Aqueduct Hotlist - March 12

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Saturday, March 12, 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 worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

3^rd race [Clm 25000 N3L, 6F] – (2) Mo Mischief was second at this level last month after dropping down from a starter allowance and before that he won the N2L condition in his three races for Mike Miceli. (6) Merchants of Cool was second his last two starts at this N3L level. He was claimed for $14,000 in his most recent race in January. (1) Doublepour returned from a couple month layoff to run third in this condition and was claimed by Jeffrey Englehart who is doing well with his new runners. (5) Conformist gets blinkers on after pressing the pace in his last three starts all of which were on sloppy tracks.

4^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (8) Merger of Equals will make her career debut for Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables against a field of NY-breds that has not impressed in their efforts on the track. (6) Royal Currency gets blinkers on for Charlie Baker who has a 28% win rate at the current Aqueduct meeting. He was second in his first two starts and cuts back to six furlongs. (5) Darn That Song also gets blinkers on after five career starts where she did not finish worse than fourth, including her best speed figure last time. (4) Bunty Windermere was second all the way around the track in her career first start in a maiden claimer.

5^th race [Md 20000, 1 mi] – (8) Infeasible made a big improvement on the drop down when he set the pace and finished third. (3) Total Effort ran poorly at this level last time, but he was second and third in his prior two starts. (5) Lefty’s War returns from a June layoff when he debuted on the grass at Belmont Park. He is new gelding and gets Lasix for the first time. (6) My Boy Colton showed speed in previous starts and drops down a bit to the level at which he was claimed.

6^th race [Clm 25000 N3L, 1 mi] – (4) Kerik (C) was bet down from 5-1 to 3-1 and finished second after making a fast, middle move while racing very wide the entire way. (7) Chaysenbryn (C) will drop down a notch after running third last time out when she was bet down from 6-1 to 9-2. She has past races good enough to win in this spot. (1) Sweet Mission was second for a $35,000 tag two races back when she was claimed and moved up to run for $50,000. David Donk moves her into a winning spot here. (6) Amity Island has been racing against much better in her last four starts and now moves back to face restricted claimers.

Best bets: Mo Mischief (3^rd); Infeasible (5^th). Best value: Merger of Equals (4^th); Kerik (6^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 3 – 5 à 1, 2, 6 with 5, 6, 8 with 3, 8 = $18.