Belmont Park Hotlist - June 9

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Thursday, June 9, 2022 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 [Wonder Again (G2), 1 1/8 TURF mi] – (3) Consumer Spending (C) was a well-bet winner for Chad Brown in the Memories of Silver at Aqueduct in her first start after running sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. (6) Vergara made a big improvement in her second start of the year when she was third behind Pizza Bianca in the Hilltop at Pimlico three weeks ago for Graham Motion. (1) Shad Nation gets Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle after a third in an allowance at Keeneland for the Clement barn. (7) Skims was last seen running third at Keeneland in a Grade 2 for Shug McGaughey. Flavien Prat stays on board.

4^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6 ½ F] – (2) Ouster (B) broke through the gate, raced wide, and finished fourth in his second career start. Johnny V. gets the mount. (10) Asymmetric will make his first start of the year for Chad Brown as a new gelding with first-time Lasix after a second and a third last year. (6) Conquist made one start last year at odds of 4-1 and finished third for John Kimmel. (7) Ocean’s Reserve was third in his 2022 debut with an effort that makes him a contender in here.

8^th race [Tremont, 5 ½ F] – (8) Zelenskyy Strong moved to New York after breaking his maiden by more than 10 lengths in his debut at Gulfstream Park for Peter Walder. Irad gets on board and typically he rides live horses in stakes races. (4) No Nay Hudson won his debut at Keeneland by four lengths for Wesley Ward. (7) Two of a Kind was another impressive first-time winner. He won by almost four-lengths at Churchill Downs going five-furlongs. (1) Stayhonor Goodside was a heavy favorite in his five-length debut victory at Woodbine where trainer Mark Casse has a stronghold.

9^th race [Md 40000, 6F TURF] – (3) Miscreant (A/C) made her first start at 4-1 after getting bet down from 6-1. She had the lead in the stretch after racing wide and got caught at the end just a neck behind, but finished well ahead of the others. (7) Dame Time set the pace in both of her starts this year for Michelle Nevin and will now make the big drop in class from maiden special weight races to this claimer. (9) U Cant Handle This was claimed for $20,000 from his first start by Rudy Rodriguez who brought her back for $40,000 where she was in front into the stretch.

Best bets:  Consumer Spending (3^rd); Zelenskyy Strong (8^th). Best value:  Ouster (4^th); Miscreant (9^th).