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Keeneland Select

Aqueduct Hotlist - March 21

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 4th or worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

3rd race [NY, Md 30000, 6F] – (3) Steppin’ Hawk (D) was bet down from 7-1 to 5-1, set the pace, and finished fourth last month. (7) Moonlit Weekend will make her first start in a maiden claimer after four races in special weights where she was not worse than fifth. (6) Montauk Mystique was third in her last two races at today’s level. (4) Debbie Darling moves to a new barn and has shown early speed in her two races this year.

5th race [Clm 20000, 1 1/8 mi] – (4) Badlands Ruler made two starts this year in starter allowances, showed a significant jump in speed figures while running third and then second. Blinkers go on as he drops to the lowest level of his career. (5) Black Almighty ran second in his first start of the year behind the top choice. (6) Li’l Lang was a clear winner last time out in a $25,000 maiden claimer as an odds-on favorite. (1) Collected Special was claimed from his maiden win last time for $25,000 when he was an easy winner and also a big favorite.

7th race [OC 80k/C, 1 1/8 mi] – (1) Quality Chic (B) showed speed for the first time, set the pace, and finished second with a game effort going a mile in the Stymie with a career best speed figure. (2) Olympic Dreams has been racing in the strong company of Law Professor in his last two starts and has three wins at the nine-furlong distance. (6) Good Skate won the second-level allowance last month and all five of his career wins were at Aqueduct. (5) Guntown has also been running well in these top allowance conditions at the Big A.

8th race [Clm 32000, 6F] – (4) Victorious Wave (D) took late money going from 4-1 to 8-5 in a starter allowance. (3) Chuck Willis moved up the claiming ladder with wins for $16,000 when he was taken and then for $25,000. Last month he was third in a starter allowance. (6) Jemography has early speed that he used to run second and then third for a $40,000 tag. (7) Amundson comes back in 13 days after running second and getting claimed for $25,000.

Best bets: Badlands Ruler (5th); Quality Chic (7th). Best value: Steppin’ Hawk (3rd); Victorious Wave (8th).

No.NameLetter
last race
Today's RaceComments
(3)Steppin’ HawkD on 2/173Set the pace after a three-month layoff.
(1)Quality ChicB on 2/27Showed speed for the first time and finished second.
(4)Victorious WaveD on 2/48Ran fourth in a starter allowance after taking late money.