Los Alamitos Thoroughbred Picks & Predictions — September 19, 2026

Selsae is the 2/1 favorite and earns that price with a 73.9 TrackWiz rating, posting a career win rate of 7% in a field where several horses haven't won at all. Trainer Gloria Haley sends her out with Alfredo L. Bautista, who's one of the busier jockeys on this card, and a 54 average speed figure slots her into a pace-pressing role. She figures to be tough to shake if the pace up front gets honest, making her a natural fit in the place slot.

Toulouse Detrac comes in at 9/5 and rates 60.98 with an 8% career win rate — modest numbers but consistent enough to warrant inclusion in exacta and trifecta coverage. Trainer Jorge Farias places her at the 9/5 price, suggesting the market sees upside here. Her 55 average speed figure is among the best in the field and could get her into the picture if the two top choices get tangled up.

Unpretentious brings a 33% career win rate to the table — that's the second-best mark in the field — and rates 65.43 with Edgar Payeras in the irons for trainer Charles S. Treece. She's a horse who knows how to finish, and at 5/1 on the morning line, there's genuine place-ticket value if Thirsty Rebel is locked in a duel on the lead. Horses with win percentages that high in allowance company don't usually hit the board by accident.

Naftis is an interesting inclusion at 15/1 with a 57.88 TrackWiz rating and an 11% career win rate under trainer Genaro Vallejo. Kyle Frey takes the mount, and the 55 average speed figure suggests he'll be close enough to the pace to benefit if the frontrunners tire late. This is a longshot-level show play that could inflate an exotic payout significantly if the top choices fill the first two spots.

Desert Hawk is a fascinating value angle at 6/1 on the morning line with a TrackWiz rating of 82.71 — barely a half-point behind our win pick. Trainer Jose Hernandez Jr. saddles Francisco Monroy, and the combination figures to have Desert Hawk running on late in a mile trip. The morning line undervalues this horse relative to the rating, making 6/1 a price worth targeting in exactas underneath or on top.

Lucky Sniper rates 75.49 — third-best in the field — and checks in at 5/2 with Kyle Frey in the irons for trainer Dan Blacker. His 54 average speed figure is the best among our three picks, which matters in a mile race where early positioning can dictate the outcome. He's the safest play of the trio and a natural anchor for trifecta tickets.

Bottiglia Di Vino is the 8/5 morning-line favorite under Armando Ayuso for trainer Brian J. Koriner, and the market clearly likes what they've seen in the mornings. Without a recorded average speed figure in our data, the case here rests on connections and reputation — Ayuso is one of the hotter riders on this card, and favorites in maiden special weight races win at a meaningful clip. She's a logical place candidate even if the top rating belongs to another horse.

Kathy's House rates 57.50 — third in the field — with a 55 average speed figure that's the best of our three picks in this race. Edwin A. Maldonado rides for trainer Luis Mendez at 5/2 on the morning line, and the solid speed number suggests she can keep pace with the early fractions over this sprint distance. She's a natural fit in the show slot and a useful trifecta inclusion at a price that still offers some value.

Devil Moon is only 3 points behind on the TrackWiz scale at 85.34, and he brings a 56 average speed figure to match the top contenders. Edgar Payeras rides for Ruben Gomez — the same trainer who appears multiple times on tonight's card — and the 7/2 morning line offers a touch of value for a horse this close in ability to the top pick. He's the logical alternative if Black Magician runs into any traffic or trouble on the front end.

Mischief's King represents a legitimate value angle at 10/1 with a 61.71 TrackWiz rating — well above the several horses rated in the 20s and 30s — and a 20% career win rate that speaks to consistent ability. Justine Klaiber takes the mount for trainer Angela Maria Aquino, and the 55 average speed figure keeps him competitive over this sprint trip. In a race where the top two battle it out, Mischief's King could be the fresh horse running on late for a big trifecta score.

Speedy Wilson rates 64.2 and brings a 26% career win rate under Kazushi Kimura for trainer Philip D'Amato — another A-list barn that demands respect at any level. His 56 average speed figure is competitive with the field (outside the top pick), and at 3/1 on the morning line, he's the most logical horse to fill out exactas behind the heavy favorite. D'Amato sharpens horses well for spots like this, and Kimura is one of the better big-race jockeys in California.

Mr. Disrespectful rates 56.15 with a 30% career win rate and a 56 average speed figure for trainer Craig Dollase — a seasoned horseman who knows how to prep a horse for stakes competition. Armando Ayuso is up from the 4-post, which is a workable draw going a mile. At 8/1, he's a lightly regarded show option who could make the trifecta very interesting if the two top choices run each other into the ground.

Kiki Ride rates 80.97 — essentially dead even with the top pick — and comes in at 3/1 for trainer Craig Anthony Lewis with Abel Lezcano aboard from the 11-post. Lezcano is a sharp jockey who can navigate wide draws, and the rating suggests this horse has every right to be competitive despite the outside starting position. At 3/1, there's value here for a horse within a point of our win pick, making her the natural complement in exactas.

Hungover rates 63.63 — a meaningful step below the top two but well above most of the field — and comes in at 5/1 with Welfin R. Orantes riding for trainer Ryan Hanson, who also sends out Major Mo in this race. The 53 average speed figure is modest but consistent, and in a wide-open field where pace can collapse, a horse with a solid rating and a fair price can find its way onto the podium. Hungover is the right show play to anchor trifecta tickets tonight.