Aqueduct Hotlist - February 18

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Thursday, February 18, 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 – (3) Prospect Mountain (C) ran second after getting bet from 9-2 to 2-1 in a similar optional claiming starter allowance race going a mile. He set the pace and carried his speed to only lose a head bob for the top spot. He has moved to the barn of Danny Gargan who wins at 44% with new runners. (5) Respect for All has raced twice and was claimed both times, most recently in the same race as the Hot List horse when he was third and was taken by Rob Atras for twice the price as in his debut. (4) Rocco Strong was the winner of an appropriate $50,000 maiden claimer last time for trainer Carlos Martin, who has continued to win at a high percentage in this winter meeting at Aqueduct, and now makes a logical move to this race. (6) Centavo broke his maiden for a $25,000 tag last start for Martin.

4^th race – (1) Doublepour was second by a nose two races back at today’s $40,000 maiden claiming level for NY-breds, gave a maiden special weight a try to no avail, and drops back down here. (6) Loulovestheriver got bumped and steadied at the start and rallied from eighth to get second. (5) Wicked Easy changes from the barn of Christophe Clement to that of Horatio De Paz and gets lots of changes – Lasix, blinkers, and is a new gelding. (7) Reunion Tour was claimed away from Jonathan Thomas back in December and now makes his first start for the new trainer Jimmy Ferraro.

5^th race – (2) Gone Glimmering is part of a salty field of fillies and mares who love to win in a rare third-level allowance that has an $88,000 purse. She is the winner of four of her last six starts including her most recent race which came after a claim by Linda Rice in a second-level allowance. (6) Letmetakethiscall is the winner four times in her last five starts. Her record at Aqueduct is an amazing 14: 7-2-1. She won three times since Ferraro claimed her at Saratoga. (5) Portal Creek won three of her last six races with her last two coming in stakes races including a second in the Go For Wand (G3). (7) Timely Tradition has 11 career victories with four of them coming since she was claimed for $25,000 last winter at the Big A.

6^th race – (2) Dust Devil (C) was geared down as he won a N2L claimer while rallying from last to a margin of almost six lengths when he was bet down from 9-2 to 5-2. Now, he steps up to a starter allowance. (8) This Ill Defend (C) was a wire to wire winner of a $40,000 maiden claimer when bet down to be the 5-2 favorite. (3) Perceived moved to the barn of Linda Rice after racing for Chad Brown in his first five starts. (6) Advance Notice set the pace and finished second in his last two starts in starter allowances and is a must-use in the trifecta and exacta.

Best bets:  Prospect Mountain (2^nd); Doublepour (4^th). Best value:  Gone Glimmering (5^th); Dust Devil (6^th).