Aqueduct: Saturday 4/18 Plays R9 - Pete's Picks

Little Pete
Apr 18
3 min read

Nine races on this Saturday at the Big A. I will be condensing my plays down to just the numbers and attacking the early double (Races 1 & 2) and a spot pick 3 (Races 4-6). Big Pete will attack his "Play of the Day" and the late pick 3 (Races 7-9). We appreciate you taking a look at this write-up and GOOD LUCK.

Little Pete's $ 5.00 Early Double:

R1: 3, 4

R2: 5 Cost: $ 10.00

Little Pete's $ 1.00 Spot Pick 3:

R4: 1, 5

R5: 6, 7, 9

R6: 2, 6, 9 Cost: $ 18.00

Big Pete's $ 1.00 Late Pick 3:

R7: 2, 4, 5

R8: 3, 5

R9: 1, 3, 8 Cost: $ 18.00

Big Pete's "Play of the Day":

Race 3:

Several speeds in this short field of six, so I'll lean on a stalker to come and get them late. (2) ROMANTIC DANCER was 2nd four straight times to start the year and then took the afternoon off in her last. That was a decent group, which included Always Practical. I like the extra furlong for Dancer, and she gets a nice setup with at least three going at it early.

I’ll use (1) Bernieandtherose and (5) Filly Freedom underneath for the exacta.

$ 7.00 WPS 2 Cost $ 21.00

$ 7.00 Ex 2 w/ 1, 5 Cost $ 14.00

We’ll also use (2) Romantic Dancer in R3 and try to cash in on a Daily Double.

(1) Solitude Dude and (5) Time To Roll in the 4th.

$ 7.00 Daily Double 2 w/ 1, 5 Cost $ 14.00

Big Pete's Late Pick 3:

Race 7:

Not your winning type as most of these are still eligible for NW2L, so we'll spread out here as the rest of the sequence looks chalky. (2) MOZAMBIQUE will try to circle them all. No speed but a decent closing kick. (4) KEENY BE has speed and should be on the engine or close to it. If he can control, he becomes dangerous turning for home. We'll use both but I'll lean more on a price as this group is unpredictable. I want to try (5) SOLO DANCING at a price. He finished 3rd to two decent NY breds and posted a speed figure that is comparable to these. Two back, he lost at the break to Ez Roll who jogged yesterday. This one-turn 7F sprint is what he wants to do and looks live to me in a very suspect field.

$ 7.00 WPS 5 Cost $ 21.00

$ 3.00 Ex Box 2, 4, 5 Cost $ 18.00

Race 8:

(5) INTELLECT should toy with this group if he is at least 75%. You have to think Brown will have him at least that and then start cranking him up for bigger and better races. A possible single if you want to lower your play, but it is horse racing, so I'll include a saver and use (3) PASS THE HAT. He has back-to-back races with high-speed figures to start his 2026 campaign and is capable of improving with Mott heating up. He'll make the favorite earn it but needs that one to be off his game to beat him.

$ 15.00 Ex 5 w/ 3 Cost $ 15.00

$ 5.00 Ex 3 w/ 5 Cost $ 5.00

Race 9:

(8) IRISH GOODBYE is the one to beat as Cox continues to dominate at several tracks. A good-looking 2nd to start his career, and now they switch to Manny to seal the deal today. Both (1) BAKUTO and (3) MAX MONEY have speed to wire them. I prefer Max adding the L1 for today as well as Davis.