Aqueduct Hotlist - February 21

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Monday, February 21, 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.

4^th race [Clm 16000 N2L, 7F] – (1A) Carly Hustle may have found a spot to get her N2L victory. Following a second at this level last time she gets a favorable pace scenario for her closing move. The seven-furlong distance and an upgrade in jockeys will also help. (5) Queentigua had problems in her two recent races, getting send out too fast last time and before that breaking through the gate. (7) Voice of Spring drops into a claimer for the first time out of NY-bred allowance races after winning a state-bred maiden special weight. (3) Gagliano returns from a November layoff and takes the blinkers off which is when she ran her best recent race.

5^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 1/8 mi] – (1) Excursionniste (B) had a rough start, dropped back to last, and rallied late on a speed favoring track back in December. He returns as a new gelding with blinkers on and Lasix for the first time. (7) Sensibleconclusion will return to NY-bred racing after running second in his first start following a claim by Eddie Barker. (3) Rcaptivating was second two races back and with an effort like that she could win against this field. (2) Cave Man gets a rider upgrade as he ships up from Parx once again.

6^th race [Clm 12500, 6F] – (2) Shasta Star was claimed for $16,000 by hot trainer Jeffrey Englehart, winner of 4 out of his last 8 starts. He gets a significant rider change to Trevor McCarthy to go with his good recent form. Hopefully, they will choose a stalking trip in this field with an honest early pace likely. (3) Miss Mi Mi returns from a July layoff when she was claimed for $20,000 at Belmont Park. She is a past winner at the $12,500 level. (5) Gentle Annie is a confirmed late runner who needs a strong pace to contend for the win. (8) Addilyn just won at the N3L level by more than four lengths with a last to first move.

7^th race [NY, Maddie May, 1 mi] – (1) Stone Creator (A) was an impressive debut winner for Charlie Baker last month at Aqueduct at odds of 8-5 going seven furlongs. (7) Moam (B) returned from a long layoff when she won her maiden at first asking. Last month, she broke slowly and had a wide trip on a day when the track was favoring the inside and finished fourth. (3) Reigning Chick broke her maiden by almost nine lengths in her first try and then faced open company in the Busanda where she was third after a rough trip. (8) Yo Cuz broke her maiden in her second try in a $500,000 NY Stallion Series stake at Aqueduct in December for Bill Mott.

Best bets:  Carly Hustle (4^th); Excursionniste (5^th). Best value:  Shasta Star (6^th); Stone Creator (7^th).