Belmont Park Hotlist - June 26

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, June 26, 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.

1^st race – (1) Big Boy Mo (B) returned from a January layoff to break his maiden against NY-breds for a $30,000 tag. He got pinched back at the start and rallied from thirteenth and last to win by almost two lengths. He moves to a N2L condition which is only offered with open company. (4) Star of the West was away for almost a year from a Saratoga debut where he was claimed from Joe Sharp by Rudy Rodriguez. Just three weeks ago he returned to win a maiden claimer on the front end by almost two lengths. (5) Cause of Action has some races on the turf that are faster than most of this field have ever run, but can he transfer those performances to the dirt? (2) Dangerous Edge gets blinkers on after falling far behind in his last two races. He rallied strongly in both of those races. Trainer John Toscano claimed him two back and switched to an aggressive rider in Luis Saez.

5^th race – (1) Blue Belt (C) was bet down from 7-1 to 5-1 in his first start off the claim to get third at today’s $10,000 level. (5) Javelin returned from a February layoff with Irad Ortiz in the saddle to run second at his level. Ortiz stays on board. (7) Tale of Mist takes a big drop in class from $25,000 claimer and starter allowances with good recent efforts. (3) Blinded Vision was shipped to Churchill Downs to race for a $16,000 tag for Rudy Rodriguez and now drops back to the level at which he was claimed just two races ago.

6^th race – (6) Mundacious (C) got bet down from 15-1 to 10-1 and stretched out to a mile on June 7 and now switches to the turf for the first time for Jeremiah Englehart. (4) Barleewon got a career best speed figure last time when he ran second and now is back in a similar NY-bred maiden special weight on the turf. (5) Justintimeforwine makes his first start for a new trainer after Gary Contessa’s retirement. He moves back to the turf where he had his best races including a second against open company. (1) No Salt was bet down to be an 8-5 favorite for his Saratoga debut last summer for Bill Mott. He did no running that day and now moves from dirt to turf and stretches out in distance.

9^th race – (8) Funderella (D) was bet down from 50-1 to 23-1 in her return from a March layoff in a similar state-bred maiden claimer and finished ninth. That was a highly unusual betting pattern. (1) Kefaliani returned to NY-bred action in her last start in January and was bet down to 7-2 and missed the win by a neck. She is back in the same type of race for Charlie Baker. (3) Hayezhee was well supported in her first two starts and now drops from a $40,000 tag to today’s $25,000 for the Asmussen barn. (7) Queentigua is entered as an MTO on Thursday but fits really well in here after running second back on June 4. [If Queentigua scratches, then (9) Mopolka will be the fourth choice.]

Best bets:  Big Boy Mo (1^st); Blue Belt (5^th).  Best value:  Mundacious (6^th); Funderella (9^th).