Aqueduct Hotlist - December 17

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

2^nd race [Clm 10000, 6F] – [(1A) No Deal (D) was bet down from 9-1 to 7-1 and now drops a notch./(1) Quality Stones has been in fine form this year and makes this a strong entry.] (8) Barbara’s Bank has been off since June and now drops back down in her second start after being claimed for the $10,000 tag. (3) Gentle Annie was second a few races back to Quality Stones when she was claimed. (5) Gringotts makes her second start since coming back from a layoff and gets Trevor McCarthy in the saddle.

6^th race [OC50k/SAL50k, 6F] – (6) Saratoga Kisses broke his maiden two races back for $50,000 and then was overmatched in a NY-bred stake. (8) Slow Crossing was a debut winner for a $40,000 tag by almost four lengths at odds of 4-1. (9) Rooski moved from turf, where he made his first three starts, to the dirt to win a Finger Lakes maiden special weight by more than seven lengths. (7) Royally Blue did no running in his first start and then registered a front-end victory in his next start at the Big A.

7^th race [Clm 40000, 6F] – (7) Answer In (D) was bet down from 8-1 to 5-1 last time and now drops into a claimer for the first time in his career. He was prominent early on the 2020 Kentucky Derby trail. (3) Happy Farm was claimed in his two recent races and ran first or second in his last three starts. (10) Alcools moves back to this claiming level where he was a  winner two races ago after a failed try to race on the grass. (4) Zoomer was also a previous winner at this level and gets back to Aqueduct where he has a pair of victories.

8^th race [Alw 82000, 6F] – (4) Eloquent Speaker ran second and was claimed for $45,000 in a return from a five-month break. (1) Fight On Lucy won through her NY-bred allowance conditions with a win at Belmont Park in September. Her recent two starts were in state-bred stakes. (6) Happy Sophia was third at this level two races ago. (3) Bastet was claimed two races back and then stepped up to miss the win by a neck after setting the pace.

Best bets:  Entry (2^nd); Eloquent Speaker (8^th). Best value:  Saratoga Kisses (6^th); Answer In (7^th).