Belmont Park Hotlist - June 14

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, June 14, 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.

2^nd race – (2) Radiantrithym (B) made her second start since being claimed for $25,000 by Linda Rice and was in for $16,000. She was bumped from both sides at the break and had to be taken back to sixth when she is usually more forwardly placed. After racing wide, she still did rally strongly to just miss the win by a half-length. She was claimed out of the race by Gary Gullo and returns today for the same $16,000 tag. (5) Keep Your Distance (C) had been claimed in two of her last three races for $10,000 including her most recent start which she won. New trainer Gerald Seymour moved her up to $16,000 where she stalked the pace and kept on down the stretch for third after getting bet down from 6-1 to 5-2. She was once again claimed, this time by John Toscano. (1) Cold Hearted Pearl was claimed out of a front running victory last time out for $16,000 and will no doubt go to the lead from the rail with Carmouche up. (4) Friend of Liberty was also claimed out of a win after she rallied and drew away for a $12,500 tag and now is with Linda Rice.

5^th race – (9) Enough Love moves from a $40,000 maiden claiming victory to this $16,000 N2L condition. This race is loaded with speed and sets up well for her closing move. (7) Elegant Rose makes the big drop from starter allowance races to the N2L level. She broke her maiden by 12 lengths for a $30,000 tag at Belmont Park. (3) Kinky Sox made a big closing move to run second in a similar spot at Aqueduct in March. (11) Queendom will exit a series of starts in NY-bred allowances to race at a more suitable level.

7^th race – (10) Scuttlebuzz (B) was a heavily bet favorite when he had a rough start in a February start and eventually finished fourth for trainer Jonathan Thomas. He now switches to this turf sprint. (8) Walrus Gumboot (B) was posted to the outside of a full field of NY-bred maiden special weights, broke alertly, and went right to the lead setting the pace until the stretch run when he began to tire. He was moved to the barn of Kelly Breen from that of indicted trainer Jason Servis and tries the turf now. (4) More Like It debuted at Gulfstream against open company and moves to the barn on NY trainer Bruce Brown to face state-breds. (5) Jack of Clubs faced strong competition in prior starts including in November when he was second in race that was scheduled to be his first on the grass but got moved to the main track. Johnny V. stays on board for his 2020 debut.

9^th race – (1) Mission Wrapitup (C) took the blinkers off after trying the shades for three races and got bet down from 8-1 to 6-1. He went from a debut win to a series of NY-bred stakes runs where he notched a second. Back in the first-level OC allowance, he got bumped at the break and found himself in last going six-furlongs. He used a big closing move down the stretch to leave the field almost four lengths behind. He was moved to the barn of Chad Brown and now returns to stakes company. (4) Dream Bigger is a three-time winner of NY-bred stakes races including a runaway victory last time at Aqueduct in March. (3) Gandy Dancing was an impressive debut winner for Chad Brown. (2) City Man makes his 2020 debut for Christophe Clement. He was the winner of his first two starts last year including a stake.

Best bets:  Radiantrithym (2^nd); Scuttlebuzz (7^th).  Best value:  Enough Love (5^th); Mission Wrapitup (9^th).