Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen Stakes, 1 1/8 miles, Aqueduct, Dec. 7, 2019  (10 Derby qualifying points for a win, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)   Winner: Shotski, by Blame Trainer: Jeremiah O’Dwyer Jockey: Luis Saez Owner: Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, Gary Pantofel Stable, and Mike Karty Beyer Speed Figure: 86   This didn’t appear to be the strongest field on paper, and the Beyer figure came back just moderate for a late-season stakes race for 2-year-olds. But SHOTSKI has made a forward move on figs in every start, getting a career high here while navigating nine furlongs over a deep, tiring surface in his two-turn debut. He’s by a Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, and his damsire was second in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, so added distance should be in his wheelhouse. He will need to progress the early part of next year to be taken as a serious contender for the classics, but to date he hasn’t taken a step back.   In this race, Shotski had good speed leaving the gate and went into the first turn in front and just outside of CHASE TRACKER. He faced a fresh challenge from PRINCE JAMES heading down the backstretch, but continually fended him off as if he was toying with him. He put away Prince James while rounding the far turn, entered the stretch with a sizable advantage, and lasted over AJAAWEED. Solid effort, but want to see more. He seems like a big, lumbering type.   Ajaaweed, who finished second, was exiting a Breeders’ Futurity in which he seemed one paced while a well-beaten fourth. In this race, he settled into sixth in the early going while three paths wide on the first turn, was three wide initially on the far turn and came into the stretch in the four path while passing rivals. He didn’t seem to be making much headway in upper stretch, but he cut into the winner’s margin significantly late, though it’s hard to tell if he was closing or the winner was tiring. He’s a little too one-paced for me but he’ll run as far as they write races.   Chase Tracker, who was third, added blinkers for this race and broke sharply from his rail draw to take up a forward position in the early going. He raced right behind Shotski down the backstretch and around the far turn while continuing to hug the rail, and simply was third best, though he did keep to his task through the lane after looking like he might chuck it in upper stretch.   INFORMATIVE, who finished fourth, is a maiden who was making his seventh start and his first beyond seven furlongs, so him finishing here is not encouraging for those who finished behind him. He raced in the two path while fourth around the first turn, tossed his head about while being rated entering the backstretch, made good headway on the far turn while three wide, then faded through the final furlong.   Prince James, who was fifth, was three wide around the first turn while stalking Shotski, moved closer to challenge down the backstretch, could not stay with the winner nearing the quarter pole and steadily tired through the lane.   ALPHA SIXTY SIX, who was sixth, removed blinkers for this race and was outrun to the first turn, settling into eighth while able to drop over from his wide draw to save ground. He raced at or near the rear of the pack down the backstretch, made slight headway nearing the quarter pole but never was a factor at any point in a dull try. Between this and his prior try in the Champagne, he’s not quite ready for prime time.   CLEON JONES, who was seventh, was making his first start outside of statebred company and first start around two turns. He saved ground while mid-pack around the first turn, saved ground the rest of the way, but was always well back.   FORZA DI ORO, who finished eighth, broke a step slow, then advanced to a stalking position along the rail early on the clubhouse turn before having to check. He was keen early on the backstretch while in close attendance to the leaders while racing between rivals, was asked to keep up midway on the far turn, but could not go with his rivals. He was late to change leads in upper stretch and was not persevered with through the final furlong.   AMENDS, who was last of nine, bobbled leaving the gate and was away last, raced at the back of the pack while three paths wide on the first turn, remained wide and toward the rear of the field down the backstretch, then had his rivals leave him on the far turn to end up well beaten.