Belmont Park Hotlist - June 12

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, June 12, 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 – (7) Creative Style (C) dropped out of several allowance starts to the N3L condition from which he was claimed when he last ran at that level. The move got him bet down from 5-1 to 5-2. He broke slowly and was in last position some seven-lengths behind and he rallied in the one-turn mile to draw off and win by two. He will stay in the barn of Eddie Barker, cut back to 6.5 furlongs, and move to an open $25,000 claimer. (5) Long May You Run was claimed out of a win at Parx in February for $25,000. His last two speed figures make him a serious contender. (1) Coltandmississippi was claimed out of his last two starts and four of his last five. He returns from a January layoff for Rudy Rodriguez who drops him to this level where he last won. (8) Tale of Mist makes a big drop in class and has a very strong record at Belmont Park.

7^th race – (10) Calidad (B) made her debut for trainer Bruce Levine who rarely wins with first-timers. She got off to a slow start and was in ninth place in the early going of the NY-bred maiden special weight. She went wide, rallied to get second six lengths behind the winner but the same margin ahead of the rest. (11) Jewel of Arabia was third in her debut at Saratoga in a NY-bred stakes race and then was second in a MSW. She returns as a 3-year-old now for Christophe Clement. (6) Allure Fortune showed speed in her debut in September at Belmont and now comes back with blinkers off for Jeremiah Englehart. (1) Sharp Starr has a third and a second in her two career starts which were both at Aqueduct this winter.

9^th race – (7) Mr. Buff has won every race he’s been in except two Grade 1 tries since this same race last year. That’s six wins in eight tries for this millionaire including the Jazil at Aqueduct against open company. (1) Bankit has been racing successfully against open company in stakes races. However, his win was against NY-breds last summer. (8) Pat On the Back is another veteran NY-bred stakes winner with over $1 million in earnings. In his career he has traded victories against the top choice. He won this race last year. (4) Build to Suit is the winner of his last two starts for Chad Brown including a NY-bred stake back in October.

10^th race – (8) Astronaut was second in his turf debut in his second start in April at Gulfstream Park. He will have to stretch out to a mile and a quarter, but had a big speed figure last time. (10) Seize the Hay had an excellent debut on the grass for Todd Pletcher in March followed by a throw out race on a sloppy track. (11) Amano was fourth in his debut for Chad Brown at short odds in March at Gulfstream behind a return winner. (3) Sandro the Great debuted in a February race that was meant for the grass for trainer Christophe Clement and now hopes to make a grass start.

Best bets:  Creative Style (3^rd); Mr. Buff (9^th).  Best value:  Calidad (7^th); Astronaut (10^th).