Thistledown Picks & Predictions — May 21, 2026
Here's our expert breakdown of today's 8-race card at Thistledown. We've identified 3 standout races with strong plays — see our analysis below. Full card picks for all 8 races are available to TrackWiz subscribers.
Best Bets
Race 1
Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
Clear separation at the top of the rating board — Need to Know Basis looks standout with daylight to the rest.
Tops the TrackWiz rating board at 87.1 for Race 1. Career win rate of 21% shows consistency. Ridden by Victor R. Fernandez, trained by Richard Zielinski. Ranked 1st for recent race speed at 12.47 sec/furlong. For past year, Jockey has a 20% win rate and finished in the money in 62% of races. For past year, Jockey & Trainer Combo has a 18% win rate and finished in the money in 55% of races. 9 wins and placed in 26 of 41 races on Dirt tracks. Has placed in the last 4 races. Has placed in 5 of the last 6 races. More than 1 win on today's surface/distance. Horse won last time raced at today's surface/distance. Horse appears in today's Top 50 Horses List.
Rating board at 74.4. Ridden by Fernando Salazar Becerra. Ranked 3rd for recent race speed at 12.77 sec/furlong. For past year, Jockey has a 18% win rate and finished in the money in 57% of races.
Rating board at 64.8 • 25% career wins. Ridden by Luis Antonio Gonzalez. For past year, Jockey has a 27% win rate and finished in the money in 61% of races. 16 wins and placed in 39 of 58 races on Dirt tracks.
Race 2
Maiden Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
Clear separation at the top of the rating board — Mo Mo Lightning looks standout with daylight to the rest.
Tops the TrackWiz rating board at 85.4 for Race 2. Ridden by Mauro Cedillo, trained by Megan Fadlovich. Ranked 1st for recent race speed at 13.48 sec/furlong. Little success at sprint races - giving an endurance race a go.
Rating board at 64.2. Ridden by Jerome J. Innis. Ranked 2nd for recent race speed at 13.61 sec/furlong.
Rating board at 60.0. Ridden by Chelsey Keiser. For past year, Jockey has a 19% win rate and finished in the money in 54% of races.
Race 3
Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
Clear separation at the top of the rating board — Carillo looks standout with daylight to the rest.
Tops the TrackWiz rating board at 89.1 for Race 3. Career win rate of 25% shows consistency. Ridden by Luis Antonio Gonzalez, trained by Valerie K. Shanyfelt. Ranked 2nd for recent race speed at 12.82 sec/furlong. For past year, Jockey has a 27% win rate and finished in the money in 61% of races. 8 wins and placed in 15 of 30 races on Dirt tracks. Jockey & Horse combo has a 27% win rate and finished in the money in 61% of races. Claiming Price Decreased from $12500 to $5000. More than 1 win on today's surface/distance. Horse appears in today's Top 50 Horses List. Jockey appears in today's Top 50 Jockeys List.
Our top picks for today focus on races with clear edges in speed figures, trainer form, and track bias. These are the spots where we see the most value on the board.
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Good luck at Thistledown today! Remember to check back for live odds updates and follow us for real-time picks throughout the card. Subscribe to TrackWiz for full access to every race at every track.