Daily Picks

Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Picks & Predictions — July 12, 2026

Sunday, July 12, 20268 racesLos Alamitos Quarter Horse

It's a partly cloudy Sunday afternoon at Los Alamitos, with temperatures sitting at a comfortable 81°F — ideal conditions for the short, explosive bursts these Quarter Horses live for. Eight races are on tap, spread across the lightning-fast 300-yard and 1000-yard distances that make Los Al one of the most unique venues in the country.

Today's card leans heavily on Allowance company, with five of eight races run at that level — meaning you're looking at above-average horses who know how to run. Throw in a Maiden Claiming opener, a pair of Claiming sprints, and you've got a card that rewards sharp handicapping from gate to wire. With no sloppy track to worry about, expect fast times and clean trips all afternoon.

TrackWiz has full ratings on all eight races. Fire Ile, James J. Braddock, and Cioppina Pasadina headline our free selections, while the premium side of the card features some of the most compelling matchups of the day — including a 4/5 morning-line hammer in Race 4 that our model rates at a card-best 90.

Best Bets

Race 1

12:15 AM EDT

Claiming · 4 1/2 fur · Dirt

Fire Ile enters as the clear class standout in this 4.5-furlong claiming opener, but the morning line favorite Sheza Gemini Jewel and 4/1 shot Jager Angel give the exotics plenty of shape.

win3Fire IleML 3/1

Fire Ile sits at the top of our TrackWiz ratings with an 87.08 — a significant gap over the rest of this field — and trainer Troy Dial has a live runner on his hands here. Adrian Escobedo picks up the mount, a jockey comfortable on the Los Alamitos dirt, and the 3/1 morning line actually looks like fair money given the rating edge. The 9% career win rate may not jump off the page, but in a claiming field this thin, raw ability tends to win out.

place4Jager AngelML 4/1

Jager Angel rates second in our model at 74.24 under Cristobal Herrera for trainer Robert J. Lucas, and the 4/1 morning line presents solid each-way value. The career win rate of 3% is low, but in short quarter horse sprints the pace scenario can paper over history — if Jager Angel gets a clean break, this one has the rating to hit the board.

show1Sheza Gemini JewelML 2/1

Sheza Gemini Jewel opens as the 2/1 public choice for Jose Raudales, and while the TrackWiz rating of 67.94 places her third in the field, that morning line suggests the crowd sees something here. An average speed figure of 54 and an 11% career win rate make her a reasonable exotics anchor — she's the type who won't embarrass in the bottom half of a superfecta.

Race 2

12:43 AM EDT

Allowance · 1000 yd · Dirt

James J. Braddock tops the TrackWiz ratings at a juicy 7/2 morning line, making this allowance mile a potential overlay situation against an odds-on morning line horse that our model doesn't fully endorse.

win1James J. BraddockML 7/2

James J. Braddock carries the field's highest TrackWiz rating at 86.35 and is trained by Jesus Nunez, who also saddles two other horses in this race — a clear sign of barn confidence in the right runner. Ricardo S. Ramirez takes the mount, and with a 13% career win rate and an average speed of 54, Braddock has the consistent profile you want in an allowance. The 7/2 morning line is a value play if Sharp Aza Tack — the betting favorite at EVN — attracts heavy public money.

place4Devil MoonML 2/1

Devil Moon at 2/1 for trainer Ruben Gomez brings a 62.29 TrackWiz rating and a 10% career win rate — serviceable credentials in this five-horse field. Edgar Payeras, one of the more active jockeys on this card, pilots the mount, and an average speed of 54 matches Braddock's, keeping Devil Moon competitive on raw figures. Use this one underneath in exactas.

show5Sir NanoML 6/1

Sir Nano is the third Jesus Nunez horse in the race, and in trainer-stacked races like this it's worth asking which stable entry has the secondary role — our model suggests Sir Nano at 57.21 is the pace-setter or foil. The 6/1 morning line is generous for a horse with a 12% career win rate and a 55 average speed, making Sir Nano an interesting show play or rolling part of a trifecta.

Race 3

1:11 AM EDT

Claiming · 1000 yd · Dirt

Eight fillies and mares go in this 1000-yard claiming event, and the field is genuinely spread — three horses within a 20-point rating band at the top, setting up a competitive vertical ticket.

win4Cioppina PasadinaML 7/2

Cioppina Pasadina tops the TrackWiz model at 86.35, matching the field-best mark, and trainer Charles S. Treece puts Cesar Ortega — one of the busiest riders on tonight's card — on board at a 7/2 price. A 15% career win rate is among the stronger marks in this field, and the absence of an avgSpeed figure simply means we're leaning on the composite rating, which is comfortably clear at the top. This looks like the class of the field at a fair price.

place2Lady RunML 6/1

Lady Run at 6/1 is a TrackWiz value flag — a 76.67 rating that ranks second in the field, yet the morning line places her near the middle of the pack in public estimation. Henry Reynoso Lopez takes the ride for trainer Felix L. Gonzalez, who also runs Oak Creek Gal, and with a 12% career win rate, Lady Run has the profile to sneak onto the board at a price that makes exactas very attractive.

show8Princess DaddyML 4/1

Princess Daddy rounds out our top three at a 69.16 rating for trainer Genaro Vallejo with Edgar Payeras up. She shows a 55 average speed and an 11% career win rate, giving her a concrete baseline in a race where several rivals have no speed figure on record. At 4/1, she's not a steal, but as a show play or trifecta inclusion she provides solid coverage on the bottom end.

Our three free best bets cover the early part of the card and give you a strong foundation to build your afternoon around. Fire Ile opens things up in Race 1 — a short 4½-furlong Claiming sprint where gate speed is king, and our model likes her at 3/1 on the morning line. In Race 2, James J. Braddock steps into Allowance company over 1000 yards and draws a solid 86.35 TrackWiz rating at a juicy 7/2 — the kind of price you want on a horse this well-rated. Cioppina Pasadina mirrors that 86.35 rating and that 7/2 line in Race 3, also at 1000 yards under Claiming conditions, making for an interesting same-distance comparison angle between the two.

With all three free picks clustered in the opening races, consider using them as a launching pad for multi-race exotics into the premium portion of the card. The 1000-yard surface has been consistent all day, and if speed out of the gate holds up early, the pace bias angle is worth tracking as you move deeper into the card.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

1:39 AM EDT

Allowance · 1000 yd · Dirt

No More Ding Dongs opens as a heavy 4/5 favorite and our model backs it up — this is a race with a clear top choice, but finding value underneath against a wide-open supporting cast is the real handicapping puzzle.

win1No More Ding DongsML 4/5

No More Ding Dongs carries the highest TrackWiz rating on tonight's entire card at 90.0, and at 4/5 the public has clearly noticed. Ricardo S. Ramirez pilots for trainer Jesus J. Uranga, who is a familiar presence at Los Alamitos, and a 55 average speed ties for best in the field. The 10% career win rate is modest, but when a horse grades this far above its competition in a six-horse allowance, the model says trust the number.

place2SarkML 5/1

Sark at 5/1 is the clear value underneath for trainer Gloria Haley — a 64.82 TrackWiz rating and a 54 average speed give the horse a legitimate claim on second money. Armando Aguilar handles the mount, and a 7% career win rate shouldn't scare you off at this price in an allowance where the heavy favorite is likely to draw most of the money. Exacta players should key No More Ding Dongs over Sark as a primary play.

show4RollinwithpolanML 5/2

Rollinwithpolan is the most intriguing horse in the race from a career win percentage standpoint — 40% is exceptional and worth noting even though the TrackWiz rating of 59.46 sits third in the field. Edgar Payeras gets the call for trainer Sergio Morfin, and the 55 average speed is competitive. At 5/2, this one isn't a huge overlay, but the win rate screams a horse that runs its race consistently, making it a safe show ticket.

Race 5

2:07 AM EDT

Allowance · 1000 yd · Dirt

Willow Cove and Petit Filet look like the class of this seven-horse allowance, but Can You Dream lurks at a price that could make the trifecta interesting — this race has genuine depth for a quarter horse card.

win4Willow CoveML 8/5

Willow Cove owns the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 89.12 and is the 8/5 morning line choice for trainer Jesus J. Uranga — the same barn sending out No More Ding Dongs earlier in the card, suggesting a hot night for this outfit. Ricardo S. Ramirez is back in the irons, and a 55 average speed combined with a 16% career win rate makes this a well-rounded profile. The rating gap over the rest is meaningful, and Willow Cove looks like the right play at a manageable price.

place3Petit FiletML 2/1

Petit Filet brings a 74.23 TrackWiz rating and the field's best average speed figure at 56 — that's a combination that screams early speed in a 1000-yard sprint. Adrian Escobedo rides for trainer Brian T. Cunningham, and a 16% career win rate matches Willow Cove exactly. At 2/1, the public is right to keep Petit Filet close in the wagering, and this one is a natural exacta partner with the favorite.

show6Can You DreamML 7/2

Can You Dream at 7/2 for trainer Rafael DeLeon gives Edgar Payeras a lively mount — the 72.04 TrackWiz rating sits just under Petit Filet and the horse carries a 12% career win rate and a 54 average speed. What makes this one interesting in exotics is that it rates closer to the top two than the morning line suggests, which means the trifecta payouts could be enhanced if the public underestimates this runner. A solid show play and a key piece in rolling exotics.

Race 6

2:35 AM EDT

Allowance · 300 yd · Dirt

This 300-yard allowance sprint is a genuine top-three battle with three horses bunched within six points of each other in the TrackWiz ratings — at this distance, any of them can hit the board.

win6Chiseled N ChromeML 2/1

Chiseled N Chrome leads our model at 88.54 and opens at a fair 2/1 for trainer Angela Maria Aquino with Justine Klaiber in the irons — a jockey quietly building a book of mounts at Los Al. A 20% career win rate is among the best in the field and speaks to a horse that knows how to finish a short sprint. Over 300 yards, pure rating and win percentage carry enormous weight, and Chiseled N Chrome checks both boxes at the top.

place4LaughlinML 3/1

Laughlin is the one to beat if Chiseled N Chrome stumbles — a 82.91 TrackWiz rating and a jaw-dropping 33% career win rate for trainer Michael V. Casselman put this horse in a tier of its own for consistency. Martin Arriaga picks up a live book here, and at 3/1, Laughlin represents the best win rate in the field by a wide margin. The exacta pairing of Chiseled N Chrome and Laughlin at 2/1 and 3/1 respectively is the bread-and-butter ticket in this race.

show2Deluxe CartelML 9/2

Deluxe Cartel slots in at 82.25 on our ratings — just a fraction behind Laughlin — and Trainer Valentin A. Zamudio also runs Special Batch, giving him two runners in the gate. Ruben Lozano pilots Deluxe Cartel, and a 15% career win rate is solid for a 300-yard horse. At 9/2, there's a touch of value here if Laughlin drifts and Deluxe Cartel gets a straight trip out of the gates.

Race 7

3:03 AM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 300 yd · Dirt

It's a maiden claiming sprint at 300 yards with a field of first-time winners — zero wins on the board across the entire lineup — so the TrackWiz model and morning line become the primary compass tonight.

win5SchemerML 3/1

Schemer tops our model at 87.08 despite carrying a 3/1 morning line — that's a meaningful gap over the rest of a maiden field where the second-best rated horse checks in at 67.51. Irving Lara gets the mount for trainer Roman Figueroa, whose barn also runs Secret Express in this same race, and in a maiden sprint where past wins are nonexistent, the biggest ratings edge in the field usually matters most. Schemer is our clear top choice here.

place2Secret ExpressML 2/1

Secret Express is Figueroa's other entry at 2/1 — the morning line favorite — carrying a 67.51 TrackWiz rating with Jonathan Roman aboard. In a maiden race, public money often tells a story the ratings alone can't, and the crowd clearly has a line on this runner's workouts or trial performance. Use Secret Express as the most logical exacta partner with stablemate Schemer.

show4Kool MondayML 7/2

Kool Monday at 7/2 for trainer Juan G. Aleman grades third in our model at 55.83 with Jesse P Gonzalez in the irons. In a maiden field where the top two are the obvious choices, Kool Monday's rating suggests enough ability to sneak onto the board — especially in a bang-bang 300-yard sprint where gate speed and a clean break can flip the result. A trifecta saver on the bottom is the right play here.

Race 8

3:31 AM EDT

Claiming · 300 yd · Dirt

The closer we get to the final race of the card, the more interesting this gets — Fyrestorm and Special Gray Cartel present dueling cases based on model versus public money, setting up a finale worth watching.

win1FyrestormML 5/2

Fyrestorm leads the TrackWiz model at 87.81 and goes at 5/2 for trainer Sergio Morfin with Irving Lara in the irons — Lara's third mount of the night, which tells you he likes his chances on this card. A 22% career win rate is strong for a claiming horse and speaks to a runner that fires consistently at this level. At 5/2, Fyrestorm is the overlay pick over the morning line favorite in our analysis.

place6Special Gray CartelML 7/5

Special Gray Cartel opens as the 7/5 public choice — the shortest price on the entire night card — and trainer Felix L. Gonzalez sends out Henry Reynoso Lopez on a horse with a remarkable 37% career win rate. That win percentage is the highest of any horse on tonight's full card, and it's the reason the crowd is hammering this one down. Our model has it second at 78.0, so fading it entirely would be foolish — it belongs in the exacta underneath Fyrestorm.

show3Bdr Eagle DynastyML 7/2

Bdr Eagle Dynasty rounds out the ticket at 77.62 for trainer Adan Farias with Damian Diaz Cruz aboard — a 15% career win rate and a third-best rating in the field make this a legitimate show play at 7/2. In a three-way race at 300 yards where the top two are separated by less than 10 rating points, the board could easily include all three of our selections, and Bdr Eagle Dynasty is the insurance piece in any trifecta structure.

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Bottom line — Los Alamitos is serving up a quality Sunday card with competitive Allowance fields, a standout top-rated contender in No More Ding Dongs, and plenty of angles in the short sprints to keep things interesting from Race 1 to Race 8. Start with Fire Ile, James J. Braddock, and Cioppina Pasadina as your free anchors, and let TrackWiz subscribers do the heavy lifting on the rest. Full card analysis, pace scenarios, and exotic plays are all waiting for you — head to /pricing to get started.

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