Aqueduct Hotlist - November 20

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, November 20, 2020 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) Well Kept Secret set the pace, had the lead in the stretch, and finished second in a $50,000 maiden claimer at Belmont Park on a sloppy track and now is in for $40,000. (7) Tap the Barrel clipped heels and stumbled while pressing the pace in a maiden claimer at Monmouth Park for trainer Wayne Potts who already has two winners at the Aqueduct meeting. (6) Twiddle makes her debut with Johnny V. on board for trainer John Terranova. (5) Simple Sugar ran fourth in the same race as the top choice and in this field will be competitive.

6^th race – (5) Palamos got off to a slow start in her debut at Keeneland for Graham Motion and then was keen to race into the first turn. She finished fourth at odds of 5-2 and stays on the grass in this spot at Aqueduct. (7) Leah Chase was second in her last two starts at Ellis Park and Churchill Downs and now ships north for former Bill Mott assistant Rodolphe Brisset. (2) Admaa moves from Chad Brown’s barn to that of Michael Maker after running fourth in her most recent start at Monmouth Park. (12) Counterparty Risk was the 2-1 favorite in her debut for Chad Brown going seven furlongs on the grass at Belmont Park when she moved from 10^th to finish fourth.

7^th race – (4) Fair Regis was a horse I liked when she moved from open company into a NY-bred stake and now she moves back to a top level state-bred allowance by exercising the optional claiming price. Her summer speed figures best this field. (11) Speightstown Gal won her career debut on the dirt at Belmont and she has been racing on the turf since then, but now she goes back to the dirt while continuing to sprint. (3) Purrageous Dyna has run well and dirt and turf and now switches back to the main track. (1) Miss Jimmy switches to the Belmont barn of John Toscano after the completion of racing at Finger Lakes. She won a first-level allowance at Belmont in her most recent start after shipping down from the upstate New York track.

8^th race – (9) Kid Mercury drops into the N3L claiming condition for the first time after competing in stakes and allowances for Graham Motion. (4) Dream Friend returns from an August layoff with excellent speed figures as he tries this N3L level for the first time. This speedy 5-year-old was fifth in the Poker (G3) in July and could be too fast for this field of turf milers. (5) Voting Control was third in the BC Juvenile Turf (G1) but has raced just three times since then. Two starts this year yielded a second and a fourth for Chad Brown. (6) Arithmetic will make his initial appearance in this condition. Previously, he raced in high price open claimers and allowances.

Best bets:  Well Kept Secret (1^st); Fair Regis (7^th). Best value:  Palamos (6^th); Kid Mercury (8^th).