Aqueduct Hotlist - February 20

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, February 20, 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.

1^st race [NY, Md 40000, 7F] – (4) Boca Kitten (A) broke well in her debut, drifted to the back of the field, and then rallied for second. (2) Carbon returns from a November layoff with three good races in maiden special weights and gets Lasix for the first time. (1) Closing Deals was well bet at 5-2 for Rudy Rodriguez in her first start at this level and finished fourth. (5) Over the Sand was eased in her last start in a maiden special weight and comes back a month later. I’m not afraid to bet horses that come right back from bring eased.

6^th race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 7F] – (5) Bustin Timberlake (B) has been off since March when he raced wide in a fast pace and hung on to miss the win by a nose. Trainer Charlie Baker is hot right now and good with runners off a break. (7) Daddy Knows has been popular at the claim box having been taken back twice by two different trainers. Each time was in an open claimer. (3) Our Man Mike was a winner of a first-level state-bred allowance with a closing move against a horse that returned to win his next start. (1) T Loves a Fight is in for the claiming option and back facing NY-breds.

8^th race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 7F] – (5) Seven Lilies (D) was bet down from 3-1 to 6-5 and finished fourth at this level. He cuts back in distance to seven furlongs where he has two wins already. (4) More Graytful was a winner by four lengths on a sloppy track and got claimed for the $45,000 after a front-end effort. He has four wins at Aqueduct. (1) Bustin Shout consistently runs well at this level. He was second last time after rounding back into form after a long layoff. (2) Tapizearance was an impressive winner on a muddy track in a first-level allowance against fellow NY-breds after a stalking trip.

9^th race [Alw 50000s, 6 ½ F] – (3) Air Show (B) was claimed from 2 out of his last 3 starts. Last time he had a wide trip and rallied on a speed favoring track. (5) Trash Talker returned from a layoff and made two improving starts. Last time, he set the pace and finished second at this level. (2) Texas Basin comes back from a May layoff as a new gelding. In March at Aqueduct he won a starter allowance by two lengths for trainer George Weaver who now ships him up from Florida. (8) Colormepazzi set the pace in a similar spot last time and finished second. He ran in the two path on a day when the rail was the place to be.

Best bets:  Bustin Timberlake (6^th); Seven Lilies (8^th). Best value:  Boca Kitten (1^st); Air Show (9^th).