Aqueduct Hotlist - February 15

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Monday, February 15, 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.

5^th race – (4) Hip Number One made a big improvement with the addition of blinkers when she set the pace and then finished third earning her best speed figure in a NY-bred maiden special weight. She comes back in a similar spot three weeks later. (3) La Victoria is a regally bred filly by Tapit out of the great runner La Verdad who sold for $850,000 as a yearling. She will debut for Todd Pletcher after training in Florida. (2) Summer Brew returns from a couple of months away from the races with three seconds in five career starts with one of them in a state-bred stake. She will get Lasix for the first time. (1) Dramatic Twist was third in her first start in a maiden claimer where the place horse came back and won her next start. She rallied seven wide to get that third.

6^th race – (4) Step to the Bank (C) returned from an 11-month layoff to beat a field of 14 with a front-end effort in a maiden claimer  while getting bet down from 9-1 to 6-1 and he will now step up to face winners in a first-level allowance for NY-breds. (1) Bustin Timberlake switches barns after two second-place finishes at this level. Charlie Baker gets him after he had the lead in his most recent start and ended up with a career best speed figure. (5) Fleet Warrior was third in his last start against Bustin Timberlake. Two of his three career wins were at Aqueduct. (6) Morgantown moved to the barn of Linda Rice and made one start for her after racing at Monmouth Park. She set the pace and tired after a five-month layoff. We should expect more stamina here.

7^th race – (5) Amundson won the Hollie Hughes last year and he will return from a break back to Saratoga for trainer Horatio DePaz who is having a strong Aqueduct winter. This 5-year-old has run well fresh in the past. (1) Tribecca was last seen in the Fall Highweight (G3) back in November. He will move back to state-bred company where he won the Hudson at Belmont Park using his speed. (3) Our Last Buck was a late running winner of the Say Florida Sandy stakes at the Big A last month. There is speed in here to set up that move again. (2) Big Engine was second behind Tribecca in the Hudson and then took on open company in an allowance for Linda Rice.

8^th race – (8) Big Boy Mo (C) returned from a brief layoff and was bet down from 11-1 to 6-1 to run third in a $25,000 N2L claimer like today’s race. (1) Therisatormbrewin was over his head last time in a starter allowance but before that he ran third in a N2L for a $40,000 tag. (4) Wardenofthenorth has been off since October where raced in an allowance. Linda Rice brings him back in a more suitable spot. (5) Mucho Sunshine was a front-end winner of his maiden last time out and hit the board in three of his last four starts.

Best bets:  Amundson (7^th); Big Boy Mo (8^th). Best value:  Hip Number One (5^th); Step to the Bank (6^th).