Aqueduct Hotlist - November 22

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, November 22, 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 – (7) Kith returned from a brief layoff last month in a dirt sprint for the first time, ran third, and now is back on the grass in a $40,000 maiden claimer going six furlongs. (8) Vermont Billy was beaten as an odds-on favorite on a sloppy track at Aqueduct after setting the pace. He was claimed out of that race by Michael Maker, so no surprise that he moves to the grass with Irad on board. (9) Makoto drops out of a series of maiden special weights with good speed figures and cuts back in distance. He did sprint in his first two starts. (5) Camouflaged Kisser set the pace and finished third in a similar spot last time and gets the blinkers off now.

5^th race – (6) Tangerine Dream returns to the dirt where she was third in her debut at Saratoga in a maiden special weight for NY-breds. There are excuses for her last two races and she also stretches out to the one-turn mile. (1) Brattle House is a debut runner for Christophe Clement and OXO Equine after selling for $775,000 as a yearling. Clement is red hot at this Aqueduct meeting and with first-time starters. (5) Nebo was claimed out of her debut race where she finished fourth as the favorite for $40,000 by Leah Gyarmati. (9) Exfiltration exits her first start in a maiden special weight on a sloppy track in a race that was won by Vacay who went on to win the Key Cents in her next start. She had trouble at the break while bet down to 5-1.

7^th race – (10) More Like It (D) returns to NY-bred competition after racing in a starter allowance and a N2L claimer. Last time out he was bet down from 11-1 to 7-1 and goes in this first-level allowance on the grass going long. (1) Sanctuary City has been close to a win in a few tries at this level for trainer Jimmy Ferraro who is off to a great start at the Big A. (2) Sidd Finch was second in a starter allowance and goes back to state-bred racing. (6) Austrian will make his first start for trainer Danny Gargan who wins with 34% of his new horses. He has not run against NY-breds since his debut at Saratoga in 2019.

9^th race – (5) Prairie Fire was second in the Iroquois at Belmont Park and finds an easier field in this similar NY-bred Stallion Series stakes race. (3) Officer Hutchy was fourth behind the top choice and before that won a state-bred stake at Saratoga. (1) Espresso Shot has a lot of back class and races that would win in this spot, but she will have to find one of those better efforts. (7) Sadie Lady has plenty of early speed that she can use to her advantage as she comes back from a July layoff for Rob Atras.

Best bets:  Tangerine Dream (5^th); Prairie Fire (9^th). Best value:  Kith (1^st); More Like It (7^th).