Aqueduct Hotlist - April 9

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Saturday, April 9, 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 worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

2^nd race [Alw 82000 N1X, 6F] – (2) Timed Out (A) has a pair of seconds since coming back from a long layoff. Last time she lost a head bob after being bumped and badly herded down the stretch. (1) Monshun won her debut at Saratoga last summer and then returned last month to finish second in the Cicada. She will get Lasix for the first time in this allowance as a 3-year-old. (6) Fight on Lucy also has two place-finishes in her most recent starts at this allowance level. (5) Lanfrankophile was the winner of a starter allowance at the Big A last time.

3^rd race [Md Sp Wt, 1 mi TURF] – (1) Howe Street (B) was scratched before what was supposed to be his debut after an incident in the paddock at Aqueduct. Before his bad behavior he looked like a horse with lots of talent. (11) Al’s Rocket has been off since December when the turf course closed at Aqueduct. He finished second twice then and now is a gelding and gets Lasix for Todd Pletcher. (4) Corton Charlemagne sold for $1.25 million and makes his first start for the Clement barn. He is a half-brother of Neolithic and Travel Column. (9) Cognitive Bias will debut for Chad Brown and is out of a mare that produced 2 stakes winners already.

10^th race [Gazelle (G3), 1 1/8 mi] – (5) Venti Valentine is just a neck short of being undefeated in her four-race career. In the Demoiselle (G2) as a juvenile she was beaten by the talented Nest. In her 2022 debut in the Busher at Aqueduct, the New York-bred won by seven lengths. She is a half-sister to the 2019 Busher winner Espresso Shot who was also trainer by Jorge Abreu. (6) Classy Edition is another talented NY-bred and she was unbeaten as a 2-year-old for Todd Pletcher. In her first start of the year she ran second behind the currently undefeated filly Kathleen O. in the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park. (1) Morning Matcha finished in the top three in all nine of her starts including the Busanda at the Big A in January. (4) Shotgun Hattie was transferred to the New York barn of trainer Bill Morey and won the Ruthless in February and then was second behind the top choice in the Busher.

11^th race [Bay Shore (G3), 7F] – (6) Highly Respected (A) was a debut winner for Chad Brown in February at Aqueduct against a very strong field which was evident when you notice that he won at very high odds of 7-1 for a Brown first-time starter. (5) Dean’s List won his first two races for Todd Pletcher at Gulfstream and then was second in the Gotham (G3) on the Kentucky Derby trail after setting the pace. He showed a lot of courage battling down the stretch in that one-turn mile and should appreciate the cut back in distance to seven furlongs. (9) Wit was an open-length winner of his first two starts last year which included the Sanford (G3) at Saratoga. He was then second in the Hopeful (G1) and third in the Champagne (G1). This will be his first of this year for the Pletcher runner. (10) Life Is Great ran behind the unbeaten Wood Memorial favorite in Morello in his last two starts. Expect him to compete down the stretch for a top three finish.

Best bets: Timed Out (2^nd); Venti Valentine (10^th). Best value: Howe Street (3^rd); Highly Respected (11^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 2 – 4 à 1, 2 with 1, 4, 9, 11 with 1, 5, 8 = $24.