Bob Ehalt // Sat. June 5
Today’s NY Hot List races to watch at Belmont Park
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 90000, 5 ½ F] – (3) Hagler gets the nod in this maiden race for 2-year-olds after finishing second in his debut behind Little Drama who is the likely favorite in the Tremont at Belmont Park on Friday. (4) Wit sold for $575,000 as a yearling and these days it is unusual for such a high-priced juvenile to make his first start this early in the year for Todd Pletcher. This one must be a ready to roll after only six workouts in Florida and at Belmont. (2) Keepcalmcarryon is another first-timer from the barn of Pletcher and this one was a more modest purchase at $75,000. (8) Too Much Action had some fast breezes in his preparation for this initial start for trainer Jeremiah O’Dwyer.
2nd race – [Md Sp Wt 90000, 7F TURF] – (8) Ranger Fox made a significant improvement when he moved from dirt to turf in a sprint at Belmont and finished second, beaten by just a neck. His speed figure made a noteworthy improvement. (7) King James was in that same race as the top choice in what was also his first start on the grass. He ran third with first-time Lasix. (4) Migrate will make his debut for Bill Mott who does win with firsters on the grass. He was a $575,000 yearling purchase. (6) Pipeline debuted on the dirt in a race that was won by the talented First Captain who came back to triumph in an allowance. This Chad Brown runner was sent off at odds of 3.90-1.
3rd race – [Woody Stephens (G1), 7F] – (6) Caddo River spent this year on the Kentucky Derby trail racing at distance’s that were stretching his limits. The cutback to seven-furlongs seems ideal and at 4-1 on the morning line the price is too good to bypass. (1) Nova Rags is in the same situation as Caddo River with the Derby trail races and now the cutback to a distance at which he won the Pasco at Tampa in January. This race is loaded with speed which will give Nova Rags a perfect set-up for a closing move. (3) Jackie’s Warrior returned to his winning ways in the Pat Day Mile (G2) and is Grade 1 winner at Belmont last year. He is the one to beat but he will face plenty of pressure up front. (4) Dream Shake was just a head behind Jackie’s warrior in the Pat Day Mile after trying the Derby trail. He got a big speed figure in his debut sprinting.
4th race – [Brooklyn (G2), 1 ½ mi] – (8) Tizamagician was an open-length winner of the Tokyo City (G3) at Santa Anita going today’s distance of a mile and a half. Flavien Prat stays on board for trainer Richard Mandella. (5) Musical Heart won the 11-furlong Flat Out at Aqueduct with a front-end effort. The longer distances seem to be to his liking. (7) Ajaaweed also took to the long distances when he rallied late to finish within a length of the winner of the Flat Out. Trainer Todd Pletcher is adept at preparing for these long dirt races. (9) Lone Rock is the winner of 5 out of his last 6 starts with the three most recent at today’s distance. He won a Marathon at Churchill Downs at the end of April.
5th race – [Acorn (G1), 1 mi] – Miss Brazil was entered in the Jersey Girl at Belmont on Sunday which makes that race more likely for the speedy filly. (6) Search Results was second in her most recent start in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) after battling gamely against Malathaat, who is the division leader. (2) Obligatory won the Eight Belles (G2) at Churchill Downs with a huge closing move while racing seven-wide. There is plenty of speed signed on which is ideal for this Bill Mott filly. (4) Dayoutoftheoffice returns to Belmont where last year she won the Frizette (G1) going the same one-turn mile. (1) Travel Column will need to rebound from her fifth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and this one-turn mile may be more to her liking.
6th race – [Jaipur (G1), 6f TURF] – (4) Fast Boat is in fine form right now after the best race of his career with a victory in the Turf Sprint (G2) at Churchill Downs. The Joe Sharp runner won at Sam Houston before that. (6) Bound for Nowhere has a lot of breaks in his record, but when trainer Wesley Ward has him ready, he is hard to beat with 7 wins in 15 career starts. His 2021 debut win at Keeneland was very fast. (8) Gregorian Chant won his last three races at Santa Anita going six-furlongs including the San Simeon (G3). (1) Chewing Gum had a good second-place finish for Bill Mott and may be a horse who could sneak into the exotics at a big price.
7th race – [Ogden Phipps (G1), 1 1/16 mi] – The scratches of the Swiss Skydiver and Valiance certainly changed the complexion of the Phipps. There is still plenty of early speed in the field. (7) Bonny South won a Grade 3 at Keeneland in her 2021 debut. This Brad Cox filly will have a strong pace to set up her closing move. (3) Letruska beat Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver in the Apple Blossom (G1) which was a career defining victory but may be hard to duplicate. She is in fine form. (5) Shedaresthedevil won both of her 2021 starts in the Azeri (G2) and the LaTroienne (G1) with front-end efforts. (6) Water White was second in the Ruffian (G2) at Belmont following an allowance win at Aqueduct.
8th race – [Just A Game (G1), 1 mi TURF] – (6) Pocket Square won an allowance race in her American debut for Chad Brown with Lasix for the first time. In Europe, she won a Group 3 stake at Deauville and another stake at Ascot. (9) Summer Romance is a Godolphin home bred from the dangerous barn of Charlie Appleby who won a Group 2 at Meydan and a Group 3 at Epsom Downs. Luis Saez gets on board. (10) Tamahere is another Chad Brown runner who won the Sands Point (G2) in her American debut last year. Jose Ortiz gets on board for the first time. (11) Blowout has hit the board in all 12 of her races with four wins, seven seconds, and a third. In her 2021 debut, she won the Distaff Turf Mile (G2) at Churchill also for Chad. Flavien Prat stays on board for the third time.
9th race – [Met Mile (G1), 1 mi] – (1) Mischevious Alex won all three of his 2021 starts including the Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3) and the Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct with a 109 BSF. This is a very strong field and he will need another performance like the Carter to win here. (6) Knicks Go became the best Older Male Dirt horse when he moved to the barn of Brad Cox. His winning streak ended in the Saudi Cup (G1) in February. He has been blazing on the track in the morning. (3) Silver State is the winner of his last five races for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. He knows how to win the Met Mile with sprinters or distance horses like Silver State. (2) Dr Post won his 2021 debut in the Westchester (G3) which is the local prep race for the Met Mile. He showed so much promise as a 3-year-old and may now be ready to make his mark against older horses.
10th race – [Manhattan (G1), 1 ¼ TURF] – The Manhattan shapes up as rematch between Colonel Liam and Domestic Spending after their dead-heat for the win in the Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill on Kentucky Derby day. (10) Colonel Liam is the leading Older Turf Male in the country based his four consecutive victories for Todd Pletcher, all since Irad Ortiz got on board. (4) Domestic Spending is on his own winning streak of three. The Turf Classic dead-heat was his first start of the year, so he is entitled to improve in this race. Flavien Prat rode him last time for Chad Brown. (9) Gufo will offer a bit of value in this salty field, since he has hit the board in all nine of his starts including five wins for Christophe Clemente. His last three starts were all Grade 1 races. He will be making his usual late closing run. (8) Tribhuvan ran the best race of his career in his first start of 2021 when he won the Fort Marcy (G2) with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest of any horse in the field.
11th race – [Belmont Stakes (G1), 1 ½ mi] – (3) Rombauer’s 3-year-old campaign has been skillfully planned and executed, culminating with his impressive victory in the Preakness (G1). There is no reason to think that the Michael McCarthy runner will not continue to move forward. Expect him to come running down the stretch again. (4) Hot Rod Charlie was third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) just a length behind the winner. He has already shown that the Belmont distance is within his scope. Expect him to be right behind the pace or on the lead if need be. (6) Know Agenda will need to get back to what we saw in his Florida Derby (G1) victory. Trainer Todd Pletcher knows how to get them ready for the Belmont and says this guy is ready to run a big one. (2) Essential Quality ran fourth as the Derby favorite and I’m not sure that the 1 ½ mile distance is a positive factor for him. However, you can’t ignore his record with five wins from six starts.
12th race – [NY, Alw 80000 N1X, 1 mi TURF] – (6) Kinky Sox (C) made a bold stretch move and came up a neck short of the win in her return to the grass when she was bet down from 16-1 to 9-1. (2) Runaway Rumour (A) was a first-time winner for Jorge Abreu last month at Belmont in a turf sprint. I like when horses stretch out after wins like that early in their careers. (11) My Lips Are Sealed moves from a win against open company in a starter allowance to face state-breds for the first time since her maiden victory. (10) Magnetique hit the board in her last six starts including her return to the grass last time out. Trainer Michelle Nevin puts the blinkers on her for the first time.
13th race – [OC80k/N2X, 1 1/8 mi TURF] – (3) Microsecond (D) set the pace and got caught at the wire to lose by a nose in his return to Belmont for Todd Pletcher when he got bet down from 10-1 to 5-1. (10) Winning Factor (B) got bottled up in traffic in the stretch in his 2021 debut and could not get clear. Both halves of the entry of (1) Price Talk and (1A) Value Engineering are formidable. (5) Journeyman will make his first start for excellent turf trainer Michael Maker after racing fourth in a Grade 2 at Woodbine last year.
Best bets: Hagler (1st); Rombauer (11th). Best value: Tizamagician (4th); Pocket Square (8th).
Saturday @NYHotList Pick 3 Special
This weekend’s Saturday $1 Pick 3 Special covers races 7-9 — 7 with 4, 6, 9, 10, 11 with ALL = $30.
| No. | Name | Letter last race |
Today’s Race | Comments |
| (6) | Kinky Sox | C on 4/30 | 12 | She rallied boldly for second in return to the turf. |
| (2) | Runaway Rumour | A on 5/9 | 12 | She was a debut winner for Jorge Abreu last month at Belmont. |
| (3) | Microsecond | D on 4/29 | 13 | He set the pace and then missed the win by a nose last time out. |
| (10) | Winning Factor | B on 5/9 | 13 | In his 2021 debut, he was bottled up in traffic in the stretch. |
| (2B) | Box N Score | D on 4/2 | 13 | First on Also Eligible List. |