Aqueduct Hotlist - December 2

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Friday, December 2, 2022 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 [NY, Md 40000, 6F] – (1) Laughter (B) stepped back up to a maiden special weight last time but was badly comprised after a stumble start, then she got taken up to last, and raced wide. (4) Wine Goddess was claimed last time for $40,000 in August at Saratoga when she finished third. (6) Redstripe Princess is by Central Banker and will make her first start for Patrick Reynolds who does well with maiden claimers debuting. (5) Racing Queen has been running in maiden special weights at Finger Lakes against open company.

4^th race [Alw 50000s, 6F] – (1) I’m Buzzy (C) was second in a one-mile starter allowance last time when she was bet down from 9-1 to 6-1 and finished second to a filly that came back to win her next start. (2) True Empress won her second race in a row for a new trainer in a $25,000 claimer after getting taken for $16,000 in the race before. (5) Cupids Girl was second at this level last time in the BAQ meeting. (3) Devilly is projected to be clearly on the lead in this field which is void of any significant early speed.

5^th race [25000 N2L, 6 ½ F] – (2) Hang Tight (B) was claimed from his last two starts for $25,000 when he was second in both. In October he broke slowly, was last, and closed well. (3) Catching Cupid was last seen in September at BAQ when he set the pace and faded in a strong starter allowance field. He was a maiden claiming winner for $40,000 in his prior race. (7) Nicholas James will cut back in distance and is projected to contest this race on the front end. (4) Achilles Heel exits a pair of second-place finishes going longer at this claiming price.

9^th race [NY, Clm 25000, 6 ½ F] – (10) Jemography (D) was bet down from 9-1 to 6-1 as he stepped up in class. He set the pace going a mile in that race and now cuts back in distance and drops back to the $25,000 level at which he was a front-end winner. (6) Gandy Dancing was claimed from an open company $20,000 race and now makes his first start for Rob Atras moving back to NY-bred company at a level where he won before. (3) Quick Return won four times in 2022 when he was claimed from 5 out his last 6 starts. (9) Colormepazzi won a first-level NY-bred allowance while on the lead and drops in for a tag for the first time in many starts.

Best bets:  Laughter (2^nd); Hang Tight (5^th). Best value:  I’m Buzzy (4^th), Jemography (9^th).