Belmont Park Hotlist - July 2

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Thursday, July 2, 2020 at Belmont Park
                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 – (2) River Nile (D) was bet from 8-1 to 6-1 in his debut a few weeks ago in a NY-bred maiden special weight in which he showed some speed and finished sixth. He was moved from the barn of Kelly Breed to that of George Weaver and comes right back in a similar spot. (7) Jade’s Dream had the lead in his 2020 debut for Michelle Nevin and finished second well ahead of the rest of the field. (1) Blackjack Davey makes his second start for Linda Rice where Rice wins at 26%. He was bet to 5-1 for his debut which came on a muddy track and he now stretches out to a one-turn mile. (6) Royal Suspect was claimed for $30,000 at Santa Anita by savvy owner Roddy Valente and now lands in the barn of Bruce Levine. In that race he ran third behind two return winners and now tries NY-breds for the first time.

6^th race – (7) Creed was a flashy maiden special weight winner for Shug McGaughey on the mud at Belmont Park three weeks ago. The $650,000 Honor Code yearling won that race by almost eight lengths earning the top speed figure in this field. (3) Mister Winston returns from an April layoff for Chad Brown after a first-time victory at Gulfstream Park over a horse that ran second again at Belmont on Saturday. (2) Life Changer was a gate to wire debut winner for John Terranova at odds of 12-1. Rosario stays on board for this first-level allowance. (4) Edge of Fire was a debut winner at Gulfstream Park back in February and then hit the board twice in allowances for Jimmy Jerkens.

8^th race – (1) Fifty Five is the winner of her last five starts in NY-bred stakes races on the turf. Mixed in that streak are three starts in open stakes where she won and then was very competitive in graded stakes company. The Chad Brown/Peter Brant mare is a millionaire with a 11: 7-2-1 record at Belmont. (3) War Canoe is a frequent allowance winner when Fifty Five is not around, including when last seen in November where she was claimed by Michael Dubb and is now in the Chad Brown barn. (4) Munchkin Money exits two graded stakes at Gulfstream and returns to NY-bred company where she will have to face her nemesis Fifty Five. (5) Classic Lady moves to the barn of Christophe Clement after last being seen winning a NY-bred allowance at Aqueduct in November.

9^th race – (11) Painite (D) took a lot of late money driving down his odds from 30-1 to 19-1. She returned from a March layoff and switched to the turf for David Donk in a NY-bred maiden claimer and rallied late to finish fourth less than two lengths shy of the win. She comes back on less than two weeks rest. (2) Herwaze flashed speed in her debut back in November on the Aqueduct turf and now makes her second start in a similar maiden claimer for state-breds. (10) Central Capital finally got on the grass for her 2020 debut and now gets blinkers on. (1) Molly’s Nighthawk is a veteran of this type of race and will probably be right there at the finish.

Best bets:  Creed (6^th); Fifty Five (8^th).  Best value: River Nile (3^rd); Painite (9^th).