Belmont Park Hotlist - June 10

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Thursday, June 10, 2021 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 [NY, Clm 25000, 1 mi TURF] – (2) Not That Brady (C) was an easy front-end winner of an open company N3L claimer with a $25,000 tag going a mile on the dirt. Trainer Lenin Cruz, who is related to the Noda Brothers, tries the grass again after he was bet down from 17-1 to 9-1 in that 4 ½ length victory. (9) Ghost Giant was claimed for $40,000 out of a top-level allowance for NY-breds by George Weaver back in April. Now he drops into a winning spot with top speed figures for this field. (3) Dr. Shane drops down in claiming price after clipping heels and having to steady. This is the right level for this Danny Gargan runner. (1) Nutzforboltz was third in an open company race at Monmouth Park that was meant for the grass in his first start for the Nodas.

3^rd race [Md Sp Wt, 5 ½ F] – (1) Lemieux debuted at Belmont Park last month and ran second for Mark Casse against a very impressive winner while himself beating the rest of the field easily. This is a field loaded with very well-bred first-time starters. (5) Velvet Sister was purchased for $500,000 by Stonestreet Stables. This NY-bred goes against open company. She is out of a mare who has produced 4 winners from 4 to start including My Boy Tate a stakes winner of more than $521,000. Her breeders are an interesting partnership of trainer Michelle Nevin and Godolphin. (6) Gerrymander was a $375,000 purchase by Into Mischief out of a mare who was stakes-placed and has produced 3 winners from 3 to start including Lone Rock who just won the Brooklyn (G2) and has earnings of over $748,000. (4) Amazing Dream is from the team of Todd Pletcher and Mike Repole and has plenty of strong workouts.

6^th race [Clm 35000B: N3L or 3YO, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (4) Malthael was claimed last year for $35,000 from a N3L race and has since been going against much tougher allowance company for Tom Morley. (3) Dante’s Fire returns from a December layoff in stakes and allowances. He does have an allowance win to his credit for trainer Mike Maker. (10) Kid Mercury is another allowance winner last year who for the most part has been racing against better company since then for Graham Motion. (12) The Last Zip is another one for the barn of Maker who was eased in his last start at this level. I don’t mind playing horses like this when they come back in a timely manner.

8^th race [OC 80k/N2x, 7F] – (5) Jalen Journey raced in the Golden Shaheen (G1) at Meydan for Steve Asmussen and then had a bad trip last month at Oaklawn Park. Before those races, he had a pair of victories in high level claimers. (2) Town Classic comes off of two third-place finishes in stakes, most recently in the Runhappy (G3) at Belmont behind Firenze Fire. (1) Mihos will go in for the $80,000 tag in order to get some class relief. (4) O’Trouble was claimed last start for $50,000 by Wayne Potts who wins at a 25% clip, first off the claim. He was first or second in four starts at Aqueduct this winter.

Best bets:  Lemieux (3^rd); Jalen Journey (8^th). Best value: Not That Brady (2^nd); Malthael (6^th).