Aqueduct Hotlist - January 3

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, January 3, 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 – (4) Beach Front will make his second try to win at the N3L condition after getting rank in middle of his last race at Aqueduct. His win in his prior race using his speed make him the one to beat in this soft field. (7) Dr. Devera’s Way beat the top choice in his last victory a few races back when the track came up sloppy at Belmont Park. (3) Queen’s Mason will make a significant drop in claiming price from $25,000 to $14,000 in this spot. He has faced some stronger fields recently including in a turf sprint. (2) Oh My Papa returns from a short rest for Rudy Rodriguez with his early speed and good record at the Big A.

3^rd race – (4) Johnnypump will switch from turf to dirt in his second start for Michael Maker. This former Chad Brown runner has a second and third to his credit on the main track at this maiden special weight level. (7) Halo City will stretch out from a mile to nine furlongs after running third last time at Aqueduct where he has five top three finishes in six tries. (3) Mandatory returns from an extended layoff for John Kimmel. The $400,000 purchase is a son of American Pharoah who showed promise in his two starts as a 2-year-old. (8) Ajhar won his last race going two turns at Parx for Michael Catalano but was later disqualified from the purse money and, thus, is again a maiden. He ships to New York as a new gelding. This son of Tapit was an $800,000 yearling purchase.

4^th race – (7) Cold Hard Cash has the two highest speed figures in this field of NY-breds who will be going nine furlongs in a first-level allowance. Those big figs came from a win in an open company starter allowance and in a race like this spot. (4) Advanced Strategy will move from turf to dirt following a late running second. The Jimmy Jerkens runner has two third-place finishes on the main track, one of them in his debut at Aqueduct. (6) Too Early broke his maiden from Linda Rice going the mile and an eighth distance. (3) Open Lengths will move from a maiden claiming victory against open company at today’s distance to face fellow state-breds again.

8^th race – (6) Sharp Starr is at the top of her game with two wins in a row for Horatio DePaz. She won a NY-bred allowance by 15 length and followed that with a victory in the Go for Wand (G3) at Aqueduct. She will cut back in distance from a mile to seven furlongs for this state-bred stake. (3) Espresso Shot was back in the winner’s circle last time with a win in the NY Stallion Series going today’s distance while pressing the pace. (4) Prairie Fire was first or second in her last five races with a win in an open company allowance last time. She also has a great record at the Big A. (5) Mrs. Orb has five place finishes in a row for Mike Miceli with three career wins at Aqueduct. She will cut back in distance here. One of her seconds was at seven furlongs at Saratoga.

Best bets:  Cold Hard Cash (4^th); Sharp Starr (8^th). Best value:  Beach Front (2^nd); Johnnypump (3^rd).