Aqueduct Hotlist - February 25

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, February 25, 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 [NY, Md 40000, 1 mi] – (3) Resilient Courage (D) was bet down from 7-1 to 7-2 as he dropped into a maiden claimer for the first time with poor form in prior races. He will get Lasix for the first time now. (8) Braciole will make his debut for Todd Pletcher after training in New York during the winter. Pletcher is having a strong winter meeting at Aqueduct with 32% winners and lots of them with first-time starters. (5) Devious Banker will return to this level at which he was claimed three races back when he finished second. (4) Cagney raced three times on the turf in maiden special weights and then was fourth in his first dirt race for the $40,000 tag.

5^th race [Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (3) Cupids Girl (B) got steadied in traffic on the inside, had to swing outside, and still got up for second. (2) Sweet Solare was third in his first career start at odds of 3-1 for trainer Horacio DePaz. (4) Everyoneloveslinda returns from an October layoff and is back in the barn of Eddie Barker for whom he ran second in a pair of starts at Saratoga. (6) Jabberwock will make his debut for Jorge Abreu, a good trainer with new horses. He was training in Florida and came north to prepare for this spot.

7^th race [NY, Alw 72000 N1X, 6 ½ F] – (4) Witch Hunter (D) was bet down to be the favorite in December when he was pulled up and vanned off. She had three workouts this month in preparation for her return. (6) Fancy Feline will make her third start after a layoff with a significant jump in speed figures in her most recent race. Horses with this pattern have been winning frequently at Aqueduct. (7) Violentiam has a pair of second-place finishes in her recent starts – one at this level and before that in a N2L claimer. (1) Cinderella’s Cause was claimed for $40,000 last time. The blinkers come off this filly who won a state-bred maiden special weight.

9^th race [Clm 32000, 1 mi] – (3) Supreme Aura (C) rallied from last to win in a similar spot while getting bet down from 7-1 to 5-1. He made a big step up from a $16,000 claimer and still got bet. (1) Mexican Wonder Boy was claimed from his last three starts most recently for $40,000 when he finished third after setting the pace. (6) Blewitt has not raced since December 31 when he won and was claimed for $25,000. He currently is the winner of his last two starts as he moves up the claiming ladder here. Early speed is his weapon. (2) Crypto Cash will get the right pace scenario with plenty of early speed to set-up his closing move. He’s the kind of horse that runs well when he can rundown tired horses.

Best bets:  Cupids Girl (5^th); Witch Hunter (7^th). Best value:  Resilient Courage (4^th); Supreme Aura (9^th).