Kevin Gazzale provides his picks for the Aqueduct $20 qualifier races as part of his journey to the 2026 BCBC. Writing the night before the races, he reflects on last week’s near miss at Del Mar and looks ahead with optimism. His selections focus on horses with favorable conditions or consistent late pace, often opting for second choices or chalk picks when the quality of the field is low or the favorite is better suited to different surfaces.

For Friday’s races at Aqueduct, Gazzale highlights horses like Autumn’s Turn in Race 1, Trust Issues in Race 2 for a good price and strong ride, and Tizlawry in Race 3 who performed well on turf and is now trying dirt. Other notable picks include Best Bet in a tough long-distance race, Rose Lisa as a reliable chalk choice, and Funny Uncle and Refuah for their consistent late pace. He concludes with Asking for a Friend in Race 8, noting the weak field and the horse’s strong class metrics.