Aqueduct Hotlist - January 13

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Thursday, January 13, 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 Sp Wt, 6F] – (3) Vivazano (B) has had lots of chances and run well, but last time following a layoff, had to be taken up at the start and then rallied for third on a track that was favoring speed. (8) Our Jessica was fifth in her debut at odds of 5-1 in what turned out to be a strong field where the winner and the show horse came back to win their next starts. (1) Norman Queen debuted at Saratoga on the grass, set the pace, and faded to fourth in another key race. She has been off since that first start when she was claimed for $40,000. (4) Dorothy’s the Boss has been off since May with early races that showed some promise.

5^th race [Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (3) Champagne Poetry (B) made her career debut last month in a turf sprint at odds of 5-2. She raced greenly, had to steady, and still finished third. (1) Glitter Up will move from turf to dirt while exiting the same race as the Hot List horse that she beat after setting the pace. Her pedigree says that she should handle dirt racing. (2) Continentalcongres has good efforts on both turf and dirt and gets a positive rider change to Jose Lezcano. (7) Cupids Girl finished mid-pack in her debut at Aqueduct in November after a less than ideal start.

8^th race [OC 80k/N3X, 1 mi] – (2) Green Light Go (A) changed trainers to Jimmy Jerkens and came back from a layoff to run second in the Fall Highweight (G3). Remember that he was a graded stakes winner as a 2-year-old. (3) Lil Commissioner (D) took late money in his second start after a break and was sixth when bet down from 5-1 to 5-2. (4) Hanalei’s Houdini was claimed twice recently and settled in the barn of Mike Maker for whom he ran second in the Claiming Crown Series at Gulfstream Park. (5) Majestic Dunhill was fourth in the Gravesend (G3) at Aqueduct after a lengthy layoff. He is a past graded stakes winner.

9^th race [Md 20000, 1 mi] – (5) Rvindicated (C) was bet down from 8-1 to 5-1 and finished second in his first start on the dirt. (10) Dr. Levy returns as a new gelding with first-time Lasix and drops in the maiden claiming ranks for the first time for Todd Pletcher. (3) Illustrious was claimed for $30,000 two races back by Tom Morley and returned to finish third after pressing the pace. (1) Money Code will drop out of a pair of maiden special weights and ship up to Aqueduct from Laurel Park.

Best bets:  Champagne Poetry (5^th); Green Light Go (8^th). Best value:  Vivazano (4^th); Rvindicated (9^th).