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Louisiana Downs Picks & Predictions — September 19, 2026

September 19, 20268 racesAll Louisiana Downs picks

This card ran on September 19, 2026.

Best bets at Louisiana Downs, September 19, 2026

Race 16WannawholelottaluvML 9/54:35 PM EDT

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It's a scorcher at Louisiana Downs today — clear skies and 95°F on the thermometer, which means the dirt is going to be lightning-fast and the turf could play firm as a drumhead by the later races. Eight races are on the board, and this card punches well above its weight with five stakes races spread across the afternoon. Bring water. Bring your A-game.

The headliners are hard to ignore. Six String opens as a heavy 2/5 favorite in Race 3, but there's real intrigue deeper in the card — including a pair of back-to-back stakes at 5½ furlongs on the dirt and two turf routes that could deliver some serious price horses. Our TrackWiz ratings tell an interesting story across the card, and not every chalk deserves your money at face value.

Three races are free to all TrackWiz readers today. The premium card — five stakes races with full pace projections, exotic tickets, and multi-race wager strategies — is available to subscribers. Here's what we've got.

Best Bets

Race 1

4:35 PM EDT

Allowance · 5 fur · Turf

A short-field turf sprint where our ratings reveal a clear top-end standout above the morning-line favorite — expect the public to lean on the chalk, but the numbers tell a different story.

win6WannawholelottaluvML 9/5

Wannawholelottaluv (6) tops our TrackWiz ratings at 88.83 — the highest mark in the field and a meaningful gap over anyone else. Trainer Jonathan Wong sends her out at 9/5 on the morning line, which actually feels light given how dominant her rating profile is at this 5-furlong turf distance. She's hit the board in nearly a quarter of her career starts, and on a short sprint where early position matters, her avg speed figure of 56 ties for best in the field. This is our best bet of the opener.

place1Lee CircleML 6/1

Lee Circle (1) is the most interesting horse in the race from a value standpoint — listed at 6/1 on the morning line but sporting a TrackWiz rating of 80.02 and a jaw-dropping 50% career win rate. Trainer Anthony Arey has this one sitting quietly on the rail, and at that price, she's a strong place candidate who could easily outrun her odds.

show5Windy IceML 8/1

Windy Ice (5) rounds out our ticket at 8/1 with a solid 71.71 rating — third-best in the field — under Emanuel Nieves for trainer Danny Pish. She's a logical show play who gives you coverage against the top two, and at 8/1 she adds real value to exacta and trifecta combinations.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

Race 2: Free with an Account

Race 2

5:03 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 6 fur · Dirt

A maiden special weight dirt sprint with an unblemished field — nobody has won before, which makes trainer patterns and workout profiles the primary handicapping tools in a genuinely wide-open opener for these youngsters.

win4Star HeiressML 6/5

Star Heiress (4) earns our top rating in the field at 59.67 and is the morning-line favorite at 6/5, backed by trainer Shane Wilson who also saddles the #1 entry. Harry Hernandez gets the call, a strong jockey-trainer combo that inspires confidence. Her avg speed of 54 matches the top tier in this field, and in a maiden race where consistency and connections matter, she's the one to beat.

place3Pink AngelML 3/1

Pink Angel (3) comes in at 3/1 with a 56.67 TrackWiz rating — just a tick below Star Heiress but close enough to make her a genuine threat to steal the win. Trainer Joseph M. Foster also runs Quick Link in this field, suggesting confidence in the barn, and Emanuel Nieves is a capable pilot who can get her into position early in a 6-furlong dirt sprint.

show1Pound of MusicML 7/2

Pound of Music (1) sits at 7/2 on the morning line with a 55.83 rating — nearly identical to the place pick — and Alexander Castillo is a solid choice in the irons. Shane Wilson trains both #1 and #4, so there's obvious stable depth here, and at 7/2 Pound of Music is a natural show play to round out trifecta tickets.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 6 runners

The free portion of today's card opens on the turf and quickly shifts to the dirt, giving us a nice cross-surface sample. Wannawholelottaluv tops our ratings in Race 1 at an 88.83 — the best mark of the three free races — and draws our attention on a turf course that figures to be playing quick in this heat. Speed players, take note: pace scenarios on a firm turf tend to reward horses that can settle and close, and our analysis lines up well here.

Race 2 brings an open maiden field to six furlongs on the dirt, where Star Heiress is the 6/5 morning-line choice. Maiden races are inherently the most unpredictable events on any card, and her 59.67 TrackWiz rating reflects some legit uncertainty — bet accordingly. Then comes the marquee freebie: Race 3, where Six String posts a 90.00 rating and a 2/5 morning line that screams 'probable single in your multi-race wagers.' When a horse earns a 90 on our model, we don't fight it — we ask how to best use it.

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Full Card Analysis

Race 3

5:31 PM EDT

Stakes · 6 fur · Dirt

A short-field stakes sprint on dirt that looks like a near-lock at the top but features a legitimate secondary battle for the place and show spots worth targeting in exotics.

win1Six StringML 2/5

Six String (1) is the clear class of this field with a 90.00 TrackWiz rating — the highest mark we've seen on today's card — and goes postward as a deserving 2/5 morning-line favorite. He's won 44% of his career starts, an exceptional clip in a stakes environment, and his avg speed of 56 matches the top tier. Timothy Thornton gets the mount for trainer Allen Landry, a sharp local combo. At short odds, the play here is to use him confidently in exotics rather than chasing a modest win-bet return.

place2Gangster FlashML 5/2

Gangster Flash (2) is genuinely fascinating — a 66% career win rate is the highest in this field, and his TrackWiz rating of 75.57 makes him the clear second-best horse by our metrics. Jansen Melancon is one of the better riders in this circuit, and at 5/2 on the morning line, he offers real value as a place pick and an essential piece in exacta combinations underneath Six String.

show5Mo for UsML 5/1

Mo for Us (5) brings a 30% career win rate and a 66.17 rating to the table for trainer Steven M. Asmussen — one of the most accomplished conditioners in the country. Alexander Castillo handles the riding duties, and at 5/1, Mo for Us is a logical show play who gives your trifecta tickets solid bottom-end coverage.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 5 runners

Race 4

5:59 PM EDT

Stakes · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

A full-field stakes sprint at 5½ furlongs where the ratings are heavily stacked at the top but a pair of undefeated runners in the mid-tier add intrigue and pace pressure that could scramble the order.

win1Nola QueenML 3/1

Nola Queen (1) is the standout at 87.08 — comfortably the top-rated horse in this ten-horse field — and her 66% career win rate is a staggering number in a stakes context. Trainer Sturges J. Ducoing has her set for Timothy Thornton, and at 3/1 on the morning line, she offers legitimate value relative to her rating dominance. She's the TrackWiz best bet in Race 4.

place6Copper KeyML 6/1

Copper Key (6) earns a 76.21 rating — second-best in the field — and posts at 6/1, which is strong overlay territory given her standing in our model. Lane J. Luzzi picks up the mount for trainer Gary M. Scherer, and Copper Key's avg speed of 55 and 33% career win rate suggest she's a proven performer who can sit off the early pace and come running late at 5½ furlongs.

show4Bar CarML 12/1

Bar Car (4) at 12/1 is a sneaky show play with a 64.22 rating that ranks third in this field — significantly outperforming her morning-line price. Isaac Castillo rides for trainer Robertino Diodoro, who also runs Copy This in this race, giving the barn dual representation. At those odds, Bar Car is an excellent trifecta anchor with meaningful upside.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 10 runners

Race 5

6:27 PM EDT

Stakes · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Another stakes sprint at 5½ furlongs, but this one is far messier at the top — the morning-line favorite doesn't match up with our ratings leader, setting the stage for a potential upset and some genuine value opportunities.

win1Star of BethlehemML 6/1

Star of Bethlehem (1) is our top-rated horse at 82.71 — a substantial edge over most of this field — yet goes off at 6/1 on the morning line, which is a significant overlay by TrackWiz standards. Harry Hernandez takes the mount for trainer Patrick Devereux, Jr., and with an avg speed of 55 and a 33% career win rate in open company, this is a horse with legitimate class. The morning-line undervaluation is exactly the kind of angle our model is built to find.

place9GolfitoML 9/5

Golfito (9) is listed at 9/5 as the morning-line favorite with a 100% career win rate — yes, undefeated — for trainer Jorge Lara. His TrackWiz rating of 58.67 trails Star of Bethlehem considerably, but a perfect record demands respect, especially at a sprint distance where tactical speed can mask rating gaps. He's a natural place-ticket inclusion.

show7PastinacaML 5/2

Pastinaca (7) posts at 5/2 with a 57.50 rating and a 50% career win rate — solid credentials in this kind of stakes field. Alexander Castillo rides for trainer Joseph M. Foster, who has a strong presence on today's card, and at 5/2 Pastinaca is a dependable show play and a key piece in exactas and trifectas.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 9 runners

Race 6

6:55 PM EDT

Stakes · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

The first stakes turf route of the day features an 11-horse field with a heavy favorite and a fascinating cluster of overlays lurking just behind — the exacta and trifecta could be worth targeting with the chalker on top.

win5Highly WickedML 3/5

Highly Wicked (5) is as dominant as it gets — a 53% career win rate combined with a 80.48 TrackWiz rating and a 3/5 morning-line price tells you everything you need to know about how the public and our model align here. Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. gets the mount for trainer Sam B. David, Jr., and at 1 1/16 miles on turf, a horse with that win percentage is exactly the kind of reliable performer you want anchoring your tickets. Bet accordingly.

place7Jojo BeanML 8/1

Jojo Bean (7) is the most compelling secondary play in this race — a 79.79 rating that virtually matches Highly Wicked's, and yet she's listed at 8/1 on the morning line. Jansen Melancon is aboard for Allen Landry, a sharp barn that fires runners ready to run. If Highly Wicked gets outrun or has a troubled trip, Jojo Bean has the raw rating to steal the win — and at 8/1, she's a tremendous exacta play.

show11Clearly My StarML 6/1

Clearly My Star (11) rounds out the ticket with a 77.52 rating — third-best in the field — under Harry Hernandez for trainer Shane Wilson. She's won 12% of her career starts, modest on its face, but in a crowded turf route with multiple pace scenarios, a horse with that rating sitting behind the speed is an excellent trifecta piece at her likely price.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 11 runners

Race 7

7:23 PM EDT

Stakes · 6 fur · Dirt

A seven-horse stakes sprint on dirt where the top two ratings are tightly bunched but one horse holds a clear edge, and the morning-line structure leaves room to find value deeper on the ticket.

win6Benji StarML 2/1

Benji Star (6) leads our TrackWiz ratings at 88.54 and goes off at just 2/1 on the morning line — a fair price for a horse of this caliber in a stakes sprint. He's won 35% of his career starts and carries an avg speed of 55, and trainer Michael Stidham is well-regarded at this level. Timothy Thornton climbs aboard, a strong jockey-trainer pairing, and this horse profiles as a pace-pressing threat who should be very hard to beat at 6 furlongs.

place3AchromedoutcatML 5/2

Achromedoutcat (3) is the second-best horse in the field by our model at 81.72, going off at 5/2 — tight odds that reflect a deserving contender. Jansen Melancon gets the mount for trainer Randy Degeyter, Jr., and with a 30% career win rate and an avg speed of 56 (tops in the field), this horse has the raw ability to beat anyone in here including Benji Star if the pace sets up correctly.

show2Sounds Like PowerML 4/1

Sounds Like Power (2) may be the best value on the show end of the ticket — a 69.22 rating with an avg speed of 56 that ties for tops in the field, going off at 4/1. Isaac Castillo rides for trainer Juan A. Larrosa, and at a mile-prep distance of 6 furlongs, a horse with that kind of speed figure can sit just off the early pace and be dangerous in the final furlong. A solid show play and exotic piece.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 7 runners

Race 8

7:51 PM EDT

Stakes · 1 1/16 mi · Turf

The nightcap is a full-field stakes turf route with 13 runners and a massive spread in the ratings — one horse stands well clear at the top while the rest of the field offers genuine exotic upside at generous prices.

win11Star Rock StarML 5/2

Star Rock Star (11) is the horse to beat at 87.81 — the highest rating in this thirteen-horse field by a wide margin — and yet goes off at only 5/2 on the morning line, suggesting the market has done its homework. Harry Hernandez picks up the mount for Shane Wilson, a jockey-trainer combo that's had multiple runners on tonight's card and seems to be in good form. A 23% career win rate is respectable for a turf route stakes horse, and the avg speed of 54 is among the best in the field. This is the TrackWiz top selection to close out the card.

place4Bons Temps RouleML 3/1

Bons Temps Roule (4) earns a 63.93 rating — second-best in the field — and is listed at 3/1, representing solid value relative to the field. Jansen Melancon is aboard for trainer Juan A. Larrosa, giving this horse a top-notch pilot, and his 25% career win rate with an avg speed of 54 suggests he can handle the 1 1/16-mile turf distance. He's the natural exacta partner underneath Star Rock Star.

show3Allnight MoonlightML 9/2

Allnight Moonlight (3) at 9/2 brings a 57.81 rating and a standout 36% career win rate — the highest among the realistic contenders outside the top two picks. Isaac Castillo handles the riding duties for trainer Samuel Breaux, and in a thirteen-horse turf route where pace can get complicated in the stretch, a horse with that win percentage and a patient style can sneak into the trifecta at a very generous price.

Live odds, scratches and ratings for all 13 runners

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Bottom line: Louisiana Downs is putting on a real card today. Six String is the anchor of the free slate and a probable single for multi-race players. The premium races offer genuine betting opportunities, especially if Star of Bethlehem at 6/1 fits your pace scenario the way our model suggests she might. Full analysis, exotic tickets, and pace projections are waiting for subscribers — check out /pricing to get in on the complete picture before post time.

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