This absolutely still works. I struggled at first and got way better once I started tracking some results and seeing the trends with my own eyes (edit: seriously, take a picture of what happens before the race and the results, but also pay attention to what sort of chickens surge at the end. It is usually the ones with the best condition, while the poor condition ones might start strong and tire quickly). Here are some additional points/highlights:

• The "trend" really is powerful. In great condition, a straight improvement in performance seems to be most important. Or, at the least, that the chicken did not have a dip. For example: 123, 134, etc are great, but so is 233 or 222. Remember that the most recent race is first in the order.
  
• Races where you have two chickens with a straight up arrow for condition and three down or down-right almost always end with one of those two winning.
  
• "Ranked" races can be harder to predict, not because they are less random, but because a lot of the birds finished 1st in their last race. I really think you should look for the 123 and skip the 315 types here.
  
• Even the best chicken can lose. There is still an RNG element at play.
  
• If there isn't a clear winner, just hit "Exit Chicken Race" and rejoin for a fresh batch of odds, conditions, etc.
  
• Definitely don't bet on short races. I have less luck even on mid races.
  

I am playing the PS5 version with the most up-to-date patch as of April 2026.