Aqueduct Hotlist - January 21

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, January 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.

5^th race [Clm 8000, 6F] – (2) Bourbon Mission (D) set the pace on a sloppy track at Aqueduct when bet from 8-1 to 5-1 and now drops down to this lowest claiming level offered by NYRA. (6) Ninth Hour has tactical speed and returns to the Big A where last year he ran well in claimers at a higher level. He is back to the Noda barn and drops down to be a threat to win. (8) Fleet Warrior comes back from an August layoff, drops down in class, with past victories at Aqueduct. (7) Winning Drive gets an advantageous rider change to Manny Franco and also steps down the claiming ladder.

6^th race [NY, Clm 25000, 6F] – (3) Dream Bigger (C) was a winner last time in an open company claimer when he was bet down from 6-1 to 4-1 three weeks ago. (1) Golani Brigade returns to NY-bred competition and gets a rider change to Dylan Davis who won with him the last time he was on board. (6) Dark Money was claimed out of his last seven races and now is with Rudy Rodriguez who will move him back to this level where he raced at Saratoga and Belmont Park. He has five wins at the Big A. (2) P J Advantage has nine career wins and returns from a November layoff.

7^th race [OC50k/SAL50k, 6F] – (2) Rooski (C) was a winner of her last two starts including a similar spot to this one at Aqueduct where she rallied late and was bet down from 6-1 to 7-2. She will enter here for the optional $50,000 tag. (5) Tweaqued was a debut winner for a $40,000 tag last month at the Big A. (3) Lady Milagro was just a nose behind the Hot List horse after having the lead and setting the pace when moving from turf to dirt. (6) Rosemary Potatoes was a first-time winner in June at Monmouth in a maiden special weight at 2-1 odds. Off since then, she moves to the barn of Chad Summers.

8^th race [NY, Md 25000, 6F] – (11) Workingman’s Dude will cut back in distance and step down to this lowest maiden claiming level for NY-breds. As a 3-year-old, he will get Lasix for the first time. (10) Koosman has been off since October after two career starts and gets big changes – Lasix, blinkers on, a new gelding, and drops out of maiden special weights. (5) My Last Mission will also drop out of maiden special weights for the first time and get Lasix. (6) Silver Samurai has early speed which got him a third last time for a $40,000 tag and. like the others, gets Lasix.

Best bets:  Rooski (7^th); Workingman’s Dude (8^th). Best value:  Bourbon Mission (5^th); Dream Bigger (6^th).