Aqueduct Hotlist - February 3

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Thursday, February 3, 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.

2^nd race [OC50k/SAL50k, 1 mi] – (2) St. Lukes was a geared-down open-length maiden-winner after a three-month layoff and was claimed by Michael Miceli for $30,000. (6) Hot Stepper got his first victory in a maiden special weight for Charlie Baker who is quietly having a great winter meeting at Aqueduct. (7) Convertible Freeze was also a maiden winner who got claimed after a large margin of victory. He was taken for $40,000. (5) R Doc moved from a series of turf races to the dirt and broke his maiden for the $40,000 tag with a late rally.

4^th race [Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (5) Check That Chip (A) was well bet in his debut but steadied back to last at the start, rushed up on the outside to third, but then faded down the stretch. Blinkers go on for start number two. (8) Rhumjar registered the field-high speed figure while running second in his last start at Aqueduct. (6) Cathedral Beach got bumped around in his debut race and finished third behind the second choice. (2) Actualize got claimed away for $40,000 in his only start where he ran third behind two horses that came back to win their next starts.

8^th race [OC 62k/N2X, 7F] – (8) Sibelius (C) won a first-level allowance in a front running effort when he was bet down from 7-1 to 5-1. In two starts he seems to have taken a liking to the Big A. (4) Famished (B) was unprepared for the start and reared up. He rallied from last to get second and was claimed for $25,000 in a N3L condition. (2) Answer In was claimed for $40,000 from his last start which he won and moves to the barn of hot trainer Rob Falcone Jr. (7) Repo Rocks exits a second in a stake at Parx after winning two races at Aqueduct in an allowance and a starter allowance for Juan Vasquez who is winning with 41% of his starters at the current meeting.

9^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (3) Beach Boy Al (A) broke well in his debut, pressed the fast pace, got the lead, and then faded to fifth. (6) Eminency was second in his initial race which he followed with a fourth-place finish where he was less than a length from the win as the even money favorite. (4) Pineapple Man made a big improvement in his second start when he finished third. He showed early speed in both races. (7) He’s Got It makes his third start for Mark Hennig after moving from turf to dirt.

Best bets:  St. Lukes (2^nd); Beach Boy Al (9^th). Best value:  Check That Chip (4^th); Sibelius (8^th).