Belmont Park Hotlist - May 14

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Saturday, May 14, 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 worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

1^st race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (6) Devil Boy (B) has been away from the races for almost a year when he had troubled trips in both of his starts at Belmont Park. (7) Ocean’s Reserve (B) had one start last year at Saratoga when he was rank and had to check early in the race. He was well bet in that race and the blinkers come off. (1) Conquist debuted in November when he was third at odds of 4-1. He’ll get first-time Lasix for his return to the track. (5) N Y Anthem started his career at Parx when he finished third at odds of 7-1 and now will face NY-breds.

6^th race [Alw 92000 N1X, 1 mi TURF] – (1A) Baby Blythe (B) was heavily restrained and rank in the Jockey Club Oaks and got stuck out wide on an inside favoring track when last seen in September. (6) Naked On the Beach got back on the turf for Mike Maker and ran her best career race at Aqueduct last month. (3) Lay the Groundwork broke her maiden in February for Chad Brown in a Gulfstream race that was meant for the turf. (10) Caironi was a debut winner last year at Belmont and then was second and fourth in turf stakes in New York. She has been off for the winter.

8^th race [Man o’War (G1), 1 3/8 mi TURF] – (1) Easter (A) had a promising American debut when third in an allowance at Aqueduct after racing in France. Trainer Graham Motion is better with imports like this in their later starts. (3) Yibir won the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) last year and the Eclipse Award for Champion Male Turf horse. This year he has a pair of seconds in Group overseas. He thrived on American turf courses last year. (2) Gufo made his 2022 debut a winning one in the Pan American (G2) at Gulfstream Park. He was a Grade 1 winner last year. (4) Abaan was second behind Gufo last time and has the look of an improving turf horse and may be the primary speed in the field.

9^th race [Peter Pan (G3), 1 1/8 mi] – (2) Electability won his last two starts at Aqueduct in a maiden special weight and then an allowance. The Chad Brown barn is red hot at the current meeting winning with 32% of their runners. (1) Set Sail ships to New York from Santa Anita after a seven-length maiden score for Richard Mandella. The fact that he will ship an inexperienced horse like this across the country has to be an endorsement of his talent. (4) We the People won his first two starts at Oaklawn Park and then was washed out before the Arkansas Derby (G1). Keep an eye on this guy in the post parade. (6) Western River is a full brother of Belmont Stakes winner Creator and a recent impressive maiden winner at Oaklawn Park.

Best bets: Devil Boy (1^st); Baby Blythe (6^th). Best value: Easter (8^th); Electability (9^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 8-10 is all graded stakes à 1, 2, 3 with 1, 2, 4, 6 with 1, 2 = $24.