Aqueduct Hotlist - January 23

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, January 23, 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 [NY, Md 40000, 6F] – (2) Bistrita was second all the way around the track in her debut at Aqueduct last month and gets Lasix as a newly turned 3-year-old. (1) Kokutai went off at 5-1 in her first start for Horatio DePaz and was claimed for $40,000. She lost all chance at the break when she was off slowly and had to check. (7) Majestic Spirit debuted at 4-1 as part of an entry, got jostled early, and finished fourth. (6) Closing Deals will make her first career start for Rudy Rodriguez who has been doing well with his first-timers.

6^th race [Clm 32000, 1 mi] – (7) Makingcents (B) set the pace in her second start following a layoff and got stuck racing on the inside on a bad rail day. That race produced a big improvement in speed figures. (6) Customerexperience was claimed for $25,000 from her last four starts including a win in her last start which earned an excellent figure in her second race after a layoff. (3) Bee Bit was claimed from 4 out of her last 5 starts. She comes back from an October break and moves from turf to dirt where she has run well. (4) Charge Account comes back from a September layoff and drops back in for a tag for the first time in a while for Kelly Breen.

7^th race [NY, Alw 72000 N1X, 7F] – (6) Cazilda Fortytales (B) returns to NY-bred competition after breaking badly in a starter allowance and then having to race wide on a track that favored inside speed. (3) Snicket set the pace three weeks ago and finished second which she did eight times in her career. (7) Mia Bea Star will make her first start since being claimed for trainer Randi Persaud who has an outstanding record with new runners in sprint races in New York. (8) Bella Principessa won a N2L claimer against open company last time by more than six lengths.

8^th race [Busanda, 1 1/8 mi] – (5) Reigning Chick (A) was an open-length winner of her debut last month for Orlando Noda with a stalking trip. (1) Magic Circle was a first-time winner at Saratoga for Rudy Rodriguez who was then fourth in the Frizette (G1), followed by a second in the Tempted at Belmont Park ahead of a good one named Nest. Magic Circle was third in the Demoiselle after setting the pace going nine furlongs. (3) Morning Matcha was second in a NY-bred stakes race last month at Aqueduct after winning twice at her home track at Parx. (2) Waters of Merom was claimed away from Brad Cox by Chad Brown for $30,000 when she broke her maiden at Keeneland in October. She then won a starter allowance at the Big A for her new connections as the odds-on favorite.

Best bets:  Bistrita (5^th); Cazilda Fortytales (7^th). Best value:  Makingcents (6^th); Reigning Chicks (8^th).