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.

2^nd race [Md Sp Wt, 1 1/8 mi] – (6) Corton Charlemagne (B) was taken up in the first turn in his second start of the year going nine furlongs and rallied for third. (2) Huntington (D) took late money from 9-1 to 6-1 in his debut and now gets blinkers on. (1) First Money and (1A) Kaon are a Calumet Farms entry where both of them showed speed with top three finishes in their last starts. (7) Ride Up had four starts with second or third in all three for Linda Rice who continues to have a hot barn during the Aqueduct Spring meeting.

3^rd race [Woodhaven, 1 mi TURF] – (6) Neural Network (C) was placed first by disqualification after getting bumped repeatedly when he was bet down from 5-1 to be the 6-5 favorite. After winning that stakes race Chad Brown moves him to the turf. (5) Inflation Nation will make his first start of the year with the return of turf racing at Aqueduct. Last year he was third in the Atlantic Beach and fourth in the Futurity (G3) and now he stretches out in distance. (4) Belouni made his American debut for Chad Brown at Gulfstream Park in a stakes race after starting his career in France where he had two wins a pair of seconds. (2) Winter’s Lion moved to the turf for his last two starts for Joe Sharp and was third in the Texas Turf Mile at Sam Houston and then had a less than ideal trip at the Fair Grounds last month.

5^th race [NY, Alw 72000 N1X, 6F] – (3) Braciole (A) had to steady at the quarter pole and then rallied to finish third. (2) Two for Charging was last seen breaking his maiden at Saratoga when he won with a big speed figure. (8) Lohengrin Two set the pace and finished second at this level two races back and was a winner for apprentice Maddie Olver who gets back on. (6) Agility has a pair of seconds in his recent starts at this level.

9^th race [Alw 82000 N1X, 7F] – (3) Mashnee Girl (D) returns to seven furlongs where she won her only try. Last time she was bet down from 7-1 to 7-2. (4) Asset Purchase broke his maiden at first asking for Chad Brown in January and then was second in the Busher last month. (1) Sterling Silver gets significant class relief after racing exclusively in stakes races since breaking her maiden back in 2021. (8) Cupids Girl was a winner last time in a starter allowance which should set her up well for this spot.

Best bets: Neural Network (3^rd); Braciole (5^th). Best value: Corton Charlemagne (2^nd); Mashnee Girl (9^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 2-4 and includes the Woodhaven  à 1/1A, 2, 3, 6, 7 with 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 with 11 = $25.