Belmont Park Hotlist - June 28

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, June 28, 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 – (7) True Grace (D) got Lasix for the first time in another NY-bred maiden special weight back in December. He was bet down from 3-1 to 7-5 and battled for the early lead as he had done in the past, but this time the added distance was not to his liking and he faded to run eighth for Christophe Clement. He makes his 2020 debut sprinting on the main track while in a maiden claimer for the first time. (5) Liquor was third in his last start in March and now moves to this maiden claimer. (2) Danegeld ran second in all three of his starts for the Bond barn and that makes him a threat in this field. (6) Rapide Franey makes his career debut. This home-bred is out of a mare that won $127,000 on the track and has produced a winner of $213,000. He has a long work tab in preparation.

3^rd race – (4) Xanthique (C) was bet down from 10-1 to 5-1 for his 2020 debut for Tom Morley and she ran second in a first-level allowance on the grass. She returns in a similar spot in here. (1) Jazzique makes her debut this year for Chad Brown after winning at first asking as a 2-year-old and then getting the show spot in the Miss Grillo (G2) in September. (7) Hotsy Totsy missed by a neck in her first start of the year in an allowance at Gulfstream Park last month for Christophe Clement. (6) Fashion’s Star was second by a neck in her debut for the year in an allowance at Tampa bay for Shug McGaughey.

5^th race – (2) Walkoff (C) was bet down from 7-2 to 8-5 for Brad Cox who has the hottest barn in the country. He won that N3L claimer while closing on a muddy track and now steps up to an open claimer. (4) California Night returns in three weeks in a claimer at half the price of his prior race. (3) Mills finds a field in which he fits off a win for a $12,500 tag even though this is a $20,000 claimer. (6) Lil Commissioner makes his debut for Rob Atras who gets the horse from the barn of Jorge Navarro. Horses from the three indicted trainers have not done well but this would have been an ideal spot for this horse.

8^th race – (1) Critical Value was a NY-bred stakes winner last year as a 2-year-old and then ran fourth in the Demoiselle (G2) and now makes her debut for Jeremiah Englehart in another state-bred stake. (3) Naked Avenger made her first three starts against NY-breds and won twice including a stake. This year, she ran twice against open company at Gulfstream. (4) Risky Mischief was a debut winner last year for Jeremiah and then tried the Spinaway (G1). This will be her 2020 debut. (2) Ilchester Cheetah made the majority of her starts against open company and now returns to face state-breds.

Best bets:  True Grace (1^st); Critical Value (8^th).  Best value: Xanthique (3^rd); Walkoff (5^th).