Aqueduct Hotlist - January 31

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, January 31, 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.

1^st race – (4) Nepotism (A) set the pace in his first effort going a mile and finished third. He now gets Lasix for the first time and takes the blinkers off and both of those changes should help him get the nine furlongs. (1) The Reds (D) got bet down from 7-2 to be the 3-2 favorite based on based first-time Lasix and blinkers on. He, too, will now take the blinkers off after running fifth. (2) Al’s Prince made a big improvement to run second in his second start while stretching out to a mile. He will get blinkers as he tries to go an additional furlong. (3) Inspiration Point set the pace and ran third in his second start for Todd Pletcher. He will also get blinkers on.

2^nd race – (4) Fair Lassie (C) ran third in his second start for trainer Karl Broberg who is still looking for his first win at the Aqueduct meeting. She comes back in another NY-bred claiming race with a $25,000 tag. (3) Dublinornothin will return to state-bred competition after a narrow loss for the win in a $16,000 open claimer which came after a win for $8,000 when she was claimed. (5) Fair Regis ran second in the same race as the Hot List horse after a couple of tries in open company. (2) Micromillion has been running well on the turf against open company with very good efforts on the dirt in the first four starts of her career last year.

6^th race – (7) Just Read It (B) made her debut in December and was making a winning move in the stretch when the hole closed and she had to alter course, ending up fourth. She gets Lasix for the first time as a 3-year-old. (2) Heels Together ships up from Florida to make her debut for Christophe Clement who has become one of the best trainers of first-time starters winning at 28% currently. This filly sold for $410,000 as a yearling. (1A) Chargina was second in her second start at Laurel for Michael Trombetta. (4) Despeight All Odds changes to the barn of Mike Miceli who is quite good with horses that are new to his barn. He last ran fourth in a similar maiden special weight three weeks ago.

7^th race – (2) Baby Boss (C) ran second in a spot similar to today’s race in a second-level NY-bred allowance after using early speed against open company. In that race, she was bet down from 9-1 to 6-1. (7) Elegant Zip (C) returned from a brief layoff to be a clear winner in a N3L claimer while taking lots of action that moved her odds from 9-1 to 6-1. Trainer David Donk was glad she wasn’t claimed and moves her into a protected race. (5) Miss Jimmy has two seconds and a third against similar company all run at Aqueduct. (1) Ruvies in Time has past races that make her a contender to be part of the trifecta in this field.

Best bets:  Fair Lassie (2^nd); Just Read It (6^th). Best value:  Nepotism (1^st); Bay Boss (7^th).