Aqueduct Hotlist - April 10

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Saturday, April 10, 2021 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.

5^th race [Top Flight Invitational, 1 1/8 mi] – (2) Queen Nokia was a Grade 3 winner at Gulfstream Park following a three-month layoff for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. who shipped three horses to New York last Saturday and won with all of them. Joseph will have a string of horses stabled at Belmont Park this year. Jose Ortiz gets the mount. (5) Horologist won the Beldame (G1) last year with a big speed figure and has been off since running in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff for Bill Mott. (3) Mrs. Danvers made her 2021 debut in the same race as the top choice but trainer Shug McGaughey’s horses usually need a race to get in shape. She won her only start at Aqueduct in the Comely (G3) going the nine-furlong distance in what was one of the best efforts of her career. (6) Thankful tangled with Mrs. Danvers a couple of times in the past with one victory. She won the Ladies Handicap at the Big A in January going today’s distance for Todd Pletcher whose horses were winning last weekend all over the country.

6^th race [Clm 25000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (3) Vettori Kin makes a significant drop in class after racing exclusively in stakes and allowances for Michael Stidham. (6) Noble Thought returns to New York after trainer Ron Falcone Jr. spent the winter in California. Falcone claimed this guy for $25,000 after a win at Belmont in the fall and most recently he was second by a nose at this level. (1) Gearhead was an easy winner of his last start at Tampa by three lengths for a $16,000 tag with his best speed figure showing in his PPs. (8) Castagno returns to the turf where last year he won two out of three starts at Gulfstream including a $25,000 starter allowance.

7^th race [Alw 82000 N1X, 1 mi] – (3) Malibu Star (A) was in a pace battle last time, got bumped and forced out wide, and finished second at this level and distance. (2) Texas Swing makes his 2021 debut for Todd Pletcher. We remember Texas Swing for his third-place finish in the Tampa Derby (G2) last year behind King Guillermo. He was last seen in an allowance on the mud at Saratoga. (8) Yankee Division has two fast races in his two starts this year for Rudy Rodriguez. After winning the top-level allowance for NY-breds, he ran second trying two-turns against open company. (7) Arham was a debut winner at Gulfstream for Pletcher as the odds-on favorite and then was third in an allowance after his chances were compromised by a poor start.

8^th race [Danger’s Hour, 1 mi TURF] – (7) Analyze It makes his 2021 debut for Chad Brown after winning the Red Bank (G3) at Monmouth Park and then going in the Shadwell Mile (G1). In 2018, he was third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). (4) Decorated Invader will also make his first start of the year as a past graded stakes winner, this one for Christophe Clement. Last year he won a pair of Grade 2 grass races in New York. (2) Rinaldi was last seen on the grass at Aqueduct in November. He was a stakes winner on the turf against NY-breds last year with competitive speed figures. (9) Hieronymus has been off since May of 2020. He is the winner of 4 out 6 career starts on the grass for Brad Cox.

Best bets: Vettori Kin (6^th); Analyze It (8^th). Best value:  Queen Nokia (5^th); Malibu Star (7^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 is on races 6-8 and includes the Danger’s Hour à 1, 3, 6, 8 with 2, 3, 7, 8 with 4, 7 = $32.