Bob Ehalt // Sat. August 7
Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – FULL CARD PICKS – at Saratoga
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.
1st race [Md Sp Wt 100000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (5) Boston Flagship comes right back for Bill Mott after running third in his debut at Saratoga. He was a bit rank early while racing on the inside and should benefit from the experience. (8) Speak Unity had two good races and moved to the turf last time for Jonathan Thomas and since then was gelded. (2) Dripping Gold sold for $300,000 as a 2-year-old in March and will make his debut for Shug McGaughey who won with a first-timer the other day that shipped up from his Fair Hills barn like this one. (7) Steal the Cash will make his first start for the team of Three Diamonds and Mike Maker who are the leading owner and trainer at the meeting.
2nd race [Clm 50000, 1 1/8 mi] – (7) Shotski won a $50,000 claimer at Belmont Park last start in a return to the good form that he had shown as a 3-year-old. (4) Heirloom Kitten set the pace, ran second, and was claimed for $40,000 at Belmont in his prior race. (2) American Tattoo has improving speed figures for Norm Casse in allowance races at Churchill Downs where he has flashed early speed. He has been training at Saratoga. (8) Grumps Little Tots has competitive speed figures for trainer Rob Atras.
3rd race [Alw 103000 N1X, 6F] – (2) Tuggle was second in his 2021 debut at Belmont in an allowance race with an off the pace move for trainer Jeremiah Englehart. (3) Newbomb had an impressive maiden victory at Monmouth Park after moving from the barn of Todd Pletcher to that of Kelly Breen. He recorded a similar speed figure in an allowance at Saratoga. (1) Life Changer had one start back in a fast race and should move forward from that start. (5) Dream Bigger will make his 2021 debut for Rudy Rodriguez with plenty of stakes experience for Repole Stable.
4th race [NY, Md Sp Wt 85000, 1 mi TURF] – (7) Dreampoint (A) had to steady at the start and then rallied late into a slow pace to finish fifth beaten by less then two lengths. (9) Shutters is a $115,000 yearling purchase for Chad Brown and Peter Brant that gets Irad Ortiz for his debut that moved to Saratoga for his two most recent works. (5) Ruse was third and second in his last two starts for trainer Tim Hills with the most recent at Saratoga with Lasix. (6) Athery flashed speed in her most recent start at the Spas for Michelle Nevin.
5th race [Md Sp Wt 100000, 7F] – (3) Keepcalmcarryon was second in his debut to his stablemate Wit who has gone on to become an impressive winner of the Sanford (G3). (2) Brigadier General was second in his debut at Churchill Downs for Dallas Stewart in a race that went in a fast time behind a talented horse. (1) Seal Beach was third in his first start on an off track for Mike Maker whose debut runners usually need a race and he now adds blinkers. (7) Stellar Tap is a son of Tapit for Steve Asmussen and that makes him dangerous debuting at Saratoga.
6th race [Lure 120000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (3) Value Proposition has two triple digit Beyer Speed Figures in a row and a near miss in the Forbidden Apple (G3) in his last start for Chad Brown. (2) Delaware was just a neck behind Value Proposition in that same race and is also trained by Chad. He was a stakes winner in April at Aqueduct. (5) Flavius is another one for Brown who was second in May at Belmont in the Seek Again and fourth in the Kilroe Mile (G1) at Santa Anita in March. (7) Tell Your Daddy was third behind Flavius for Tom Morley in the Seek Again.
7th race [Glens Falls (G2), 1 ½ mi TURF] – (1) Call Me Love has a chance to go right to the lead in this mile and half turf race and win her third race in a row for Christophe Clement. (3) War Like Goddess has not run since April but won her last two starts in Grade 3 stakes going long distances for Bill Mott. Regular rider Julien Leparoux will come north to ride. (2) Temple City Terror is a late running mare that loves the long distances. (5) My Sister Nat has a tendency to finish second and third which she did in this race last year for Chad Brown. It has been a year since her last victory.
8th race [Test (G1) 500000, 7F] – (4) Obligatory gets an ideal set up in the Test as there is lots of early speed in the race and her late rally to win the Eight Belles (G1) at Churchill Downs doing seven furlongs was brilliant. (3) Zaajel made a huge step forward in the Acorn (G1) and her first two races were victories going seven furlongs. (7) Search Results has done little wrong in her career but what is her best distance? (2) Souper Sensation ran a big closing move to win the Victory Ride (G3) at Belmont for Mark Casse.
9th race [Saratoga Derby (G1) $1 million, 1 3/8 mi TURF] – (4) Cadillac won a Group 3 going ten-furlongs at the Curagh in his 2021 debut. In his last race in 2020 he was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). He won a Group 2 as a 2-year-old also. (6) Bolshoi Ballet is clearly the one to beat based on his win in the Belmont Derby (G1). (1) Soldier Rising has been prepping for his American debut after racing in France in the barn of Christophe Clement. (9) State of Rest gets the services of Johnny V. for his American debut for Joseph O’Brien after racing against the best competition in Ireland and Great Britain.
10th race [Whitney (G1) $1 million, 1 1/8 mi] – (4) Knicks Go has proven that going two turns he can control a race on the front end. He did it in the Cornhusker Handicap (G3) in his last start, but he also did it in more important races like the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile (G1). It is likely to happen again in the Whitney. (1) By My Standards was second in the Met Mile (G1) in his most recent start and in the Whitney last year. (5) Maxfield has done very little wrong in his career but this by far his toughest race. He could be the winner, but he could just as well be the third-place finisher. (2) Silver State is riding a six-race winning streak including his best win in the Met Mile, but this is the best race of the year and win streaks can’t last forever.
11th race [OC 80k/N2X, 1 1/8 mi] – (3) Risk Taking makes his first start since running in the Preakness (G1) and gets Lasix for the first time for Chad Brown. He won the Withers (G3). (2) Superfecto finished third in a Grade 3 and in an allowance like this for Ralph Nicks. (4) Candy Tycoon won an allowance at Monmouth Park in his 2021 debut for Todd Pletcher. (1A) Musical Heart is a past stakes winner at Belmont for Rob Atras going long distances.
12th race [Alw 103000, 5 ½ F TURF] – (10) Bay Storm (C) was a promising and well bet winner of his maiden back in October for trainer Jonathan Thomas. (7) Time Limit used up his NY-bred allowance conditions with an impressive victory but is still eligible for this condition for Mike Maker. (6) Risky Mischief will make his 2021 debut after being stakes placed in the fall. (3) Sussex Garden was fourth in a stakes race in his 2021 debut in June at Belmont and gets blinkers on.
@NYHotList Saturday Pick 3 Special —
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 on races 7 – 9 ends with the Saratoga Derby (G1) à 1, 2, 3 with 3, 4 with 1, 4, 6, 9 = $24.
| No. | Name | Letter last race |
Today’s Race | Comments |
| (7) | Dreampoint | A on 7/15 | 4 | After a slow start, he had to rally into a slow pace. |
| (10) | Bay Storm | C on 10/25 | 12 | She makes her 2021 debut after winning maiden in second start. |