Belmont at the Big A Hotlist - October 29

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Saturday, October 29, 2022
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 4^th or worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

2^nd race [Md Sp Wt, 6F TURF] – (3) War Fighter (B) made his debut almost a year ago at Aqueduct at 8-1 for Graham Motion and ran fourth after having to steady at the quarter pole. (6) Cleat returned from a year off to press the pace and finish fourth at Kentucky Downs for Bill Mott against a 12 horse field. (7) Chucka Moon came back from a seven-month break and made a big improvement in his two starts since the layoff. (5) Stealththirtyfour will make his second career start for Linda Rice and moves to the turf.

4^th race [Awad, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (6) Let’s Go Big Blue was a debut winner at Saratoga against NY-breds and then was third in a stakes race at Monmouth Park ahead of a few horses from this field when he lacked racing room. (4) Freedom Trail won his first start at this meeting last month with a closing move for John Terranova. (3) Dandy Handyman was another winner of his first start which happened at Colonial Downs going a mile on the grass. (7) El de Chimi finished a length behind the top choice in that stakes race after an easy maiden win at Monmouth.

5^th race [Kelso (G2), 1 mi] – (2) Empty Tomb returned from a 10 month layoff to win a top level allowance at Delaware Park just three weeks ago. He hit the board in five starts at Aqueduct in the past and now gets Irad Ortiz on board for the first time. (3) Morello won the first three starts in his career at Aqueduct going from a maiden win as a 2-year-old to the Jimmy WInkfield and then the Gotham (G3) in March of this year. Trainer Steve Asmussen gave him some time off after he tried the Wood (G2) and the Woody Stephens (G1). He was off from June and then returned as a winner of an allowance sprint at Laurel earlier this month. (6) Baby Yoda is frequently over bet because of his name. He was a 10-length winner of an allowance at BAQ recently, but he has not done well when he stepped up to graded stakes company. (1) Shackqueenking won his last three starts at Delaware Park in two-turn races in a pair of allowances and then a restricted stakes race while pressing the early pace.

6^th race [OC62k/N2X, 6F TURF] – (7) Stop War has lots of early speed which she has used to get a trio of top three finishes in turf sprints and is projected to be on the lead again. (6) Gogo Shoes was claimed for $75,000 two races back after racing on the lead at Colonial. New trainer Mike Maker brought her back at Kentucky Downs in a stakes race. She does have several excellent finishes in past turf sprints. (4) Mischievous Dream has a series of top three finishes in turf sprints for Christophe Clement. (1) Mrs. Green won a first-level allowance at BAQ just two weeks ago following a pair of excellent efforts.

Best bets: War Fighter (2^nd); Let’s Go Big Blue (4^th). Best value: Empty Tomb (5^th); Stop War (6^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 4-6 and includes the Awad and the Kelso (G2) à 4, 6 with 2, 3 with 1, 4, 6, 7 = $16.