Aqueduct Hotlist - December 11

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Saturday, December 11, 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.

1^st race [Md 20000, 6F] – (7) Mister J T will make his third start after a layoff showing a big jump in speed figures and a third-place finish last time out. (8) Motion to Strike moves back to the main track for a trainer with excellent stats going from turf to dirt and taking blinkers off. (6) Sutton Valley will continue to drop down in his third career start having been heavily bet in his first two races. He will also cutback from a mile. (4) Blame It On Brutus was only a head behind the top choice and will come with much higher odds.

3^rd race [Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (1) Mischievous Diane ran second in both of her starts missing the win by just a head last time after having the lead in the stretch. (7) Goodmorning Angel is one of two debut runners in this field for Steve Asmussen that appear to have been training together in their workouts. This filly is out of a stakes-placed mare who has produced 7 winners from 7 to start including four that won over $100,000. (2) Jacko’s Day Out will make her first start for Jeremiah O’Dwyer shipping up from Maryland. She is a half-sister to a winner of $244,000 and a stakes-winner as a 2-year-old. (6) Senseofexcellence is the other first-time filly from the Asmussen barn whose dam won her first start as a juvenile.

4^th race [Alw 50000s, 6 ½ F] – (11) Fair Haired Boy had a career best effort in his first start for Tony Dutrow when he rallied to finish second beaten by just a neck. There appears to be a lot of speed in this big field to set-up that late move again. (1) Rudy Rod was claimed from his last two starts and won his last start for Rob Atras. Linda Rice was the most recent claimer and she is listed as the new owner. (10) Trash Talker was a winner of his last start for Rice with a front-end effort at Belmont Park and he was claimed from that race by Atras. (8) Charlie Five O ran third at this level in his first start after being claimed by Atras.

5^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (2) Royal Currency ran second in her first start back in August at Saratoga behind a very good winner. She was a nervous horse before that debut effort. (1) Raymond Road made her first in a NY-bred stakes race and then moved back to the maiden special weight level. She ran fourth in both of those starts but was well bet each time. (7) Kant Hurry Love has not run worse than third in her five starts including last month at Aqueduct when she got caught at the wire after setting the pace. (5) Celine the Queen is the half-sister to a stakes-winner that is the only other foal from their dam. Trainer Horatio DePaz does well with first-timers.

Best bets:  Mister J T (1^st); Mischievous Diane (3^rd). Best value: Fair Haired Boy (4^th); Royal Currency (5^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 on races 3 - 5 à 1, 7 with 1, 8, 10, 11 with 1, 2, 7 = $24.