Belmont Park Hotlist - May 20

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Thursday, May 20, 2021 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 [NY, Md 40000, 7F] – (4) Bewps (D) was bet down from 9-1 to 7-1 even though she was going dirt to turf and stepping up in class. Now, she drops back down on the dirt and cuts back in distance. (1) Calidad drops down a notch with past recent races that are good enough to beat this field especially her last start at today’s distance. (8) Captivating Cara improved in her last five starts in terms of speed figures and she may have found the right field to finally get that maiden win. (2) Tremayne is also on the improve in her last few starts, and today’s distance may be ideal. Jose Ortiz stays on board for a second try.

4^th race [Clm 40000, 6 1/2F] – (7) True Castle is in fine form with two strong performances at Oaklawn Park this year. She was claimed out of her 2021 debut by Steve Asmussen for $35,000 and came back to just miss in a high-level OC allowance. (3) Gone Glimmering was claimed for $62,500 by Rob Atras whose barn is winning at a 26% clip at Belmont Park and this filly won her only start there. They drop her down to $40,000, no doubt looking to get a win right away. (4) Customerexperience won a first-level allowance last start for Rudy Rodriguez. This filly always shows up. (8) Glass Ceiling is another very consistent performer who has run well in her three starts at Belmont.

5^th race [Clm 50000 N3L, 1 mi] – (2) Shotski is remembered for his success on the Kentucky Derby trail last year. They took the blinkers off in his last start and he ran badly and now they go back on. The move to this N3L race provides significant class relief. (7) Democratic Values is the winner of his last two starts at Aqueduct, first in a maiden claimer where he got taken for $40,000, followed by a starter allowance score. The move to this N3L puts him in a spot to win again for Rudy R. (3) O’Trouble puts the blinkers back on for Tony Dutrow. He was first or second in all four of his starts this year. (5) Shanghaischool had the lead in a similar start last time and ran second on a sloppy Belmont track.

8^th race [OC 80k/N2X, 6F TURF] – (6) Quarky (C) had the lead, had to alter paths to avoid the cardboard box that blew onto the track, and finished second in his first start since heading north from Florida. (4) Battle Station was third in his 2021 debut and drops in for the claiming option for the first time in more than a year. (8) Shekky Shebaz will return from a September layoff. He drops in for a tag after racing exclusively in stakes for Christophe Clement. (10) Blind Ambition was claimed last start for $32,000 by the Noda Brothers whose barn has returned to being red-hot with virtually all of their horses.

Best bets:  Bewps (3^rd); True Castle (4^th). Best value: Shotski (5^th); Quarky (8^th).