Aqueduct Hotlist - February 26

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, February 26, 2021 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.

3^rd race [Clm 50000, 1 1/8 mi] – (1) Twisted Tom has been racing against upper level NY-breds for the most part with success, but December he ran third in an open level $40,000 claimer going today’s distance. (5) Grumps Little Tot was claimed for $62,500 back in October by Rob Atras and now returns at a level at which he ran third at Saratoga this past summer going the nine furlongs. Atras has strong numbers both with new horses to his barn and following long layoffs. (3) Legit has been off since December and now Todd Pletcher brings him back at a competitive level. (4) Dark Storm had a big win for a $16,000 tag last time out, but he has back races at higher levels.

4^th race [NY, OC40k/N2X, 6F] – (2) Ruvies in Time (A) had the lead while racing in a pace battle the whole time on what turned out to be a bad rail and still finished third. (3) Miss Jimmy finished first or second in 11 of his last 12 races with the four most recent starts at today’s level. (6) Dublinornothin will race for the $40,000 claiming option following a win in a first-level allowance against state-breds. (4) Impazible Donna was also a winner in a NY-bred allowance last time out for Bruce Levine who is one of the hottest trainers at the winter meeting in the past two weeks.

6^th race [Alw 50000s, 1 mi] – (7) Magnetique is in fine form with a second at this same level last time and a win in a N2L claimer before that. Carmouche stays on board for Michelle Nevin. (4) Barista Vixen was an open-length winner of a $40,000 maiden claimer after racing extremely wide coming out of the turn. (3) Dial Me Up was claimed by Linda Rice out of a second-place finish after setting the pace in a $40,000 N2L race back in December where the winner came back to win her next start. (1) Adhwaa is the winner of two of her last four starts with a third in a starter allowance last time out. Her win was at the N2L level.

7^th race [NY, Alw 72000N1X, 1 mi] – (8) Mabel Island shipped up from Parx to finish second at this level after setting the pace going seven furlongs. Now she’s back to race against NY-breds again. (2) I’m Fine rallied from behind to miss a win by only a nose at this level going seven furlongs. (6) Bank Sting came back from more than two years off to make her second career start a winning one in maiden special weight at Aqueduct going seven furlongs for John Terranova. (7) New York Rock Star for the most part has been racing against open company and now moves back to face state-breds for the Parx-based trainer Jamie Ness.

Best bets:  Twisted Tom (3^rd); Ruvies in Time (4^th). Best value:  Magnetique (6^th); Mabel Island (8^th).