Aqueduct Hotlist - April 8

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, April 8, 2022 at Aqueduct
                By Matt Shifman and Bob Ehalt

Hot List Key:
 A: A preferred horse to watch                         B: Secondary horse to watch
*C: Went down 2 or more betting notches and finished 1st through 3rd
*D: Went down 2 or more betting notches and finished 4^th or worse
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

2^nd race [Alw 82000 N1X, 1 /16 mi TURF] – (9) Microphone has run twice in his career and that was as a 4-year-old for Chad Brown. He won a first asking at Tampa in January and then was second at Gulfstream Park in an allowance. (6) Easter will make his American debut after racing in France. He has been off since September and is listed as new gelding and with first-time Lasix for Graham Motion. (10) Lonesome Fugitive is also from the Chad Brown barn. He won early in his career and has been seeking the allowance victory with three seconds. (1) Conquer the World was a $1.5 million purchase who won for the first time in his second start for Todd Pletcher and has since had one try in an allowance.

6^th race [Md Sp Wt, 1 mi TURF] – (9) Expand the Map was second in her debut at Saratoga last summer at .55-1 for Chad Brown and comes back with Lasix for the first time. (12) Star of India made her first start for Brown in January on the Tapeta at Gulfstream, had the lead in the stretch, and lost by a head. (5) Pruning returns from a December layoff for Shug McGaughey after running third three times in five starts. (1) Libretto will make her debut for Jorge Abreu who has a good record with first-time starters especially on the grass.

7^th race [OC 80k/N1X, 1 mi] – (1) Unbridled Bomber (B) made two starts on the Kentucky Derby trail and finished 10^th in the Withers (G3) but on that day he rushed up on the inside on a day that the rail was not the place to be. (3) Electability switched from turf to dirt following a seven-month layoff and broke his maiden at Aqueduct for Chad Brown. (5) Hagler gets Lasix for the first time as he drops out of a pair of stakes races. He won twice last year towards the end of the year for Rudy Rodriguez. (7) Good Skate won his last two starts in a maiden claimer and a starter allowance.

8^th race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 1 mi] – (6) Khali Magic (C) won both of his restricted claiming conditions and then returned to NY-bred competition where she ran second and third. Last time she was bet down from 3-1 to be 9-5 favorite. (5) Pay Grade returns from an October layoff for Christophe Clement with races last year that make her a serious contender in this field. (4) Mashnee Girl looks best on a fast, dry, dirt course where she won twice for Mark Hennig. (7) Ifihadachance has two improved efforts following a five-month layoff in similar spots at Aqueduct.

Best bets:  Microphone (2^nd); Expand the Map (6^th). Best value:  Unbridled Bomber (7^th); Khali Magic (8^th).