Belmont Park Hotlist - July 3

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, July 3, 2022 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.

2^nd race [Md 40000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (2) Regina (B) will drop into this maiden claiming level for the first time after two maiden special weight starts at Laurel Park for Linda Rice where she ran fourth and then third. She was entered in a similar spot on June 23 but was a late scratch after having problems in the paddock. (7) Quaria Thunder set the pace last time and finished second after getting caught at the wire. She may be the lone speed in this field. (6) Miscreant will get on the turf for the first time after a second and a third in maiden claimers. Last time she was entered for the grass. (1) Requestforproposal was claimed away from Chad Brown when she ran fourth. New trainer David Duggan is having a very good year with a 29% winning rate.

4^th race [Md Sp Wt, 6F TURF] – (7) Almanzo moves from the barn of Brad Cox to Wesley Ward who wins with 45% of his new runners. He was second in his last start at Fair Grounds. (6) Legends Can’t Die was a $350,000 purchase last year and will now debut for George Weaver with a series of good workouts including two on the turf. (1) Broken Spur moved to the turf in his second start for Bill Mott, pressed the pace, and finished second. (3) Java Buzz ran twice last year and now comes back as a new gelding with first-time Lasix for Linda Rice. He faced two strong fields and ran well.

8^th race [Perfect Sting, 1 mi TURF] – (5) Love and Thunder (B) made his 2022 debut for Chad Brown in second-level allowance and rallied seven-wide from last after a slow start to win. She was third in a stake at Aqueduct in her final race last year. (1) Jouster was third in the Intercontinental (G3) and gets class relief in this spot after a couple of troubled trips. (6) Messidor made a big improvement in her second start of the year when she won a seven-furlong turf allowance. (2) Giggle Factory has now won 3 out of her 4 most recent starts including a second-level allowance last time following a short layoff.

9^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (1) Ocean’s Reserve made a big improvement in his second start of the year when he missed the win by a neck after a late rally. (8) Sinful Dancer has hit the board six times in eight starts against some strong competition. (7) Beach Boy Al moves to the barn of George Weaver after being well bet in his last two starts and running fourth. (3) Refuah will make his first start after switching to the barn of Peter Walder when he moved from Florida to New York. He cuts back from a pair of seconds in one-turn miles.

Best bets:  Love and Thunder (8^th); Ocean’s Reserve (9^th). Best value:  Regina (2^nd); Almanzo (4^th).