Belmont Park Hotlist - June 25

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, June 25, 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.

3^rd race [Alw 92000 N1X, 1 1/16 mi] – (4) Good Credence used up her NY-bred allowance conditions, finished fourth in the Rampart (G3) at Gulfstream Park in December, was second in a state-bred stake last month, and remains eligible for this first-level open company allowance. All three of her wins came at Belmont Park where she has hit the board in 6 out of 7 starts. (3) Jordan’s Leo broke her maiden by 7 at Gulfstream for Todd Pletcher and then was third against a good allowance field at Belmont. (5) Malibu Curl was third in the Demoiselle (G3) last year and will now make her second start of the year for trainer Tom Albertrani whose horses always need a race back. (1) Union Gables returns to the dirt for Pletcher where she was a debut winner last summer at Saratoga and then was stakes-placed.

4^th race [Clm 40000 N2L, 7F TURF] – (6) Front Man (C) took a lot of betting action from 8-1 to 9-2 and improved to run second in his second turf start of the year. (8) Subsidize will make his first start in a N2L claimer. The Chad Brown runner won a maiden special weight in January at Aqueduct and then was fourth in a stake at Laurel. This will be his second start on the grass. (10) Time to Testify ran third and was claimed for $30,000 by Tom Morley. Probably not much class difference at this $40,000 level. (1) Knockout Punch was also claimed for $30,000 out of his last race. New trainer Wayne Potts wins with 24% of his new runners.

5^th race [Md Sp Wt, 6 ½ F] – (2) Primary Colors will debut for Pletcher after a series of fast works that point to him being one that will be ready first-time out. He was a $350,000 purchase as a weanling. He is the first foal from a dam that was a stakes winner of more than $250,000. (1) Repo Rocks has made a big improvement in speed figures in his last few starts. (6) Lemon Drop Road gets the blinkers on after a poor start last time in what turned out to be a fast race. (3) Unexpected will make his first start in America after racing in Japan three times, all on wet tracks. His low-profile trainer secured Jose Ortiz to ride after training at Saratoga.

7^th race [Clm 50000 N3L or 3YO, 1 1/16 mi] – (1) Striking Speed (C) raced very well in the fall for Rudy Rodriguez but now switches to the barn of Rob Atras. He last raced in December when he was bet down from 24-1 to 13-1 and finished third in an allowance. (4) O’Trouble was claimed in May for $50,000 in a N3L condition by Wayne Potts who brought him right back in a second-level allowance. (2) Fast Break finished a neck ahead of the #4 horse in that claiming race after pressing the pace. (6) Shanghaischool was also in that same claiming race. His prior three starts were either second or first-place finishes.

Best bets:  Good Credence (3^rd); Primary Colors (5^th). Best value: Front Man (4^th); Striking Speed (7^th).