Monthly Archives: May 2026

May 1st, 2026 Free Picks & Plays

Since the launch of this site nine years ago, our statistics have remained consistent. The race winner is in the top three selections 65% of the time, 16,296/25,187 and the top choice first or second 46% of the time, 11,619/25,187. The algorithm is very good at zeroing in on live runners with regularity. You will often find the triple and super in our picks.

*Friday’s Full Card Aqueduct & Churchill Downs Picks/Plays below…

Aqueduct Selections

Race 1: Strength Variable:

#4 Hard Circle 2-1 16
#6 Jet Off 7-5 15
#1 Town Dog 8-1 14
#7 Two Ducks 3-1 14

Race 2:

#2 Rare Society 5-2 26
#5 A. P. Slingshot 4-1 25
#4 Sarir 4-5 24
#6 Icy Legs 15-1 23

Race 3:

#6 Early On 2-1 29
#2 Mommasgottagun 9-2 28
#5 Sweetest Princess 9-2 28
#3 She’s Grand 7-2 27

Race 4:

#4 Turn and Count 7-2 30
#3 Playa Del Mar 6-5 29
#6 Refuah 6-1 28
#1 J J’s Ranger 5-1 27

Race 5:

#6 Sleep Walking 8-1 17
#3 Easemyworriedmind 12-1 16
#4 Honoree 7-5 16
#1 Before the Wind 5-2 15

Race 6:

#3 No Show Sammy Jo 1-1 34
#5 Dona Clota (CHI) 5-2 33
#4 Unreasonable (IRE) 8-1 32
#2 Storm Miami (IRE) 6-1 31

Race 7:

#3 Le Gris 3-1 33
#2 Pay Billy 6-1 32
#4 Phileas Fogg 8-5 31
#1 Whittington Park 9-2 30

Race 8:

#1 Scythian 1-1 32
#7 National Archive 4-1 31
#8 Snowy Evening 12-1 30
#5 Trail of Gold 6-1 29

Race 9:

#8 Defining Role 6-1 16
#2 Magnum’s Microbrst 8-5 15
#12 Key Actress 9-5 AE 15
#7 Mo Complex 5-1 14
#5 Yolo 6-1 13

Aqueduct Plays

Early Pick 5:

Race 1: 4,6

Race 2: 2,5,4 *4 scratched using 2,5,6

Race 3: 6,2,5,3

Race 4: 4,3

Race 5: 6,3,4,1

$.50 Ticket: $96

Early Pick 4:

Race 2: 2,5,4 *4 scratched using 2,5,6

Race 3: 6,2,5,3

Race 4: 4,3

Race 5: 6,3,4,1

$.50 Ticket: $48

Pick 5 (3-7):

Race 3: 6,2,5,3

Race 4: 4,3

Race 5: 6,3,4,1

Race 6: 3,5 *5 scratched using 3,4

Race 7: 3,2,4

$.50 Ticket: $96

Pick 6:

Race 4: 4,3

Race 5: 6,3,4

Race 6: 3

Race 7: 3,2,4

Race 8: 1

Race 9: 8,2,12,7 *12 scratched using 8,2,7,5

$1.00 Ticket: $72

Late Pick 5:

Race 5: 6,3,4,1

Race 6: 3,5 *5 scratched using 3,4

Race 7: 3,2,4

Race 8: 1,7

Race 9: 8,9,12,7 *12 scratched using 8,2,7,5

$.50 Ticket: $96

Late Pick 4:

Race 6: 3,5 *5 scratched using 3,4

Race 7: 3,2,4

Race 8: 1,7

Race 9: 8,2,12,7 *12 scratched using 8,2,7,5

$.50 Ticket: $24

Churchill Selections

Race 1: Strength Variable:

#1 Phantom Blue 4-5 19
#6 Soaring High 7-2 18
#7 Episist 4-1 17
#5 Mass 8-1 16

Race 2:

#7 Sudden Switch 7-2 30
#6 Anna’s Promise 8-1 29
#3 Chopsticks 9-2 28
#9 Five a Side 3-1 28

Race 3:

#10 Star Actress 4-1 31
#9 Leinani 5-1 30
#2 Measure 6-1 29
#1 Making Daisys 15-1 28

Race 4:

#1 Hedge Book 7-2 20
#3 Battis Grove 10-1 19
#6 Passerine 8-1 18
#4 Couplet 6-1 18

Race 5:

#6 Executive 4-1 18
#10 Prepped 3-1 18
#8 War and Majesty 8-1 17
#11 Royal Guard 5-1 17

Race 6:

#5 Paige Turner 4-1 31
#6 Carmel Coast 3-1 30
#9 Steer Clear 10-1 29
#1 Where Luck Lives 6-1 29

Race 7:

#4 Creed’s Gold 20-1 39
#5 Queen Maxima 7-2 38
#9 Shoot It True 6-1 37
#6 Shisospicy 9-5 37

Race 8:

#8 Goodall 3-1 36
#6 Sippin Pretty 8-1 35
#9 On Time Girl 5-2 35
#3 River Wind 4-1 34

Race 9:

#5 East Avenue 12-1 40
#3 Grande 8-1 39
#8 Corporate Power 10-1 39
#7 Skippylongstocking 7-2 38

Race 10:

#3 Whiskey Decision 4-1 38
#6 Gezora (FR) 4-5 38
#2 Proctor Street 6-1 37
#5 Kathynmarissa 8-1 36

Race 11:

#9 Fully Subscribed 7-2 35
#2 Scalable 8-1 34
#1 Bless the Broken 9-2 33
#7 Chasten 6-1 32

Race 12:

#5 Just Aloof 8-1 33
#3 Imaginationthelady 4-1 32
#9 Dandona 6-1 31
#8 Lion Lake (IRE) 8-1 31

Race 13:

#9 Always a Runner 10-1 34
#2 Zany 4-1 33
#1 Explora 6-1 33
#4 Counting Stars 8-1 32

Churchill Plays

Early Pick 5:

Race 1: 1,6,7

Race 2: 7,6,3,9

Race 3: 10,9,2

Race 4: 1,3,6

Race 5: 6,10

$.50 Ticket: $108

Early Pick 4:

Race 2: 7,6,3,9

Race 3: 10,9,2

Race 4: 1,3,6,4

Race 5: 6,10,8,11

$.50 Ticket: $96

Pick 5 (3-7):

Race 3: 10,9,2

Race 4: 1,3,6,4

Race 5: 6,10,8

Race 6: 5,6

Race 7: 4,5,9,6

$.50 Ticket: $144

Pick 4 (4-7):

Race 4: 1,3,6,4

Race 5: 6,10,8,11

Race 6: 5,6

Race 7: 4,5,9,6

$.50 Ticket: $64

Pick 5 (5-9):

Race 5: 6,10,8,11

Race 6: 5,6

Race 7: 4,5,9

Race 8: 8,6,9

Race 9: 5,3,8

$.50 Ticket: $144

Pick 4 (6-9):

Race 6: 5,6,9,1 *9,1 scratched using 5,6,12,8

Race 7: 4,5,9,6

Race 8: 8,6,9

Race 9: 5,3,8,7

$.50 Ticket: $96

Pick 5 (7-11):

Race 7: 4,5,9,6

Race 8: 8,6,9

Race 9: 5,3,8,7

Race 10: 3,6

Race 11: 9,2,1

$.50 Ticket: $144

Pick 6:

Race 8: 8,6,9,3

Race 9: 5,3,8,7

Race 10: 3,6,2

Race 11: 9,2,1

Race 12: 5,3,9

Race 13: 9,2,1

$.20 Ticket: $259.20

Late Pick 5:

Race 9: 5,3,8,7

Race 10: 3,6

Race 11: 9,2,1

Race 12: 5,3,9

Race 13: 9,2,1

$.50 Ticket: $108

Late Pick 4:

Race 10: 3,6

Race 11: 9,2,1,7

Race 12: 5,3,9,8

Race 13: 9,2,1,4

$.50 Ticket: $64

“Strength Variable” – Is a numerical value that gets assigned to each runner, the end result of the system that I use, which evaluates the horses in as many as thirty categories per race. It gives a visual of races where there are standouts , or conversely, heats where it is very difficult to separate. The races with better quality of horses will score higher values, while lower level claimers and maiden races with limited information will be lower numbers. Top picks that eclipse the second and third choice by three, four or more points will be runners that have a higher percentage of winning. These may be races where it is easier to find a single, where as races in which the values are close , and even tied in some instances may be races to spread in.