Two-year-old New York-breds face off in the Notebook at Aqueduct on Saturday
Two-year-old New York-breds face off in the Notebook at Aqueduct on Saturday
By the NY Hot List Staff // Thursday, November 12, 2020
New York-bred juveniles will contest the six-furlong $100,000 Notebook at Aqueduct on Saturday. Six 2-year-olds will challenge Blue Gator who will try and stay unbeaten in his third career start for trainer Michael Maker.
Eagle Orb will look for his first stakes victory after two second-place finishes against similar company for trainer Rudy Rodriguez.
“He’s been training pretty good, so we’ll see what he does now,” Rodriguez said. “In the [Bongard], I thought we had him ready to run the seven-eighths, but he didn’t show up. He’s done better since. We’ve been working him nice and easy. He looks good so far.”
Trainer Rob Atras will challenge the favorite with Horn of Plenty who was a promising winner of his debut at Belmont Park where he overcame some first race difficulties.
“He had trained well in the morning and showed a little ability. He was still a little bit raw and a little bit green, but he showed he had some natural talent,” trainer Rob Atras said. “I thought the inside post would be difficult for him to overcome going six and a half, but he did it. I was very impressed with him. I expected a good effort, but I was very impressed with the way he ran.
Half Right will make his first start for Christophe Clement after moving from the barn of Doug O’Neill. He’ll get the services of top rider Joel Rosario as he makes his second start in a stakes race.
“I’m still learning about him, but his works have been good,” Clement said. “His form is good, he’s sound and he looks well. He deserves another shot in a stakes race.”
Here are the Hot List picks for the Notebook:
The $100,000 Notebook, Aqueduct, Saturday, Race 7.
(7) Blue Gator is the winner of both career starts as a 2-year-old while facing NY-breds in a maiden special weight and then the NY Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes for Mike Maker. He’s back at Belmont for this state-bred stakes race going six furlongs and should get an ideal set-up for his stalking style. (4) Eagle Orb was a debut maiden winner and then had two place finishes in NY-bred stakes races. He set the pace in the one-mile Sleepy Hollow for Rudy R. and now cuts back to sprinting. (6) Lookin for Trouble is another one with early speed who has a second and a third in these type of stakes races. (3) Half Right won his first start and then moved to stakes races but has now switched from the barn of Doug O’ Neill to that of Christophe Clement. He is another one with early speed.
Analysis of the other New York Hot List races and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.