Aqueduct Hotlist - December 4

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, December 4, 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.

1^st race – (5) Holmdel Park was second in a N2L condition behind a runaway winner and now drops a bit in claiming price. Overall, she has been racing in tougher spots than in this type of claimer. (2) Gray Haze was third two races back in this condition at Delaware Park and most recently was also third in an allowance. (3) Charlotte Webley was third in the same race as the top choice. (8) Mia Bea Star made a big step forward when she found a fast dirt track and broke her maiden by four lengths and gets Jose Ortiz this time.

4^th race – (1) Jake Rocks returns from a September layoff as a new gelding, drops into this $40,000 claimer, and tries the N2L condition for the first time. At Saratoga, he was second by a neck in a first-level allowance. (2) Sneakiness will also make his first appearance against N2L horses after racing in starter allowances. (8) Tiz Kaz Now has been off since January when he broke his maiden for $40,000 at Aqueduct by eight lengths. He shows a series of fast workouts. (6) Stanhope moves back to the dirt where he ran second in a maiden at first asking at the Big A. Since then, he has several turf starts against tougher company where he has shown speed.

6^th race – (6) Town of Gold was second in the Atlantic Beach after setting the pace and now goes in this first-level optional claiming allowance. (1) Phantom Smoke was a debut winner for Christophe Clement at Belmont Park as the 5-2 favorite. Clement is victorious with 20% of his returning winners. (7) Swashbuckle is yet another first-time maiden winner for Clement on the turf at Belmont and did so at odds of 7-2. (4) It’s a Gamble exits two stakes races after breaking his maiden at first asking for Kelly Breen and cuts back in distance to six furlongs where he did get that initial victory.

9^th race – (11) Another Shot drops from two NY-bred maiden special weight starts to this $40,000 claimer as this Breen runner seeks his first win. (4) Wicked Easy ran well in his first two starts on the grass for Clement. He then moved to the dirt at Finger Lakes against open company and ran second. Clement keeps him on the main track and drops in class against state-breds. (9) Bohemian Ruby moves to the barn of Tom Morley, gets blinkers on, drops in class, and switches back to the dirt with speed figures that make him competitive in this field. (5) Prince Orb was bet to odds of 8-1 in his debut but may have lost all chance at the start when he was bumped and pinched back. Dylan Davis stays on board in this spot where he could show a lot more.

Best bets:  Jake Rocks (4^th); Another Shot (9^th). Best value:  Holmdel Park (1^st); Town of Gold (6^th).