint where Sheza Candy Wagon opens at even money — always worth watching how the rail and post positions are holding up in the opener before the trial action kicks off in earnest.
Races 2 and 3 are both 400-yard trials, and that extra distance compared to the 350-yard trials later in the card creates a slightly different pace dynamic — horses with a touch more stamina can separate late. Brother Ray (2/1, Race 2) and Doodah Cartel (7/5, Race 3) are our top picks in those heats, and both carry TrackWiz ratings north of 88, which gives us real confidence heading into the afternoon.
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.
A clear day, a fast track, and a loaded trial card — Los Alamitos is set up for a fun Sunday. Our free best bets are anchored by Brother Ray and Doodah Cartel in the early 400-yard trials, and we're circling Cheater in the closing Handicap Stakes as the day's top value play. Full pace analysis, exotic ticket structures, and premium picks for all seven remaining races are available to subscribers at /pricing. Good luck out there — let's find some winners.