Belmont at the Big A Hotlist - October 9

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, October 9, 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 worse
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

3^rd race [Beldame (G2), 1 1/8  mi] – (1) Nest is the leading 3-year-old filly in the country based on her wins in the Alabama (G1), the CCA Oaks (G1), and the second-place finish in the Belmont Stakes (G1). (2) First to Act was second in the Summer Colony at Saratoga for Shug McGaughey. In five career starts she has only run first or second. (5) Travel Column won graded stakes last year as a 3-year-old and made a pair of starts this year with an allowance win at Churchill Downs  and then a fourth in the Ballerina (G1) for Bill Mott. (3) Hybrid Eclipse got her first stakes victory in July at Laurel Park going a mile.

4^th race [Md Sp Wt, 7F] – (5) Unlimitedpotential got a big speed figure in his debut at Saratoga when he finished second for Todd Pletcher as part of a favored entry. (7) Matt Doyle made his first of the year on the turf at the Spa and now moves back to the main track where he hit the board three times. (2) Southern Flag ran a career best speed figure in his second start of the year for Bill Mott when he was third. (6) Tiger Town Boy is a son of Curlin and a mare that won over $500,000 as a stakes winner and produced a graded stakes winner of $563,000.

7^th race [NY, Alw 85000 N1X, 1 mi] – (1) Sweet Mystery hit the board in all four of her starts including a second at this level three weeks ago. (6) Know It All Audrey was an easy winner of a N2L claimer against open company as the favorite and was claimed. (3) Caramocha has a third and a second in his last two races which were in similar spots. (7) New York Banker has been racing in starter allowances and returns to face state-breds for the first time since joining the Noda barn.

9^th race [NY, Md 40000, 6F mi TURF] – (9) Treat Street (D) was bet down from 9-1 to 7-1 and then set the pace going a mile on the turf and should benefit from the distance cutback. (5) Laughter was claimed by Rob Atras after setting the pace and finishing third as she moves back onto the grass. (6) Robyn and Eli will drop into a claimer for the first time for Chad Brown after running second twice in maiden special weights and then trying NY Stallion Series stakes a couple of times. (7) Eli Dancer gets blinkers on for Jose Camejo after two improved races on the turf.

Best bets:  Nest (3^rd); Unlimitedpotential (4^th). Best value:  Sweet Mystery (7^th); Treat Street (9^th).