Aqueduct Hotlist - January 8

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, January 8, 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 – (7) Nasty Affair (B) got bumped and pinched back at the start in his first race off the claim back in February. He finished fourth in that N3L at Aqueduct in November in his first start for Orlando Noda whose barn is uncharacteristically cold right now. Noda has one win in his last 20 starts. (2) Sweet Mia will make her first start since moving to the barn of Michelle Nevin. Last seen in July, she was racing in allowance company in Florida. (4) Sky Kitten will return to the right level for the first time in three starts. (6) Happy Sophia broke through the gate in her first start at the N3L level after being claimed by Eddie Persaud. She gets a pass for that last try.

5^th race – (2) Other Things Equal (D) was heavily bet from 13-1 down to 5-1 in his first start after moving from Woodbine into the barn of Noda. Last year, he won at the N2L at Aqueduct and here he is in an open $8,000 claimer. (5) Beach Access (D) was claimed two races back for $10,000 and was moved up to $16,000 level for Horatio DePaz and got bet from 9-1 to 6-1. He has started at the Big A 18 times with two wins. (1) Hardcore Folklore had two wins in a row for $10,000 and moved up a notch on a muddy track. Now trainer Wayne Potts drops him back down. (7) Hero’s Hope is a consistent performer with a late running style that should make him a contender at this level.

7^th race – (2) Troubleshooter (D) was well bet from 8-1 to 9-2 when last seen running fifth back in October in a similar NY-bred first-level allowance where he raced six-wide on a muddy track. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart put blinkers on. (6) Notorious Flirt (D) is owned and trained by Linda Rice and in his last start she was bet down from 10-1 to 6-1. (5) Wudda U Think Now ran a big race to run second at this allowance level earning a race high speed figure in his only third career start. (1) Prince of Pharoahs returned from a March layoff, set that pace, and finished second going a mile. This Linda Rice runner now cuts back to seven furlongs with back class in stakes races.

8^th race – (8) Wild Banker (B) had a bad trip on a day when the fog was very thick and visibility was restricted. He comes back in a similar N2L. (5) Dust Devil was claimed two races back at Keeneland by Mike Maker for Repole Stable, tried the artificial surface at Turfway Park, and now ships up to the Big A to race on the dirt. (10) Grandgran had the lead in a N2L claimer at Churchill Downs and finished second and now will try to use his speed here at Aqueduct. (11) Time to Testify will make his first start for Wayne Potts after shipping east from the California barn of Doug O’Neill. He broke his maiden at Del Mar for a $20,000 tag going today’s mile distance.

Best bets:  Nasty Affair (2^nd); Troubleshooter (7^th). Best value:  Other Things Equal (5^th); Wild Banker (8^th).