Aqueduct Hotlist - December 17

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Thursday, December 17, 2020 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 worse
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

2^nd race – (5) Sam and Sy followed a 13-length maiden claiming victory in his debut with a second in a starter allowance. The Brad Cox runner gets blinkers on which is a 29% winning move for Cox. (7) Fire Sword broke his maiden for a $50,000 tag in his initial start by more than four lengths at Keeneland for Wesley Ward. (8) Ghost Stalker switched from turf to dirt and won a $50,000 maiden claimer at Belmont Park and moves to this starter allowance. (3) Civil War drops out of two graded stakes races after breaking his maiden for $40,000 at Monmouth Park.

4^th race – (1A) Magnetron (B) lost by a neck after a stumble at the start of a N3L conditioned claimer like this race. (11) Mandatory Payout (C) ran third in the same race as the top choice after a bobble at the break. He was bet down from 10-1 to 6-1 after moving back to the barn of Jimmy Ryerson. (2) Blood Moon lost all chance at the gate in his last start, but before that he was second in a starter allowance and gets some class relief moving to this N3L claimer. (5) Vitesse was clear winner at the N2L level last start going the mile distance. He has now won both of his starts at Aqueduct.

7^th race – (9) Jemography (C) has a pair of seconds in NY-bred first-level allowances since moving to the barn of Mark Hennig. Last race at the Big A he was bet down from 7-1 to 9-2. (11) Luna’s In Charge ships up from Churchill Downs to get back to state-bred competition where, last at Saratoga, he was second twice. (4) Notorious Flirt makes his third start off a long layoff for Linda Rice in two races behind the top choice. (2) Raven Rocks broke his maiden in his second career start at Belmont Park for trainer Jeremiah Englehart with a pace pressing effort.

8^th race – (5) Neuro (C) was heavily bet from 10-1 to 9-2 in his last start going long on the turf where he set the pace and finished third. He’s back on the dirt with turf racing finished for the winter in New York. He was second in October on the Belmont main track in a similar NY-bred maiden special weight. (7) Whichwaytomalibu (D) was bet down from 10-1 to 6-1 in a state-bred maiden claimer. He’ll cutback in distance at Aqueduct where he ran second in a maiden special weight last winter. (6) Black Irish is in fine form with a second last time at this level for David Donk. (1) Not Phar Now makes his third start after a long layoff for Linda Rice with hopes of catching a dry surface.

Best bets:  Sam and Sy (2^nd); Jemography (7^th). Best value:  Magnetron (4^th); Neuro (8^th).