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

August 23, 20269 racesAll Los Alamitos Quarter Horse picks

Results are in — see the official Los Alamitos Quarter Horse chart and payouts (our top pick won 3 of 9)→

It's a big Sunday at Los Alamitos Quarter Horse — clear skies, 86°F, and a fast dirt strip that should have horses flying all afternoon. Nine races are on the board, and eight of them are 350-yard trials, meaning the clock matters as much as the finish position today. These aren't just races; the times horses run here could decide their fate in upcoming stakes rounds.

Speed figures and gate-to-wire consistency are the name of the game on a day like this. With the weather cooperating and no moisture to slow things down, expect sharp times across the board. That's good news for horses with proven speed — and it raises the stakes on any horse showing up with a question mark in their recent lines.

The nine-race card wraps up with a legitimate highlight: the 400-yard Handicap Stakes in Race 9, where Lethal Cowboy 123 tops our board at a 6/5 morning line and an 89.71 TrackWiz rating — the highest single-horse score on today's entire card.

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Race 1

1:50 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

A wide-open 350-yard trial with a clear TrackWiz rating gap at the top, though the morning line favorite and our top pick don't align — creating some genuine intrigue in the wagering.

win7RationalML 4/1

Rational (No. 7) tops the TrackWiz ratings with an 85.62, the highest mark in this field by a meaningful margin, and Eduardo Nicasio has the call. What's interesting here is that the morning line has him at 4/1 while the morning line favorite Zionsville is listed at even money — that gap between public perception and our model is exactly the kind of spot we love to identify. In 350-yard trials, raw ability tends to cut through the noise, and Rational's rating edge gives us confidence to go against the chalk.

place4ZionsvilleML EVN

Zionsville (No. 4) is the morning line favorite at even money for a reason — a 66% career win rate is genuinely elite in any field, and trainer James W. Glenn Jr. clearly knows how to get this horse ready. The 77.65 TrackWiz rating is second-best in the field, and with Cesar Ortega up, this one absolutely belongs in your place and exotic coverage.

show3Shes Jess ShinningML 3/1

Shes Jess Shinning (No. 3) checks in with a 52.67 TrackWiz rating and draws the 3/1 morning line, which suggests the bettors like her potential even without a career win on the board yet. Trainer Felix L. Gonzalez sends her out with Erasmo Gasca in the irons, a pairing worth noting in these trials. As a show play in exotics, she offers decent value at her anticipated odds.

Race 2

2:16 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

Three horses are bunched tightly at the top of the TrackWiz ratings between 82 and 87, setting up a genuine pace battle at 350 yards where every gate break matters.

win3Cyber EyesML 3/1

Cyber Eyes (No. 3) leads the field with an 87.08 TrackWiz rating and brings a 50% career win rate to the gate — that combination of model strength and proven closing ability is hard to ignore. Trainer Jose Antonio Flores sends him out with Irving Lara, a team that shows up in multiple races today, hinting at stable confidence. At 3/1 on the morning line, this is a case where value and form are reasonably aligned, making Cyber Eyes our top selection in Race 2.

place6Mp Jess RockinML 5/2

Mp Jess Rockin (No. 6) posts an 83.75 TrackWiz rating and draws the 5/2 morning line, suggesting the public is also sweet on this one. Ricardo S. Ramirez gets the mount for trainer Sergio Morfin, and while the 25% career win rate is modest, that rating puts this horse firmly in the mix for a piece. In a race this competitive, grabbing the place on a horse rated this closely to the top trio is sound exotic strategy.

show4Dice GameML 7/2

Dice Game (No. 4) rounds out what TrackWiz sees as the top three with an 82.29 rating and a 33% career win rate for trainer Scott Willoughby. Gabriel Angel Gomez Lara takes the reins at a 7/2 morning line, which is fair value for a horse this close in the ratings. In trifecta and exacta coverage, Dice Game is a logical anchor for your show slot.

Race 3

2:40 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

This trial has a definitive standout at the top of the TrackWiz ratings, but the second and third picks are well-rated enough to keep things from being a foregone conclusion.

win2ContentiousML 8/5

Contentious (No. 2) is the class of this field on paper — an 89.12 TrackWiz rating combined with a 60% career win rate is the kind of profile that makes you feel good about leaning in. Trainer Paul C. Jones puts Eduardo Nicasio on board, and the 8/5 morning line reflects strong public opinion. In these short 350-yard sprints, a horse with a proven winning habit and a top rating is exactly what you want.

place6Lonely At NightML 2/1

Lonely At Night (No. 6) is the second-best rated horse in the field at 83.42 and carries a 40% career win rate for trainer Michael V. Casselman. Justine Klaiber gets the mount at a 2/1 morning line, making this one a legitimate contender — not just a place horse. If Contentious stumbles out of the gate, Lonely At Night has the profile to take full advantage.

show7Rr Gotta RunML 5/1

Rr Gotta Run (No. 7) comes in with a 74.48 TrackWiz rating and a solid 40% career win rate, giving trainer Jose Antonio Flores another live runner on the card today. Irving Lara is up at 5/1 on the morning line, which is where the value angle kicks in — a horse rated this well at that price deserves a spot in your exotics. A clean break at 350 yards and this one could easily be mixing it up for a share of the purse.

We're giving all readers a look at Races 1 through 3 — three 350-yard trials that set the tone for the afternoon. Rational (Race 1, 4/1 ML, 85.62 rating) is our opener, a solid value spot in what shapes up as a wide-open heat. In Race 2, Cyber Eyes draws our attention at 3/1 with a 87.08 rating — solid enough to lead this section but with enough upside that the morning line might be underselling the ability. Then there's Contentious in Race 3, the strongest of the three free picks at an 89.12 rating and an 8/5 morning line that makes total sense given the profile.

On a fast, dry track like today's, early speed is king in the quarterhorse game. All three of our free-race selections project well off the gate — and in a 350-yard sprint, that's the ballgame. If you're just joining us for the first few races, these are the names to know.

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Full Card Analysis

Race 4

3:04 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

Race 4 is locked behind TrackWiz Premium, but the morning line tells a story — a chalk horse with a 100% win rate faces a field where our model sees a different leader entirely.

win7JessonefamouseagleML 5/2

Jessonefamouseagle (No. 7) tops our ratings at 84.35 and boasts a 50% career win rate — solid credentials for a trial that could be a stepping stone to something bigger. Trainer Paul C. Jones sends out Henry Reynoso Lopez at 5/2 on the morning line, a price that feels workable given the rating edge. Jones has multiple horses spread across today's card, and this appears to be one of the barn's stronger entries.

place3Aj Your FavoriteML 6/1

Aj Your Favorite (No. 3) is right on the heels of our top pick with an 82.71 TrackWiz rating and an eye-catching 50% career win rate. Trainer Eddie D. Willis sends out Justine Klaiber at 6/1 on the morning line — that's meaningful overlay territory for a horse rated this highly by our model. In a race where the public may be zeroing in on the morning line favorite, Aj Your Favorite represents real place value.

show6Gorgeous GuyML 8/1

Gorgeous Guy (No. 6) checks in at a 64.56 TrackWiz rating with a 33% career win rate for Scott Willoughby, who fields multiple horses across today's card. Gabriel Angel Gomez Lara rides at 8/1, which makes this a legitimate exotic inclusion without breaking the bank. Drop him in your trifectas and see if Willoughby's stable strength pays off in the third slot.

Race 5

3:28 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

Test Pilot enters as a clear model standout and the morning line favorite, but Romoland lurking in mid-field and a competitive top half of the draw make this more than a one-horse show.

win6Test PilotML 9/5

Test Pilot (No. 6) is the top-rated horse in this field with an 88.83 TrackWiz score and an impressive 60% career win rate — the kind of hit rate that turns heads in a trial. Jose Antonio Flores has Ricardo S. Ramirez in the irons, and the 9/5 morning line confirms the public agrees this one is the one to beat. At 350 yards where every stride counts, a horse that wins six out of ten times gets our full confidence as the win selection.

place4RomolandML 6/1

Romoland (No. 4) carries a 71.63 TrackWiz rating — second-best in this field — and while the career win percentage sits at zero, it's worth noting the model still rates this horse well above the rest of the pack outside of Test Pilot. Trainer Paul C. Jones puts Eduardo Nicasio on board at 6/1, a fair morning line for a horse this competitive on ratings. Use Romoland underneath in exactas and trifectas as a legitimate place contender.

show1College BoyML 8/1

College Boy (No. 1) draws the rail with a 63.18 TrackWiz rating and a 25% career win rate for trainer James W. Glenn Jr., with Cesar Ortega navigating from the one-hole. The 8/1 morning line makes College Boy an attractive show play in exotics, and the rail post at 350 yards is never a disadvantage if this one breaks clean. Glenn Jr. fields horses at multiple stops today, and College Boy looks like a capable third-place finisher at a price.

Race 6

3:52 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

This trial features an interesting ratings vs. morning line split — the top-rated horse by our model is going off at 5/1 while a horse with a 100% win rate commands a 6/5 morning line, setting up a genuine clash of metrics.

win6Celtic CowboyML 5/1

Celtic Cowboy (No. 6) leads the TrackWiz ratings at 84.17 with a 33% career win rate and draws the 5/1 morning line — a juicy price for a horse our model rates at the top of the field. Irving Lara gets the mount for Jose Antonio Flores, a combination that appears multiple times today, showing stable confidence. If the public gets caught up on the morning line favorite, Celtic Cowboy at 5/1 could be the best value bet on today's entire card.

place3FaultlessML 8/5

Faultless (No. 3) comes in at an 81.38 TrackWiz rating with a 33% career win rate for Scott Willoughby, another trainer with a strong presence today. Gabriel Angel Gomez Lara rides at the short 8/5 morning line, which means the bettors are loading up here — and the rating supports that confidence. In place and exotic spots, Faultless is a sound inclusion that won't require much convincing.

show7Cv Fdddinasty ShanML 6/5

Cv Fdddinasty Shan (No. 7) brings a 100% career win rate to the gate — undefeated — and trainer Lindolfo Diaz sends out Jesus Rios Ayala at a 6/5 morning line. The 80.77 TrackWiz rating is third-best in the field, so while our model prefers Celtic Cowboy, this one is no pushover. The perfect win record and the public's love at 6/5 make Cv Fdddinasty Shan a must-include in the show slot of any trifecta.

Race 7

4:18 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

Nuclear Arsenal stands well clear of the field on our ratings and owns a workable morning line, but a competitive second tier between 64 and 70 could make the exotics interesting.

win3Nuclear ArsenalML 2/1

Nuclear Arsenal (No. 3) tops this race with an 88.54 TrackWiz rating and a 40% career win rate, giving trainer Paul C. Jones another strong runner on a busy day for the barn. Eduardo Nicasio gets the call at 2/1 on the morning line — this is a case where the public and our model are in agreement. At 350 yards, a horse rated nearly 20 points clear of the third-best in the field is the kind of dominant edge that merits a straight win play.

place6Blackk MaggicML 4/1

Blackk Maggic (No. 6) is an interesting piece here — a 70.18 TrackWiz rating with a 33% career win rate for trainer Cesar De Alba, and Cesar Franco takes the mount at 4/1. That price-to-rating relationship is appealing for a place bet, as the horse sits comfortably in the second tier of our model without the public overloading on him. In exactas underneath Nuclear Arsenal, Blackk Maggic makes a lot of sense.

show5Still StandingML 5/2

Still Standing (No. 5) brings a 50% career win rate to the gate — the highest in this field — and posts a 64.31 TrackWiz rating for trainer James W. Glenn Jr. Oscar M. Peinado rides at 5/2, which is a fair reflection of the win percentage even if the rating puts this one third in our rankings. Half your career starts resulting in wins is a pattern worth respecting, especially in the show slot of trifectas at a 5/2 price.

Race 8

4:42 AM EDT

Trial · 350 yd · Dirt

Race 8 is headlined by a tight one-two punch at the top of the TrackWiz ratings, with a clear drop-off to the rest of the field — and a show pick offering legit overlay value.

win8JaqueML 7/2

Jaque (No. 8) tops the field with an 86.35 TrackWiz rating and a 40% career win rate, making this Jose Antonio Flores entry one of the most compelling plays of the night. Irving Lara gets the mount at 7/2, which is a slight overlay given Jaque's model dominance over the field. In a race where the top two rated horses are separated from the rest by nearly 30 points, Jaque's edge deserves full win-ticket consideration.

place7Ap First to RocketML 5/2

Ap First to Rocket (No. 7) is the clear second horse in this field according to our model — an 83.15 TrackWiz rating with a 33% career win rate for trainer Valentin A. Zamudio. Ruben Lozano rides at 5/2 on the morning line, which suggests sharp money may already be interested. If Jaque breaks clean and wires this field, Ap First to Rocket looks like the most logical horse to fill the place slot in the exacta.

show3ByeanoseML 8/1

Byeanose (No. 3) comes in at a 55.79 TrackWiz rating with a 16% career win rate for trainer Roman Figueroa, and Edwin G. Escobedo draws the call at 8/1. That price is the appeal here — with the top two horses rated significantly higher, Byeanose is a sensible show play in trifectas at a generous price if the top pair both fire. A 16% win rate isn't flashy, but in the third slot of a $2 trifecta with 8/1 show odds, the payout arithmetic can work nicely in your favor.

Race 9

5:06 AM EDT

Handicap Stakes · 400 yd · Dirt

The card closes with a Handicap Stakes going 400 yards — a slight distance uptick — where Lethal Cowboy 123 is a dominant model selection, but a trio of capable horses behind him could make the exotics worth building.

win3Lethal Cowboy 123ML 6/5

Lethal Cowboy 123 (No. 3) is the standout on the entire card — an 89.71 TrackWiz rating paired with a 61% career win rate is as strong a profile as you'll see on a quarter horse card. Trainer Marc E. Jungers puts Edwin G. Escobedo on board at 6/5 on the morning line, and while that's a short price, the model and the record both justify the confidence. At 400 yards rather than the 350-yard trials earlier in the card, the extra ground might actually suit this horse even better — a clean trip and this one could be long gone by the wire.

place6Astronomical 123ML 7/2

Astronomical 123 (No. 6) rates second on our model at 75.85 with a 33% career win rate for Michael V. Casselman, and Martin Arriaga rides at 7/2. In a Handicap Stakes, weights can change the dynamic, and Astronomical 123 has the profile of a horse that can run a solid second behind a heavy favorite. For exacta purposes, this is your top-rated underneath option at a fair price.

show4Scoops DynastyML 5/1

Scoops Dynasty (No. 4) checks in third on our model at 72.67 with a 31% career win rate for Diego Cervantes, and Jacob Enriquez gets the mount at 5/1. That price relative to the rating is solid value in the show slot — Cervantes sends this one out with credible numbers and a jockey who knows this horse. In a stakes race where anything can happen, getting 5/1 on a horse rated this competitively is the kind of opportunity TrackWiz analysis is designed to surface.

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Bottom line: it's a fast track, a full card of trials, and a legitimate stakes race to close things out. Contentious is our top free-race pick, and Lethal Cowboy 123 is the horse we're watching most closely all day. If you want the full-card analysis, pace maps, and exotic strategies, the complete breakdown is available to TrackWiz subscribers — check out our plans at /pricing. Good luck out there today.

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