Belmont Park Hotlist - May 15

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, May 15, 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.

1^st race [Md Sp Wt, 1 1/16 mi] – (2) Digitize (B) was second in his debut last month for Chad Brown at Aqueduct where he had a rough start clipping heels and then raced greenly. (1) Nabokov is another Brown runner that had a strong debut with his coming at Keeneland when he had the lead in the stretch at odds of 2-1. (4) Predicted moved from turf to dirt in his second start of the year and was much improved since the main track is his best surface. (6) Braille will make his third start for Shug McGaughey. He was fourth in his December debut and then tried the Tapeta at Gulfstream Park last month when he was fourth again.

3^rd race [NY, Md 40000, 6F] – (7) Hereby returned from a 10 month layoff, pressed the pace in a maiden special weight, and finished third in a race that was meant for the grass. With that good result, Christophe Clement leaves him on the main track. (2) Got the Gold has a pair of seconds at this level including last time when he dropped back to this claiming level. (4) Couples Therapy is a son of Outwork making his debut. His dam produced 5 winners from 7 to race including a NY-bred stakes winner of $471,000. (8) Kingstown set the pace in his debut last month at Aqueduct at odds of 9-1. His early speed will certainly help in this field.

5^th race [Md 40000, 1 1/16 TURF] – (8) I Am the Law has two good maiden special weight starts following a layoff and gets Joel Rosario now as he drops into a claimer. (4) Bail Out looked like he was finally going to get his elusive maiden win when he had the lead in the stretch coming off a layoff. Is this the time for the veteran with 26 starts? (1) Hooky Player returns from a November layoff when he was fourth for a $50,000 tag. He was third in his first two starts in maiden special weights at Monmouth Park. (2) Strike Price set the pace in his debut last month at Aqueduct and now gets Flavien Prat.

6^th race [Alw 92000 N1X, 1 1/16 mi] – (4) Perceived (C) was bet down from 4-1 to 2-1 and maintained his form with victory in a starter allowance. With four career victories he is still eligible for this first-level allowance. (3) Dr Ardito won his last three starts for Chad Brown and in doing so used up his NY-bred conditions. He recorded the highest speed figure in the field last time. (7) Jerry the Nipper has two races back from a year layoff for Todd Pletcher when back then he won both of his NY-bred allowances. Last month, he was second in a recent allowance. (8) American Rule has improved significantly which has been the case with the entire Noda barn since Belmont opened. He will move up from success in open claimers.

Best bets:  Digitize (1^st); I Am the Law (5^th). Best value:  Hereby (3^rd); Perceived (6^th)