Belmont Park Hotlist - July 9

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Saturday, July 9, 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 worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

4^th race [Suburban (G2), 1 ¼ mi] – (5) Dynamic One had an important victory in the Blame at Churchill Downs as he got back to the winner’s circle as a horse that showed so much promise last year earning a career best speed figure. He will try for his first graded stakes win. (4) First Captain could get the same comment as the top choice except his recent victory was in the Pimlico Special (G3) for Shug McGaughey. (1) Untreated faced strong competition in his last three starts including a third in the Pimlico Special. (3) Forewarned raced exclusively in stakes and won twice at Aqueduct.

7^th race [Belmont Oaks (G1), 1 ¼ mi TURF] – (3) Haughty had three wins (NOTE: she was disqualified from her debut victory) from four starts and a close third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). She won her 2022 debut in the Penn Oaks on a course that was extremely wet, soft, and swampy. (9) Agartha will make her first in America for Joseph O’Brien, who won a couple of very important races last year at big odds, and Johnny V. gets on board. She has a pair of seconds in Group 2 races in Ireland and won two of them last year. (10) Concert Hall will make his first start in the USA for Aidan O’Brien after good efforts in Group 1 races in Ireland this year. (6) New Year’s Eve won 3 out of 4 starts, most recently in the Edgewood (G2) at Churchill.

9^th race [Belmont Derby (G1), 1 ¼ mi TURF] – (10) Nations Pride comes to America for Charlie Appleby and that is probably enough said, the way his horses won big races last year when they shipped overseas. (9) Tiz the Bomb returns to turf racing after spending this year on the Kentucky Derby trail. Last seen he was ninth in the Run for the Roses but in 2021 he won twice on the grass and was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). (13) Stone Age won a Group 3 at Leopardstown and then ran sixth in the Cazoo (better known as the Epsom) Derby (G1) which had a field of 17 loaded with top horses on a day that some did not handle the track well and he was very sweaty pre-race. (8) Royal Patronage won a Group 2 and a Group 3 last year at major tracks in England. Joel Rosario will get the mount for the first time.

10^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 7F TURF] – (12) Heymackit’sjack (D) returned to turf racing and last time stumbled at the start, move up to second, and finished fifth after getting bet down from 7-1 to 5-1. (5) Feathers Road was third and then second just a head from the win since moving back onto the grass. (7) Salt Cay was entered for the turf in both of his career starts this year for Chad Brown finishing second last time on a sloppy. (6) Brady’s Legacy will make his first start since moving to the barn of Tom Morley and gets first-time Lasix.

Best bets: Dynamic One (4^th); Haughty (7^th). Best value: Nations Pride (9^th); Heymackit’sjack (10^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 7-9 and includes the Belmont Oaks, Victory Ride, and Belmont Derby  à 3, 5, 6. 9, 10 with 7 with 3, 8, 9, 10, 13 = $25.